Absent Miles confident of picking up holiday points

Chatham Town boss Phil Miles, who misses his side’s two Bank Holiday weekend games as he’s going into hospital for a back operation, insists his depleted side will pick up points without him, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Chats have failed to hit the target in their opening two Ryman League Division One South games of the new season - a goalless draw at Corinthian Casuals was followed up by a 1-0 home defeat to Ashford Town.

Missing former Ramsgate pair, Shane Suter (knee) and Gavin Schulz (ankle) doesn’t help, but Miles has vowed his side will soon pick up points - as well as score goals.

Tooting & Mitcham United, a side that suffered heartbreak last season, losing to Hastings United in the play-off final, visit Maidstone Road on Saturday, before Chats travel to newly promoted side, Chipstead on Bank Holiday Monday morning (11:30am).

“It will be tough if they carry on with that form they had last year,” Miles told www.kentishfootball.co.uk about Saturday’s opponents.

“They just lost out in the play-off’s, it will be another tough game, but that’s what this league is about. You never turn up thinking it’s going to be easy.”

And speaking about Chipstead, Miles added: “Don’t know too much about them, so we’re looking to pick up some points over the weekend, regroup, and the following weekend I should be back to full fitness apart from Shane Suter, he could be three to four weeks.”

Steve Best, the club’s player-assistant, will be assessed prior to the game, after he was substituted after just 16 defeats of their derby defeat to Ashford Town due to concussion.

Meanwhile, club official, John Crow has urged fans to find their voices at Maidstone Road this season, especially as their last game was played in near silence.

“By the way, some of you may have noticed that it has been a bit noisier during the pre-season games - thanks to the efforts of a bunch of young lads who go by the name of the “West Stand Boys”.

“Every club needs to bring in young blood if they are going to survive, and it has certainly been noticed how the atmosphere has changed at the games, so how about some of the old timers joining in,” he wrote in his programme notes.

Visit Chatham Town’s website:  www.chathamtownfc.net

Chatham Town v Tooting & Mitcham United
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 25^th August 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 6ES