Manager's Notes - Richard Kay

RICHARD KAY

A warm welcome to our near neighbours for today’s Hellenic League Div 1 game. Along with Stratford this game is probably as close to a local derby we will play this season.

Its a club we know well, having played them twice in Hellenic 2 in the 2019/20 season. The first game at Moreton midweek under the lights sticks in the memory as we played virtually the whole first team.

We won 1-0 on the night to put us top of the league and we never looked back in finishing top of the league in the season that never was. If my memory serves me well, Ethan scored the winner...But I could be wrong.

Its a bank holiday game and form always goes out the window for these games. We have been so close, yet so far. Its fine margins.

We could be sat on 5-6 points and a solid start, but we have to be honest and say we have chucked points away. The positive is that it is easily rectified.

Last week was a really poor game in general. One where, again, we were in complete control to only give away goals completely against the run of play. Its always hard to take when its a last minute goal, but this was the last 5 seconds

where it would have been a crucial point where we came from behind and would have been 2 games without defeat.

The footballing gods have been cruel, however, 6 games in 14 days has been an impossible schedule. Its a crazy schedule for part time footballers and management teams. Its been a whirlwind. You go from game to game. All you can do is give soundbites and there is zero time for training and coaching.

The positive now is that for the majority of the remaining season we are back to Saturday-Saturday games and training.

The last 3 years’ success has been built on the training pitch and coaching. It was great to get back out on the training pitch this week. I haven’t been actively on the training pitch due to more of a management role, but I’m a tracksuit manager and always will be. I have a fantastic backroom coaching staff and the players will now get the full benefit of being back on the training pitch.

We just need that one win to kick-start our season.Enjoy the game and thank you for your continued support.

UTS

Rich Kay