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As Ashford Victoria enter the Christmas break sitting pretty in second place in the Division Three league table and through to the Kent Junior Trophy full county draw, manager Ryan Mills admits he is happy with his sides progress so far this season, but has warned his players that they have not won anything yet.

Victoria recorded back to back victories in the Kent Junior Trophy in successive weeks against Mote Park Rangers and Mersham Sports Reserves and now have no fixture until the New Year, and Mills wants his squad to return after the break ready to continue their winning run with scheduled cup games against Park Farm Rangers and Brewmaster Reserves coming up.

"We have done well in the cup games this season, and I don't think a cup final or two is beyond us this year. To get this far in the Kent Cup competition is a great achievement and I hope we get a decent home draw in the next round giving us a good chance to progress further into the quarter and semi finals" said Mills.

"We're two wins away from the League Cup final too, but we know Park Farm are no pushovers, especially at their place, so that game will be massive for us in January. And in the Sheber Trophy we play Brewmaster, a team we always seem to struggle against, but hopefully this time we will come away with a win to put us in the last-eight".

"But it's important that we take each game as it comes and not get too far ahead of ourselves as we have set ourselves up in a great position to be successful this season and we need to carry on this good form now and keep winning matches" added Mills.

The Vics hope to have long term injury victim Darryl George back to full match fitness in the New Year too and Mills believes that his return could give his side an added boost on and off the pitch.

"Darryl is a great player and he's been really unlucky with his injury. I can't wait to have him back after what will be nine months out and I know he's itching to get back out there. We've kind of missed the passion and commitment that Darryl has shown over the last two seasons at times this year, and his goal scoring record for a midfielder is excellent too".

With George on his way back into the side, Mark Rutland showing no signs of his ankle problems, Sam Burgess nearing a return from his own injury nightmare and the new signing of Luke Walder, Mills now has no less than 19 regular players available in his squad, and the Vics boss admits that some players will have to get used to fighting for their place in the team.

"Competition for a first team place is going to be fierce now, and selecting the team is getting harder and harder. While it's important to find and keep a spine to the team, every player should be looking over their shoulder and playing to keep their place now" said Mills.

"We've got five or six really good forwards, a strong midfield and an abundance of defensive players to choose from, and I believe this is by far the strongest bunch of lads we've ever had. Some players are going to be disappointed over the next few months I know, but that's football, and I can only pick the team I feel can go out and win football matches each week".

Ashford Victoria captain Andy Jones was over the moon to see his side go through to the fifth round of the Kent Junior Trophy on Sunday as the Vics beat an impressive Mersham Reserves side 4-1 at Courtside in their last-32 fixture. Another brace from the in-form Jack Bundock along with further goals from Joey Mort and Luke Walder helped Victoria progress in the competition, but Jones was full of praise for the Vics defence who were solid this morning.

"Today's performance was true blood and guts stuff, we went direct but it worked" said Jones after the game.

"They (Mersham) played some lovely football but didn't have the end product mainly due to some excellent defending from our boys".

Jones lined up in midfield alongside regular partner Gary Foreman, and Jones admits that he is the former Prince Albert player's biggest fan at the moment, while the skipper was also impressed with debutant Luke Walder.

"Gary has stepped up another gear this season, and the most noticeable thing this year is his fitness which has greatly improved. The last two games he has been spraying the ball about and putting through some lovely balls to the strikers. Gary is a joy to play with that's for sure" added Jones.

"As for Luke Walder, having never seen him play before, I didn't know what to expect when he first came along. But the boys first touch was unbelievable, plucking it out of the air with his instep and I'm sure we've signed another top player in Luke".

"He is always aware of the players around him and bringing them into play. He got a well deserved goal too today and I think there will be plenty more of those to come".

Ashford Victoria manager Ryan Mills has confirmed that he has completed the signing of Luke Walder from Ashford Dynamo. The 21-year-old forward player has put pen to paper to join the Vics from the high flying Division One side and now wants to help his new club climb the divisions.

Walder, who can either play up front as a striker or as a wide attacking midfield player, has also played for Kent County League side Tenterden Town, where he regularly partnered Brewmaster's forward Simon Bourne in attack for the Dens.

And Mills believes that bringing in another attack-minded player will help the club rediscover their scoring touch by adding more quality to the side and adding competition for places in the team.

