Kentish Football 
Beckenham Town 1-2 King's Lynn Town - My players' couldn't give us any more, says "gutted" Marks
Saturday 08th January 2011
BECKENHAM TOWN 1-2 KING’S LYNN TOWN
FA Carlsberg Vase Third Round
Saturday 8th January 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue
BECKENHAM TOWN assistant manager Michael Marks paid tribute to his players for their effort during their heartbreaking FA Carlsberg Vase exit at the hands of in-form King’s Lynn Town.
The secretary of King’s Lynn Town claimed his side were “the Manchester City of the United Counties League,” but they may have average gates of 747, unbeaten in 12 games, and have a much bigger budget than their Kent League opponents, but they were given a run for their money by a plucky AMATEUR Beckenham Town side, who proved that money doesn’t buy you heart or desire.
The Wembley dream was on for Beckenham when pacy striker Quentin Conteh touched home the opening goal from close range after fourteen minutes, but they didn’t take any further chances during an impressive first half display from Jason Huntley’s side.
Stunned King’s Lynn, meanwhile, upped the tempo during a one-sided second half and were camped in the Beckenham half, but they did rely on giant target man Jack Defty with numerous balls up in the air towards their leading goalscorer’s head throughout the game.
Defty squandered an excellent chance to level after 53 minutes, ballooning a penalty high over the bar, but they levelled after 77 minutes when substitute Kieran Doherty capitalised on a mistake from Beckenham keeper Nick Blue.
With Beckenham tiring and hanging on, King’s Lynn booked their place in the last 32 through a powerful header from Defty following a corner with only six minutes left to send Beckenham out of the competition in the Third Round for the second successive season.
A “gutted” Marks, said afterwards, “We had a go! We did have a go as it comes. You saw it for yourself, we did have a go!”
Reflecting on the game, the former Millwall star added, “We did invite them onto us a bit too much second half for my liking, but player-for-player we did show a lot of bottle, should I say?
“They did have a go but I thought we were going to hang on to tell you the truth.
“When they missed the penalty, I thought it would be one of those days for us, but they put on a lot of pressure, they really did, and at the end of the day we still could have nicked a draw in the last minute.”
During the pre-match warm-up on the second pitch, Beckenham coach Jason Clews told his players the importance of the game and to show unity towards each other, saying, “you’ve all got 11 other brothers,” pointing to brothers Danny and Gary Gorman as an example of togetherness and loyalty.
Those words seemed to have the desired effect as Beckenham went out onto the pitch and didn’t allow their more illustrious opponents to settle, getting stuck in and setting the standard following some disappointing performances against struggling sides Sporting Bengal, Fisher and Erith & Belvedere.
King’s Lynn were dangerous from set-pieces throughout and their game plan was to pump balls up to Defty’s head, but Beckenham’s back three off John Farley, Chris Hill and Danny Lawson were solid.
A sixth minute free-kick from Jamie Thurlbourne was whipped in with his left-foot and this was headed out towards right-back Patrick Bexfield, who flashed an angled drive across goal and wide.
A huge travelling contingent ensured this game was Beckenham’s largest crowd of the season, but it was the home contingent that were celebrating in the fourteenth minute, courtesy of Conteh’s ninth goal of the season.
King’s Lynn played a back-pass towards goalkeeper Alex Street, who came rushing out of his goal but his clearance bounced off Danny McKone, who got the ball out of his feet on the slick playing surface and the midfielder swept the ball around the struggling keeper and raced forward and despite faced with an acute angle, outside of the penalty area, he rolled a shot towards goal and Coteh made sure and applied the finishing touch at the near post from a couple of feet.
Lawson took a yellow card for his team mates as he slid in to prevent Robbie Harris breaking through on goal down the left wing, and Jamie Thurlbourne’s resulting free-kick was glanced wide by the towering Defty.
Another cross from Jamie Thurlbourne was met by another header - this time from central defender Ross Watson - but a diving Blue tipped the ball over the crossbar in the 20th minute and from the Jamie Thurlbourne’s resulting corner, McKone hooked the ball off the line.
Beckenham should have done better with another chance half-way through the first half when Gary Gorman’s clever flick released Nick Curran, but his attempted chip with the outside of his right boot was caught comfortably by Street.
King’s Lynn’s right-winger, Stephen Spriggs, cut in from the right and with an angled left-footed drive, his effort was tipped over by the Beckenham keeper.
