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'Bring on Billericay'
Friday, September 23, 2011
CHIPSTEAD'S reward for beating Redhill is a home tie against Ryman League Premier Division side Billericay Town in the next round of the FA Cup.
Mark Tompkins' side beat the Lobsters 3-1 on Saturday, to earn their place in last Monday lunchtime's draw for the Second Round Qualifying of the prestigious competition.
And Tompkins believes his Chips side stand a good chance of getting a result against the Essex team.
"I'm quite pleased with the draw, it's definitely a tie we will be looking to win," Tompkins stated.
"Billericay will obviously be favourites, but they are hardly flying this season, I think they are mid-table, and also we have the home advantage. We'll be setting ourselves out to have a go at them.
"We avoided the Bromleys and Sutton Uniteds, although if we had got one of those at home I wouldn't have been too upset."
Tompkins is looking forward to the cup match - which will take place on Saturday, October 1 - with one eye on the £4,500 prize fund for the winner.
"Chipstead aren't a rich club, so an extra £4,500 would mean a lot to us," he said.
"It is a match I'm confident we could win and I think it is £7,500 in the next round, so the financial incentive is important."
Courtesey of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Grant sets the standard for Chipstead
Friday, September 02, 2011
MARTIN Grant bagged three goals last weekend as Chipstead set themselves up nicely for their FA Cup game on Sunday away to Epsom & Ewell.
The game will be played at Merstham and assistant manager Mick Read is looking forward to it.
He believes Chips could have had an even better return from their opening four fixtures than their six points.
Grant scored twice at one of his old clubs Walton Casuals on Monday in a 3-1 win, having netted the opener against Ramsgate on Saturday in a 2-1 defeat.
"Martin was at Whitehawk last season and struggled with a few injuries. We had asked him in the past to join us. We've been trying to get him for a couple of seasons," Read explained.
He played up front with Lee Coburn, who has spent the last couple of seasons as a defender but who Read said was originally a striker.
"It's a typical sort of one big, one little up front partnership," said Read.
Walton scored first quite late in the first half but straight from the restart Chipstead levelled, then netted again before half-time.
Russell Bedford, playing in central midfield with Jason Goodchild (pictured inset) - an unlikely scorer of two goals himself this season - scored the third, with a 25-yard screamer that went into the corner.
Chips made one change from Saturday, Jordan Brown replacing the suspended Scott Marshall in left midfield.
Read said: "We've played four games in 10 days which is quite a lot. We're still trying to settle down a bit, but we feel we have slightly under achieved. Against Bognor [on the opening day] we were really unfortunate and Ramsgate [on Saturday] scored in the 90th minute.
"It wasn't a case that we tired, it was basic errors."
Chipstead will be favourites for the FA Cup tie with Epsom - at a venue where the High Road side have already won this season, taking a 1-0 win against Merstham last Tuesday.
And Read is keen to gain some FA Cup notoriety the club achieved before he and boss Mark Tompkins arrived two summers ago.
"We're favourites but we won't take it lightly. We've got to take the same attitude as we have so far and work hard.
"We won't underestimate them. We've had them watched. We know how they play.
"We won't set ourselves up to worry about the opposition but to impose our game on them. They will come out battling as Combined Counties League sides do but we'll have to match them in the battle and impose our own game.
"We've done all right in the past couple of years but we want to do better [generally]. We're always striving for that."
Chipstead: Martin Grant, Newman, York, Watkins, Hogg, Wilkes, Bedford, Goodchild, Brown, Martin Grant, Coburn.
* * *
Tompkins: We can do far better
Thursday, August 25, 2011
"THERE is still more to come from the Chips" was the warning of manager Mark Tompkins after his side came out on top against local rivals Merstham.
A 29th minute Jason Goodchild goal was all that separated the two East Surrey teams on a foggy and wet Tuesday night at High Road.
After losing 2-1 away to last season's play-off finalists Bognor Regis Town on Saturday in the first Ryman League Division One South game of the season, manager Tompkins admits it was nice to get some points on the board despite a scrappy game.
"I wasn't pleased with the performance against Merstham, but we'll take the three points," he said.
"Saturday against Bognor we played really well and we should have beat them, so it was important to get three points on the board against Merstham.
"We came away from Bognor really disappointed because we gifted them two scrappy goals - and like against Merstham we had enough chances to win two or three games."
Merstham, with manager Andy Martin fuming at his team from the stands while under a touchline ban, threw everything they had at Chipstead, especially in the last 20 minutes.
But, despite the presence of ex-League Two striker Roscoe Dsane, Chipstead's defence held strong, much to the delight of Tompkins.
"The back four was really solid and played really well and we held the ball up well, and Martin Grant of course is an outstanding keeper," the manager enthused.
"We lost our way a little in midfield. Merstham played an odd shape with the number eight [Omar Foulkes] off the front two.
"Our front two worked hard and kept the ball up front and took the pressure off, but really it was the defence that won it for us."
The game was a typical local derby with tackles flying in and a scrappy look to the football, with Matt York, Gareth Graham, Adam Broomhead and Jason Thompson having played for both sides.
And Tompkins believe that if the Chips are to make an impact in the Ryman League this season Merstham are the sort of side they need to be beating.
"They are our local derby, but we want to do well in this league this season and if we want to do well then we need to be taking points off Merstham, Whyteleafe, and Walton Casuals," the Chipstead boss said.
"It would have been nice to score another, take the pressure off our back four.
"If that second one goes in then I think Merstham might have died a little, but where it's 1-0 they can still keep going.
"So, yeah, it would have been nice to kill the game off."
However, with his side coming in on Thursday for extra set-piece practice, Tompkins believes the Chips are still improving.
"We are a new-look side, we are still gelling and I think there's still a lot more to come," he said.
They play Ramsgate on Saturday and then Walton Casuals on Monday.
"Ramsgate are a battling side," he said. "It won't be easy, but we have just got to get the basics right, because I felt we were playing as individuals rather than a team against Merstham."
Report courtesey of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Tompkins happy with rebuilt Chipstead
Friday, August 19, 2011IT HAS been a busy summer for Mark Tompkins who has near-enough built a new Chipstead team with 10 new signings.
The Ryman League Division One South season kicks off on Saturday and Chipstead have not been handed the easiest of starts with a tricky away tie at last season's league runners-up Bognor Regis Town, before hosting local rivals Merstham on Tuesday evening.
But Chips boss Tompkins is confident his side's passing game will stand them in good stead this season.
"Obviously it's a difficult start to the season but I think the league as a whole will be a lot tougher this year," he said.
"There have been big changes in my squad over the summer, I've only retained three or four players but I'm happy with the players I've got in.
"I think we will be a bit more of a footballing side this season. We are trying to get the ball down and play more rather than be a percentages team."
Chipstead have had a good pre-season securing wins against Greenwich Borough, Banstead Athletic, Lingfield, Chertsey and Chatham Town, drawing with VCD Athletic and a single loss to Ryman Premier Division side Cray Wanderers.
And the season could well be a tale of two Martin Grants for Chipstead after Tompkins signed a striker from Whitehawk with the same name as his goalkeeper.
"It's quite unusual and could be confusing," the manager admitted.
The other new signings this season include keeper Robert Webb to fight it out with one of the Martin Grants for the number one shirt, player-coach Matty Yorkie, midfielder Tom Battams from Sutton United, striker Julian Thompson from Leatherhead, winger Scott Marshall from Whyteleafe and left-midfielder Jordan Brown from AFC Wimbledon. The Chips also have three new defenders in centre-back Robert Watkins from Sutton United, right-back Steve Newman from Carshalton Athletic and left-back Bruce Hogg from Whitely Bay.
But Tompkins insists he would be happy with a mid-table finish this season.
"Pre-season's not been bad but I don't read too much into it," Tompkins said.
"I think the league will be a lot tougher this season. We were 10th last season and if we can match that or better that then that will represent a good season."Tompkins returns to Chipstead
Courtesey of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
MARK Tompkins is back at the helm at Chipstead just 10 days after quitting, having sorted out "personal problems".
And the High Road boss is ready to blast the Chips into the top half of the Ryman Division One South.
Assistant Mick Read, who was reluctant to step up to the top position, was the instigator, having a conversation with Tompkins last Wednesday evening.
Tompkins said: "I had a few problems but I couldn't talk to anyone about it."
Chairman Nigel Scarbrough was only too happy to have him back after originally suggesting Tompkins took a couple of weeks away to think about his decision.
"He did, but my head wasn't right," said Tompkins. "Looking back, maybe I should have done that. It's all systems go now."
Read won his first of three games in charge last Saturday, 2-0 against Worthing. "He's been my No 2 a couple of times and he prefers that role," said Tompkins, who agrees with his assistant that Chips can press for a place in the top half of the table.
"We can get into the top 10 if we can keep the squad together - that's key. When we have missed two or three players it's hard to cover them. They have been in key positions like centre-back and goalkeeper."
Saturday's victory over Worthing was achieved with suspended centre-back Adam Broomhead watching and pondering how he would return to the side, with Lee Coburn and Louis Hollingsworth helping to keep a clean sheet.
Tompkins also believes his midfield is strong with the return to the club of Liam Grier - and Billy Harding playing well.
Striker Sean Rivers has returned. The striker was top scorer at High Road last season but left in the summer to play at Erith and Belvedere.
"Sean Rivers' return was spoken about before I left," said Tompkins, who had been looking for a striker. Winger Ray Freeman has been playing up front and Denva McKenzie, recently returned to football, scored twice last weekend. "They all have to fight for places, which is what we want," said the manager.
