Whitstable Town FC

THE WEEK AHEAD - 13th December

CHRISTMAS AT HOME?. just two more 1st team games before Christmas and they're both at home. Tonight (Tues.13th Dec.) Whitstable Town play in the Premier League Cup, Group 'B' against Lordswood. If home advantage counts for anything the Reds should be able to improve on last Wednesday's 3-3 draw against the same opposition. And on next Saturday the 17th, the hordes on the gasworks terracing will hopefully be carolling the Reds to three more points in the Kentish Observer Football League Premier against stiff opposition from Hythe Town. Marc Seager's men will be chasing their sixth win in a row in the league, and are looking to capture third place before the two tight Herne Bay derby league matches scheduled after the festive break.

Three points from the Lordswood cup game would put Town on 11, this would be enough to qualify for the QFs should Erith Town drop points in their game at Greenwich Borough tonight, otherwise they will have to wait for other fixtures to be played out. Can we resist Doerr for 90 minutes this time out? And watch out for ex-Red Andy Skinner's long throw in, he had an excellent game for them last Wednesday night.

Saturdays opposition Hythe, who had gone six games without a win in the league, will be a tough team to beat as they have found some great form of late, only losing one match in the last eight in all competitions. Abel, Godden and Sinden are the danger men having scored no less than 21 times between them in that period!

Also on Saturday, 3rd spot Thamesmead travel to league leaders Beckenham Town, the Mead are a solitary point in front of Whitstable, I suppose the best result for us would be for them to draw? Either way at least one of them will have to concede some points which is good for us.

Hoping to leapfrog back in front of the Oystermen are an out of sorts Erith & Belvedere team. They play at home against a Slade Green side that beat Herne Bay last weekend, meanwhile E&B were losing to Sevenoaks gifting them only their second win in the league this season.

Sevenoaks travel up to Greenwich to play VCD, I suspect that if the pitch allows this could be a very close encounter. VCDs league form is not what they've shown in their cup matches (1 win in the last 3) and Sevenoaks are gaining in confidence after some good results of late and will be hungry for their first points away from home.

Two tough fixtures for the bottom clubs, Erith Town travel to Sittingbourne to play second spot Maidstone United, who have still yet to lose this campaign, and Greenwich Borough travel to Lordswood, (more in hope, I guess). I don't envisage any change at the foot of the table and the Stones should be able to keep the pressure on Beckenham as well as preserving the 5 points gap below them. Might they be complacent? I don't think so, they have too much to lose.

The remaining mid-table confrontations are between Herne Bay and Tunbridge Wells at Culverden and Deal Town against Sporting Bengal at the Charles Sports Ground. Deal Town still remain a very real Premier League threat and should make short work of the Bengalis. Their cup exploits have left them with games in hand over every club above them AND IF (a big 'and if') they can convert these to points are still in with a chance of a top three finish this season. I would recommend any insomniacs out there to go to the Wells/Bay match, they should be able to get a good 90 minutes rest at that one ; )

Also on Saturday afternoon Whitstable Town Reserves travel to Ashford Town in Division 1 looking to maintain their lead over last weeks match winners Thamesmead Town. Second place Mead travel to Bromley for a 2.15 kick off. Both opposition sides are midtable in the reserve's league 13 points or so behind the two leaders, the Ressies are now ahead of Thamesmead only by a 4 goal GD.

Come on you Reds!

Peter Albin, 13th December 2005.