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Thursday 01st September 2005

Lordswood keep solid despite late Whitstable surge

Whitstable Town 2-3 Lordswood (att: 103)

Saturday 13 September 2003

Go Travel Kent League Premier Division

by Darrell Harman

The game started off slowly but as it went on got more exciting for the fans, but maybe not for the managers.

In the seventh minute, Marc Seger turned quickly inside Lordswood's penalty area and saw his shot go wide before Steve Clements received the ball and from twenty yards shot straight at Whitstable goalkeeper Tony Reynolds.

The first bit of excitement came soon afterwards when Clements running through from halfway passed to James Short who won Lordswood a free kick just outside the penalty area.

Steve Weeks stepped up to float the ball over the wall and into the top right hand corner.

Lordswood increased their lead two minutes later when Short on halfway on the right wing passed into the middle for Andy Freeman to run into the penalty area and slid the ball past the advancing goalkeeper Reynolds.

Whitstable started to create some chances and in the 16th minute John Utterson received the ball in the area, turned quickly but saw his shot go wide. This happened again after 29 minutes, another chance went begging in the moments later when Dominic Harkins flicked the ball forward into the penalty area for former Bromley striker Andy Constable who from eight yards blasted over the Lordswood crossbar.

Nine minutes before the break there was a goalmouth scramble and the Lordswood defence failed to clear the ball and Seger's shot was deflected by Constable and Paul Piggott dived low to his left and saved on the goalline.

The last chance of the half came in the 41st minute when Lee Whitehead tested Lordswood goalkeeper Piggott.

Whitstable started the second half with the upper hand and reduced the arrears after 52 minutes. Lordswood lost possession in midfield and the ball fell at Constable's feet and from twenty yards his bullet shot crashed into the net.

Lordswood rose to Whitstable's challenge and after 57 minutes Michael Dodsworth played a ball out to Weeks. He exchanged a one-two with Short and crossed to the back post where Dodsworth was waiting but his shot was saved by Reynolds.

Lordswood regained their lead after 64 minutes when good work by Dodsworth found Short and after evading one tackle ran into the Whitstable area and slid the ball past the goalkeeper.

Whitstable threw everything at Lordswood in the last 26 minutes and Stuart Monday had a couple of good chances when firstly he dribbled into the penalty area but saw his shot blocked.

Eight minutes before the final whistle, Piggott made a save from Monday but credit must go to Lordswood's defence for keeping out the home side late in the game.