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Piggott returns and keeps clean sheet

LORDSWOOD manager Paul Piggott made a comeback in between the sticks and it had the desired effect as the Medway side ended a run of ten games without victory at the Erith Sports Stadium on Saturday.

The first half, however, was pretty low key as both sides looked edgy and it took almost twenty minutes before the first chance was created.

It went the home side's way when a Matt Russell 30-yard free kick bent around the wall testing Piggott who pushed the effort around the post.

Stephen John's saw the visiting goalkeeper off his line and from 28 yards chipped him but Piggott scrambled back and just tipped it away for a corner.

Lordswood's first chance came on the stroke of half time when Paul Brown received the ball on the left and surged forward and took on the defender and won a penalty.

Up stepped Mike Cunningham who drove it just right of centre to score seconds before the half time whistle blew.

The questions being asked where could Lordswood hang onto their lead as in previous games they had lead games only to come away pointless.

However, in the first minute of the half, Cunningham cut inside and passed to Andy Doerr to control and shoot just wide of the post.

Another chance came the visitors way in the 57th minute when Cunningham broke away and passed to Sean Hetterley whose shot from 18 yards was saved by Erith goalkeeper Chris Arnold.

In the 72nd minute a Lordswood corner came over and was flicked on at the near post and Michael Scowlen cleared off the line.

In an attempt to equalise the home side threw men forward but with Piggott marshalling his defence the Lords stood firm.

With ten minutes to go an Erith corner was met by Steve Smith and his shot from six yards was cleared off the line by Cunningham.

Doerr had a shot saved late on and Arnold came up field for a last ditch corner.  However, the ball was cleared out to Doerr who looked up and passed the ball into the path of Sean Hetterley who ran from halfway and with the goalkeeper racing after him, the Lordswood man kept his composure to smash the ball into the back of an empty goal.

Lordswood remain rooted to the bottom of the table, with only 12th points.  However, they are six points behind Deal Town - who have three games in hand - and Lordswood have eleven games to go. 

Third placed Whitstable Town visit North Dane Way next Saturday.


Lordswood: Piggott, Burrett, Russell (Dengate 83), Brown (Broad 70), Colyer, Peck, Almond (Gallagher 70), Doerr, Hetterley, Sharp.  Subs: Day, Bucklen