"I've not been happy with the amount of goals we've been scoring in games recently, which may sound stupid as we've scored more goals than anyone in our division this season. But we've also been conceding too many which has cost us points, and I'm a believer that you need to only score one more than the opposition to win and I don't care if we win 8-7, it's still three points!" said Mills.

"But we have struggled to kill off teams, like the 2-2 draw with Burton Grove last month, and almost getting unstuck against Brabourne and Cavaliers recently. Adding another player who can score goals to the squad can only benefit the team and could allow us to find a new formation that includes all of our attacking players".

Ashford Victoria's Kent Junior Trophy fixture against Mote Park Rangers was cancelled yet again on Sunday morning as heavy rain over the past few days led to an unplayable playing surface at the Vics Courtside ground in Stanhope. The county competition second round tie has now been postponed for three successive weeks, and the game has been rearranged once more for Sunday 6th December.

That will mean that Victoria's fixture with Brewmaster Reserves, originally scheduled for that day, will have to be rearranged too to make way for the more important fixture with Mote Park, as the winners will then play their third round tie the following week on the 13th December.

And with the pitches at Courtside showing no signs of improvement along with more rain forecasted over the next few days, Vics manager Ryan Mills has admitted that he may have to resort to switching the game to Mote Park's home ground in Leeds, just outside of Maidstone.

"We have got to get this game played now, wherever we can. This will be the fourth attempt to get the game on next Sunday and it's important we find a winner as the next round is played the following week and we're beginning to build a backlog of cup matches" said Mills.

"We enter the Kent Cup expecting to travel, so a short trip down the A20 won't be too much of a task if it means getting the game played. Mote Park are the sole users of their home pitch in Leeds, so they get more of a say whether the games get the go ahead in these conditions and said themselves that the pitch was playable this morning".

The reward for the winners of the game once it is finally staged will be a home third round fixture against Ashford Sunday League, fourth division side Mersham Sports Reserves on the 13th December, the last qualifying game before the competition loses its regional zones and goes county-wide at the last-16 stage.

"We now have a great chance to reach the last-16 and face some really famous and well known sides from all over Kent, and put Ashford Victoria on the map on a county scale" said Mills.

"The Kent Junior Trophy is important to this club and I want to give it a real go this season, so we need all the players committed and dedicated to the cause next weekend. I won't tolerate a poor team performance again like the one against Burton Grove last Sunday, and anyone turning up hungover from the night before might as well stay at home because they won't be playing".

"We've got a big squad now, maybe one or two players too many to be honest, so there will be no walking on egg shells from now on. Every player has got to earn and hold down their place in the team because I want to win things this season"added Mills.

The Vics boss also admitted he has made an approach to sign Ashford Dynamo forward Luke Walder, and the former Crystal Palace schoolboy player could be involved in Sunday's game if the paperwork can be sorted out in time.

Ashford Victoria will have to get past bogey side Brewmaster Reserves if they want to progress any further in the Sheber Challenge Trophy after the two sides were paired with each other in the draw for the second round. Brewmaster knocked the Vics out of both the Kent Junior Trophy and Division Three League Cup last season, and also ended Victoria's Sheber Trophy campaign back in 2007-08, also at the second round stage.

The Brews made it through to the second round after seeing off Man of Kent this morning with a 4-1 win. And now Brewmaster, who were runners-up in last seasons competition, will be looking to end yet another Victoria cup run and extend their five game unbeaten run against the Vics.

Brewmaster are currently in second place in Division Two, three points behind leaders Bromley Green Reserves, and have managed to keep the majority of last seasons squad together, although several players have stepped up to the first team this year including goalkeeper Tim Russell, striker Danny Trapp and former Vics midfielder Aaren Carlton.

Elsewhere in the draw for the last-16, William Harvey have been drawn at home to play Troggs Reserves, while Park Farm Rangers travel down to the Marsh to face either Stour Valley or Marsh Athletic. And in the tie of the round, the reserve sides of Market Hotel and Bromley Green clash looking to progress to the quarter finals.

In other club news, Vics manager Ryan Mills has tonight confirmed that former player Dave Cox may return to the club in the next few weeks after leaving Mersham Sports. Cox left Victoria at the end of the 2007-08 season looking for regular first team football, but things haven't worked out for the versatile player in recent months and he has decided to leave the village side.

Mills also hinted that Cox may be offered an additional role off the field, although it is not known at present where and what this involves, but will also be offered the chance to become a registered player should he be needed.

Sheber Trophy Second Round draw...

