I certainly feel that we’re in a better place having made that step up from Step Five to Step Four and I feel that we’re a better team and a better club for that, says Corinthian manager Michael Golding

CORINTHIAN manager Michael Golding says success this season is to retain the club’s Isthmian League South East Division status.

The Longfield based outfit lost the long-awaited 2019-20 Kent Senior Trophy Final on Tuesday night, taking an early lead through Jack Mahoney before losing 3-1 to Sheppey United.

The club are in eleventh-place in the league table with 34 points from 25 games, 12 points adrift of the play-offs and 12 clear of the relegation zone.

“Everyone we speak to says we’ve had a good season, we want to be a lot higher than that. We came into this division to try to compete," said Golding.

“We’ve added one player to the squad that won the SCEFL by points-per-game over two years and I think we’ve shown that we can compete with the same squad.

“I think on the face of it anything other than getting relegated was going to be a positive.

“We’re all ambitious, I’m an ambitious manager. We want to be better than being in and around those bottom lot.

“There’s some big sides in that league and there’s some big sides that are struggling to get points at the moment so to have 34 points on the board, I think we’ll take it but we always want better.”

Golding is now assisted by former Dartford player and Tony Burman’s number two Paul Sawyer and it was his son Ryan who scored a late own goal that sealed Ernie Batten’s side the trophy, after striker Warren Mfula scored a brace.

Golding paid tribute to his former coach Sam Groombridge, who has left the club and joined Jimmy Anderson, the former Corinthian reserve team manager, who is battling to keep Rusthall in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.

“Sam’s moved to Rusthall and we wish Sam all the best,” said Golding.

“Sam was a massive part of what we achieved over a number of years at Corinthian, we’ve got nothing but good words to say about Sam and I’m sure he’ll have a massive impact down at Rusthall and they’ve got an unbelievable coach and a great guy as well, so we wish him all the best.

“They’ve taken a couple of players and that’s how football works.

“We’re very, very lucky to have brought Paul Sawyer in.  Paul’s been very, very good for us, just his experience and what he brings to the camp is unrivalled and he’s been a very good influence on myself and the whole squad and the whole club.

“I certainly feel that we’re in a better place having made that step up from Step Five to Step Four and I think we’ve done well with that and I feel that we’re a better team and a better club for that.”

Corinthian make the trip down to Brighton to play bottom-five side Whitehawk on Saturday.

Whitehawk  v  Corinthian
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 5 February 2022
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Enclosed Ground, East Brighton Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 5TS