Greenie's Friday Preview

Left Greenie Towers behind this week as Mrs G and I have a mid season break in Spain - we're on the plains and its rained!!!

Anyhow, shorter version of the preview than normal this week as we've only three League games to look at, and undoubtedly the top League game in Kent tomorrow is at Stonebridge Road where Gravesend fresh from that wonderful 1-0 win at Burton last weekend (and I know I shouldn’t plug other websites but if you get a chance to see Danny Slatter's winner on the Conferences website its well well worth - a better goal I doubt was scored anywhere last
Saturday).

Anyhow I digress tomorrow its another tough game for Liam Daish's side as Woking come to Stonebridge Road in a battle of two sides aiming for the top six.

You know there's a team spirit in the Fleet camp at the moment that I don’t really think I've seen in a side for a very long time, and if they can gain Woking’s scalp tomorrow a few more of the doubters will surely take notice!

Daish is hoping the Mark DeBolla, Ross Smith and maybe even John Keeling will be back in the equation - and talking of the "Fleets mountie", I had the honour of meeting his parents last weekend!

Yours truly will hopefully be at Park View Road to see if arguably the daftest record in football can continue - can Welling make it eight wins out of eight in League matches played on a Saturday?

The only two Saturday games they haven't won have been away FA Cup ties where they've won the home replay 3-1.

It really is quite a remarkable record and one that I know that Adie Pennock cannot really understand - and he isnt the only one!

Tomorrow Bedford Town make the trip round the M25 to Park View Road, and I just wonder what kind of intriguing battle we're in for given that the Wings of course must have one eye on next Saturday's Fourth Qualifying Round tie at home to Clevedon - just for the record congrats to the fabulous five Kent sides who won through in some incredible games, and now we have some wonderful contests to look forward to - but that will be next weekend and throughout the week right here on www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

Back to tomorrow and our final League game is at Homelands and for the loser bottom spot in Ryman One South.

Current occupant Corinthian Casuals are the visitors for Ashford and after the midweek defeat at Bourne Park, Tim Thorogood’s side are now just a point better off that the basement side.

A home win incidentally will rocket Ashford up FIVE places - defeat though and it could signal the start of a long winter.

Best wishes incidentally to Ashford’s Gary Clark who suffered what I've read described as a cruciate knee injury on Wednesday. Had one of them myself and I can tell you they do hurt!!! Best wishes for a speedy recovery Gary...

And so onto the FA Trophy First Qualifying Round...

Maidstone face one of the toughest assignments as the head across the Estuary to face Chelmsford at City's new home at the towns Athletics Stadium.

A cold bleak place where the FA Cup may help the Stones as remember its the Fleet's destination next week... The Stones will be bouyed by Wednesday’s win over Ashford, but they might well need a lot more than that!!!

Cray aim to do what Tonbridge did last week and win at Cheshunt. The home side are flindering at the foot of the Southern Premier and a win really would kick start the Wands season especially after the midweek defeat at Godalming.

Ramsgate head for Hendon fresh from their midweek win over Worthing that has propelled them into the top three of the Ryman Premier. Tomorrow they return to a ground that they've already won 4-2 at this season and so must travel with some hope! That said with the Ward's about there's always hope...

I wonder what odds you can get on Sittingbourne keeper Steve Williams scoring against Arseley at Bourne Park tomorrow.

Doesn’t sound as daft as it seems as the giant keeper rescued Steve Lovell’s side a point on Tuesday at Met Police in injury time... I'm sure that Lovell will be quite relieved if Lovell junior or Andy Doerr nets the vital goal(s) tomorrow and leave Williams to stop them at the other end!

Folkestone travel to Staines looking to continue their recent turn around in form and boss Neil Cugley would dearly love a Trophy run I'm sure as a help to bring the coffers in.

After all a win here and one more round (I think) and you're these days looking at the prospect of possibly drawing Oxford...

Tony Dolby's Tonbridge side welcome Harlow Town to Longmead, in what potentially is a rehearsal for their Cup Final Qualifying Round tie but with roles reversed!

The Angels will start as favourites against one of the Ryman North pacesetters but will know what a banana skin the Essex side could be.

Finally tomorrow, Margate head for Wivenhoe, with Robin Trott’s season threatening to fall apart around his ears.

Dumped out of the FA Cup by Potters Bar seven days ago and the losing a two goal lead at Billericay in midweek, its been a bad seven days for the Blues and to top it all Ramsgate have gone above them in the League too.

Trott faces up to one of his first real tests as Margate boss tomorrow - lets hope that he comes through it!

Our final Trophy tie is on Sunday when Dartford play one of the last games in exile as they welcome and old friend to Ship Lane.

Horsham YMCA are the visitors and their coach of course is Tommy Sampson who needs no introduction to Kent football fans. Both in Ryman One South, the Darts are second and YMCA lower mid table and so it should be a comfortable home passage. But...

Big week of course next week, and in the preview I'll have full details of Saturday Sport's coverage of the Fourth Qualifying Round, and I promise you it'll be something a bit special, but tomorrow I'll be at Park View Road, and the shows on air as usual from 2:00 - Matt Davison’s Saturday Sport on Kent’s Soccer Station from the BBC...

Cheers
Mike Green