We want Lydd to push us all the way, says Hollands & Blair boss Paul Piggott

HOLLANDS & BLAIR manager Paul Piggott says he is loving being involved in an exciting two-horse race for the title.



The Gillingham based club extended their lead at the top of the Kent Invicta League to three points after winning 5-3 at third-placed Sutton Athletic yesterday, while second-placed Lydd Town slipped up at second-from-bottom Eltham Palace, being held to a goal-less draw.

Hollands & Blair and Lydd Town both have eight games left to play.

Dave Smith’s side can join Blair on 52 points if they collect all three points at eighth-placed Glebe at Oakley Road on Tuesday night.

Blair then travel to fourth-from-bottom Lewisham Borough 24 hours later.

“We’ve got a few tricky ones for boys at our level because they’re used to Saturday afternoon games,” said Piggott, 42.

“We’ve got Lewisham on a Wednesday night.  We’ve got a game at Meridian on Bank Holiday Friday and against Rusthall on Bank Holiday Monday so yes it’s tricky times for people but if you want to win the league there places you have to go to win a game of football.

“Listen, all we know if we win all our games between now and the end of the season, we win the league.  That’s all we’re telling ourselves.  It doesn’t matter what everyone else does. It’s down to us.”

Piggott, 42, says he’s relishing the pressure of guiding the club towards the Southern Counties East Football League.

“We’ve got the planning permission now from the council so that’s gone to the FA now so we’re waiting to hear from the FA grants to see what comes back from that but it’s looking good. All green lights at the moment.

“I’ve got to do my job, the players have got to do their job. We’ve got to win this league first and foremost, that’s what we’ve got to try to do and then all the nuts and bolts about our lights will come out in the wash.

“Fingers crossed.  The players have got to win this league because there’s a big carrot at the end of it and Kent League football hopefully.”

Piggott reflected that he’s been at the club for five years and the club have been one of the super powers of lower league football during his time at Star Meadow.

“A lot of people have done a lot of work behind the scenes,” he said.

“A lot of fundraising and sending letters to people. It’s been a long hard slog. 

“I’ve been at the club five years’ now and we’ve been talking about getting to the Kent League for as long as I’ve been here and that’s been my main goal and if the boys can keep performing like they did yesterday, keep digging in and working hard and get the three points that’s what we’ve got to do.

“It’s been a long slog. It’s been hard to keep this team at the top of the league for five years but good players make that easier.  We’ve got good players and we’ve got players who I feel can do well in the Kent League next year.”

But Piggott knows the boys down at Lydd will not surrender their own hopes of winning the league title.

This midweek will be a massive week in the Kent Invicta League title race and both Glebe and Lewisham Borough would like to put a spanner in the works.

“It’s great! That’s where we want to be. We want to be competing,” said Piggott.

“We want the games to have an edge and it’s great that someone’s with you.  Lydd will be saying the same.  It’s great they’re not flying away with it. We want people to push us all the way. Lydd will want us to push them all the way and that’s what makes football exciting at this stage of the season.”

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

Lewisham Borough v Hollands & Blair
Kent Invicta League
Wednesday 2^nd April 2014
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Ladywell Arena, Silvermere Road, Catford, London SE6 4QX