We're fighting fit for Faversham, insists Piggott

Sunday 17th January 2010

HOLLANDS & BLAIR manager Paul Piggott says his side will compete throughout their Kent Senior Trophy quarter-final tie at Faversham Town on Wednesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

Piggott’s side left Erith & Belvedere boss Richard Radbourne almost speechless five weeks ago when the impressive Vandanel Kent County League side won an enthralling clash at Park View Road.

Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Lewis Filsher turned out to be the hero, saving three penalties as Piggott’s heroes ran out 3-1 winners on penalties, after the second round tie finished 3-3 after two hours of pulsating football.

Hollands & Blair now travel to a Faversham Town side that lead the Bulmers Cider Kent League table by seven points at the half-way stage of their campaign, but Piggott, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today, insists his side will give a good account of themselves again.

“When we played Erith & Belvedere all we wanted to do was compete and be in the game,” he said.

“I always felt we were in the game there and that’s what we have to do when we go to Faversham, because they’re not top of the league for nothing.

“They’re top of the league because they’re the best side in it so we need to go there and not be afraid, play with the confidence that we had at Erith & Belvedere and see what comes off it.”

Piggott added: “The one thing we won’t do, we won’t go there and be frightened of playing a top-of-the-league side. We’ll go there and we’ll be prepared like we are for any other game and we’re going there to give a good account of ourselves.”

Blair’s exploits at Park View Road last month was the club’s last competitive game, but Piggott revealed his players conduct themselves in a very professional manner, one that you would expect higher up the football pyramid in terms of training schedules.

He said: “There’s no match for match fitness. The boys are training three times a week for me. They’ve trained Tuesday’s, Thursday’s and Saturday’s all the way through the snowy weather and they’ve shown their commitment to me so you can’t do anymore than that.

“The one thing you want to do as a manager and as a player when you’ve had a good result, you want the next game to come quickly and we’ve had to wait over a month for that privilege, so the boys have worked hard in training for me and that’s all that I can ask.

“That’s where we want to take the club. The boys have given me that. I’ve told the boys when I took over in the summer that I would try and make them better and fitter players and I can only do that by giving me their commitment and to be fair they’ve done that.

“They’ve worked hard for me. At this level of football you question some off the players commitment but there’s nothing wrong with my players commitments. They’ve worked really hard. They love training, I have to drag them off the training pitch sometimes because that’s what they’re like so they’re a good bunch of lads.”

The Gillingham based outfit clinched the Vandanel Kent County League premier division title by finishing three points clear of Gravesend based side Fleet Leisure last season.

The Star Meadow outfit also bagged the Bill Manklow Inter-Regional Cup and the Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield with wins over Orpington and Rusthall respectively.

They are presently sitting five points adrift of league leaders Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club in second place at the halfway stage, although Blair have a game in hand.

Speaking about his squad, Piggott said, “Because of the success they’ve had as a club and as a team last year everyone wants to go and beat you so it’s been hard for them.

“All I said to them is if we can be in and around competitions in the league and in the cup this time of the year then we’ve done well because everyone wants to beat the champions, everyone wants to beat the cup holders and that’s what they were last year and it’s hard to maintain those sort of things.”

Piggott felt his training routine paid dividends during the extra time period against Erith & Belvedere, as Ricky Freeman forced a penalty shoot-out with a dramatic 117th minute leveller.

“Part of my team talk when we went into that extra time, the reason why I made them train three times per week during pre-season was for times like those, times when you‘ve got to dig deep and to be fair to them they‘ve done it” said Piggott.

“They’ve given me the hours, they’ve given me the effort at times like that when you have to dig deep and it’s there for you as a player and as a team.”

Plotting the Lilywhites downfall against a management team of Justin Luchford and Clive Walker Piggott added: “I don’t think Justin or Clive will take it lightly against us. I don’t think that for one minute as they’re a professional outfit and they’re doing well.

“All I know as far as I’m concerned we’ll go there and give a good account of ourselves and hopefully we can match the effort of Faversham and if we match the effort the class will come through as well.”

Visit Hollands & Blair’s website: www.hollandsandblair.co.uk

Faversham Town v Hollands & Blair

Kent Senior Trophy Quarter-Final

Wednesday 20th January 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND