Kentish Football 
We'll be fit and raring to go against Stones in cup final, insists VCD boss Ford - EXCLUSIVE
VCD Athletic manager Martin Ford was very proud of his very young team that secured a point at basement boys Sevenoaks Town on Wednesday night – but warned Maidstone United they’ll be back to full strength for the cup final, writes Stephen McCartney.
Vickers made ELEVEN changes to the side that had lost 3-0 at Maidstone United on Easter Monday (when they had Mark Horan and Mark Greatorex sent off late in the game) and 15-year-old tiny striker Juan Ramirez helped himself to two well taken goals in their 3-3 draw at Greatness Park.
Ford revealed the same young squad will take on local rivals Erith Town tomorrow in their final Kentish Observer League game, but the team that won the Kent Senior Trophy earlier in the month will be back and raring to go against the Stones in the Kentish Observer League Cup Final at Folkestone Invicta’s Buzzlines Stadium on 29th April.
Kevin Winchcombe, Danny Penny (who scored their equaliser against Tunbridge Wells in their first final), Stuart Abbott and Clayton Probets are all facing a race against time to get fit for the final.
“With a ten day rest they should all make the final,” said Ford. “You’ve got a reserve side with youth sides backing them up and if you don’t give them a chance then you lose players.”
Vickers’ young guns will be pleased of first team experience against Sevenoaks and Erith Town but they won’t be donning the green shirt on 29th April.
But Ford insisted his first team squad will improve in time for the final after their 3-0 league defeat to the Stones last Monday.
”We played Maidstone on Easter Monday,” said Ford. “Five of the lads that we’re injured will obviously come back into the cup final line-up.
”We’ll give Maidstone a different game,” the Vickers stalwart warned. “I was a bit disappointed, I thought we let ourselves down as a team, as a club on Monday.
”I thought the discipline towards the end was shocking. Accounting from a poor referring display we should know better than that.
”At 1-0 down we had plenty of the game and went down to ten men. 2-0 down, 9 men, 3-0.
”I would like to think if we can keep eleven players on the park and we’ve got our full strength side out, we’ll give them a game.”
He said: “We go into the game this time as underdogs. Maidstone will be favourites if they win the league on Saturday they’ll be flying. If they don’t we may catch them with a little bit of a hangover.
”I know Lloyd (Hume) and Alan (Walker) know they will be playing against a different VCD side in the cup final that they played against on Monday.”
With VCD Athletic moving home to their Oakwood ground in Crayford next season, Ford suggested his reserve side should play more midweek games in able him to cast his eye over them.
”I could do with a night off but to come and watch the lads tonight I’ve learnt so much from them.
”Four or five of the lads out there I haven’t seen play because the reserves don’t have any midweek fixtures and we don’t get enough of a chance to see them play.”
VCD Athletic v Erith Town
Kentish Observer League
Saturday 22nd April 2006
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Greenwich Borough FC, Harrow Meadow, Eltham Green Road, Eltham
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd