Soccer Shorts: I have the strongest team in Dartford's recent history, says Burman

FOLKESTONE INVICTA welcome Heybridge Swifts (Saturday) and Staines Town (Monday) to the Buzzlines Stadium in Cheriton Road.

Folkestone’s home form has been much improved in recent months and has yielded 15 points out of a possible 18, the last three coming in the Kent derby against Tonbridge Angels a fortnight ago.

Looking ahead to these two matches, Invicta manager Neil Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk:  “Both of these are big matches for us as they all are now and we’ve won five of our last six at home.

“So with two home matches coming up we’ve got to keep going at home to keep picking up the points.”

Cugley’s men have already beaten Essex side Heybridge this season when they visited Scraley Road back in September.

Local lad James Everitt scored after only minutes of play with a thunderbolt header from a Kevin Watson corner and this was to prove the only goal of the match. This victory contributed to Folkestone's 11 match unbeaten run.

James Corbett (hamstring) and Roland Edge (knee) are set to make their returns to the squad this week as Invicta have no injury worries to contend with.

Edge has been out since before Christmas with a troublesome knee injury whilst Corbett has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury sustained against Ashford Town (Middlesex) and was narrowly ruled out of last weekend's encounter as a precautionary measure.

But teenage sensation Tom Bryant has now returned to League One side Gillingham after spending three months at the Ryman Premier League club.

Bryant excelled in the Invicta backline alongside the experienced Samuel Kola Okikolu and fellow youngster Frankie Chappell.

Edge looks set to partner Chappell and Okikolu at the heart of the Invicta defence with Liam Friend looking set to regain his place in the side at left wing-back, since impressive in Edge’s absence.

But Kevin Watson will be the only squad absentee for these two matches, as Cugley explained: “Trig has to go away once a year with his school for teacher training.

“All teachers have to go away at certain times but he told us early on and we knew we’d be without him. That gives someone else a chance though.

“Hamilton has played wing-back for Gillingham, Ratty (James Everitt) can play there as well so it’s not really a major worry for us.”

BEFORE STAINES Town come to Folkestone, the Swans visit Margate tomorrow.

Jay Saunders is suspended for Margate, which could mean a recall for Louis Smith for the Hartsdown Park clash.

Rob Haworth, Jimmy Jackson and Ryan Martin remain doubts but could all yet feature in the match.

Dan Young, Justin Skinner and Michael Yianni all look to be three to four weeks away from fitness.

Former Margate trialist and former Gravesend & Northfleet and Bromley defender Francis Duku, nicknamed the Fridge, has just signed for the Middlesex side from Blue Square South strugglers Welling United and is expected to feature for the visitors.

RAMSGATE midfielder Simon Pettit, who many believe was playing some of his best football before he suffered a double leg fracture in October, has pencilled in an emotional return against Margate on Easter Monday.

Pettit, speaking to www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk, gave an update on his injury situation.

“I have progressed a lot and I am running more comfortably with every training session,” he said.

“I am at three-quarter pace and I am ready to push on again. It is ahead of schedule and going really well.

"My leg got pinned and so I have a very simple operation coming up where they remove the holding screws because they cause you a bit of discomfort. I have that in the coming weeks, five days rest and I can step the training up again.

"I have really progressed in the past month, especially since the doctors gave me the all clear to start bearing full weight.

“Obviously when you run you are getting the shin used to the constant pounding. I had a bit of discomfort when I first started the jogging, however that is reducing with every session and running is becoming more comfortable.

"I am ready to push in to sprinting soon after the screws are removed. If you set timescales, I think the physio would have a nervous breakdown, but I definitely believe that I will figure before the end of the season.

“My target has always been to play some part in the second Margate game, however with Easter coming a bit earlier that might be too optimistic.”

He added: “Hopefully the boys push on and we make the play-offs - perfect for a Pettit cameo role to steal the limelight!!"

MAIDSTONE UNITED were today able to secure another loan signing ahead of the visit of Hendon to Bourne Park tomorrow.

Andy Pugh, 19, arrives on an initial one month loan from League One strugglers Gillingham.

And joint-manager Alan Walker has high hopes for the striker, when speaking to the club’s website www.maidstoneunited.co.uk.

“I’ve seen him play a few times and he’s a similar prospect to Luis Cumbers, although maybe not as quick, but has made around half a dozen appearances for the first team already.”

Pugh is on contract with Gillingham and this season ha already had one successful loan spell with Welling United.

Stones go into tomorrow’s game with yet more enforced changes. Striker Mo Takaloo is suspended; Chirs Smalling is away on England Schoolboys duty and midfielder Sam Tydeman is unavailable due to a family weeding.

Striker Lynden Rowland remains doubtful but Ben Lewis seems to have fully recovered from last weekend and came through last night’s training session without any problems.

DOVER ATHLETIC player-boss Andy Hessenthaler has slammed Lee Browning’s sending off at Molesey last Tuesday night.

Hessenthaler was furious that Browning had been adjudged to have head butted Molesey’s Rob Wilkinson, who was also sent-off.