Report courtesy of The Surrey Mirror
* * *
Chips are up in new boss' five-year vision
Nigel Scarbrough
LOOKING LONG-TERM: Chipstead chairman Nigel Scarbrough wants to install an Astroturf and take Chipstead to the Ryman Premier League ONCE he has spent a year getting to know every aspect of Chipstead Football Club, Nigel Scarbrough has ambitious plans.
A former Woodmansterne manager, he coached years ago in New Zealand, who took over as chairman in June, admits there was a lot he did not know about Ryman Division One South football.
Admitting that his involvement with the game for the past five years has been "watching Tottenham," he readily says he was unaware of seven-day approaches being put in for players and assumed - as they were paid - that all players were on contracts.
But that has not stopped a man, who helped build up a social club in Hooley from scratch into a profitable business, enjoying the role and, in his own mind, putting together a five-year plan to stabilise the High Road as a team in a division higher, the Ryman Premier.
"You've got to have a dream," he explains as we chat in the neighbouring cricket club, a group he would like to get to know better, along with their rugby counterparts half a mile up the road.
The dream involves drawing in the hundreds of youngsters who play football for the youth teams to see the first team and putting in an Astroturf behind the existing pitch.
He has also appointed a commercial manager Andrew Sergeant, who is talking to potential big money backers.
"In my first year, my personal objective is to understand the running of the football club and the Ryman League. There's so much to learn and pick up.
"At the moment all I've done is appoint one person to do one job - the car parking, ticket sales, the gate, match day reports. I want them to concentrate on one job.
"The treasurer is in place, but I've not gone into the finances yet. I don't know where we could save money or where we might be able to spend money."
Keith Harvey, he says, does an excellent job in the role, producing three-monthly accounts. "If you ask Keith for money, it's like pulling teeth," Scarbrough said in admiration.
Ryman League fines came as a surprise. "We had five players booked and were fined £250. Then it happened again and we were fined £500. Next time it will be £750. In total, that's just under half the amount we earned for two wins in the FA Cup."
"In year two, once everything is in place, realistically we still have to be in the Ryman League, but we'll be aiming for the top half and be attracting some better players.
"To do all this, I've appointed a commercial manager. Long term, it's no good just getting £150 for a ball sponsor and £200 for a bit of advertising, we've got to attract bigger companies or organisations.
"In year three, if we are able to get sponsors, I want to Tarmac all the car park and put in an Astroturf that would be used not only for us but to hire out."
The FA have already given a grant for portable floodlights for the training pitch and while other grants might be available Scarbrough admits "we might have to mortgage" the ground to fund the Astroturf.
"In the third year I want to gain promotion to the Ryman Premier. I've not come up here to play in the Ryman Division South and get to 14th every year and not go forward on a financial basis and a football basis.
"Taking it forward, year three to four if we achieve that I want to upgrade the pitch and ground.
"You've got to have a dream - it's no good saying we're just satisfied sitting where we are, struggling some weeks and playing well another."
Scarbrough recognises that one of the "biggest problems" is people attending matches - Chipstead were only Ryman team with an average below 100 attendances last season - but he has a plan.
Scarbrough is working on a "park and ride" type scheme bringing people from Coulsdon to arrive up to 90 minutes before kick-off and return home 90 minutes afterwards. He is talking to taxi firms and has transport experience, being the performance manager for Arriva buses working out of the Croydon depot.
Raising attendance can also be done another way, he anticipates, working alongside Brian Richardson, leader of the youth section, who approached him about becoming club chairman after he was suggested by Keith 'Curly' Winslade, now club vice-chairman.
"We have a large junior section who don't attend matches," Scarbrough said. "We've probably got a database of about 250 parents," he said of 11 junior sections from ages U7 to U18. "What I'm keen to do is have a member of the junior team being a mascot," who is keen to start talking to parents about integration.
"I'm going to be talking to the chairmen of the rugby and cricket clubs to see if they have any ideas. It's not amalgamation, but working together."
A golf society has already been set up, involving Stuart Massey, former player and Whyteleafe manager, who plans to turn professional as a coach next February.
"Year five would be to stay in the Ryman Premier," added Scarbrough. "I don't really see us progressing much further than that. It's going to be a lot of hard work getting there and we'll need some luck as well. But I do see that as achievable.
"We've got the basis here. We'll need some new blood [volunteers]. It's not that people are no good, but some have been here so many years and you can become blinkered."
Not that he is to denigrate the skills of those who helped Chips into the Ryman League, but draw on their experience to take the club to another level.