Bliby Reserves  vs.  Kennington Reserves

Stour Valley/Marsh Athletic  vs.  Park Farm Rangers

Givaudan  vs.  Newchurch

Ashford Eagles  vs.  Ashford Spartans

Aldington Sports/Brabourne Anchor  vs.  Burton Grove

Brewmaster Reserves  vs.  Ashford Victoria

William Harvey Inn  vs.  Troggs Reserves

Market Hotel Reserves  vs.  Bromley Green Reserves

Ashford Victoria have been drawn to play against Maidstone League side Mote Park Rangers in the second round of the Kent Junior Trophy. The fixture, to be played at Victoria's home ground at the Courtside Soccer Centre, will take place on Sunday 15th November, and the prize for the winners will be the chance to progress to the final qualifying round before the competition goes county-wide in the New Year.

Mote Park Rangers play in the Maidstone League Third Division, and are currently sitting in third place with a game in-hand on leaders White Horse and Lower Bell FC. Like Victoria, they have have won three of their five league fixtures this season including 9-1 and 7-1 victories over The Fisherman's Arms and Marden Minor Reserves respectively.

Rangers made it through to the second round of the Kent Junior Trophy after thrashing Maidstone Second Division side Invicta Sunday 5-0 in round one, a result that proved they are capable of scoring goals having netted 34 times in their eight fixtures this season.

Elsewhere in the draw, Ashford Cavaliers face William Harvey in the tie of the round, while Bliby Reserves face a tricky fixture away at Kennington Reserves. Ashford Spartans have a good chance of progressing after being paired with Maidstone League side Mid Kent Athletic and Brabourne Anchor travel to face Man of Kent.

Kent Junior Trophy Second Round draw...

Ashford Cavaliers  vs.  William Harvey Inn

Ashford Spartans  vs.  Mid Kent Athletic

Ashford Victoria  vs.  Mote Park Rangers

Cassidy's Phoenix  vs.  Mersham Sports Reserves

Kennington Reserves  vs.  Bliby Reserves

Man of Kent  vs.  Brabourne Anchor

Newchurch  vs.  The Odds

The Park Inn  vs.  Marsh Athletic

Ashford Victoria have been handed a difficult route to the Division Three League Cup final after the draws for both the quarter finals and semi finals were announced today. The Vics must face Park Farm Rangers in the last-eight of the competition, and if they are successful against the Farmers, a possible derby with William Harvey Inn could become a reality in the semi finals.

Park Farm beat Victoria 4-3 last month in the league to hand them their first defeat of the season, and Victoria will surely be out looking for some revenge. The last time the two sides met in a cup fixture, Victoria ran out 10-1 winners in the Division Four League Cup semi final back in March 2008.

Should the Vics move on to the semi final stage, they will face either William Harvey Inn or the winners of the Preliminary Round tie between Burton Grove and Ashford Eagles.

In the other half of the draw, last seasons winners Newchurch face bottom of the table Brabourne, while the winners of this weekends Ashford Cavaliers and Aldington fixture line up against Bliby Reserves

Quarter Final Draw...

Ashford Victoria  vs.  Park Farm Rangers

Brabourne Anchor  vs.  Newchurch

William Harvey Inn  vs.  Burton Grove/Ashford Eagles

Bliby  vs.  Aldington Sports/Ashford Cavaliers

Semi Final Draw...

Winner Match 1  vs.  Winner Match 3

Winner Match 2  vs.  Winner Match 4

Ashford Victoria forward Darren Banks has been given a two-game internal club suspension following comments made after Sunday's 2-1 Kent Junior Trophy victory over Burton Grove. Banks posted a comment on a social networking site sarcastically questioning Vics manager Ryan Mills' team selection, and the club has acted quickly in accordance with the Football Association's Respect campaign guidelines.

The former Prince Albert striker, who has scored three goals in six appearances this season, was dropped to the bench for last weekend's fixture to make way for the fit again Jack Bundock, a selection change that Banks clearly didn't agree with. Bundock had been unavailable for the previous three league and cup fixtures due to an ankle injury and work commitments, and Victoria boss Mills was clearly not impressed with Banks' reaction.

"There is a right way and a wrong way to discuss my team selections and tactical decisions, and Darren has gone down the wrong road this time" said Mills on his player.

"I always invite players to call me or come and talk to me about their football or team selections, if a player found themselves out of the team for any reason for a lengthy spell or period I'd be annoyed if they didn't as it shows that they are wanting to improve. I have already had a few chats with two or three of the boys this season about my plans for them this campaign".

