I don't want my standards to drop, says Phoenix Sports boss Steve O'Boyle

PHOENIX SPORTS manager Steve O’Boyle says he wants to push his side towards a top ten finish.

The club booked their place in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup Quarter-Finals after progressing through on their debut on Tuesday night.

They were held to a 2-2 home draw by next-door neighbours VCD Athletic, before sealing a trip to Vanarama National League South leaders Ebbsfleet United, winning 3-2 on penalties.

Phoenix Sports return to league action when bottom-of-the-table Heybridge Swifts visit tomorrow.

The Barnehurst based hosts go into the game sitting in ninth-place in the Ryman League Division One North table on 34 points from 24 games.  They are only six points adrift of fifth-placed Bury Town, who occupy the last play-off berth.

The Southern Counties East Football League champions are doing well on their debut season at this level.

“We’ve done fantastic. I can’t argue with what we’ve done. We’ve had a fantastic season,” said O’Boyle.

“I was told to stay in the division. I think that’s pretty safe unless we have a major slip up but I’m not one of these people who will accept midtable mediocrity. I don’t want midtable. I want to push and to be honest with you before Saturday’s (4-0 defeat at Harlow Town), I thought we’ve got an outside chance.

“When you come up against your Hornchurch’s, Cray Wanderers, Harlow’s – they had a strong side Saturday, let me tell you and we got well beaten at Harlow. It was men against boys.

“I will never say never and that’s the thing and we’ve just got to win as many football matches as we can, get as many points as we can on the board and that’s all I can ask.

“To finish in the top ten in our first season, that will be a fantastic achievement and we’ll go from there.”

O’Boyle has set his side a target for their December games.

“I’ve just said to them in there, three points Saturday, I want three points,” he said.

“I wanted 30 points at Christmas and if we win Saturday it’s 37 and we’re three points away and 40 points would’ve been against all my expectations.  Thirty points would’ve been brilliant.  I want 40 now.

“I’m just that sort of person, I don’t want my standards to drop. I want us to push on.

“I’m expecting us to win but Heybridge went to Thamesmead on Monday night and drew 0-0.

“If we underestimate them and we will come unstuck. Our performances against teams, lower opposition at the bottom of the table, hasn’t been great.  We’ve done well against the teams up and around us but teams down the bottom we just haven’t turned up so we need to turn up with the same attitude as we did on Tuesday night.”

Visit Phoenix Sports website: www.phoenixsportsfc.com

Phoenix Sports  v  Heybridge Swifts
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 5^th December 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT