With the 2019-20 Buildbase FA Trophy at its advanced stage, the FA are reviewing all options as they seek to complete the competition whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Clubs involved, which includes Corinthian Football Club based in Fawkham, are close to reaching a major final and for those clubs and their supporters the FA are saying that they will do all they can to keep the Wembley dream alive.
Corinthian FC are undoubtedly going to be a little bit miffed at the decision to end the league season early and the fans will miss out on a thrilling title race between themselves and Beckenham Town in the SCEFL Premier Division.
A solution needs to be agreed and once again Points Per Game (PPG) is an option. The PPG table would hand the title to Corinthian but the good news for the runners-up Beckenham Town is that their average score is also good enough to see them automatically go up.
The four Step 5 clubs with the best PPG scores across the country would receive that bonus and Beckenham currently just fit into that scenario.
This is surely the fairest solution however as Corinthian and Beckenham have been the top sides in the table for most of the year and in Corinthian’s case, would be good consolation for having their Wembley dreams put on hold until the country gets out of the situation it finds itself in.
Michael Golding, Corinthian’s manager, told BBC Radio Kent in a recent interview: “We’ve played most of the season, committed many hours and miles, that’s all come to nothing. It’s a very disappointing decision [by the FA] and I think we would have gone on to win the league”.
Corinthian are also waiting on news from the Kent FA regarding the Kent Senior Cup Final which was due to be played at the Gallagher Stadium, home to Maidstone United, against Sheppey United on April 19th.
Whatever happens in the Isthmian League, Sevenoaks Town should be extremely proud of their highest ever finish in the football league pyramid. They finished the season on 41 points from 29 games with a PPG average of 1.41 to keep them safe for another year.
Elsewhere, in the Kent County Football League, the Kent FA are yet again to decide which way they turn with regard to finalising the season. It would be a shame to see the season voided after some great contests between local clubs in the county’s topflight division
Ide Hill, Crockenhill and Otford United will all be safe either way in the Premier Division next season with Ide Hill achieving their highest ever league finish in the club’s history.
In Division One West, Chipstead will feel hard-feel hard done by after a fantastic season saw them gunning for the title.
Their consolation is a place in the Sevenoaks Senior Charity Cup Final once again. They won the showcase event last season after coming from behind to beat Ide Hill 4-2 at Greatness Park.
