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Godden and Pollard help Hythe to comfortable win

Miles blasts his side's defending as Slade Green crash to biggest defeat of the season

Slade Green 1-4 Hythe Town
Saturday 13 March 2004
Go Travel Kent League Premier Division
by Robert Smith

SLADE GREEN boss Phil Miles blasted his side’s defending as Green crashed to their biggest defeat of the season going down 4-1 to Kent Senior Trophy Finalists Hythe Town at The Small Glen on Saturday. 

Miles groaned ‘our defending was basic schoolboy material for three of their goals and with myself being a former central defender this is extremely annoying’.

Green fell behind after just 8 minutes when Roy Godden showed great first time control before drilling the ball beyond the reach of keeper Paul Vines having picked up a pass from midfield. 

Green paraded their new signing from Erith & Belvedere, Robert Browning and his corner looked to have created an 18th minute equaliser when his flag kick found Paul McCarthy whose shot was blocked but with the loose ball falling free the Hythe defence failed to clear the ball but totally unaware of the time and space he had, McCarthy failed to capitalise on the second opportunity that fell his way. 

Having already sent an effort dipping narrowly over former Herne Bay and Deal striker Mark Pollard doubled the visitors lead in the 32nd minute when he was left with a free header from Jason Brazier’s free kick following a  foul by Tom Olson. 

On the stroke of half time Green reduced the deficit, Shaun Malyon’s pass picked out McCarthy who powered past two players and although he lost his balance he was able to redeem himself and lay the ball on for Joe Frimpong and after his initial shot was blocked by the keeper he was able to latch onto the rebound and see his acute angle effort ricochet off a Hythe player into the net.

The second half was 6 minutes old when Hythe restored their two goal cushion, Dan Fisk whipped the ball in from the right and with Paul Vines flapping, Mark Pollard was on hand to guide the ball home. 

The game was effectively put beyond Green on the hour mark when Green skipper Darren Upson lost his footing and from the melee that followed ex Sittingbourne man Godden was able to grab his second goal of the afternoon.

Despite Hythe’s three goal cushion Paul McCarthy was proving to be a constant threat to the Hythe rearguard.  Firstly having picked up Browning’s crossfield pass, McCarthy skilfully brought ball down on a sixpence before seeing his strike veer just wide of the far post and then having met Lee Barber’s lay off he saw another effort drift just the wrong side of the woodwork. 

McCarthy then turned provider slipping the ball into the path of Andrew Brown whose elegant strike drew a fine save from Nick Day. 

 If Green keeper Paul Vines was at fault for the third goal he certainly made amends afterwards as he denied Godden a certain goal with his feet and then went full stretch to tip a Scott Thomas drive over the bar, meanwhile at the other end Malyon sent a shot flashing across the face of the Hythe goal while McCarthy’s bullet header was deflected for a corner.


Slade Green:  Vines, Frimpong (Brown), Olson, Barber, Miles, Upson, Sabatino (Barton), Browning, Malyon, McCarthy, Lewis ( Morgan).  Other subs: Clark, Hodgkinson.