Beckenham squandered another excellent chance to double their precious lead in the 28th minute when left wing-back Steve McNamara centred low across the face of goal for Curran at the far post but his shot was blocked by an alert Jamie Alsop.
Yet another Jamie Thurlbourne free-kick set up another chance for the Norfolk giants as Defty (with his back to goal on the edge of the penalty area) brought the ball under control with his chest before flicking the ball through to striker Harris, but his low shot was blocked by Blue’s legs.
Beckenham star, Nathan Paul, played his part in another chance when he kept control of the ball on a cut-up part of the pitch and sprayed the ball across to McNamara, who slipped the ball through to leading goalscorer, Gary Gorman, who cut in from the left and sent a right-footed shot over from 25-yards.
Paul then cut past two defenders but sent his shot into Street’s arms and at the other end Harris’ hooked shot bounced off the near post after Jamie Thurlbourne’s hanging cross towards the far post.
Defty then played the ball down the line for Spriggs on the counter attack, and after cutting inside his right-footed shot was comfortable for the former Orpington stopper.
King’s Lynn keeper Street made his best save in the 41st minute when he dived to his right and used his right hand to tip McNamara’s left-footed curling free-kick from 30-yards around his post.
Referee Mark Tweed appeared to be favouring a streetwise King’s Lynn on numerous occasions - I’m sure screaming following a challenge always helps!
On one occasion, balding central defender Martin McNeil was lucky to escape with a yellow card (after Mr Tweed consulted his nearest assistant) for an alleged elbow on Beckenham striker Gary Gorman.
McNeil was withdrawn at the break and with it so did Beckenham’s chances of progressing.
Reflecting on the impressive first-half display, Marks said: “We had a few chances, didn’t we? We could have gone in 2-0 up, not saying they didn’t have chances, they did, but if we could’ve gone in 2-0 it might have been different, but that’s football innit.”
Early in the second half, a cross from Bexfield was flicked on by Defty and Spriggs flashed a right-footed drive wide from 25-yards, before Beckenham committed football suicide.
Left-back Alsop released Harris charging down the left and after twisting and turning the striker was brought down by a clumsy 53rd minute challenge from Hill.
But Hill and his team-mates were relieved to see Defty sky his right-footed penalty high over the crossbar and you thought it would be Beckenham’s day.
Marks agreed, saying, “And then they miss and you think it’s your day! Well I did! What do I know?!”
Beckenham lost possession in the middle of the park with two players losing their footing and Jamie Thurlbourne’s left-footed shot sailed over, as did an effort, at the other end, from Danny Gorman from 35-yards.
Beckenham were hanging on with twenty minutes left - they put in so much effort - but tiredness crept in and it was going to be a matter of time for the equaliser to arrive.
Spriggs chased a lost cause down the right and cut the ball back to supporting Bexfield, who slipped the ball back to Spriggs, who crossed the ball into a crowded goalmouth, but a stooping Blue dropped the ball and gifted Doherty the chance to fire the ball into the corner of an empty goal, to the delight of the quiet but large travelling support around the ground, and to their relieved management team, who raced onto the pitch.
Marks was disappointed with the leveller, saying, “Someone’s just told me in the bar that he’s (Blue) dropped it on the way down. I couldn’t see it through a crowd of players but he’s just told me he dropped it on the way down and as he came down the ball bounced out of his hand and like our goal, I suppose from a yard out, even I could’ve scored!”
Beckenham manager Huntley panicked and threw on James Holder, initially in his natural position at the back, but then as an emergency target man following King’s Lynn’s 84th minute winner.
Spriggs’ flashed the ball across the face of goal and Curran was lucky not to be penalised for handball at the near post as it appeared he had used his hands to push the ball wide of his own post.
But Beckenham were made to pay from the resulting corner (taken by Jamie Thurlbourne from the right-wing) as the home side’s defence switched off and the unmarked Defty powered his header into the net to score his 24th goal of the season.
King’s Lynn’s tactics of finding Defty’s head wasn’t pretty, but Marks said: “He weren’t bad was he? He’s a big boy, a big unit, that’s what I called him at half-time. He’s a unit, he was a handful, wasn’t he?
“He could play as well, the boy being fair to him, and they played of his strengths and thy used their strengths to the best of their ability. Other than that, they had a few good players but I think he was probably the difference between the two sides and they played off him and used him well.
“Other than him, I don’t think there was a lot of difference in the sides to tell the truth.”
