Sunday, November 23, 2008 23:41
A few weeks ago, Faversham Town manager Justin Luchford said the next few games would shape how the season would look for the Lilywhites. November looked difficult on paper but with
four wins out of four in the calendar month, it has turned out very well for the Salters
Lane outfit. But the real test comes next weekend when the Lilywhites travel to table
topping Holmesdale.
Luchford was delighted with the current form of his squad but was cautious about what was to
come.
"I am happy with the way things are going however, the players and I certainly won't be
getting carried away" he said. "The next two games are just as important as the last two. If
we were to lose the next two then all the hard work has been undone."
With two good wins to start the month, Town travelled down to cinque ports rivals Hythe Town
last week. Any ardant Lilywhite supporter would probably have settled for a point but the
team had other ideas. With a ten minute, four goal spell either side of half time gave the
points to the Lilywhites and Luchford was quick to see the importance of the win.
"The Hythe game was a big win, as I believe it's the first time since I have been at
Faversham that we have beaten a top four side. Which is why we cannot get carried away as we
have to beat top four sides on a regular basis if we are going to get anywhere.
"Can we do that now? I'm not so sure, it's a hard task as there are so many good sides.
"The performance was excellent from everyone but we have to get some consistency. We can
also get better without a doubt but we just need to keep working hard.
Last Saturday, the Lilywhites travelled up to Beckenham for the re-scheduled League Cup
match. With Town holding a slender advantage from the first leg, this also looked like
another tricky game but, as with the previous match, Town rose to the occasion.
"The Beckenham game was a very good win" commented Luchford, "You could argue a bigger win than Hythe purely because it is so easy to switch off after you have had a good result in
mid-week.
"I am predicting them to go on a run now. They have most of the players back from last year
and they will beat sides regularly. They play great football and once they click they will
climb the table at a rate of knots trust me."
The reward for knocking Beckenham out is a tie against either Deal or Holmesdale, again
first leg at home.
"Cup draws kind!" exclaimed Luchford "don't be silly!
"We have always got tough draws but there you go, we have just got to get on with it and
focus on the next game.
With all the recent turmoil at the club, results seem to have galvanised the squad even more
than before. Asked if there is a danger of over confidence and complacency creeping into the
team, Luchford was quick to rule this out.
"There is no way in the world that we will be complacent against anyone. We are not good
enough to be complacent. No club ever is.
"As I have said we have only beaten one top side. On Saturday we have to compete with the
best side. The top of the table team, the team with the most points on the board, how on
earth could we be complacent?
"I have had reports about them and pretty much know what to expect. They will be very good
and it will test how far we have come again. We are a long way from the finished article,
but I believe we can give anyone in the league a game now.
"Can we win the game? Of course. But it will be the toughest game of the season and we will
need a bit of luck and perhaps a bad day for Holmsdale. If they are flying, which is what I
expect, then we will be up against it. We are very much the underdog."
With the top four all playing at home on Saturday, Town really do need to come away from
Holmesale with something to keep in the mix and build on the hard work and results they have
achieved in recent weeks.
"I'm not to worried as to what happens elsewhere to be honest, we have targets and we are
trying to reach them" said Luchford. "If we do I'll be happy. Everything else is a
bonus.
The reserves got a good result on Saturday also to give the first team manager another
boost. A recent change in policy means the reserves will feature more u18s in the side.
Luchford believes this will improve them as players.
"Ben Ives stepped up and did a job for us when Dave Soutan got injured on Saturday and
Chris Odebanjo was on the bench for us. We are going to need everyone."
The main injury worry for Luchford was Mike McKenna. Following a long time away recovering
from an injury picked up at the tail end of last season, McKenna was just coming back into
contention for a starting place when he was carried off at Hythe.
"Mike will be out for sometime. But he will get great physios behind him and he will be
back, don't worry about that. VCD put in an approach for him last week, and he says he is
going nowhere. Just shows how the players are committed to the club."
With maximum points and nineteen goals scored this month and progression into the next round
of the league cup also, it certainly seems like Luchford and the Lilywhites are moving
onwards and upwards.
Kick off for the Lilywhites first team is 3.00pm at Holmesdale whilst the reserves entertain
Tonbridge Angels at Salters Lane in the Kent Intermediate Cup, kick off 3.00pm.