Walker pleased with pre-season preparations

ALAN WALKER wants better luck when he takes his side back to Park View Road on Saturday, this time to play Blue Square South side Welling United, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Maidstone United joint-manager was cursing his luck as his side struck the crossbar FOUR times during their 2-1 defeat at Kent League side Erith & Belvedere last night.

It was the Stones first defeat of the season, having defeated both Great Wakering Rovers and VCD Athletic by a single goal, in their first two fixtures.

But the Stones will be without Kevin Watson and Keelan Mooney for their Park View Road return, who are on holiday.

Maidstone United kick-off their Ryman Premier League campaign with a trip to Heybridge Swifts (19^th August) before playing another Essex side, in Canvey Island at Bourne Park, three days later.

“We’ve never played anything like our strongest line-up yet but we’re playing a strongish line-up on Saturday against Welling, as that will be a tough test,” Walker told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Welling kick off a week earlier than us so they’re a bit more advanced than us in terms of getting their settled side together.”

Last June, Maidstone United were rocked with the news that Walker had suffered a freak training ground accident over in Belfast.

The Stones suffered on the pitch as a result and suffered some heavy defeats and Walker is pleased to be able to be in a position to prepare the club properly this time around.

“I wasn’t able to do my job really because of what happened,” admitted Walker.

“Lloyd (Hume) done a brilliant job, Lloyd does all the stuff out on the pitch and that sort of thing but I do all the other things, getting different players in and all that.

“We feel because of what I’ve been doing all over the course of the summer, we’ve got in an awful lot of very good experienced players this year and we’ll be a lot, lot stronger in terms of personnel.

“Everything fell on Lloyd’s shoulders on his own. We’ve worked as at team for years and years and it was the first time we’ve been split up and it didn’t quite work.

“But it would have been the same if it was the other way round, if Lloyd wasn’t around to help me, it’ll be exactly the same for sure.

“We both have certain strengths and if you put those strengths together things tend to work for the club, or a club wherever we’re at and for the last four year’s we’ve been working hard for Maidstone United.

“We’ve done a decent job I feel and I think we’ll do a decent job this year.

“I’m not going to make rash predictions or anything but I certainly don’t feel we’ll need to win our last game of the season to stay up.”

Visit Welling United’s website: www.wellingunited.com

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Welling United v Maidstone United
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 26^th July 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY