Cup Final Fever!

Since the last post on here we've beaten Staines 2-0 and Dartford 4-1, before falling 2-0 at Chelmsford with a very patched up side. There is still a real buzz about the club going into the Kent Senior Cup Final at Dartford on May Day. Early meets are planned and The Ravens fans will be aiming to make themsleves seen & heard.
The bad news is that striker Leon Mcklenzie will be suspended and Keeper Craig Holloway is an injury doubt, we'll just have to hope that the players Hayden Bird does have available to him will give 100% and do the club proud on the big day.
With a big crowd expected at Princes Park let's hope we get a ref who isn't easily swayed by a bit of pressure from the  home fans, which we certainly suffered from at the game there back in September when Sobers was ordered off for nothing.   
Eastleigh come to HL on Saturday, with neither side able t reach the play offs I personally wouldn't be fussed if we played the Academy side for this one and kept the players fresh for Monday...      

Cup Final!

After a 3-0 defeat at home to the league leaders we managed to pick ourselves up for the KSC semi final and defeat our tenants 3-2 in a well contested match. I took little pleasure from the result, this is what we should do to a team from a division below, but instead it was a sense of relief that we didn’t bottle it again. Now we face Dartford at Princes Park on May Day in what should be a very good game in front of a decent crowd, breathing life back into the old competition and hopefully bringing what has been an eventful season to a successful end. Before that we have four final BSS games starting with a trip to Staines on Saturday and then the dress rehearsal for the final on Good Friday at Hayes Lane. Then we get to play our part in the play off hunt by travelling to perennial chokers Chelmsford (oh how I’d love to beat them) and then hosting Eastleigh on the final day with a welcome chance to see Peter Adeniyi on our pitch again.

The mood around BFC has certainly been lifted in recent weeks, which is a relief, now hopefully we can take a bit of momentum on into the cup final and into preparation for next season.      

Another Good Performance.

A very respectable point at title chasers Farnborough kept the momentum going and now we face the leaders Barintree at Hayes Lane on Saturday. Great to see Leon McKenzie on the scoresheet again and the 3-5-2 formation bedding in nicely. Then comes the away game at HL against Cray Wands in the KSC semi final with the winners taking on Dartford in the final, which I beleive will be on teh Bank Holiday May 2nd.
This is a massive game for me personally as my Dad is a Wands season ticket holder and I am still suffering from the 6-1 hammering they served us in the semi three years ago. If we are not completely on our game and up for it then we could be facing a repeat on the humiliation.      

Another win!

Things looked desperate on Saturday as we llost 2-1 at home to Hampton, although there were chances for us to get a point, then came Tuesday night and a well earned 1-0 win over Thurrock.
A team meeting was called on the Monday and whatever was said it did the trick. With the high earners either 'injured' or dropped the young hard working side who represented Bromley did the club proud and Leon McKenzie grabbed the vital goal against his old club on 70mins.
The next two games are against the second placed side away at Farnbororugh and then at home to leaders Braintree before the biggest game left this season when we play away to Cray at Hayes Lane in the semi final of the Kent Senior Cup. With a threadbare suqad and a much reduced budget this could be a tough month, but if the spirit of Tuesday night can be re-captured then at least we'll put in performances worth watching.   
     

A Win!

So after a spirited but futile display at Woking we finally recorded a win over Ebbsfleet’s kids in the Kent Senior Cup this Thursday, scoring twice and keeping a clean sheet. We now face Cray Wands away at Hayes Lane in the semi final, Hayden Bird must have mixed feelings over this cup progress as the potential for hysterical fall out if we lose to our tenants is very high, and that includes from me.

Saturday sees and early kick off as Hampton come to The Lane, we know we’ll be in for a tough early afternoon as they are big and direct, but hopefully the squad will be upbeat after their first win in nearly two months.

Bird has had no luck with injuries at all, there are currently five players crocked, one suspended and Ryan Dolby has decided to join Welling leaving us with a threadbare squad and Academy players filling the bench. Add that to the lack lustre attitude of certain high earners, along with the budget cuts and it hasn’t helped the new man in charge.    

A Goal and A Point!

1-1 with Boreham Wood at home. Well it was an improvement on recent performances at least, Tutu scored a lovely header and we showed some promising signs going forward in the second half, but defensive frailty once again saw us drop points.
The moaning on the forum has now got to the point that I dread going on there. Things aren't great on the pitch right now, but get some perspective please!
A tough trip to Woking coming up on Saturday then it's Ebbsfleet at home on Thurs in the ksc with Cray awaiting the winners. Won't they be hoping to rub salt in The Raven's open wounds...

When Will We Score Again?

Two more defeats and two more games without a goal, but reports back from the South Coast excursions were that the performances were much improved and in the case of Eastleigh we were very unlucky not to at least grab a point. Paul Vines returned to the club from his second loan spell and made the starting line up for Tuesday partnering Charlie Ide with Warren McBean on the bench and Leon McKenzie not involved at all.

The lack of goals will be the main concern for Hayden Bird going into the home game with an improving Boreham Wood, in the last six games we’ve only notched once via a late consolation penalty at Welling.

Sadly I am expecting Saturday’s crowd to be the lowest for a league game at Hayes Lane this season as the disgruntled vote with their feet.