The season so far has been a great learning curve, admits Greenwich Borough boss Gary Alexander

GREENWICH BOROUGH player-manager Gary Alexander says he wants his side to start taking their chances against Walton Casuals on Saturday.

The newly-promoted side tackle The Stags in The FA Cup First Qualifying Round on the 3G pitch at Whyteleafe’s Church Road ground.

Greenwich Borough claimed the Southern Counties East Football League title last season but are finding taking their chances in the Ryman League Division One South slightly difficult.

Greenwich Borough are in 15^th place in the table, having won once, drawn once and lost two league games, the latest being Sittingbourne’s 3-1 win at the DGS Marine Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday.

“The season so far has been a great learning curve,” admits former Millwall ace Alexander.

“We have found out if you don’t take your chances you get punished.  You can have all the possession in the world and get beat with the quality of player and budgets some teams have, although it always seems to be myself and Cray Wanderers manager Tony Russell who hear that the most!

“There are bigger budgets out than ours out there for sure. Those teams and managers know who they are.

“But like I said it’s early days. We have seen what the league is about and in every game we have given ourselves a chance to win, except for Monday where Sittingbourne done a good job on us.

“We had all of the ball and lost so fair play but I have a  squad that I trust and believe in so each week passes we will improve, there’s still so many games.”

There is £3,000 up for grabs this weekend when Alexander’s side play a Walton Casuals side that have climbed up to fifth-place on 9 points, behind Corinthian-Casuals, Carshalton Athletic, Dorking Wanderers and Faversham Town.

Alexander said: “It’s FA Cup action this weekend, meaning so much to so many clubs, including ourselves – it’s massive!

“It’s a chance to progress in a great competition and also earn a few quid for the club so like every game we will be trying to win.

“Anthony Gale is a good friend of mine, a  top coach and manager and I expect a real tough game. We speak regularly - but not this week!”

Visit Greenwich Borough’s website:  www.greenwichboroughfc.co.uk

Walton Casuals  v  Greenwich Borough
The Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Saturday 3^rd September 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Church Road, Whyteleafe, Surrey CR3 0AR