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Erith come back pleases boss O'Sullivan

ERITH TOWN manager Willie O'Sullivan admitted he was very happy with his side's performance and revealed his players pay to play Go Travel Kent League football as the Dockers climbed to eleventh place in the table with this victory.

Sevenoaks Town, however, led 2-1 after 44 minutes before visiting striker Daniel Russell netted his second of the game as both teams went into the dressing rooms level at 2-2.

Erith Town, however, put in a very good second half performance and fully deserved their 5-2 win on a cold night at Greatness Park.

Winter is certainly creeping in as the toes of the 72 paying spectators went numb, but they certainly witnessed an entertaining game and seven goals.

Sevenoaks opened the game with a high tempo and after five minutes striker Andy Constable tried to add to his ten goals so far this season, but his low drive was comfortably saved at the near post by Dockers goalkeeper Craig Clark.

They did, however, open the scoring in the 13th minute, with a well worked goal.

Sevenoaks' midfielder Dave Forster, harshly sent off in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Hythe Town, played the ball down the left hand side.  Constable latched onto the pass and raced into the penalty area.  Instead of shooting at goal his square pass was met by Gary Wood whose 6-yard shot clipped the right-post before finding the back of the net.

The striker, signed from Dover Athletic, has now scored twice in his first two games for the Greatness Park outfit.

Erith Town, however, responded almost immediately and Glen McTaggart's cross from the left was met by a powerful header from Scott Edwards at the far post but his header went agonisingly over from close range.

The visitors equalised in the 23rd minute when their skipper Aaron Hayrettin hit a crisp 25-yard low drive which was parried by Sevenoaks goalkeeper Darren Smart but the rebound was fired into the bottom far corner by Russell.

The equalising goal sparked a good spell for the visitors but they went 2-1 down against the run of play four minutes before the break.

Erith goalkeeper Clark did well to claw Constable's fierce shot out for a corner at his near post but he was picking the ball out of the net for the second time from Ricky Underdown's effort following Liam Spillane's flag kick.

Erith, however, deservedly drew level for the second time in the game two minutes into stoppage time.

Stephen John's whipped in free kick from right midfield should have been claimed by Smart but the goalkeeper, who turned down a move to Thamesmead Town earlier in the season, dropped the ball and Russell punished the mistake by firing low into the far corner of the net past a defender on the goal line.

The second half, however, belonged to Erith and they took the lead within three minutes after the half time team-talk.

A well worked corner was the key as Matt Fagan's flag kick was rolled to McTaggart and the home defenders were slow to come out to meet him.

McTaggart had all the time in the world to deliver a cross to the far post, which was met by a powerful diving header by Tony Kyle.

Constable's run saw him cut into the penalty area and unleashed a right-footed shot which Clark did well to block and the visitors survived.

McTaggart wrapped up a fine victory for the Dockers when he sent Smart the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 61st minute and fourteen minutes later his overhead kick crashed into the back of the net with Smart and Sevenoaks well beaten.

After Erith's fourth goal a frustrated Constable had a chance to pull a goal back for the home side, leaving Kyle in his wake, but the prolific striker blasted high over the near post.

At the other end, Erith's lively substitute, former Beckenham Town striker Steve Shippey, showed promise when his flick on was met on the volley by Matt Fagan but Smart made a comfortable save at the near post.

Shippey twice went close at the end of the game, with the score 5-2.  His first chance, a drive across the face of goal, was pushed wide by Smart, and his second chance, took a deflection before going wide of the post.

Sevenoaks, however, have now squandered a good chance to go top of the Go Travel Kent League table as two home defeats to Hythe Town and the Dockers leave John James side in seventh place instead of sitting at the summit going into Saturday's trip to Bourne Park to take on Maidstone United.

A delighted O'Sullivan added: "It was a well deserved win.  We started slowly in the first half but we started to take the game to them and the game changed for us."

He praised his two strikers, Russell and McTaggart for their contribution.

"We've probably got two of the best strikers in the league to be honest., goalscoring wise.  Glen McTaggart has now scored twelve goals and Daniel Russell has scored five goals in three games, I think."

When asked whether he was expecting the game to be so comfortable, O'Sullivan admitted: "You can't expect anything comfortable in this league.

"Everywhere you go, everyone is at you.  We've had a bit of a rough start but if we keep going we'll get into it."

And after such an impressive FA Cup campaign earlier in the season, O'Sullivan revealed the money earnt from their run isn't going into team strengthening.

"You can't describe to players how good it is to play in the FA Cup.  It's the biggest competition in the world.  You've got to play in it, and you want to play in it.  It was great for the club.

"To be honest, we don't get any money for team strengthening!

"The players actually pay before every game to play on a Saturday.

"Teams can pay the money but you have to do what you can with the players you've got, and if you can get them playing anybody can play against anybody -  it's eleven against eleven!"

Sevenoaks Town: Darren Smart, Lee Aldridge (Brad Draper 80), Liam Spillane (Richard Bryce 80), Stuart Clarke, Ricky Underdown, Sim Johnson, Wayne Balmer (Capt), Dave Forster (Chris Ralph 80), Andy Constable, Gary Wood, Ollie Miles.  Subs: Jamie Muldowney, Steve Cosby

Erith Town: Craig Clark, Stephen Johns (Steve Shippey 63), Aaron Hayrettin (Capt), Tom Kyle, Steve Smith, Paul Voiter, Scott Edwards, Terry Cohen, Glen McTaggart (Paul Jones 90), Daniel Russell, Matt Fagan. Sub: Willie O'Sullivan

Attendance: 72
Referee: M Rogers
Assistants: P Ward & M Ingram