O'Boyle plotting Dockers' biggest ever scalp

ERITH TOWN boss Steve O’Boyle is plotting the club’s biggest ever scalp, when he takes his side to AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Kent League side romped to a 6-0 win over a poor Sporting Bengal United side yesterday and travel to Kingsmeadow in the first round of the London Senior Cup hoping to achieve the impossible.

The Dockers go into the game in tenth place in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table with a record of nine points from five games, whilst AFC Wimbledon are sitting in fourth place in the Blue Square South with seven wins and two draws from their eleven outings.

Goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw, on loan from Cray Wanderers, returned to the club to keep a clean sheet against a side, Sporting Bengal United, that are, once again, clearly out of the depth.

Sporting Bengal are rooted to the foot of the table, having lost all of their six league games - the same record as Lordswood, who are above them on goal-difference - eight points adrift of Deal Town.

“It was nice to have a clean sheet, considering we let in four in the FA Vase the game before,” O’Boyle told www.kentishfootball.co.uk this evening.

“Our loan signing, Jack Bradshaw, made his debut in goal and it was nice for him to get a clean sheet.”

Bradshaw has returned to the club on loan as Cray Wanderers manager Ian Jenkins has opted for the more experienced Glen Knight in goal.

Speaking about the length of the loan deal, O’Boyle said: “It could be the season. It all depends on Cray really. They’re happy for him to come along to us to get first team experience.

“He’s settled in really well, had a decent game, what he done, he done well.

“Other than that, we played quite well yesterday. It was nice, 6-0 was the highest win of the season.”

Bradshaw can expect to be much more busier when he plays against Blue Square South giants AFC Wimbledon in the first round of the London Senior Cup.

However, as the Dons face a much more important game next Saturday - a FA Cup third qualifying round tie here in Kent at Dover Athletic - Terry Brown, the Dons boss, might tinker with his squad that suffered defeat up at Worcester City yesterday.

With three divisions difference, Erith Town, on paper, stand no chance, but anything can happen in Cup ties.

“All I can say is we’re looking forward to it,” replied O’Boyle. “It’ll be a good experience for our youngsters.

“We know its going to be a really hard game whoever they put out. We’re massive underdogs. We know we have to be at our very best but we must go there with a belief that we can get a result.

“It’s a game of football. You never know, anything can happen. You need a bit of luck when you go to teams like that.

“If we play really well, they might have an off day, there could be an upset. It’s about us, not about them. It’s about how well we play. It’s a good game and we’re looking forward to it.”

Dean Kearley (knee) and Dean Burns (thigh) are expected to shake off knocks to play in the club’s biggest game of the season.

However, Tony Gallagher, who has recently undergone an operation on his fractured eye socket/broken cheek bone, is expected to be ruled out until Christmas.

“Hopefully Kearley and Burns will be fit. We go there with a full strength side,” revealed O’Boyle.

“You’d love to go there and play in that game, massive crowd. The massive crowd my players might play in front off and we’ll treat it as a massive game.”

Visit Erith Town’s website:  www.erithtownfc.co.uk

AFC Wimbledon v Erith Town
London Senior Cup First Round
Tuesday 7^th October 2008
Kick Off 7:45pm
At The Cherry Red Records Fans’ Stadium, Kingsmeadow, Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT1 3PB