Opposition Report - Bearsted FC

It’s a big game this Saturday for both teams, with a clash between Punjab United and Bearsted FC taking place at the Otham stadium. Bearsted are a formidable opponent who sits 14th in the table with 17 points, so lets take a deeper dive into the team's history.

History

Bearsted was founded in 1895, making it one of the oldest clubs in the county of Kent. The club originally played at the Bearsted Green, however then moved to Honey Lane, Otham, this change set them up to be able to play in the Premier Division by giving them access to higher end facilities.

Bearsted is one of the oldest clubs in the county, some of their oldest history dates back to the Second World War when the team was reformed and continued competing. It was in the mid to late 70s when the club emerged as one of the leading local Maidstone teams. They had a very successful stint in the Maidstone Premier Division where they finished runners up 3 times and won the league 3 times after.

Throughout the years their success did not end, in the 1990/00 season they reached the semifinal of the Kent Senior Trophy, however they lost to deal town and couldn’t reach Wembley to lift the FA Vase.

They reached the Kent Senior Trophy finals again 2006/2007 where they lost 1-0 to Whitstable town. However their first team saw some glory, winning the Premier Division Trophy in both the 2001/02 and 2002/03 seasons.

A few seasons later, the team saw their stadium, Honey Lane undergo much needed renovations and improvements, which included a 114-seater stand and large flood lights. These improvements were ready for the 2015/2016 season, the season where Bearsted became of the champions of the Invicta League, earning them promotion to the Southern Counties East football league.

The last few seasons have been good for Bearsted as they have kept themselves in the division, with a highest finish of 7th in the 2023/24 season.

The Manager - Kevin Stevens

Kevin Stevens will be going into this match with everything to win for, they are only 4 points off a relegation position and are 5 points off being in the Top 10. Their recent game was a defeat also against Erith and Belvedere on penalties in the FA Vase.

Player to watch: Connor French

Connor has scored 8 goals this season, he is a crucial finisher inside and outside of the box, he's quick on the ball, and has a furious strike, which almost any goalkeeper would fail to save, it will take a lot to stop him. Another player on 8 goals is his partner in crime Jesso Darko.

Former Players:

Three players who have previously played for Punjab who currently play for Bearsted. These players include Marvin Okundalaiye who joined The Bears in 2023, William Johnson-Cole who also joined in 2023 and Michael Hagan who joined the club this season. All three players were involved in our Kent Senior Trophy campaign with Will scoring in the final to win 6-0 against Deal Town.

Last Time Out:

The two teams have had various meetings in the past. The latest match ended in a 4-1 defeat in January 2024 and at home the year before, Punjab drew 2-2 after being 2-0 up but being dragged back.

It’s sure to be a good contest with both teams needing three points to move up the table. Kick-Off will be at 3pm and more details of the game will be on our social media channels (X, Instagram, Facebook).