thamvslad210204

Angry Slade Green boss blasts Thamesmead

Super sub Gallagher scores late winner for promotion chasing Thamesmead

Thamesmead Town 1-0 Slade Green
Saturday 21 February 2004
Go Travel Kent League Premier Division
by Robert Smith

Furious Slade Green boss Phil Miles blasted both the referee and lack of etiquette shown by Thamesead as his side were sunk by an 88th minute goal. 

Having ordered a drop ball the referee then halted play to award Mead with a free kick after Paul McCarthy had struck the ball before it had bounced on the ground. From the resulting free kick  Dean Kearley set up Tony Gallagher for the all important finish. 

After the game Miles commented 'The question of sportsmanship certainly comes up when I feel Thamesmead should have given the ball back, all I can say is what price: three points, there was certainly a lack of etiquette shown at that stage of the match". 

Despite that we should still have defended the free kick'.  It took 14 minutes until the first clear cut scoring opportunity when Mead's Peter Deadman whipped in a corner from the left to find Tony Russell whose header was cleared off the line by Dave Martin.

If not for the legs of Mead keeper Steve Northwood, Green would have gone in at the break ahead.  Their first attack arised on 20 minutes following a breathtaking three man move, which saw Paul McCarthy embark on a run from midfield drifting in between three players in the process, the silky skills then came from Dave Martin as he dinked past a further two Mead players before the laying the ball on for Kingsley Anderson whose effort forced Northwood's first save.

Five minutes before the interval Martin again tormented the Mead defence with his dazzling play this time weaving in between two of his markers and although Deadman eventually whipped the ball from his toes the ball fell invitingly to Lee Morgan only for Northwood to again demonstrate his agility between the woodwork. 

The introduction of substitute Michael Power on the hour mark seemed to inspire the home side and for the middle part of the second half they laid siege to the Green goal.  Power's pass set up Deadman but he skied his effort having been left with time and space and Power then latched onto a Sam Thomas lay off only to see Paul Vines block him with his feet. 

Vines then went full stretch to turn Curtis Williams goalbound shot found the post while Thomas should have done better than stab his shot wide of the the post when clean through. 

With Green robbed of the services of five time Kent League winner Phil Miles and Shaun Malyon through injury they paraded their two new signings from VCD Terry Hodgkinson and Joe Frimpong and it was Frimpong who looked to have headed Green ahead 10 minutes from time following Lee Morgan's pass only for the goal to be disallowed following an alleged foul by Morgan. 

This looked to be the end of the goalmouth activity that is until Gallagher's timely contribution after coming on as a late substitute.

Thamesmead:  Northwood, Simmonds (Martin) Deadman, Knight, Kearley, Stewart, Russell, Barrett (Gallagher), Williams, Tuley (Power), Thomas.  Other subs:  Merridna, Loveridge

Slade Green:  Vines, Clark, Sabatino, Barber (Sargant) Upson, Hodgkinson (Frimpong), Martin, Lewis, Anderson (Coupland), McCarthy.  Other sub:  Dallon.

To advertise here telephone Stephen McCartney on 07979 418 360