Beckenham Town 1-2 Worthing - We ran out off a bit of steam, says Jason Huntley

BECKENHAM TOWN  1-2  WORTHING
The FA Cup with Budweiser Second Qualifying Round Replay
Tuesday 4^th October 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

BECKENHAM TOWN boss Jason Huntley says schoolboys errors cost his side a place in the Third Qualifying Round of The FA Cup.
The Kent Hurlimann Football League side came away from Worthing with a goal-less draw on Saturday and fancied their chances on their immaculate playing surface at Eden Park Avenue tonight.

And with the winners of tonight welcoming Blue Square Bet South side Staines Town in the next round on 15 October, Beckenham were by far the better side during a dominant first half and Nick Curran’s stunning volley six minutes before the break was the first goal that their Ryman League Division One South visitors’ had conceded in 399 minutes.

But workmanlike Worthing ended all Kent League interest in this year’s competition as Darren Budd levelled in the 64^th minute before an unmarked Ryan McBride volleyed home with only ten minutes left.

Beckenham Town, meanwhile, ended the game with ten-men as diminutive striker Alfie Nunn picked up a second yellow card in the 89^th minute, having been red-carded (along with Worthing defender Tony Timms) in Saturday’s first meeting between the two sides.

“I really don’t think we turned out second half as we did first half,” said a very gutted Huntley after his side’s elimination, the furthest the club has ever reached in The FA Cup.

“I think they thought they done the hard work first half.  They didn’t listen to instructions.  Our five Malik (Fofana) was told to mark the nine (McBride) and ultimately he was the one that done the damage when he got the goal.  He was left free in the 18-yard box from a set-piece.  I just had a go at him, I had a word with him.  He was more interested in the five (Paul Kennett), but the five was nothing to do with him.  The nine (McBride) was his man and he was standing in the 18-yard box with five-yard space around him.

“I thought Worthing wanted it a bit more second half.  They had to come for the game as we were 1-0 up.  I told the lads’ they would come at us.  We kept it tight for 15 (minutes).  I think we ran out of a bit of steam as well.  We didn’t play half as well second half as we did in the first half.  I’m a bit disappointed how we set up second half to be honest.”

Huntley agreed that the best footballing team over the two games went out of The FA Cup, as Worthing are no better than a big, giant, workmanlike team and losing to such an outfit is a very bitter pill to swallow.

“Over the two games, I think, yes we edged it,” he said.  “We were unfortunate not to win Saturday.  Tonight our first half performance was very good.  Second half we dropped below the standard we expect them to do.

“There’s no better incentive than Staines at home, which would’ve been the highest our club has ever been and it was looking like we was going that way.

“To get beat and the way we was beat second half, errors cost us in the end.  Even down to Alfie getting sent off.”

Beckenham Town, as expected, took the game to Worthing in the early stages of the first half and came close to opening the scoring inside the opening four minutes.

Jake Hobbs and Harry Draper combined down the left and Nunn picked the ball up and bent a right-footed drive from 25-yards agonisingly around the far post, with the visiting keeper diving full length to his left.

Fellow striker, Adam Greenways, should have done better when he latched onto a fine pass from Nunn, but he rolled a weak left-footed shot into American Dean Ruddy’s gloves.

Worthing’s first chance came in the 13^th minute when Paul Kennett floated in a free-kick towards the edge of the Beckenham penalty area from the halfway line and giant target man McBride knocked the ball down and Tom Lawley’s left-footed shot from 22-yards sailed over.

Worthing were dangerous from set-pieces and Budd’s corner from the left found its way over to McBride at the far post and he brought the ball under control with his knee before cracking a volley over the bar with his right foot.

Beckenham winger Hobbs, meanwhile, produced a quality taken free-kick from 30-yards with his right foot, which he curled agonisingly just over the top with keeper Ruddy rooted to the spot.

Beckenham’s largest crowd of the season were celebrating as their heroes stunned Worthing and took a deserved lead in the 39^th minute.

Beckenham turned defence into a swift attack as Draper picked the ball up near to his penalty area before bursting down the flank and when the moment was right he released Curran straight down the middle and the central midfielder expertly brought the ball under control with his chest before cracking a right-footed thunderbolt of a volley, which crashed into the top far corner from 30-yards.

Huntley said: “It was a great goal!  I told him that goal deserves to win any game!

“Worthing kept a lot of men behind the ball.  They are difficult to break down.  That goal, we broke in numbers, we had three or four running up at the time.   It was a great goal.  It’s just a shame it didn’t win the game for us though!”

Retired target-man, Wade Falana, who played for the likes of Bromley, Tonbridge Angels and Beckenham Town amongst many others and watched from beside the home dug-out said it was the best goal that he has seen at Beckenham!

Beckenham fully deserved their lead – it was Worthing’s first goal conceded in 399 minutes – but unfortunately Worthing fought back during the second half.

Beckenham did carve a chance for themselves in the 56^th minute but an unmarked Greenways headed Hobbs’ free-kick straight at Ruddy.

Beckenham keeper Blue – who produced a world-class save to deny Jamie Brotherton at the end of Saturday’s game – swept clear a sliced back-pass from his central defender Jason Rose, but the ball went straight to Budd, whose shot drifted wide of the left hand post from 30-yards.

