Although frustrated to concede an equaliser in the final minute, VCD Athletic manager Keith McMahon was more than satisfied with the point that his team claimed against Hastings United.
“I’m really pleased, to be fair” he said. “Before the game we had six out. We had one recognised defender out of six in the whole club. We had to bring a sixteen year old in from the youth team at right back.
“Centre half Marc Gorbell played his first game in over a year. Jeffrey Imudia shouldn’t even be playing but we just patched him up I was pleased at the end, and a bit disappointed that we didn’t hold on for a win. We had a couple of chances that we should have scored just before the goal.”
Hastings are in the chasing pack for the play-offs and McMahon knew that his tram were the under dogs. “They’re a good side but I thought that we were solid and disciplined and we kept our shape. We said that in the last fifteen or twenty minutes of both halves we’d have chances and I thought we did.
“It wasn’t even their throw for the goal, and then a foul, but you get that I suppose. I would have ripped your hand off for a point before the game started with the side we had out and the week we had. We know they play football. They move the ball about well. They’re a big club, Hastings. With the side we put out we just tried to stay in it.
“To be fair I thought that in the last twenty minutes we were the better side by a distance. There only looked like one team that was going to score. We did and for them to score in the last minute or so was disappointing but I’m pleased with the effort the lads put in.”
For a small squad , injuries can really hurt and McMahon said “Because we’ve got no reserves we’re dipping into the youth team and we even got a youth team player injured last Saturday. We’ve had to bring in some because that’s how skeleton we were. We’ve brought in Alfie Cue from Dartford, youngster, 19. I had a word with (Dartford manager) Tony (Burman). It’s his first game for a while, he did alright for sixty/seventy minutes but tired at the end.
“Young Jeffery (Gyamfi) who came on has come from Witham, another 19/20 year old. Jeffery lives in Lewisham, that’s why he’s come here because he was travelling too far.”
Gary Rump, VCD’s chairman, is determined not to put the club in financial difficulties and McMahon said “We can’t go out and spend lots of money, it’s pointless. The club don’t want to go down that route. I have to stick with it but I’m all for giving the youngsters a chance if they’re ready. We’ve got a very good under eighteens but they are all first years. We’ve got to be careful with them.”
He continued “The Chairman is tremendous here. He does so much for the whole of the club but with the gates we can’t afford to pay a lot of money, whatever people think. I’ve got to go in line with him but I’m one hundred per cent in agreement with what he says. Sometimes it’s not easy when you go in for a player and you miss out because of finances.
“It never used to be like that. There are people now, I’ve heard, who when they’re suspended won’t turn up because they won’t get paid. It’s sad but that’s football now days. While he’s here this club will always be here and he’s done a tremendous job. We’ve got to build with the youngsters but if we can keep the seven, eight, nine that we’ve got here for the next year or so then you’ll start seeing us pushing up there and that’s the plan.
“I haven’t got an issue with money going around because that’s football. If you’ve got it, you’ve got it. If you’ve not, you’ve not. Our players, we make sure that whatever they get, they get every single week.
“We look after them but it’s not all about that, it’s about bringing some of the young players through and the Chairman would rather that. That’s why I’ve got an under eighteens in this year. You’ve got to have a foundation before you can build anything. The Cray’s, the Lewes’ have had a stable side for the last few years. That’s why they’ve done so well.
Along with Phoenix Sports and Thamesmead Town, VCD were moved from the Northern division to the South in the summer and McMahon admitted that has presented additional challenges. “It’s been difficult.” he said. “I’ve been here for three years and have been in three different leagues. I know the North inside out. Obviously, I know a lot about the South. It’s a different level.
“People say it’s stronger, it’s not. One hundred percent it’s not. There’s a lot of teams very very similar in this league. Bottom can beat top. That doesn’t happen really in the North. They’re a little more solid,
“The pitches are better in the South. The travelling’s one hundred percent better in the South. It’s nice to go to some new places. It’s nice to play clubs like Hastings and your South Parks, Guernsey even. That was a nice trip, I’m not saying I’d like that every year.”
At the end of this season, there will be another restructure. McMahon said “All the Chairman said to me this year was just keep us up in this league then we’ll try and build a platform for the next few years. I think we’ll end up in the South East division and we’ll have to change again but if we keep the majority of these, which are localish more than they were, add a few youngsters, then we’ll be ready for that.”
McMahon finished by stating how delighted he is with the playing surface, saying “I know, finances, we can’t compete but who wouldn’t want to play on this every week? This pitch is fantastic all year round. People say about 3G. We don’t spend tens of thousands on this pitch.
“We look after it right, we do things right, it’s a great surface. I’d play on it every day of the week, more than 3G. I understand why people do it but if you’re a young player, who wouldn’t want to play on that?”
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.