On the Airwaves: New Wings boss Ford promises changes and has concerns over players' fitness

WELLING UNITED’s new boss Andy Ford knows that he’s got his work cut out to keep the club in the Blue Square South this season.

The Wings crashed to a 6-2 home defeat at the hands of Cambridge City yesterday in Ford’s first game in charge.

It was the worst possible start for the Wings as they conceded within five minutes. A harmless ball into the box from Josh Simpson was put into his own bet by Sonny Cobbs.

And ten minutes later Wings goalkeeper Jamie Turner was beaten when Michael Gash struck a low free-kick into the bottom corner.

However, Ford’s side did pull a goal back on 24 minutes when Sam Gargan scored his first goal for the club, converting Ellis Green’s cross.

Moments later Richard Carpenter nearly equalised for the Wings when his free-kick just shaved the outside of the post.

Cambridge continued to look dangerous and would score their third of the afternoon after 34 minutes. A poor clearance by Joe Howe found Ashley Fuller to power home a left-footed shot.

But Welling started the second half brightly and when substitute Omari Coleman made it 3-2 as a come back looked on the cards.

Cagan set up Coleman, who hit an excellent curling shot past Ashley Timms.

However, the last 15 minutes of the match saw the Wings fall apart as they struggled with fitness. A deflected shot off Chris Moore from Josh Simpson made it 4-2 before Neil Midgley and Lee Roach completed the rout.

“It was a baptism of fire wasn’t it?” Ford told BBC Radio Kent afterwards. “Unfortunately it wasn’t the result that everyone was wanting but just shows what a big job it is to turn this one round.

“We’ve got to do it very quickly but I’m not going to get too downhearted about it.

“I know there are areas that need to be improved and also I’ve got to plug those gaps quite quickly.”

But Ford, who was the man that brought Blue Square Premier football to Gravesend & Northfleet, complained about his new side’s fitness.

“If you’re not fit, you can’t play football and there’s a lot of people out there that aren’t fit,” he said.

And with the club just two points clear of the drop, in 19^th place, Ford will be busy to bring in fresh blood in a bid to beat the drop into the Ryman Premier League.

Ford said: “We’ve got a job on in here and have to go out and get some players sooner or later.

“I’ve been on the phone ever since I got it (the job) and I will be on the phone all weekend.

“I’ve got a lot of contacts in the game and a lot of friends in the game and I have pull in a few favours very quickly.

“I’m hoping to have a couple of players in by next weekend.”

Welling United welcome Newport County to Park View Road on Tuesday night in the Blue Square South (7:45pm).

RAMSGATE climbed back into the play-off places in the Ryman Premier League, courtesy of their
3-2 win at Maidstone United - their first league win on their travels since beating Wealdstone back in September.

An early goal from Nick Davies was followed up by second half strikes from Stuart King and Dan Dolton’s 25-yard screamer sealed the win at Bourne Park.

And assistant manager Danny Ward told BBC Radio Kent: “We’ve played ever so well for the last few weeks, we just couldn’t score any goals.

“We keep telling the players that someone’s going to get a hiding and today we could have scored ten.

“We only got the three, normally when we play against Maidstone we get five but we got three today, which we’ll settle for that.

“I expected it, I expect to win. We’re a good side, doesn’t matter what anyone else does, it’s how we perform and we showed today that the better team won.”

Ward admitted their nine match run without picking up an away win in the league was causing a concern.

“We’ve tried everything,” he said. “We’ve changed the places where we stop (on the coach journey). We’ve gone by cars, we’ve changed the warm-up, we can’t work out what the problem is.”

But he knows that the Rams must finish the season in the play-off berths as they bid to join champions-elect Chelmsford City in the Blue Square South next season.

“We’ve nearly played all the top ones except for Chelmsford away, which is difficult going to any time,” said Ward.

“It’s in our hands, it’s up to us what we do. I said to the players’ after the game, I don’t care about anyone else. I only care what we do and if we do what we can do we’ll shock a few of these teams.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED joint-manager Lloyd Hume was not a happy man following his side’s defeat to the Rams.

The Stones, eleventh place in the table, are just seven points behind the Rams, but Hume also knows that his side are also six points above Tonbridge Angels, who occupy the last relegation spot.

And Hume laid into his players and warned them that he and Alan Walker will make changes if things don’t improve.

“I think in terms of our ability as a team and Ramsgate’s ability we possibly edge it,” he told BBC Radio Kent.

“In terms of knowledge of this level and understanding of the job which has to be done by eleven players and doing the job well, Ramsgate were streets ahead.

“They were very well organised and they made it very difficult for us and they were everything that we expected.

“I think five or six people didn’t listen to what was required of them today and we got beat because of that and that what’s disappointing.”

Hume added: “We didn’t make quick enough decisions, we gave the ball away too cheaply at times and we put ourselves under pressure because of that and that’s what disappointed me today.

“My worry as a manager is are we learning, are we progressing at this level?

“I’m not sure with the players we have that we are and we need to make some tough decisions over the next two weeks to make sure we don’t get dragged in for a relegation scrap.”

DOVER ATHLETIC needed a late leveller from former Ramsgate striker Shaun Welford to grab a point at Dulwich Hamlet.

The Whites lead at the top of the Ryman League Division One South table has been cut to just one point, as their nearest rivals, Tooting & Mitcham United won.

A second half goal from Jon Henry-Hayden secured a 1-0 win at Chipstead for Tooting & Mitcham United.

And Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler knows his side must beat relegation threatened side Horsham YMCA at the SeaFrance Crabble Stadium on Monday - a game being covered by www.kentishfootball.co.uk - to make sure they have a four point lead on the Surrey challengers as they use up their games in hand.

And the former Gillingham star knows his side must take maximum points from their games against Horsham YMCA, Croydon Athletic (home), Molesey (away), Corinthian-Casuals (away) and Chipstead (home) before their title decider showdown at Tooting & Mitcham on the first day of March.

Reflecting on their Champion Hill point, he told BBC Radio Kent: “A good decent game but over the 90 minutes I thought we deserved to win the game.

“We created a number of chances but unfortunately we didn’t take them then we ended up scoring a late equaliser but probably before the game would have taken a point - they’re a tough side to play against.”

And on the title race, Hessenthaler said: “Cray only drew today so Tooting and ourselves, we’ve got them in March, so we’ve got (five) games coming up this month, we believe we’ve got to win them.

“We give ourselves a target each month, we need to win them (five) and go into that Tooting game, it will be a massive game. I think it is a two horse race.”

Visit the following websites:

www.bbc.co.uk/kent/sport

www.wellingunited.com

www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk

www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

www.doverathletic.com