"But publicly posting silly comments on my Facebook for all to see was the wrong decision and shows a lack of respect for both myself, the players and his team mates. This comment was available for everyone to see, and I have purposefully not deleted it so others who haven't read it yet can read for themselves" added Mills.

Banks, who signed from relegated Division Four side Givaudan in the summer, questioned whether that if he didn't turn up for a few games, maybe he would get a start after Bundock and Matt Deeble were restored to the starting line up after missing last weeks 3-2 league win at Brabourne.

"I wasn't aware that there was a rule that players returning from injury or work commitments the previous week had to start on the bench when they came back. I decide who plays and who doesn't and it's my job to pick the right team of players to win the game in question, and as we won the tie on Sunday my selection proved correct" said Mills.

"Writing a public comment on Facebook is the Premier League equivalent of say Michael Owen running to the Sunday Mirror newspaper and saying that Alex Ferguson only picks his favourites. It's like Michael Owen played the previous game up front, but now Berbatov and Rooney have come back and Owen was dropped to the bench, Owen wouldn't go and slag his manager off would he?".

"I don't have to defend my team selections on here, but I decided that Jack (Bundock) needed some minutes under his belt and the Burton Grove game was the perfect time to give him a game. Banksy hadn't scored in his three previous appearances, and I decided to make a change and it should have been left at that".

Banks will now miss the big league fixture with William Harvey on Sunday, and the Sheber Trophy game at Ashford Cavaliers the following week after his outburst, and Mills has left the ball in Banks' court.

"I probably know how this will end up, but Darren's got two choices really. He can apologise to me and his team mates and come back and fight for place in the team, or call it a day and move on, I'll let him decide and I'll respect either decision" said Mills,

"Several of the boys have phoned or text me this week after reading the comments and voiced their concerns of his commitment to the team, and I'd like to get this cleared up and brushed aside as soon as possible so we can concentrate on our football, and more importantly Sunday's big game at William Harvey".

Mills has already moved quickly to fill the gap left by Banks for at least the next two fixtures by drafting in former player, and younger brother ,Michael Mills, and hopes to give the former Charlton Athletic youngster another crack at Sunday League football. Mills junior was a regular for the Vics back in the 2006-07 season before moving on to play local Saturday League football and representing the Charlton Athletic Community side in the Kent County League, and did make his comeback in last weeks 3-2 win over Brabourne as a second-half substitute.

Ashford Victoria manager Ryan Mills wants to see his side start to realise their potential over the next few weeks in a period that he believes could make or break the clubs season. The Vics face a crucial league clash with Division Three leaders William Harvey next week, a fixture sandwiched between two important cup ties, and Mills is going all out for three successive victories to help put his side on the road to silverware at the end of the season.

Victoria travel to Burton Grove on Sunday in the first round of the Kent Trophy, a competition that Mills would like to do well in and want his side to show their progress as a team and reach the full county draw next February.

"I wouldn't have entered the club in the competition if I didn't want to take it seriously, or think that we didn't have a chance to win it. We did well last year to get to the last 32, but eventually went out to old rivals Brewmaster just before the full county draw, and I'd love to go further this season" said Mills.

"I think we have been too relaxed in our two previous Kent Trophy campaigns, maybe treating it as just another fixture and taking the chance to rotate the squad and give some of the fringe players a run out. But this year I will be treating the games with the proper respect and fielding my strongest team in every round, and hopefully we can have some success this time out".

Then the following week Victoria face neighbours and title rivals William Harvey Inn, and Mills admitted that defeat to the pub side would make it very difficult for Victoria to be taken as serious championship contenders.

"We have to get a result at William Harvey, for sure. Another league defeat, especially to a massive title contender, would be disasterous for us at this stage of the season, and we will go all out for the win" said Mills.

"I know a lot about them as a team and as individuals, and I think we've found a way to beat them, and as long as we turn up with the right attitude like we did recently against Bromley Green, then I'm sure we will do well. A win against Harvey would really put us in the title frame in what is turning out to be another tight and closely fought division this year, with four sides in with a genuine shout of challenging for the championship" added Mills.

"Every player has to be dedicated to the cause now, I won't accept any poor performances from my players and everyone should realise that we have a very competitive squad now. I think we have a very strong first team on paper developing, and I am pleased with how things are coming on, but it is also important that the boys struggling for games or finding themselves on the fringes of the team at the moment also take their chances when they get one to push for a place in the team".

