Whitstable Town FC

Before we get on to the other Premier Division games for this week. I must mention the match at the Belmont this evening, the 7th March (weather and pitch permitting). The Whitstable Town Reserves play in the first leg of the Division 1&2 Cup semi-final against Folkestone Invicta. If you can make it, please come down and lend your support to Simon Kay and the lads. The other semi being Dartford v Ashford Town scheduled for tomorrow night.

There are also two semi-final 1st leg games to be played in the PDC this week, tonight Hythe Town play Maidstone United and on Thursday Herne Bay travel to Greenwich to play VCD.

Back to the Kentish Observer Football League, and on Saturday Thamesmead Town travel are away to Maidstone United in the match already alluded to above. The Mead are currently on a run of six without loss and looking to move within two points of the Stones at the top of the table. The home side could be looking over their shoulder now wondering where the ten point advantage they once held over the pack has gone. Should be a great test of temperament for both sides and is probably the Kent league match of the day for the casual visitor.

Also with a reduced margin for error second place Beckenham Town are paid a visit by Hythe Town. With no game the following week Beck's will do well to pay the visitors their full attention. Hythe are still failing to string results together but are well capable of taking apart any side in the league on their day. How the sides in pursuit of the title are hoping for just such a day this weekend.

Two other very important games for league places are Herne Bay at Deal Town and Erith & Belvedere at Slade Green.

Deal should be kicking themselves for letting their games in hand go so cheaply, they now only have the potential to bag 65 points in total and have lost, or rather, used the luxury of being able to fluff one or two results. However a good win at home should steady the ship, and although they have only five points out of the last eighteen possible they are unbeaten at home in six. The Blues are, of course, no mugs and have not lost away in four. A physical game ahead, though perhaps not a spectacle.

Slade Green drew at E&B in December, 2-2, but the Deres could do better this week even being the away side, needing the points to fulfill their aspirations they are on a seven match unbeaten run of form, but these can be the sort of fixtures they tend not to up for. Make no mistake, if they don't give this match 100% they'll come away empty handed.

Kent Senior Trophy finalists Tunbridge Wells are the latest team for whom the league title is mathematically unobtainable. They are visited by Erith Town who can rise off the foot of the table with a win as Sevenoaks do not play. So motivation wise Erith have the edge and could dampen spirits at Culverden.

Finally Greenwich Borough are host to Lordswood. The Lords need maximum points from every game to finish with a total of 52 this season, with the leaders already on 51 and 49 it looks as if they will be joining the also ran list anytime soon. A string of poor results recently has killed off much of the spirit left in what has been an average side this year. Boro' could well pick up the points as their form is swinging in the opposite direction, good results recently against Deal, Erith and Sevenoaks.

The reserves play a league fixture at Herne Bay on Saturday which they should win, while the division leaders, Thamesmead, have a tough home game aginst 4th placed Ramsgate.

Come on you Reds!                                            Peter Albin. 7th March