Report courtesy of The Surrey Mirror
* * *
Read steps up as Tommo takes the High Road
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Mick Read, left, has stepped into the breach after Mark Tompkins quit
By ian lamont ian.lamont@essnmedia.co.uk
ONE of the first jobs Mick Read had to do after stepping up to manage Chipstead after Mark Tompkins quit was to hang on to Ray Freeman.
It proved to be no problem, as the pacy frontman - offered the chance to treble his money after a seven-day approach by Faversham - had played for Read before, under Dickson Gill at Croydon.
"I was a coach a couple of years ago for Dickson and I knew him from then," said Read.
Freeman, based in Croydon, has been a livewire supplier from the left wing for the High Road club and lately pressed into action as a striker, with Chipstead short in that department.
Along with injured striker Dom O'Shea, he is the side's leading scorer this season with eight goals.
Read said he was taken aback that Tompkins stuck to his threat to quit - this time.
"It was a surprise, because Mark had threatened to walk many times and we had tried to talk him out of it and we did.
"But this time he said he really needed a break from football."
Read spent three seasons as manager at then Ryman League Croydon, bringing in Gill as his assistant, and before that was at Dulwich for eight years.
Defeat to Whyteleafe last week, Read believes, "tipped the balance" for Tompkins.
That game featured Stuart Massey on the bench. The former Leafe manager had led the warm-up but no decision has been taken yet as to whether he will play a role in future.
If was the day after that defeat at home that Tompkins ran chairman Nigel Scarbrough to tender his resignation.
Scarbrough said: "He wasn't enjoying it and said he wasn't getting what he wanted out of it. It's a bit of a shame. I thought he did all right.
"He had good discipline and he had the players fit, which is an important part of it.
"We had a meeting with Mick Read and he said he was up for it."
For now, John Metcalf, the goalkeeping coach who used to play for Chipstead, is helping Read, as he did in his first managerial job in the Dulwich youth team nearly two decades ago.
Read's reign began with 3-0 defeat at Burgess Hill on Saturday, after striker Denva McKenzie, a veteran making his first start of the season for the side, was sent off within five minutes.
"It was a bit disappointing on Saturday," said Read. "Denva backed into the defender who was pushing him in the back and said he didn't do anything, but the player went down screaming. The linesman who gave it didn't see anything apart from the screaming.
"It was difficult with 10 men. In the second half the players started to get tired making up for the extra man and they wore us down.
"Even so we still had chances and when we got into the bar afterwards they gave man of the match to their goalkeeper, so that shows how many chances we had."
Josh James impressed Read on his first start in midfield. Chips were without midfielder Jason Goodchild, suspended until December, midfielder Billy Chattaway and defender Adam Broomhead, both serving the first of three-game bans, injured strikers Scott Simpson and Dominic O'Shea as well as defenders Louis Hollingsworth (work) and John Cartledge, who continued his injury comeback in the reserves.
Chipstead: Grant, E Conroy, Grizzle, Coburn, Thompson, J James, Harding, Bedford, Morrison, Mckenzie, Freeman.
Report courtesy of The Surrey Mirror
* * *
Injury-hit Chips have 'spirit' to fight drop
RUSSELL Bedford says the spirit in the squad at Chipstead has always been good as they fight to stave off relegation.
Speaking after a first win in the Ryman League Division One South in eight league games on Saturday, the captain also described what a difference striker Liam Wright has made since his arrival.
Unfortunately, victory over Horsham YMCA on Saturday was followed by a catalogue of injuries which hampered Chipstead at leaders Croydon Athletic on Monday, where they lost 3-0.
Wright himself did not start Monday's game because of injury, but played the last 20 minutes.
But Bedford and boss Mark Tompkins are convinced the team can stay away from the bottom two relegation spots.
Chipstead had failed to win since losing narrowly to AFC Wimbledon in the Surrey Senior Cup quarter-finals, a game preceded by four wins out of five games.
Bedford admitted: "It's the smaller games, the league games, people don't always get themselves up for.
"We're a high tempo team in the warm-up and we don't always take it into games."
However, Chipstead have never stopped believing they are capable of winning.
"The one thing that has always been good is the morale. We know that as a team, as a group, we can't rely on anyone else. We've got to look to win more than we draw, but we want to win."
Striker Wright scored his fifth goal in as many games and had a hand in the second as Chipstead beat Horsham YMCA 2-0 to virtually guarantee Ryman status.
"Liam's a very good player," said Bedford, whose side have been coping without injured striker and captain Scott Simpson, who was out with a calf injury.
"He offers something different to Scott. Sean Rivers you know is going to win headers.
"But it's good to know, from a defender's point of view, you've got someone quick to run onto the ball. He's good in the changing room, too.
"We showed a lot of spirit and in the second half started to move the ball around a bit."
Tompkins feels Saturday's win has set the side up to pull out of trouble, adding: "I think we need three points out of four games, then mathematically the bottom two won't be able to catch us."
However, he admits the side are down to the "bear bones".