"Over the past three seasons it seems that we have always been the bridesmaid and never the bride so to say, everyone comments and says how promising a team we are and that we have the ability to play in a higher division, but we always seem to fall short when it really matters and this is the time to really push ourselves and step up to that next level and win something".

Ashford Victoria may have been knocked out of the Charity Trophy at the weekend, but Vics manager Ryan Mills believes that losing to Bromley Green could be the kick start his side needed to spearhead a serious title challenge in Division Three this season. Victoria were just eight minutes away from taking Premier Division side Bromley Green to a penalty shoot out in Sunday's 3-2 first round defeat, when Green substitute Robbie Greenfield popped up with a cruel winner deep into extra time to send the Kent League club through to the second round of the competition and avoid an potentially embarrassing giant killing.

"It was kind of weird to celebrate a defeat, but everyone recognised that they had given everything and taking a side like Bromley Green to extra time was a great achievement" said Mills.

"The players were fantastic on Sunday, and they proved that they are capable of facing sides that compete at a higher level, and hopefully they will be able to do that on a regular basis with Ashford Victoria over the next few seasons. The work rate of our boys was amazing and a few looked absolutely shattered at the end, and I couldn't have asked for more commitment from any of them".

"We even had several very good chances to win the game in normal time but we didn't get that extra bit of luck you need at times to finish off a good chance. We fancied our chances if we could take the game to penalties, but we lost concentration for just a second and opposition like that do not need a second invite to score match winning goals" added Mills.

"We can take an awful lot away from this game now and hopefully take the added confidence and enthusiasm we have found into our league campaign and this weekend's fixture at Brabourne".

Mills admitted that it was the best team performance he had probably seen in the four years the Vics have been in existence, but singled out his youngsters for extra praise. The Vics boss started an eleven with an average age of just 22 against Bromley Green after opting for youth over experience.

"We fielded a very young side, probably thinking about it one of the youngest we have in recent times, and I was very proud of the lads. Josh Hatcher was outstanding at left-back and didn't look out of place against higher division opposition at all, and for a 19-year-old to play like that in a relatively new position just shows what a player we have on our books" said Mills.

"Also Luke Stafford did exactly what was asked of him and had a brilliant game anchoring the midfield, a position that I think his style of play suits him best. He loves to go in and win the ball and for a youngster never panics when in possession, a quality that we spotted straight away when we first saw him play last year"

"And when you think that the likes of them two along with Wayne Cleave, Dan Bushell, Matt Deeble, Joe Mort and Richard Coombes are all 22 or under, we have a great group of young players already first team regulars with great futures ahead of them" added Mills.

One other player Mills was keen to single out was left midfielder Joey Mort, who scored the second Vics goal and was a constant menace to the Bromley Green defence with his skills and tricks.

"Joey also had an outstanding game and is a player that I really rate highly" said Mills.

"The goal he scored from a free-kick was brilliant, and he could have bagged another two or three on another day. The thing I love about watching him play is that he seems fearless, and will try all sorts of flicks and outrageous tricks to beat an opponent or to make something happen. He is strong, fast and can really hit a ball, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up picking up one or two individual awards at the end of the season at the presentation evening".

"Joe did want to drop back and play at left-back this season, but I really believe he is much stronger in the oppositions half of the pitch, and if he can score a few more goals over the next month or two then his confidence in himself will increase and I think we'll see an even better player".

The Victoria players also spoke out after Sunday's game, with goal scorer Dan Bushell particularly full of praise for his team mates and manager.

"I felt quite hard done by losing like that, but everyone should be really happy with their performance. We had a couple of good chances that we should have scored from, and Coombesy only really had one or two saves to make" said Bushell, who joined Victoria from Adisham Nomads in the summer.

"I thought Tony Mason fully deserved the man of the match award as he had a brilliant game and was quality at the back, a solid performance. Let's hope we can take that performance into next week now".

"Luke Stafford had a good game with Jonesy in midfield, and I think (Matt) Deeble was knackered at the end playing up front on his own. But that was a quality formation today that Ryan chose, hard, hard work though for the players, but the Gaffer is a genius!".

Skipper Andy Jones said "Gaffer should be proud today, that's his team out there that he has put together", with defender Wayne Cleave adding, "It was a bit gutting to lose, but we still played well and showed that we can play at a higher level".