Whitstable Town FC

Okay, time's up! Put those Cricket racquets away. 

Last year's runners-up, Beckenham Town are also at home playing Erith & Belvedere. Casting my mind back to our first league game last season against Becks, it's hard to imagine how such an accomplished footballing side didn't walk away with the title, mind you they weren't quite the same outfit when we took the points in the return fixture at the end of January. The Deres were playing leapfrog with Whitstable all season and narrowly pipped us to fourth. I'm sure their supporters were expecting to bounce straight back up to Ryman football, as various comments about Mickey Mouse League on their web forum bore witness. It's plain that the Kent League is played at a high standard nowadays, when such an experienced footballing side has to run with the pack. Ought to be a competitive match and despite being away from home I think the Deres might just shade it on the day, they know the opposition this time out.

Thamesmead Town showed a lot of promise last year and start the new campaign at home against Tunbridge Wells. The Wells started and finished strongly in 05/06 but lost the plot in mid-season, a similar fate to Mead but to a much more alarming degree, Wells finishing 10th, Mead 3rd. I suspect this won't be the start Tunbridge Wells want, their regular away support is a fraction of that at home matches and I believe you need the support to lift the players on this fortress ground, Thamesmead only lost one league game at home all last season. However, Wells won't have to wait too long for a better chance as they host Greenwich Borough on this Wednesday evening.

VCD Athletic will have to wait to christen their new pitch as they are drawn away to our newest team?. Faversham Town, great to have the club back in the Kent League. Fordy has been busy signing up new talent for the forthcoming and will do extremely well to improve on last years terrific performance. Faversham, as yet untested, will also be looking to carry on the form of last year shown in the Kent County League. The Vickers are a stern test for any side, mind, and they will show up any weaknesses in a sides organisation on the pitch. Vickers to steal the points in a close game.

The M2 will be busy, coastbound, Saturday as Slade Green travel to Deal Town, Erith Town to Hythe and Sporting Bengal United take a hike to Lordswood. All six sides finished bottom half in 2006 and will need to produce more consistant football to improve that situation. For me, Deal, Green and Hythe are better than that and could easily be top six this time around, the Lords and the Dockers can also beat anyone on their day and will probably finish mid-table once more. Sporting are, well? they're just Sporting Bengal, need better all round and in every department. My crystal ball says three points to all three home sides.

Finally, Greenwich Borough take a charabanc to Sevenoaks Town. With 38 points scored between them last year there is only one way to go for these clubs. Oaks have the better chance of improving but it is hard to play great football on either pitch, which they have to for half of their fixtures. Changes were needed in both outfits, who made the better job will pan out in time. Boro' won 1-3 in the match last time, I think Sevenoaks will do one point better this time, 0-0.

'Herne Bay not playing?' I hear you cry. Well that's the result of having an odd number of teams in a league. Every Saturday one set of fans gets to go shoe shopping or worse, thanks KL. But are our Blue friends downhearted? Not at all they have a Tuesday evening fixture against our other neighbours Faversham Town. Not only an excellent scouting opportunity for our management but also a pretty good way to spend a pleasant summer's evening.

Wherever you are this week enjoy your football and?