"Hopefully we will beat Ramsgate on Saturday and Walton Casuals and Eastbourne lose, and then they won't be able to catch us. It will be a hard game and we've got a few injuries."
Defender Louis Hollingsworth missed Monday's game, in which striker Sean Rivers broke a bone in his shoulder.
Wright and Scott Simpson (both calf) are "50-50" to face the Rams on Saturday, Tompkins said.
Recent additions Callum McLean and Craig Pitterson, both midfielders, both have groin injuries.
But Tompkins remains optimistic. "We went to Ramsgate earlier in the season and got a point, with a far weaker team than we've got now."
After Saturday's home game with mid-table Ramsgate, Chips travel to Sittingbourne next Tuesday, before travelling to Dulwich a week on Saturday.
The last game is at home to Eastbourne a week later, and Tompkins has been keen to avoid the scenario of having to get anything from it to stay up.
Chipstead remained in the division last year despite finishing in the bottom two, because there were not enough clubs with the right facilities to meet ground grading requirements.
However, this year Combined Counties League leaders North Greenford and Sussex League leaders Whitehawk, among others, both meet the standards.
Report courtesy of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Tuesday 30th March 2010
Tompkins lost for words
MANAGER Mark Tompkins was "lost for words" after Chipstead conceded two goals in either half of Tuesday night's 4-1 defeat to Met Police.
Restricted to only a handful of goal-scoring opportunities, the Chips never looked like they were going to get anything from the game after going a goal down within five minutes.
Chipstead have not won a Ryman Division One South game in seven attempts, and are increasingly getting dragged into the relegation dogfight.
They have picked up just two points in that time as they fight to stay above the bottom two.
In contrast, Met Police came into the match off the back of a 2-0 victory over top of the table Croydon Athletic.
Chips face the Rams on Monday at the Keith Tuckey Stadium, in less confident mood than over Christmas, when Chipstead held them to a 2-2 draw at High Road.
Goalkeeping coach Julian Leigh, providing words in place of the speechless Tompkins, admitted the Chips were below par.
"I think the best side won. They were better all round the park than we were and they had more desire than us," he said.
"We had a spell of 20 or 25 minutes where we got the goal and looked like we were going to get back into it.
"But then we conceded the somewhat bizarre third goal and heads dropped sadly.
"The difference between the two sides was desire, we just didn't have enough.
"I think what really showed it was the fourth goal.
"It was in stoppage time and we had a free-kick, they broke and there were three or fourth of our guys in the box, but they scored."
New Chipstead goalkeeper Matt Bromby did not give the most confident performance, but Leigh believes there is better to come.
"I think Bromby might be disappointed with the first goal, but I think he pulled off a couple of good saves in both halves," he said.
"Overall I know there is more to come from him because I've seen him play so I know what he can do. If I was marking him out of 10 I would probably give him a six."
Chipstead, who host Horsham on Saturday, face Croydon on Easter Monday knowing they are just three points off Whitstable Town in the drop zone.
Report courtesy of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Chipstead's injury Crisis
Thursday, March 18, 2010
MARK Tompkins believes Chipstead need three or four wins from their remaining 10 games to guarantee staying up.
But he will not rush injured players back into action at promotion-chasing Walton & Hersham on Saturday as he strives to that aim.
The High Road boss watched in frustration as his side narrowly failed to take a point from high-flying Godalming Town, losing 1-0 at home despite having four players injured.
With a fixtureless midweek "coming at the right time," Chilpstead travel to Walton on Saturday before a trip to Ashford Town next Wednesday for what Tompkins says is a "vital" game.
"We need to win that, or worse case scenario draw," he said. "We can't afford to lose."
Striker and captain Scott Simpson (groin), midfielder Allan Matthews (hamstring) and defender Louis Hollingsworth (thigh) all missed last Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Godalming.
Ray Freeman, who has injured ribs, came on as a substitute.
"We had a go at Godalming," said Tompkins, whose side have lost four of their last five Ryman One South games, "we're just not getting the rub of the green.
"We had a goal disallowed and hit the post. It's not going for us at the minute. We put in a good performance on Saturday, we just didn't get a result."
Defender Nathan Green went closest for the hosts at the end, with a 25-yard strike.
Tompkins hopes that his injured players, who are keeping physiotherpist Malcolm Cooper busy, will be back within "two to three weeks."
He added: "We need three or four wins out of the last 10 games and we'll probably give them another week's rest.
"We don't want to bring them back too early because if they get injured further they will be out for a month and that will be the end of the season."
Tompkins hopes to take Saturday's performance into the Walton match and is aiming for points. "It won't be easy. They are trying to get into the play-offs."
Courtesy of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Simpson gets to double figures
Chipstead 1 - 0 Ashford Town (Kent)
Scott Simpson took his season's tally to double figures with manager Mark Tompkins' praise ringing in his ears.
