Lovell: K's Cup clash has the makings off a good game

Wednesday 10th September 2008

STEVE LOVELL urges everyone to get themselves to Kingsmeadow on Sunday afternoon for the mouthwatering FA Cup First Qualifying Round showdown between Kingstonian and his Ashford Town side, writes Stephen McCartney.

Both clubs have expressed a desire to clinch promotion out of Ryman League Division One South and after six games both clubs are sitting in the top five.

Second placed Surrey giants, Kingstonian, have bagged four wins and two draws so far, whilst the Kent side have had a mixed start to their campaign.

Lovell, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, is relishing the trip to Kingsmeadow.

“We’ve scored 16 and they’ve scored 15 - top scorers in the league so it’s odds on for a nil-nil,” he joked. “As long as they get nil I’m not bothered.

"They’ve had a good start, we’ve had a decent start, so it has a makings off a good game.

“Both clubs will be hoping to do well this year in the league and every club loves to go as far as they can in the FA Cup.

“We haven’t played them this year but I think they’re like most teams in our league. On their day most teams in our league will beat anybody in the league.

“There’s no sort of pattern about anything - it’s all who plays well on the day, who’s organised and whoever doesn’t make many mistakes will win the game.

“Mistakes are made by many teams, resulting in goals. The team that don’t make as many mistakes will win the game.”

Ashford Town suffered an embarrassing 3-2 defeat at Corinthian-Casuals last weekend, despite being 2-0 up courtesy of goals from Daniel Brathwaite and Mitchell Sherwood.

But the Kent side responded in style, stuffing Leatherhead 5-0 at The Homelands, with Sherwood and Paul Jones scoring two apiece with Danny Lye netting the first last night.

Lovell said: “I was disappointed on Saturday, having played quite well, murdering the game to go
2-0 up and to lose - it wasn’t the way we played, it was individual errors.

“It was so one-sided, we had so much of the game, but last night (against Leatherhead) we didn’t make any individual mistakes and we took all our chances. We didn’t take them all, we took the majority of them.

“Saturday we scored two and had really good chances and another half a dozen and last night we scored five and could have doubled that. The most pleasing thing last night was the clean sheet.”

So this has a makings off a must-see FA Cup tie at Kingstonian.

Lovell agrees, adding: “It’s a lovely stadium, a proper football ground, nice pitch. It’ll be a good game and we’re looking forward to it, especially after last night’s game against Leatherhead.”

Lovell, watching a reserve team game at the time of this interview, says the team will be training tomorrow night and at present everyone is fit and raring to go.

But he gave an update on son Mark, who is currently nursing a cruciate ligament injury.

“He’s torn his cruciate ligament in his left knee. It’s not a rapture, which is good news and he’s got another scan in a months time and hopefully it will be rehab from there.” revealed the boss.

“We’re looking at perhaps another eight weeks before he’ll be back playing again.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Ashford Town's website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk

Kingstonian v Ashford Town
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) First Qualifying Round
Sunday 14^th September 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Kingsmeadow Stadium, Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surey KT1 3PB