Season has been a learning curve for me, admits McMahon

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says he has learnt many things during his club’s inaugural Ryman League Division One North campaign, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Mead boss has set his players a target of at least six more points from their last eight league games, starting with Saturday’s home game against Leyton.

The east London outfit were relegated from the Ryman Premier League last term and sit one place above the Mead in fifteenth place in the table - eight points clear of McMahon’s men.

Dean Holness’ brace ensured Hillingdon Borough were beaten 2-0 last weekend, and McMahon, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, wants to end the season on a high.

“Not the best spectacle in the world, but we went down there to get three points,” he said of their win over the basement boys.

“We were solid, we didn’t have a shot on goal against us and we could have won by a couple more to be fair.

“It wasn’t our best footballing performance of the year, but I think the way they play, they don’t let you play too much football.”

McMahon wants to make up some ground on Saturday’s opponents Leyton.

“I set the lads a target the other week of 50 points and I believe we can get there,” he said.

“We’ve got teams like Leyton, Witham, Cheshunt, Chatham and Enfield all to play, all teams around us. I don’t think we’ve got anyone in the top six or seven left to play.

“The way we’re playing at the moment, and the strength of the squad, we’re capable of picking three points up in most games.

“We’ve been playing well in the last eight or nine games.”

McMahon admitted he has learnt more from his side playing Ryman League football, than playing the likes of Sporting Bengal United in the Kent League.

“It’s a hard lesson to learn,” he said. “We’ve learnt by our mistakes for the second part of the season.

“It’s a little bit different than when we were in the Kent League; you can’t miss three chances and let the team have a couple of chances and still win two or three nil.

“You make mistakes, you get punished, and I think that’s been the biggest learning curve for me, is that every mistake we’ve made, we’ve been punished for.”

The club’s Bayliss Avenue ground starts its transformation in a few more weeks time, and McMahon says players will be queuing up to play for the club.

“I’ve got an exceptional squad at the moment,” he said. “The reserves, who I’m watching now, are very strong and young and we’re already planning for next year already.

“Work starts on May 11^th, so it’s all go ahead. We’re an up and coming club. Last year, when we were in the Kent League and what we’ve already done with the ground, people can see what we’re set up from youth team onwards.

“We’re one of the local clubs to play for at a decent level, everyone gets a good chance from youth team level. We look to bring in from within, what’s going to be happening here in the next year is tremendous.”

McMahon who is still without midfielder Rob Tarrant, who is still suffering with a long-term injury, insists crowds will increase once the new stadium, on the present site, is built.

“Everything could always be better, but our crowds have gone up 15%,” he said. “When the new stadium comes it will be more.

“We’ve survived this year but any improvement when gates are falling all over the country, so you can’t grumble.

“I’m sure when the new stadium comes, we’ll get 100-150.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website:  www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk

Thamesmead Town v Leyton
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 21^st March 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