The striker bagged the only goal of the game as lowly-placed Chipstead continued their good form to send Ashford bottom and give themselves an eight-point gap to the drop zone.
Tompkins said of Simpson: "He's done really well. He's club captain now and has been leading by example."
Simpson's strike took his tally to 10 in all competitions and Tompkins is delighted with how his partnership with hot shot Sean Rivers, who has 19 goals this season, is progressing, but it was from a cross from Ray Freeman on the wing that the striker scored on 37 minute.
A fourth win in five games, however, could not have been achieved without the contribution of defenders Nathan Green and man of the match James Russell.
Tompkins has signed Green on loan for a second month from Croydon Athletic, and he has been impressive. Boss Tompkins said: "Ashford's best player was their No 10 Mark Lovell who caused a few problems in the first 10 or 15 minutes. After that, Nathan kept him very quiet."
The tightness of the win was underlined by the fact Paul Jones should have levelled in the second half. Somehow he shot over from eight yards.
Freeman and Green had chances to extend Chipstead's lead, but put them high or wide.
Building settled squad - after coming into the club last summer with no players - has benefited the club, leaving Tompkins optimistic that the club can reach mid-table.
Ahead of Tuesday's Surrey Senior Cup quarter-final he said: "We've got Whitstable Town next Saturday. If we can get three points we can start looking to push up the table."
Third from bottom Town, who lost 3-0 at Chipstead earlier in the season, are the first of two lowly ranked opponents Chips face in the next week. They host Corinthian Casuals on Tuesday and could overtake them.
That would allow them to achieve the aim of bettering their record 15th-place finish, achieved in their first Ryman League season two years ago.
"There are 13 games left. The last one is at home to Eastbourne and I don't want to be having to win that to stay up. I want to put it to bed well before. Hopefully we can get to mid-table. That's our aim."
Tompkins is also hopeful of keeping his 16-strong squad together next term, adding: "I'd like to start next year with the players we've got now and I think we could do all right in the league then."
Next Saturday, Chips will be without midfielder Aaron Smith (suspended), as well as defender Russell Bedford (family matter).
Louis Hollingsworth, back after a stomach operation, was due to play against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday, with Tompkins insisting beforehand: "That's a game to enjoy. The bigger game for me is at Whitstable on Saturday."
Courtesy of the Surrey Mirror
* * *
Mathews takes Chipstead plaudits
Thursday, February 18, 2010,
Mark Tompkins was eyeing moving up another couple of places by the end of the week with the games coming thick and fast for Chipstead.
A rule saying games should be rescheduled within 42 days of postponements mean Chips have to travel to Sittingbourne tonight (Thursday) while Tuesday's planned home game with Corinthian Casuals was called off.
But after a 1-0 win over Chatham last Saturday Tompkins says the team fears nobody - even if injuries mean they can rarely name the same starting XI.
The team spirit is so good that the squad has been booked in to Butlins for an end-of-season holiday in May.
While another Sean Rivers strike was enough to beat Chatham, midfielder Alan Mathews was man of the match.
Boss Tompkins said: "He broke everything in midfield and won all the second balls.
"If you spoke to Sean he would say the service he is getting at the minute is tremendous.
"AJ Morrison is in fine form and Ray Freeman is back on the other wing. Sean is really happy at the club. He's on fire at the minute and there's a good team spirit. We're all going to Bognor at the end of the season for a 70s week."
The striker's goal gave him 13 in the league, making him joint second highest scorer. He is on a par with Martin Grant - who netted most of his 13 for Walton Casuals before a switch to Walton & Hersham - and only three behind Gary Noel, of second placed Croydon Athletic, one of Rivers' old clubs.
Victory took Chipstead to fifth from bottom.
Tompkins knows other teams could catch up but he said: "I'd rather have points in the bag than games in hand."
Having dented Chatham's ailing play-off hopes, another top five candidate awaits tonight and one in the top five, Worthing, host the Chips at the weekend.
Tompkins said: "We drew 0-0 at home with Sittingbourne with a team much weaker than we've got now. It won't be easy, but we'll be full of confidence after three clean sheets in a row."
That is in part due to James Wastell, who he described as "the best keeper in the league", and defenders James Russell and Nathan Greene.
"Worthing beat us 2-1 at home with two goals early on and we dictated play for 80 minutes."
Arron Smith (groin) and Louis Hollingsworth (stomach) are out, frustrating Tompkins' attempts to name the same 11.
Report courtesy of the Surey Mirror
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'Wombles can wait - we need points'Thursday, February 04, 2010
DESPITE a fantastic four goals without reply, Chipstead manager Mark Tompkins was less than happy with the performance of his side against Egham Town.
And although this is now the mouth-watering prospect of hosting AFC Wimbledon in the last eight, Tompkins was far more concerned about this Saturday's Ryman Division One South derby at Whyteleafe.
Combined Counties Premier Division side Egham put in a plucky performance against the higher opposition, but despite numerous chances never looked like hitting the back of the net.
Ryman Division One South side Chips went ahead on 28 minutes through top-scorer Sean Rivers. Daniel Moody added another on the stroke of half-time for the High Road club.
Captain Scott Simpson scored a penalty after Wayne Grizzle was pulled down in the box and then Moody added the fourth just before time.
Tompkins admitted that despite the scoreline, his side could have done better.
"I was pleased with the result, but not the performance," he said. "It was very scrappy. I thought Egham were poor, and so they should have been beaten by more than four goals. I'm still not happy, that is how I am as a manager, never satisfied.
"It was a bit 'them, us, them, us' and I thought with a little bit more composure on the ball, we could have won 4-0, been comfortable and controlled the game. We need more composure on the ball, we made wrong choices at wrong times; it was the basics that went wrong."
Chipstead face an exciting home tie against AFC Wimbledon, of the Blue Square Premier, renewing rivalries from Combined Counties League days.
But Tompkins insisted: "I'm not worried about AFC Wimbledon, Whyteleafe is a bigger match on Saturday. We have a pressing match Saturday against Whyteleafe and then a couple of league games before that where we really need to pick up some points. The last thing we want to do is beat AFC Wimbledon, get to the final of the Surrey Cup and get relegated.
"The league is massively a priority over the cup. I'd sooner beat Whyteleafe at the weekend and lose to Wimbledon.
"We're getting dragged towards the bottom and I don't want that.
"Wimbledon will be a good game when it comes. We'll enjoy the night. It will be a good match. Hopefully they'll bring a strong 11 and a big crowd.
"It will be a good atmosphere, and we'll bring a crowd as well, at least seven, to go with their 700," he joked.
Despite the prolific Sean Rivers getting his 17th goal in 18 games, it was another player that Tompkins reserved his praise for.
"Russell Bedford, normally a right back and played at centre half, stood out a mile for us, he was superb," he added
Report courtesy of The Surrey Mirror
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Chipstead 'not at races' in Merstham derby
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Chipstead manager Mark Tompkins said his side were "not at the races" when suffering a 1-0 defeat to Merstham on Saturday.
And he says players on the bench now have the right to knock on his door after their local rivals ended a five-game unbeaten run.
One, Michael Donovan, is likely to get the chance because Louis Hollingsworth needs another stomach operation, the first having kept him out for two months.
Tompkins is confident his settled squad can start another run of points-gaining games at Sittingbourne on Saturday, then Ashford Town next Wednesday - weather permitting.
Keeper James Wastell was named man of the match, but Tompkins felt that gave an unbalanced view of the game.
"I don't know about that - we had four one on one chances," the manager observed, unsurprisingly saying that the Chips would work on their finishing in their first matchless midweek for a month.
"One of my players wanted to pass in the six yard box instead of shooting and I can't understand that."
While not naming him, Ray Freeman had two one-on-one chances, AJ Morrison and Scott Simpson another each.
"We didn't take our chances. Wastell was given man of the match but I can't remember him making that many saves.
"On Saturday we weren't really at the races. We showed Merstham in the previous game [a 3-0 win on Boxing Day] what we were capable of and if we'd played like that again we'd have beaten them comfortably.
"I did tell the boys beforehand that Merstham would be up for it. Whether we over-indulged over the New Year I don't know.
"With the side we've got now I don't think we're frightened of anyone.
"But the boys have got to be up for games. We can't carry anyone.
"You can't keep players happy on the bench but while the team is winning you can't change it. Now the players who aren't in the side can knock on my door."
Donovan and James Russell are both players Tompkins wants to integrate into the first team and with Ray Freeman taking time out to visit relatives in the next few weeks there will be opportunities for those on the sidelines.
Chipstead are much-changed in personnel since the drawing 0-0 at home with 10th placed Sittingbourne, with only one or two of the squad left.
"They are a bit hit and miss, they go on runs and then lose a few but we go into the game positive," he said, adding that the trip to bottom placed Ashford was "another six pointer", where Chipstead will be looking to add to victories over fellow lowly-placed teams Horsham YMCA and Whitstable in recent weeks.
Courtesy of Surrey Mirror
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I'm Glad to be back!
JAMES Wastell helped Chipstead claw their way out of the bottom two in the Ryman South on Tuesday night then declared: "It's good to be back."
Several fine saves by Wastell (pictured) kept fellow strugglers Whitstable at bay after Mark Tompkins' men racked up a 3-0 half-time lead.
And super stopper Wastell reckons the High Road outfit are better equipped to compete in the division than last year's team who finished in the bottom two.
The 32-year-old left the club where he began as a junior in the summer.
There are still pictures of him in junior teams "when I had hair" on the walls in the clubhouse before he left for an apprenticeship at Welling.
But having balanced his new job as a scaffolder with his favourite sport while playing for Horley, Wastell could not resist the call when Tomkins, an old pal from their Whyteleafe days, came calling.
After a confident display of keeping, he said: "I enjoyed myself. It is nice to get three points and a clean sheet - especially after Saturday."
On that occasion, Chips were given the runaround by Tommy Hutchings of Leatherhead, who scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win.
"It's good to be back at the club. I was at Horley but I wanted to play at a higher standard and I'd played with Tommo who's a good friend.
"I was here in pre-season, but I'd started a new job as a scaffolder. I had the option to work Saturdays, but I've got a good boss."
The new job, compared to the old one of a delivery driver, took a "bit of getting used to," but getting up to the chill of 6am was no problem for a goalkeeper who plays in short sleeves.
Eyeing another victory at another struggling team, Horsham YMCA, on Saturday, he said: "This season I think we've got a young side and a better footballing side than last year.
"Definitely when we gel, as there have been a few changes, we can start moving up the table. We've got the team to do it. The quality is there. Last year there was not as much quality as we have now. We had more experience, but I think we will do well. Tommo has brought in some good signings."
He paid tribute to new boy Russell Bedford, the right back, and praised the centre backs James Russell and Mathew Donovan, but also two-goal scorer Sean Rivers, who now has eight goals in eight games. "That's what you need," Wastell said, "someone who will put chances away, alongside Scott Simpson."
Credited by some for playing a major part in getting Chipstead to the fourth qualifying round against Torquay in the FA Cup last season, he said: "It was a great day at Torquay - I'd love to do it again, maybe next year."
Courtesty of the Surrey Mirror
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Chipstead benefit from players dropping down
Thursday, November 12, 2009
MARK Tompkins always felt it would take time to build a squad at Chipstead, because players would try their luck at other "bigger budget" clubs first, writes Ian Lamont.
But after a narrow Isthmian League Cup defeat to Godalming on Tuesday the High Road boss said Chips would be highly confident of another win at Ashford Town (Kent) to match last weekend's 4-2 win at Eastbourne Town.
Last week he picked up striker Sean Rivers.
The forward, who started and finished last season at Whyteleafe, scored twice last Saturday after signing from Godalming Town.
"Sean looks a goal threat. When the ball comes into the box we need someone to go and attack it.
"He was at Walton and Hersham in pre-season and I tried to get him then and didn't realise at first he had gone to Godalming.
"I fancy he will score goals for us, but we need to contribute more from all over the park.
"We've come a long way since the start of the season.
"We're a low budget club and I said all along it would take six to eight weeks.
"Players try out at your Suttons and Carshaltons and then come back to this level and we're gradually getting a settled squad."
After a 2-1 defeat to Godalming, both sides fielding some squad players, he said: "We can match them as a squad, but we've still got to cut out the individual errors and start taking our chances.
"The most pleasing thing last Saturday was when they scored their second goal we didn't go into our shell as we normally do."
James Russell (hamstring) was among those rested on Tuesday, along with livewire winger Ray Freeman.
Chips have another cup tie next Tuesday, hosting Walton Casuals in the first round of the Surrey Senior Cup. Tompkins declared: "I think they are beatable. We played them up here and drew 1-1. We should have beaten them and we're a lot stronger now."
Victory would bring a tie against Lingfield, a division lower in the Sussex County Division One, with the winners at home to Colliers Wood or Egham.
"It's important to have a cup run," said Tompkins. "It keeps the season alive and it does give the squad players a run as well."
First comes the trip to Ashford, which Tompkins called "another six pointer" after Saturday's win took Chips out of the bottom two.
Tompkins said: "From Saturday to Tuesday to Saturday we're going in full of confidence."
Coutesey of the Surrey Mirror
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Mark Tompkins, manager of Ryman league Division One South club Chipstead, is refusing to get carried away by the club's impressive pre-season form.
The Chips have won four and drawn one of their friendlies so far, the last being a 3-1 win over Erith Town, but former Croydon manager Tompkins is urging restraint about the results however.
"The results don't really mean that much, pre-season is about fitness and preparation," he said.
"I've managed a team before when they've had a great pre-season then lost five games in a row.
"We've got a tough first game against Burgess Hill Town and then Dartford who are a big club with a large budget, but on the plus side, that match is at home."
Chipstead have two friendlies left, away at Loxwood this Saturday then at home to Ryman Premier side Carshalton Athletic on August 8th.
New signings for Chipstead are still being negotiated but definitely joining the team are Ray Freeman, formerly of Maidstone United, Matt Howard, the Tooting & Mitcham United midfielder, and young talent Duwayne Morris from Sevenoaks Town.