Steve Metcalf then teed up Luke Gedling, whose right-footed drive from 30-yards sailed over the Beckenham goal as Worthing went in search of an equaliser.

However, at the other end, Hobbs’ attempted curler from an angled drive, deflected wide of the far post.

But Huntley wasn’t pleased with the way that Worthing equalised in the 64^th minute.

He wasn’t pleased that his defender’s Fofana and Byron Beard didn’t pick up Budd after he latched onto Tom Lawley’s pass and Worthing’s holding midfielder applied a right-footed driven finish on the angle beyond Blue.

He said: “Basic errors.  It’s errors that annoy managers and coaches but it’s stuff they should do naturally.”

Beckenham keeper Blue made a smart near post save to deny Worthing skipper Tom Manton, as he cut in from the right by-line just three minutes after Worthing restored parity.

Beckenham created one gilt-edged chance and Worthing had keeper Ruddy for keeping them in the game in the 71^st minute.

Skipper Rose pumped a diagonal ball forward from his position at centre back to release Hobbs racing down the left and the winger’s cross found Draper at the far post who had ghosted into the Worthing penalty area  and his low first time shot was blocked by Ruddy’s legs.

Beckenham suffered a sinking feeling as Worthing snatched victory with ten minutes left.

Budd whipped in a corner from the right – only their second of the night – which was flicked on at the near post and Malik failed to pick up an unmarked McBride, who smashed a right-footed volley into the left corner to shatter brave Beckenham’s hopes of progress.

Huntley said: “McBride’s a big player for them.  He was missing on Saturday and everything they have goes through him as you saw tonight and in the end we didn’t deal with it.”

Worthing almost grabbed a flattering third when substitute John Lansdale flashed a right-footed drive across Blue and past the foot of the far post.

Huntley made a tactical switch and threw bodies forward, but they couldn’t force extra time as their first half performance warranted.

Beckenham keeper Blue made a fine save to thwart Worthing substitute John Lansdale scoring with a right-footed free-kick from 25-yards, after Fofana tripped Lawley just outside of the D.

Nunn inexplicably picked up his second red card in three days when he lunged into Metcalf with two-feet after he lost possession following a one-two with Hobbs following a short corner routine in the 89^th minute.  It was a move that angered Huntley as he was about to throw his big men forward for Hobbs’ intended delivery.

The Beckenham boss said: “I blame Alfie anyway because it was the last kick and we’re getting the big boys’ up for a corner and I don’t know for what reason you would do that!”

Huntley added: “I’m gutted for them because the incentive of Staines Town at home, a Conference South side, we fancy our chances to beat anyone down here on our surface but I’m chocked for the boys.”

One surprise inclusion tonight was right winger Carl Gibbs, who was on crutches when the two sides met at Woodside Road at the weekend.  Gibbs made a swift recovery from ligament damage in his foot to feature tonight but Huntley admitted he made a mistake to risk him.

“We probably took a risk with him but it probably backfired if I’m being honest because you only have to miss one game in this football at the moment and you do notice your fitness levels drop immediately,” said Huntley.

“It was a decision made by me and (assistant manager) Michael Marks to play him.  We were deliberating over it for quite a while.  He was keen on it and Michael just reassured us we’ve done a good fitness test and he can’t feel (his injury).  I can’t see how you can be on crutches and come back three days later.

“But he went through every test they done on.  He was rusty because the other games for us he’s been playing very well.  His work-rate is second to none but he was letting people run past him and you can’t do that and I told him that at half-time.

“We took that risk, whether it was right or wrong in hindsight we’ve been beat maybe it’s the wrong decision but he tried for us and that’s all we could’ve asked him.”

Beckenham Town travel to Kent Invicta League side Bearsted in the Kent Senior Trophy on Saturday and their five-match FA Cup run will be a distant memory of what might have been.

“It’s lovely to have a FA Cup run.  I would’ve loved to be in that round against Staines because anything could happen.  I’m just gutted for the boys because I think over the two games we probably deserved to win.  It weren’t to be, back to basics.”


Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Nathan Paul, Byron Beard (Ben Slade 82), Jason Rose, Malik Fofana, Harry Draper, Nick Curran, Jake Hobbs, Alfie Nunn, Adam Greenways (Danny McKone 70), Carl Gibbs (Elstrom Die 70).
Subs: Soloman Karache, Chris Edwards, Joe Jackson, Steve McNamara

Goal: Nick Curran 39

Booked: Alfie Nunn 72

Sent Off: Alfie Nunn 89

Worthing: Dean Ruddy, Matt Piper, Steve Metcalf, Darren Budd, Paul Kennett, Glen Woodburn, Jamie Brotherton (John Lansdale 68), Luke Gedling, Ryan McBride, Tom Manton, Tom Lawley.
Subs: Shaun Charles, Mark Pulling, Tony Timms, Josh Clack, Jack Fagan

Goals: Darren Budd 64, Ryan McBride 80

Booked: Paul Kennett 74

Attendance: 274
Referee: Mr Lloyd Wood (Dagenham, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks) & Mr Paul Yates (Maidstone)