Kentish Football 
We're treating Bears with respect, says Moore - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Derek Moore has warned his Sevenoaks Town side not to take Kent County League side Bearsted lightly during their Kent Senior Trophy semi-final, writes Stephen McCartney.
Sevenoaks leapfrogged over Lordswood into 12th place in the Kent League table following their shock 4-1 win at Beckenham Town last night.
And joint-manager Moore demands that his side emulate that performance when they travel to Slade Green for a league fixture on Saturday - and at Honey Lane seven days later.
“We had a chat with the lads and to go to Slade Green and not put in another performance would be a travesty,” Moore said EXCLUSIVELY to www. Last night.
“We need to go on and build from this. Our objective this season is a strong mid-table finish and it will be a complete waste of time if we don’t put the performance in.
After finishing rock bottom last season, Moore feels his side can finish in the top ten for the very first time since returning to the Kent League.
“We’re looking at a number of players who we’re speaking to recently,” he said. “We’re happy with the overall squad we’ve got, they’re a very young squad, average age of about 20-21.
“So we’re looking to putting in a bit of experience in certain areas in the park and I think we can make a good account of ourselves next year.”
Despite a promising start to the season, Moore feels “disappointed” with their form of late.
“I think we’ve done well in patches,” he recalled. “We started off very strong (had) an excellent pre-season (and) we started the season full of confidence.
“We’ve had disruptions though, injuries and suspensions early doors but we’re trying to do right things at the right times.”
Lee Friend, the former Sittingbourne goalkeeper, made his comeback from a torn muscle in his groin last night and pulled off a string of fine saves to thwart an attack minded Beckenham Town side.
Friend, who played for the Sevenoaks’ reserves at the weekend, replaced Jamie Williams, who was sent off during their defeat at Deal Town.
And Moore is targeting the club’s first cup final as a Kent League club when they travel to Honey Lane on 3rd March in the Kent Senior Trophy semi-finals.
Wins over Lordswood and a penalty shoot-out success over Beckenham Town has earned them a trip to Bearsted, a side sitting in fifth place in the British Energy Kent County Premier League table.
The Bears have beaten Crockenhill and Slade Green to reach this stage and Moore doesn’t want them to add his club to their scalps.
Moore is desperate to reach the showpiece final on Sunday, 15th April, at Dartford’s stunning Princes Park Stadium - the best non-league stadium in England - against either Whitstable Town, the unbeaten runaway Kent League leaders or Southern Amateur League minnows West Wickham.
“Make no mistakes we’re treating Bearsted very seriously,” insisted Moore. Everything is now being pointed towards that game on Saturday week.
“We’re under no illusions, Bearsted will be up for it and we’ve got to match them stride for stride and tackle for tackle because it’s a big, big game for them as well.
“But (after) our performance tonight we’ve got a reasonable chance of going forward but we’re not counting our chickens at all.
“We are aware (they’ve got a) heavy pitch but again we’re a fit side. If we look after the ball properly, hopefully we’ll e able to play the game we wish to play but Bearsted are a half decent side.
BANANA SKIN: Sevenoaks Town travel to Bearsted's Honey Lane ground in Otham for a place in the Kent Senior Trophy final next Saturday, 3rd March.
Photograph courtesy of www.bearstedfc.co.uk
“We’ve had a look at them a couple of times, we think we understand their strengths and weaknesses and it will come down to the actual day for us.”
Meanwhile, Slade Green player-manager Danny Evans has completed the signing of tough tackling midfielder Trevor Lee, 37, from neighbours Erith Town.
Lee originally played for the club during the mid 1990s under managers Tod Dowling and Micky Watts.
Under Watts’ leadership Lee helped the club reach the last 64 of the FA Vase as well as consecutive Kent League Cup semi-finals.
He eventually moved onto Greenwich Borough where he helped the Harrow Meadow club win the Kent League Cup and Kent Senior Trophy.
Recently, Lee has turned out for Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club and played under Mark Tompkins at Erith Town earlier in the season.
Evans unveiled that he is set to announce the signing of another experienced Kent League player ahead of Saturday’s home game against Sevenoaks Town to add to the captures of Frank Sawyer and Arin Sesay, who both made their debuts in their 4-2 defeat at Erith & Belvedere last Saturday.
Visit club websites:www.clubwebsite.co.uk/sladegreenfc/
Slade Green v Sevenoaks Town
Kent League Premier Division
Saturday 24th February 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Small Glen, 35 Moat Lane, Slade Green, Erith, Kent DA8 2ND
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd