More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
If ever there was an example of a winning mentality, then Sheppey United this season have been it.
But it was two defeats back in January that spurred them to success, losing to promotion rivals Chatham and Glebe within the space of 15 days. But cup wins soon followed, including winning the delayed 2019/20 Kent Senior Trophy final. From that point on, The Ites haven’t looked back.
Billy Bennett, captaining the side in the absence of injured skipper Jack Midson, said how they became addicted to that winning feeling. They finished the season 26 unbeaten in all competitions, winning 25 of those games.
Bennett said: “We have lost two league games and two in the cups (The FA Cup and FA Vase) all season, I don’t know about the other boys but it hurts me, the nights the days after, the weeks, you regret what you could and should have done, thankfully we didn’t have many this year.
“We got that first trophy over the line and it spurred us on. That was probably the turning point of the season, we had lost two league games then we had that winning feeling of having a medal around our neck and the celebrations, it spurred us on for the next three months.
“There was that winning mentality across the board. It has been brilliant in terms of the mentality we have had.”
It’s been hard fought for Sheppey, playing for every trophy going. They cleaned up domestically, with two Kent Senior Trophy titles in one year, before the SCEFL Premier Division title and the SCEFL Challenge Cup success on Monday.
“We can sit back happy knowing that we gave it our all and success is around my neck, with four trophies, it’s brilliant," said the captain.
“We had the lockdown tournament which was about a year ago, around this time, that prepared us well into pre-season and then we hit the ground running and it has been an intense period, with the cups, the backlog of fixtures, it has been super intense but this is what we do it for, that is why I do it for anyway and I am sure the other boys have the same mentality, you play football to win and enjoy yourself and all of your worries go away, and now we are in a position where we have been successful.”
Bennett had been suffering with an injury in the build-up to Monday’s final but was able to make the game and make a telling contribution, scoring the opening goal of a 5-2 win over Crowborough Athletic.
He had put an earlier chance wide, but after a top season, few would begrudge him the odd error.
Bennett said: “I should have scored the first one, I think anyone should have scored that! But then the second chance came and thankfully it went in and settled everyone’s nerves.
“I think we were a bit gung-ho first 10-15 minutes, which is unlike us really, maybe the occasion got to us, we were creating history, but once that first went in the nerves were settled and we were able to play our own game and thankfully got a few more just after the second half and then it really was just celebration time, it was great, really good to be part of and I don’t think four (trophies) will ever be beaten.”
