Greenie's Friday Preview - Who will join Fleet in last qualifying round?

Another FA Cup weekend and the winners will be just 90 tantalising minutes from the First Round proper, and with five of our sides involved there’s an excited tingle here at Greenie Towers that the Fleet could well have some company for that Fourth Qualifying Round draw on Monday.

And indeed it’s the Fleet we start with this week as they travel to Burton desperately hoping that Tuesday’s embarrassing defeat to Stafford was just one of those football "blips" that come along every now and then.

To be fair after just one defeat in their previous ten, I suppose that the footballing gods decided it was time for the Fleet to derail, but the manner of the defeat must have shook Liam Daish as much as it did the rest of us watching it!

Yes they were without Mark De Bolla and Ross Smith (both of whom could feature tomorrow), but still the way that Stafford (who themselves remember hadn’t won a game since the end of August) simply ripped Gravesend apart was still a concern.

I’m sure that Liam has had the players working hard in training since Tuesday as he knows that Burton themselves will be smarting from losing a long unbeaten record at forest Green in midweek.

And lets face it when the opposition manager’s name is Clough – well words speak volumes don’t they. Indeed following the kind words "Young Nigel" had for the Fleet following their recent SKY game at Weymouth, the Albion manager will be under no illusions that his side face a hell of a test tomorrow afternoon.

Please join Lord Webster and myself at the Pirelli Stadium for Radio Kent’s website commentary from just before 3:00 as well as all the other latest scores from the Conference and around the County, with particular interest paid to the Third Qualifying round of the FA Cup – which is where we now head…

Saturday Sport is covering two of the away games, both of which are in Essex. Welling United take their "Unbeaten on a Saturday" run just through the Dartford tunnel and up the A127 to AFC Hornchurch, whilst Ryman One South toppers Dover face the daunting trip to Heybridge to face a Swifts side that are second in the Ryman Premier.

To the Wings first and Adie Pennock earlier this week on this website was quoted as saying "We’ve had them watched. It will be a hard game for us. I’ve got a lot of respect for Colin McBride (who was formerly in charge at Thurrock) and it will be a difficult game."

Pennock knows what it’ll mean to the club if they get through this potential banana skin, and knows himself that at the end of the day a Cup run at this level means funds for their ultimate goal at the end of the season and that is of course a return to the Conference!

Whilst the manager is happy with his current squad he ended the midweek interview with this website by adding, "I’m always looking to improve the team but if I can bring them in I will but money is a big issue. That’s why it’s important to progress in the FA Cup."

Early team news and Leon Soloman (knee) is doubtful whilst Andrew Sam, is a concern with a chest infection.

And so to Greenie’s prediction – the Wings through but it may take an uncomfortable 90 minutes to get there!

For Dover, they in my view face the toughest test of all away to Heybridge, who lets remember last year just missed out on promotion through the Play Offs.

I think this may be one game too far for Dover as after beating Conference South Thurrock in the last round, it’s very rare that giant killers kill again.

That said though, if there’s a manager in Kent football capable of causing another upset then it has to be Clive Walker.

Interestingly enough though in a clip of his post match interview that I watched this week on the clubs official website, Clive seemed more intent on League points.

Yes he’d love a repeat of the day they so very nearly knocked Oxford out of the competition a couple of years back, but his priority is the League and after last weekends ill tempered draw with Kingstonian, Walker will know this his side is going to be tested probably to their limits tomorrow.

The prediction – Dover will have to play well (and they are more than capable of doing so) but I can see this one going back to Crabble, which will be an achievement for the Whites!

Hartsdown Park is the only ground in the County for Cup football tomorrow and after their incredible squeak against Whitstable in the last round Margate shouldn’t have too much problem accounting for Potters Bar Town who are sixteenth in Ryman One North, and who have won but one League game all season.

Given the Cup experience both of Manager Robin Trott and his number two Mike Flanagan as well as a majority of the players, the Gate should have more than enough to get through although after the scare they took at the Belmont, Trott will take nothing for granted!

Hopefully top scorer Danny Hockton could well be involved and if he is the Greenie prediction is a safe passage through. No Hockton – and I still see Margate in that draw albeit perhaps with a few more grey hairs than when they started!

Tony Dolby is looking to equal Tonbridge’s best ever run in the competition as the Angels head around the M25 to face Cheshunt.

The best known Angels fan that I know (Mr Davison) can only remember the club being in the Fourth Qualifying round on one or two occasions. And I must confess that in the decade that I’ve been really into the Counties Non League circuit I can;t recall them going close to the competition proper.

And after last Saturdays self destruction in the league against Leyton, Dolby will be especially keen for his side to progress at the expense of the Southern Premier’s bottom club. And I think that the Angels will get through although this one may too take a replay.

There’s Ryman One South action tomorrow too as Cray welcome Chatham to Hayes Lane for their first fixture for some considerable time – indeed I think you’d have to go back almost 20 years to when the Chats were in the Kent League.

Phil Miles will take his side to Bromley in the hope that he’ll bring the points back down the M20 to Medway.

On the other hand Ian Jenkins knows that victory for his Cray side could well be the springboard they need to kick start their Play Off challenge.

Dartford just 36 days now from going "home" will be looking to continue their challenge to Dover and Fleet as they welcome Godalming to Ship Lane in one of their final "home" games to be played on the road.

Tony Burman will be looking for his side to avoid another bottom place banana skin as remember when Hastings won 2-0 at Ship Lane a matter of weeks ago they to were bottom of the table.

Tony will be hoping that lightening doesn’t strike twice, and by 5:00 tomorrow the Darts could top the table as Dover are involved in the Cup and Fleet face a difficult trip to Kingstonian.

Finally Steve Lovell’s Sittingbourne are at home to Corinthian Casuals with a place in the top four up for grabs.

Lovell will be disappointed that his side didn’t win at Whyteleafe in midweek after taking a lead through Andy Doerr, and the Bourne’s boss will be hoping that the side just one off the bottom don’t spring any surprises…

Surprises – a good key word to finish with this week. Lets hope that after a week of surprises, our teams left in the 126 FA Cup don’t get any rude surprises of their own this Saturday afternoon and that Liam Daish has plenty of Kent company for that Fourth Qualifying Round draw on Monday morning – full details on this site of course on Monday lunch time.

Good luck to every one this weekend and for the best live reaction its Saturday Sport from Kent’s Soccer Station from the BBC between 5:00 and 6:00. And of course right here for the best considered reaction during Sunday…

Until next week…
Mike Green