Beckenham almost levelled when Conteh flashed his shot across the face of goal and after a couple of shots were blocked in a goal-mouth scramble the ball rolled out to McKone, who skied his shot into the trees behind the goal.
King’s Lynn almost grabbed a flattering third when Defty met Spriggs’ corner with a bullet header, which flew over the bar and then at the death Hill cleared Jamie Thurlbourne’s shot off the line.
The final whistle was heartbreaking for the Beckenham side; Gary Gorman held his head in his hands and Holder and Paul were on their knees in despair, but the Kent side can be proud of their gutsy performance.
So King’s Lynn can now look forward to a trip to Northern League outfit Norton & Stockton Ancients on 22 January, leaving Marks to express his disappointment.
“The boys are gutted,” he said. “They couldn’t give us no more could they!
“We let them on to us, but I think they’ve given us so much during the first 60-70 minutes. You’ve got to be some sort of side to take an avalanche like we was taking for the last half-an-hour and not concede.
Marks, who made 44 appearances and scored 11 goals for Millwall between 1984-88, summed up the day perfectly, adding: “I’m gutted mate! As you know I’ve played but it’s not all about that now, it’s about those boys and when they give you as much as thy did and to see two boys on their knees, that’s what it meant to us.
“It’s a big dream for us, this Cup and now it’s over but we didn’t go out there and not turn up or get smashed.
“Oh well, it’s over! We’ve got to concentrate on another couple of little cups that we’re in and get on with the league now.”
Beckenham skipper Hill praised his team-mates for giving it a real good go.
He said: “We battled, we probably sat off a little bit too much in the second half. We defended for the majority of it, we were unfortunate not to go in more than one-nil up.
“It’s disappointing really. Everyone’s disappointed.”
The 24-year-old defender added: “Everyone’s put in the effort today. Everyone’s tired in there, everyone’s upset about it. We’ve just got to move on now. Next year.”
Hill admitted Defty was just too big to handle, adding, “Very good player. You could see he was almost the difference between the teams. He made bad balls into good balls. We handled him for most of the game but he’s nicked it with a couple of minutes to go and scored the winner but as I say you can’t fault the lads for their effort today.”
King’s Lynn went into the game on the back of a 10-1 home win over Raunds Town - but Kent League sides don’t lay down and die.
Hill said: “We thought we could’ve got the win, despite the difference in the wage bills. I think they probably got a harder game they thought they was going to get.”
Hill was disappointed that he gave away a second half penalty, saying, “I thought the boy did well actually. The ball’s come over, it was in front of me. I’ve gone down, whilst I was on the floor, he’s nicked the over and he’s trailing let hit my foot. I’ve seen them given, he’s given it, luckily enough he’s missed it!
“I thought it was the turning point. I thought we were going to move on and win that game. It wasn’t to be. We look to pick ourselves up for our next game and move on.”
Herne Bay are the sole Kent side flying the flag in the last 32 of the FA Carlsberg Vase and welcome back-to-back holders Whitley Bay to Winch’s Field on 22 January.
Despite Beckenham welcoming Simon Halsey’s side to Eden Park Avenue in the Kent Senior Trophy next Saturday, Marks still wishes them well against the Northern League outfit.
He added: “They’re the only one left, I’d like to wish them well. I like the people at Herne Bay, good luck to them. I hope they do well.”
Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Danny Gorman, John Farley, Chris Hill, Danny Lawson, Steve McNamara (James Holder 81), Danny McKone, Nick Curran, Quentin Conteh, Gary Gorman, Nathan Paul.
Subs: Jason Cook, Reece Parmenter, Darren Wise, Jason Clews.
Goal: Quentin Conteh 14
Booked: Danny Lawson 17, Nick Curran 43
King’s Lynn Town: Alex Street, Patrick Bexfield, Jamie Alsop, Luke Thurlbourne, Martin McNeil (Daniel Buhlemann 46), Ross Watson, Stephen Spriggs, Danny White (Kieran Doherty 63), Jack Defty, Robbie Harris (Nelson Moreira 87), Jamie Thurlbourne.
Sub: Matthew Hails.
Goals: Kieran Doherty 77, Jack Defty 84
Booked: Ross Watson 16, Martin McNeil 45
Attendance: 240
Referee: Mr Mark Tweed (Maida Vale, London W9)
Assistants: Mr Chris North (Guildford, Surrey) & Mr Corin Readett (Virginia Water, Surrey)
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