PREVIEW: AFC BINLEY v CHRIST THE KING RESERVES, BEDWORTH NURSING CUP FINAL, FRIDAY, BEDWORTH OVAL, 7.30pm...

The Bedworth Nursing Cup Final:

Christ the King Reserves v AFC Binley, 

Friday 30th March @ the Bedworth Oval, 7.30pm…

This clash sees the league leaders of Coventry Alliance Division 3, AFC Binley, take on Division 1 outfit Christ the King Reserves. 

Christ the King have won 3, drawn 5 and lost 4 of their 12 league games this term so far, scoring 35 times and conceding 30, thus amassing 14 points.

AFC Binley, under ex-Coventry United manager Edwin Greaves, have played 18 league matches, winning 13, drawing 2 and losing 3. They have amassed 41 points with a goals ratio of 70-27, a difference of +43. 

This competition started for both teams back in mid-October and so far Binley have played Coventrians from MFL Division 3 which ended 2-2 (Binley winning 5-4 on penalties) whilst Christ The King Reserves won 11-0 v Prince of Wales.

Binley then beat Shilton from Coventry Alliance 2 by
2-0 and Christ The King Reserves won 4-1 v AFC Woods United.

The Semi-Finals, over 2 legs:

Binley beat Bulkington Sports and Social from Coventry Alliance 1:
Home: won 4-1, then away: won 4-3, so 8-4 on aggregate...

Christ The King Reserves beat holders Bedworth Rangers:
They drew away 2-2 then won 2-1 at home, for a 4-3 aggregate victory... 

AFC Binley’s manager Edwin Greaves has previewed the game:

CHRIST THE KING RESERVES: the team image...

"If I am honest I have to pinch myself, for I really cannot believe we are in a Cup Final.

I feel a great sense of achievement and I am so proud of my lads. Whatever the result of the game on the night, when the game starts I will have a great big smile on my face.

Who would have predicted this at the start of the season? AFC Binley in the Bedworth Nursing Cup Final... Not me, for one.

I am so happy to announce that I have a full squad available to me for this game and some very difficult selection decisions need to be made.

One or two players are carrying niggling injuries which happens for every manager at this stage of the season but I cannot complain with what I have to choose from.

Some of my players have even booked the day/night off work to play in this game which shows me how fortunate they feel to be playing in a tie like this.

Christ The King is a very big, establised club known throughout the whole of Coventry and have a set-up that most clubs would like to emulate.

AFC BINLEY: ready for Bedworth...

As for this game rules are put in place for a reason. We all know what they are before the competition starts. When this game kicks off, it's 11 v 11 and we will win or lose this game because of what we do on the night.

Promotion has always been our season's target and I 100% believe that with us only having 4 League games to go, we will achieve this.

We do still have a tricky set of games to play but I believe in this set of lads to get the job done and if we fail it will be our fault.

If you had offered me this situation at the start of the season I would have gladly accepted it and I wouldn't change this group of lads for any other squad in our League.

Win 4 more games and we get promoted; not easy but definitely achievable.

Luckily we train on a 3G surface for one hour a week, so it will be something that will not frighten me or the lads.

Admittedly the surface we work on is not as good as the Bedworth Oval pitch but I am sure the lads will adapt to it.

The outcome of this match will not be decided on the surface of the pitch but maybe it will be decided on which team adjusts quicker to it.

The Bedworth Oval is an artificial surface which I personally believe is the way forward for most clubs with ambitions.

AFC Binley, like many clubs who have struggled to play on a regular basis during the winter months need facilities like this but there are just not enough good facilities to help grass roots teams play football.

I  understand that these pitches are expensive but with a little help from the FA, they could be made more affordable!

We hear every day about the amount of money at the top end of football and I personally think more should be done to help grass roots football.

So I think now that everyone will see why I am surprised that we are in this Final.

AFC BINLEY in action last Saturday...

We have punched above our weight for an Alliance 3 team but we have deserved everything that has come our way so far.

Christ The King Reserves might go into the game as favourites but we have nothing to lose.

At the moment it's any 2 teams from 4 that still could win promotion. Like I said earlier I personally think we will be one of those 2 teams.

If we are lucky enough to get promoted I hope that all the lads re-sign for another season. It's a good squad and a good set of lads but I would look to add another 3 or 4 players to help us improve.

At the same time I am realistic enough to know that some of my players have been attracting interest from bigger teams, so I will just have to wait and see what happens.

We will have to defend as a team in the Final probably better than we have all season to win this game, as Christ The King Reserves have forwards to be worried about in players like Callum McGinley (10 goals), Anthony Poole (8 goals) and Michael Wallace (7 goals.) 

Having said that, although we are 2 divisions lower than them, we also have players who can score goals:

Blake Kassar with 23 goals, Fabian Spence with 20 goals, Paul Govier Jnr has 12 goals and Tyler Morgan has bagged 11.

So hopefully this will be a game for everyone to enjoy with plenty of goals and hopefully it will be a night to remember for everyone connected with AFC Binley.

We might never get this opportunity again so we will enjoy the occasion and I am sure the better team will win on the night..."

Edwin Greaves, 

AFC Binley Manager...