We don't feel any pressure, says table-topping McMahon - EXCLUSIVE

THAMESMEAD TOWN are expected to get the go-ahead for promotion into the Ryman League tomorrow when their Bayliss Avenue ground is expected for the last time, writes Stephen McCartney.

The club have worked tirelessly both on and off the pitch to ensure everything is in place to allow Keith McMahon’s men to join recent Kent League winners Cray Wanderers, Ramsgate, Maidstone United and Whitstable Town in the higher league.

Last night’s convincing 7-1 romp at basement club Sporting Bengal United ensured the Mead moved six points clear with four games remaining and with three of those being at home, surely the club will be celebrating it’s first ever Kent League title next month.

However, if it wasn’t for the heroics of Sporting Bengal’s goalkeeper, Pape Diagne, 23, who was making his debut, the Mead would have netted at least FIFTEEN goals.

But the Senegal born stopper managed to ship in seven, although four of them came in the last eight minutes of the miss-match as Thamesmead totally outclassed the poor east Londoners at a dimly lit Mile End Stadium.

Richard Dimmock scuffed his shot into the right-hand corner after 601 seconds but six stunning first half saves from Diagne frustrated the league leaders.

But full-back Junior Baker drove an angled shot into the corner via Chris Rothen as Thamesmead doubled their lead after 63 minutes.

A fine strike from Franklin Osede just four minutes later gave the home side hope, but striker Dimmock made it 3-1 from the penalty spot with nineteen minutes remaining.

And in the last eight minutes, striker Rikki Cable netted a hat-trick with Curtis Williams also getting his name on the score sheet as the poor Sporting Bengal side, out of their depth at this level, capitulated.

McMahon’s men, meanwhile, are within touching distance of clinching the title and the manager admits it’s his side’s to lose as they look forward to a visit of Deal Town to Bayliss Avenue on Saturday.

“It’s been ours to lose since we hit the front,” McMahon said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night.

“There’s no pressure on us at the moment, all the pressure’s on everyone around us. They can’t afford to drop any points. If they drop any points it helps us (win the league).

“We can afford to lose a game because our goal-difference is better than most as well.”

Following Deal’s visit, local rivals Erith Town are welcomed seven days later before the Mead lock horns with Beckenham Town in the Kent Senior Trophy final at Welling United on Sunday, 13^th April.

Their penultimate game is at home to Faversham Town on 19^th April before McMahon’s men play a tricky game at Greenwich Borough on the last day of the season (26^th April).

And McMahon said: “We’ve got some tough games coming, Deal at home’s hard, we’ve played Deal four times. We’ve got Erith at home, again hard, before Faversham and then last game of the season, we’ve heard people say “you don’t want to go to Greenwich Borough to win”, we’ll if we keep winning, we don’t have to!”

Club officials will be making the finishing touches to their ground improvements today but McMahon is confident everything will be fine.

“We’ve been working really hard on the ground,” said McMahon. “We’ve got the ground graders coming on Friday.

“We’re nearly there now, we’ve got to do a day’s work and the ground will be ready.

“Everybody wants to play Ryman League football, us, VCD, Hythe and Beckenham, everyone in the Kent League wants to push on.

“We’ve seen Cray, Ramsgate, Maidstone all do well, Whitstable, their safe now. We’ve seen them all do well and there the places you want to go to so we’re no different.

“We’ve got four cup finals in the league. We’re not setting out sights on any game, any points, four wins and we’ve won it as simple as that.

“I still think the other teams will drop points, I still do. It’s going to be tough, we’re not worried about anyone else now.”

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

Thamesmead Town v Deal Town
Kent League Premier Division
Saturday 29^th March 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