Soccer Shorts: The challenge to our players is to get to the New Year unbeaten, says Lydd boss Smith

Click here for tonight’s Soccer Shorts articles.

BROMLEY coach Hugo Langton says Ebbsfleet United will be the favourites when the two Kent sides meet at Stonebridge Road in The FA Trophy tomorrow.

Bromley lost top spot when Eastleigh won 2-0 away to struggling Gosport Borough in midweek and they will go into the Second Qualifying Round tie in second-place in the table.

Steve Brown’s side, meanwhile, welcome The Ravens in eighth-place in the table, with 21 points from 14 games – ten points adrift of Mark Goldberg’s men.

Langton is deflecting the pressure off Bromley ahead of the FA Trophy tie.

“It’s a tough game against an in-form side and it’s a hard place to go and win,” he said.

“They have some very good players and are rightly the favourites to win the game, so there’s no pressure on us.

“It’s a local derby, we’ll do our best and enjoy the occasion too.”

Bromley’s best ever FA Trophy campaign came last season when Conference Premier Dartford defeated them 4-2 at Princes Park in the Third Round.

Ebbsfleet United beat Torquay United 1-0 in the 2008 Final, Chris McPhee scoring the only goal of the game.  A year later the club reached the semi-finals, going down to a 4-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Stevenage Borough.

If the scores are level tomorrow then the replay will take place at Hayes Lane next Monday, 18 November (7:45pm), which will postpone Bromley’s home game against Hythe Town in the Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com Quarter-Final on Monday night.

CRAY WANDERERS manager Keith Bird says their shock 2-0 win away to Lowestoft Town last weekend was down to hard graft.

The Wands leapfrogged over fellow strugglers Carshalton Athletic into the bottom three in the Ryman Premier League table after collecting their tenth point after fifteen attempts.

They welcome fifth-placed Wealdstone to Hayes Lane tomorrow and Bird said:  “Having now been in the role for around five weeks, we now have a good feel for the right personnel and system for us.

“Saturday’s result was really the coming together on everything we have been working on both on and off the field over the last few weeks.

“The spirit in the camp coupled with the work rate and attitude of the players has been first class and the lads deserved that result on Saturday for all their hard work.”

DEAL TOWN boss Albie Barker says he is targeting maximum points from their next two league games to begin their climb up the Southern Counties East Football League table.

Deal Town are in the bottom three in the table with nine points from their opening nine games and welcome bottom-of-the-table Woodstock Sports to The Charles Sports Ground tomorrow, before playing 12^th placed Sevenoaks Town.

Barker said: “Our next two games are at home.  I am targeting six points from these games.

“We need to be climbing the table. Our league position does not reflect the quality in our squad.

“We have worked hard in training on a new system and I am very confident the results will come.

“Woodstock have one league win this season and that was against Deal so revenge will be on some of the players’ minds.

“I am hoping for a bigger crowd than previous games. We are playing some good football and our games are entertaining. I wish more people were seeing it.”

DULWICH HAMLET boss Gavin Rose says he is looking forward to seeing how his side match up against higher league opposition in tomorrow’s FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round at Champion Hill.

The Hamlet go into the game sitting in fourth-place in the Ryman Premier League table with 32 points from 15 games, two points adrift of Maidstone United, who they pipped for the Ryman League Division One South title last season.

Essex based Concord Rangers, who reached The FA Cup First Round where they went down to a 3-0 defeat away to Edgar Davids’ Barnet last weekend, are in the bottom seven in their inaugural Conference South campaign.

Rose said: “Saturday will be a tough game, but one we look forward too as it gives us a chance to pit our wits against a side from Conference South.”

ELTHAM PALACE have confirmed that their home game in the Kent Invicta League against Rusthall tomorrow has been postponed due to being no water supply at the ground at Oxford Road in Sidcup.  The club are tenants of Seven Acre & Sidcup.

ERITH TOWN manager Mark Tompkins says he wants his side to make history when they welcome Hartley Wintney to Cray Valley’s Badgers ground at Middle Park Avenue in The FA Carlsberg Vase Second Round tomorrow.

The Dockers are in second place in the Southern Counties East Football League with 26 points from 12 games, a couple of points adrift of leaders Tunbridge Wells.

The Hampshire side arrive in Eltham sitting in fourteenth-place in the Combined Counties League Premier Division table, having collected six wins and a draw from their ten league games.

Tompkins said: “We’ll have to be at our best as they’re a good side.

“The club has never been in the next round so we want to break that record.  The boys are right up for it and will give it a good go on Saturday.”

FLEET LEISURE manager Lee Richmond says his side are adapting to life in the Kent Invicta League.

The club play their games at Rochester United and secured promotion after finishing in fourth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Premier Division last season, nine points adrift of champions Hildenborough Athletic.

Tomorrow, sixth-placed Fleet Leisure travel to third-placed Sutton Athletic and Fleet can leapfrog over their opponents with a victory in Hextable.

“We can see how far we have come in the Invicta League with a tough test against a good Sutton Athletic team,” said Richmond.

“Each week we are all learning and trying to compete as much as we can.  It’s been literally enjoyable so far and we are adapting to the higher league. Only time will tell if we have adapted well enough to compete with the big teams.”

HOLLANDS & BLAIR boss Paul Piggott says he is going into the unknown when Glebe visit Star Meadow tomorrow.

The Gillingham-based side lead the Kent Invicta League table, having won 10 of their opening 12 games.

Glebe have only recently parted company with former Greenwich Borough boss Gerry Cox and chairman Rocky MacMillan takes charge on as well as off the pitch.

Glebe, who groundshare Holmesdale’s Oakley Road ground, are in the bottom five, having won four of their opening nine league outings in senior football.

Piggott’s men are two points clear of second-placed Lydd, who have a couple of games in hand.

“We’re looking to take our good run of results into Saturday’s game against Glebe,” said Piggott.

“We had an unbeaten Kent Football United and a Second Leg tie against Lydd in the last three games so it’s been tough but the boys responded well to that which has pleased me.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s game, Piggott said: “Glebe will be another test for us as it’s the unknown because we’ve never played them, so it’ll be another challenge for us to get the three points we always aim to get from a game, but I’m sure they’ll come to us with the same ideas.

“They’ve had a mixed bag of results whilst finding their feet in this league but I’m sure they’ve looked at what it takes to compete and will have a plan to beat us.

“I’ve almost a fully fit squad for tomorrow’s game so as always looking forward to another Saturday afternoon at Star Meadow.”

LYDD TOWN manager Dave Smith says he wants his side to push for the Kent Invicta League title this season.

The unbeaten Lydders’ are in second-place in the table, having won nine and drawn one of their league games this season. They are two points behind leaders Hollands & Blair but with two games in hand.

Lydd Town welcome seventh-placed Orpington to The Lindsey Field tomorrow and Smith said: “Saturday’s game against Orpington will I feel be a real test of our title hopes as we return to league action after a three-week cup break.

“We are unbeaten in the league and the challenge to our players is to get to the New Year still unbeaten and in with a real chance of pushing on in the New Year and maintaining the challenge that we have created so far this season due to the superb effort that everybody has put in.”

Liam Smith, the manager’s son and assistant manager, knows the importance of claiming a much-needed three points haul.

He said: “It’s a must-win game and we’re getting back to our bread and butter of the league.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED boss Jay Saunders is relishing the prospect of being the underdogs at home tomorrow.

The Stones welcome full-time Eastleigh to The Gallagher Stadium in The FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round.

Saunders has lead the Stones to the Ryman Premier League summit with 34 points from 15 games.

Hampshire-based Eastleigh, meanwhile, leapfrogged over Bromley to lead The Skrill (Conference) South table in midweek and have collected 33 points from their 15 games.

Saunders said: “It’s going to be a tough game against a full-time side with a massive budget!

“Hopefully we will have a few players back from injury and having Michael Phillips and Alex Brown back from suspension is a big plus for us.

“We have to make sure we are on top of our game and who knows what can happen?

“It’s nice to go into a home game as underdogs and the pressure all being on Eastleigh.”

Maidstone United defeated a Salisbury City side that were leading the Conference South in the same competition last season and Saunders wants his in-form side to replicate that against the Spitfires.

“We did it last season against Salisbury so there is no reason why we can’t have a good go at Eastleigh this season.”

MARGATE joint-manager Simon Osborn says his side face a tough side against high-flying Chesham United tomorrow.

The two sides lock horns at Hartsdown Park in The FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round.

Margate lie in thirteenth-place in the Ryman Premier League with six wins and six defeats from their fifteen league games.

Chesham United arrive in Kent sitting proudly at the top of the Calor (Southern) Premier League, which is the same level of football as The Gate.

“We know it will be a tough game as they are full of confidence and flying in their league,” said Osborn.

“We are still suffering with suspensions and injuries but the team that goes out will give it their all to get the right result.”

Osborn, who played for the likes of Crystal Palace and Gillingham during his playing career and is now a contract manager for a building company based in Bromley, added: “We want to win and progress to the next round and get a good draw.”

