FA Trophy Special: Chats plotting another Trophy surprise

CHATHAM TOWN are “quietly confident” that they can spring yet another surprise in the FA Carlsberg Trophy on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Medway side dumped their Kent rivals, Folkestone Invicta out in the preliminary round, winning the replay on home soil 2-0, after coming away from Cheriton Road with a hard fought 1-1 draw.

And now they travel to play a beleaguered Harrow Borough side with high hopes.

David Howell’s men are still smarting from their 7-0 away defeat to Hendon, although they finished the game with nine men, as goalkeeper Gary Ross and captain Wayne Walters were both red carded.

Borough have failed to win a league game on home soil after six attempts and that form leaves them rooted to the foot of the Ryman Premier League table.

Speaking about their 7-0 defeat in Northwood, Howell told www.harrowboro.com  : “Our pride has been badly hurt and we will have to put in a performance at the weekend that says we are still as determined and as committed as ever.

“Injuries and unforeseen circumstances permitting, I intend to name the exact same squad for Saturday’s home match against Chatham Town.”

Chats’ player-assistant manager, Steve Best fancies their chances to come away from Earlsmead with another famous victory in the competition, having beaten Neil Cugley’s side at the first hurdle.

“I think we’ve got a great chance,” Best told www.kentishfootball.co.uk. “They’re not going great guns in their league, alright we’ve not been picking up many points, but we’ve been playing very good football.

“I think when you’re playing against Premier teams they do give you the opportunity to play football and I think we can break them down that way.

“We’ve obviously got to be aware of their experience and that they play in a higher league, playing against better players, but we can more than hold our own, so I’m quietly confident.”

Chatham are another side that are finding the going tough on home soil, having lost five of their six home games in Ryman League Division One North so far.

Seven of their ten points have come on their travels and Chatham are one of numerous Kent clubs that struggle in front of their own supporters.

“We play a lot better away from home, I don’t know why,” pondered Best.

“They’re not having the greatest record at home so it’s all looking up. It will be a good game, they lost 7-0 last night as well, so they’ve been leaking goals.”

Third placed side Aveley maintained their promotion chances with a 2-1 win over Chatham at Maidstone Road earlier in the week.

And Best said: “I was just talking to a couple of players on the phone actually and they both said, and I agreed with them, we played brilliantly for seventy minutes and it’s just that bit of in-experience in the last fifteen minutes (that cost us the game.)

“The injury to James Smith just put us under the cosh a little bit and that’s why we lost it - that little bit of in-experience at the end - and we’ll learn from it.”

Chatham were forced to end the game with defender Dan Larkin in goal, as they did in their replay win over Folkestone, due to Smith’s injury, but Best revealed Smith is expected to return in goal on Saturday.

Smith, who clashed with Larkin’s knee, suffered double vision and felt sick on Tuesday night but after visiting hospital and a neck specialist, he should be fit to play. Best also revealed that Chris Tedder is doubtful with a knee injury.

Best, meanwhile, is relishing playing against higher league opposition, adding: “We like to play against better teams and the further we go the (more) better teams (we play), so fingers crossed we’ll get through this round and play another good team.”

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

Harrow Borough v Chatham Town
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round
Saturday 18^th October 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Earlsmead, Carlyon Avenue, South Harrow, Middlesex HA2 8SS