Coney Hall admit title is beyond them

CONEY HALL have one eye on a possible Surrey Premier Cup semi-final at Sutton United when they make the trip to Molesey on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

Chris Tucker, the club's manager whose serving an 185-day ban, is looking forward to the quarter-final tie at Molesey but admitted clinching the Combined Counties League first division title may be beyond his side.

The Tiepigs Lane outfit are eleven points behind leaders Bedfont Green - despite having three games in hand over the Esher side - and are four points behind second placed Bookham.  However, both sides are still to come to Tiepigs Lane.

Tucker said: "The league is still our main priority.

"Bedfont Green are now eleven points clear but it's going to be hard.

"We've got three games in hand and we've got to play them at home.

"That will be a big ask.  The squad's not massive and we've got some players out with long term injuries."

Club administrators are investigating to see if former Beckenham Town player Darren Flaherty is available to play at Walton Road as he may be cup-tied having possibly played in the competition in an earlier round for their Eden Park Avenue neighbours.

With a semi-final at Sutton United or Farleigh Rovers at stake for his side, Tucker added: "It's a cup we are interested in.  Winning a cup is a bonus and good cup runs are nice but the Surrey Cup is the biggest one we play in.

"It will be nice to win it and go one better from last year after losing to Carshalton Athletic in the semi-finals, when they scored the most controversial goal ever.

"We are going there for the fun, there's no pressure on us as it's not a league game."

Tucker, however, admitted their fixture backlog, due to postponements and their extended cup campaign will cause him a headache at the end of the season when their fixtures will be added to midweek dates, kicking off at 6:30pm due to the lack of floodlights.

"We've got to squeeze games in again, which is similar to last year," he said.

"It's horrible playing at 6:30pm as you have to rely on your players commitments and they have to give up some hours work.  We don't pay our players but it's a big ask for them to commit."

Tucker has 42 more days of his suspension to serve and is looking forward for the club to pit their wits against a Ryman club's reserve side that ply their trade in Suburban League football.

"It's good to pick your wits against these teams," he said.

"The standard of these teams isn't different from the first division of the Combined Counties League.

"It's only due to the lack of ground facilities, like floodlights, that Combined Counties League teams don't progress further.

"There are four to five teams in our division that can hold their own in the Combined Counties Premier League without a question of a doubt."

Coney Hall are on the verge of signing a Ryman League standard central defender and another striker in time for next Saturday's home league clash with Shottermill & Haslemere (Tiepigs Lane, 2pm).

After that they travel to Hersham on Saturday 12th February (Westend Recreation Ground, Westend Lane, Esher, 2pm) before hosting Staines Lammas and title challengers Bookham at Tiepigs Lane (2pm) the following two Saturday's.


Molesey Reserves v Coney Hall
Surrey Premier Cup
Tuesday 1st February 2005
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Walton Road, West Molesey, Surrey

Please credit article to Stephen McCartney - www.kentishfootball.co.uk