Speaking to www.doverathletic.com,  the 42-year-old said: “It was a harsh decision by the referee. I don’t understand how a player who stands at just 5ft 4ins can head but a player who is 6ft 2ins. Lee now misses three games including the Tooting game and that is a big blow.

"The club are going to try to get the red card overturned, but I am not holding my breath on that."

Hessenthaler was delighted with the team's second-half performance, which saw Whites overturn a 1-0 deficit and run out comfortable 4-1 winners.

He said: "We dominated the game after the break. I wasn't happy to let in the early goal.

"Laurence (Ball) should not have been playing in that area. I was disappointed but I knew we had enough quality to get the win.

"It was a tough pitch and it was never going to be easy, but if you want to win the league you have got to come to places like this and win."

Now the challenge is to maintain the form shown in the second half for the rest of the season.

He said: "We're not thinking about promotion yet. I know how quickly things can change. We have still 36 points available to us and will be working as hard as possible to get them.

"If we are not working at 100 per cent then we will not win the league. I do believe it is just down to a two horse race between us and Tooting. The game against them in two weeks time will be crucial."

IN-FORM Ashford Town hitman Paul Jones has announced that he is at The Homelands for the long haul.

Since Steve Lovell made Jones one of his first signings for the club, the former Folkestone Invicta forward has turned in some impressive displays, showing great hold-up play and pace, and he is delighted just to be playing again.

“It’s great to be back,” Jones told Sam Dixon when being interviewed by www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk.

“Personally I had to take a bit of time out of football because of work commitments, but now that I’m back fit and playing I’m delighted.

“The ambition shown by the club made it an easy decision to come back to Ashford, it’s a good, progressive club that are going places and it’s great to be a part of it.”

Jones is under no illusions that the midweek home defeat to Walton & Hersham was damaging, but hasn’t completely ruled out the play-offs.

“It was a bad result. I’ve had a look at the table and it seems we are a little way off the pace but we will keep going and give it our best shot. The Ashford fans haven’t had much to cheer about over the last couple of seasons, so a solid top half finish would show good progression.”

Manager Steve Lovell has installed a new sense of belief in the players and Jones reveals that in the changing room the gaffer is full of encouragement.

“Before the game he gives us great belief. He tells us to have faith in our own abilities, and I think that it’s beginning to show out on the pitch,” revealed Jones.

Jones is also happy with his strike partnership with Mark Lovell and believes that the teams style of play bodes well for the future.

“Me and Mark have linked up quite well so far. We both hold the ball up and play off each other. Neither of us are greedy players so we setup each other when the other player is in a better position and I think that is why we are working well together.

“It’s handy having two quick wingers in Mitchell Sherwood and Jimmy Bottle aswell. They are so quick it means we can use them as an out-ball. Playing with two out-and-out wingers like that helps the team because they stretch the other team. They will only get better.”

The striker has made Ashford his home now and after seeing the buzz around the club he is happy to commit his future to the Nuts and Bolts.

“Ashford is my local club now and i couldn’t be happier here,” said Jones. “I have no doubt that we can progress forward. I’m a loyal player and want to stay here for as long they want me to be honest. My great ambition is to be a part of the success I’m sure the club is going to have.”

SITTINGBOURNE have secured former Dover Athletic midfielder Lee Spiller, 29, on loan from Ashford Town and he will be in the Brickies squad for tomorrow’s trip to second placed side Tooting & Mitcham United.

CHAMPIONS-ELECT Dartford welcome Redbridge to Princes Park tomorrow, looking to move one step closer to the Ryman League Division One North title.

After drawing 2-2 at their nearest placed rivals AFC Sudbury last weekend, Darts boss Tony Burman was pleased that his players could have a rest.

“With no midweek game the players have had a chance to recharge the batteries and clear up one or two minor injuries after two difficult games the previous week,” Burman told www.dartfordfc.co.uk.

“We have a very good training session last night and I can tell you that the mood in the camp is very good and focused on the game tomorrow.”

Looking ahead to the game against Redbridge, Burman warns fans to expect another tough game.

“Redbridge are tucked nicely in fifth place with a game in hand on the teams above them and have taken three points from us earlier on in the season,” he said.

“I expect a tough game but the next thirteen games are going to be tough and at this moment the most important game is tomorrow in which we will do our best to try and pick up three points and then move on.”

Burman insists that this current Dartford team - five points clear of AFC Sudbury, who have a game in hand - is the strongest in recent history.

“This month I have been involved one way or another with the club for the last thirty years and for the last three years as manager and in my opinion we have put together the strongest all-round squad, not just over the last three years but for a very long time!” he said.

“Good squads turn into great squads once they have achieved something. We still have a way to go but the players are more than capable of becoming a great squad.”

SLADE GREEN have signed Dean Powell on loan from Ramsgate until the end of the season and is expected to make his debut at The Small Glen tomorrow for the visit of basement boys Tunbridge Wells. This is part of the deal that took Lee Craig to Ramsgate.

BRYAN PEARCE, the former Hythe Town and Deal Town central defender has joined Tunbridge Wells from Faversham Town.

But Jason Reynolds has swapped one whipping boy for another, leaving Culverden Stadium to sign for Ryman Premier League bottom club Leyton.

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