ORPINGTON manager Sean Glover takes his side to unbeaten Lydd Town tomorrow.

The O’s are presently sitting in seventh-place in the Kent Invicta League table, having collected five wins and four draws from their ten league games.

Lydd Town are in second place in the table, two points adrift of leaders Hollands & Blair, but with two games in hand on Paul Piggott’s side.

 “The game on Saturday is one the team and I are looking forward to,” said Glover.

“I’m expecting a tight game. Their league form is very good with the best defence in the league and not having not lost in the league also.

“Our league form going into the game could have been better, having drawn games we could have won, but I’m still confident we can pick up a result on Saturday.”

ROCHESTER UNITED boss Darren Phillips says his side must beat Canterbury City at home tomorrow.

Both clubs are in the bottom-five of the Southern Counties East Football League table with Rochester two points clear of their fellow struggling rivals.

“Another three huge points are up for grabs on Saturday against Canterbury,” said Phillips, who managed Chatham Town’s reserve side last season.

“Another three points against a team around us is vital as we keep rebuilding the club with younger players amongst a handful of older heads.”

Phillips revealed some team news ahead of the Rede Court Road clash.

He said: “Defenders Glenn Conlon and Neil Spackman come into the defence and forwards George Lowes and Anthony Uden return to the starting eleven.

“Influential club captain Ashley Cooper is back after his ban.”

SITTINGBOURNE joint-manager Nick Davis says he wants his side to continue their good home form when Horsham visit Woodstock Park tomorrow.

The Brickies go into the game sitting in eighteenth-place in the Ryman League Division One South table, with 17 points from 15 games.

The Hornets – who have Kent based defender Ian Varley in their ranks – arrive in Kent sitting in fourteenth-place in the table, with 19 points from 16 games.

Sittingbourne secured a morale boosting point at promotion chasing Hastings United last Monday evening.

“Yes, we’ll go into Saturday’s home game full of confidence on the back of four points from six away from home. Both teams (that we played) were in the top five,” said central defender Davis.

Welling-resident Davis revealed that he is a life-long Brentford fan so he must have been pleased when the Bees thrashed Staines Town 5-0 in The FA Cup First Round.

Staines Town had ended Sittingbourne’s interest in the competition with a 4-1 win at Wheatsheaf Park in the Third Qualifying Round on 12 October.

“A win at home to Horsham puts us above them and with our home record at Woodstock in the league being exceptional, only dropping two points and conceding two goals in five games, we feel we can beat anyone at home.

“We know their strengths and we know they are extremely dangerous going forward.

“A couple of wins puts us right amongst it.

“If we had got the win against Hastings on Monday we could have moved five places to thirteenth!

“Competition for places is vital and we believe we have that in every department now.”

SUTTON ATHLETIC manager James Collins says he is looking forward to welcoming newly-promoted Fleet Leisure to Lower Road tomorrow.

Collins’ side are in third-place in the Kent Invicta League table and can move five points clear of Fleet Leisure with a victory.

“We are on a good little run at the moment and you can’t wait for your next game when things are going well and you’re full of confidence,” said former Erith Town boss Collins.

“We said a few weeks ago that had we been offered third place and still in three cup competitions come mid-November - at the beginning of the season we would have been delighted.

“We are still a long way off where we want to be but we are definitely heading in the right direction.”

Fleet Leisure are one of three teams that have defeated Sutton Athletic in 12 league games this season.

“Fleet will be a tough game on Saturday,” warned Collins. “We have only lost three games this season all being by a 2-1 scoreline (Fleet, Hollands & Blair and Lydd), who are arguably the three best teams in the league.

“I was impressed with Fleet when they beat us at their place earlier on in the season but that was by far our worst performance of the season, but we are in form at the moment and myself and the players can’t wait for the game.”

WELLING UNITED boss Jamie Day says he wants his side to replicate their heroics last weekend when Nuneaton Town visit Park View Road tomorrow.

The Wings will travel to either Lincoln City or Plymouth Argyle in The FA Cup Second Round in December after stunning full-time Conference Premier rivals Luton Town 2-0 at Park View Road last weekend.

Nuneaton Town arrive in Kent sitting in eleventh-place in the table, with 27 points from 18 games.

Welling United are in eighth-place in the table, having collected 29 points from 18 games and with only one league home defeat to their name this season.

“We are in for a tough game tomorrow,” warned Day.

“They are a good side who started the season really well so we need to carry on with our home form and hopefully get the right result.

“Confidence should be high after last week’s performance so we’re looking forward to the match but as I said it’s going to be a difficult one and a few of their players need to be watched closely.”