Saunders braced to pit wits against former boss
Steve McKimm has rejected suggestions Tonbridge have the strongest squad in the Ryman League, Premier Division. The claim comes from Folkestone manager Neil Cugley before the sides’ Kent derby at Longmead on Boxing Day (3pm). But Angels boss McKimm believes otherwise and only has to point to his bench for the 1-0 defeat at Harrow on Tuesday night. After losing centre-halves George Beaven (hamstring) and Mitchell Nelson (back spasm) in the warm-up, McKimm had to name himself among the substitutes, along with goalkeeping coach Stewart Copeland and 16-year-old Liam Smith – and they were still one short. McKimm said: “I don’t buy into us having the strongest squad. “We’ve got a 16 which was put together with the budget we were given and then we use our reserve and youthteam players when we get injuries. “I wasn’t expecting to lose our two centre-halves in the warm-up on Tuesday but you look at the bench and you’ve got me, my goalkeeping coach and a 16-year-old, so the squad can’t be that strong. “It makes me laugh when people say we’ve got this squad and that squad. “There’s plenty of other teams out there with stronger squads.” Tom Parkinson and a late Alex Akrofi goal earned a 2-1 win at promotion rivals Dulwich Hamlet last Saturday, with Tonbridge defending impressively, followed by the narrow defeat at Harrow. Those results leave Tonbridge sixth going into the Folkestone game, a point outside the play-offs. McKimm is expecting a test against Cugley’s side. He said: “Folkestone are doing well. They went on a good unbeaten run, winning quite a few, which is what you need to do. “They’ve got a squad who have known each other a number of years. They work well together and what Neil is good at is adding good youngsters to it, bringing them through and moving them on. “You’ve got to give him credit. He’s been there a long time and knows how it works. I’m sure they’ll be OK this season.”