Otford United boss Mike Langston: Kennington are top for a reason

OTFORD UNITED manager Mike Langston says his side will have to be on their toes against runaway leaders Kennington on Saturday.

Dan Scorer’s side are sitting at the top of the Andreas Carter Joma Kent County League Premier Division table having banked 17 wins of their 19 league outings and are 12 points clear of second-placed side Greenways going into the final 11 games of the season.

Langston, meanwhile, has guided Otford United to ninth-place in the table with 27 points from their 19 of 30 league outings after former boss Ricky Tompkins led the club towards promotion in his only season in charge.

“This week we take on Kennington who are top of the league so we need to be on our toes. They are well organised and are top for a reason,” said Langston.

“We played Kennington early in the season before we had a settled side and they proved too strong for us but we now have a better squad of players and we will prepare the best we can to give them a tough visit to Otford on Saturday.

“Their manager has done really well and they are clearly the strongest side in the league and have some very good players, who could easily play at a higher level.

“They are well organised and will take some beating, both Saturday and from winning the league.”

Langston then takes his side to Metrogas on Bank Holiday Monday, whom are a side immediately above them in the table.

He said: “The game with Metrogas on Monday could go either way.  On our day we can beat them but on their day they can beat us.

“It’s at their place so there will be a decent pitch to play football on.  Getting players to be committed on a Bank Holiday is always difficult but we should be ok.”

Langston revealed that transfer deadline day at their level passed on 14 March and he claims Kent County League club’s will play ringers towards the end of the season.

“Games at this level come thick and fast, with unreasonable midweek kick-off times, to travel away for a 6:15pm kick-off is totally unreasonable!

“Why we don’t play more evening matches at the beginning of the season amazes me but that’s the way it goes!

“Our run in to the end of the season has quite a few tough matches and with a small squad it will be hard but after the start we had to the season I’d take where we are now in the league.

“Hopefully, we can maintain our position and maybe move up one or two places, we have games in hand, so we’ll have to wait and see.

“Getting new players is difficult at this level, trying to attract decent players who are being paid to come down and be asked to pay subs each week is asking a lot.

“The cut off for signing on was 14 March, which is totally ridiculous in the Kent County League, all this does is make club’s play ringers, which is not good for the League.”

Visit Otford United’s website: www.otfordunitedfc.co.uk

Otford United  v  Kennington
Andreas Carter Joma Kent County League Premier Division
Saturday 31 March 2018
Kick Off 2:45pm
at Otford Recreation Ground, off Otford High Street, Otford, Kent TN14 5PG