Beckenham Town 2-3 Cray Wanderers - I've got far too many players at the minute, says Ian Jenkins

BECKENHAM TOWN  2-3  CRAY WANDERERS
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 24th July 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

CRAY WANDERERS manager Ian Jenkins says he will release his unwanted trialists’ tomorrow night after his side fought back from being 2-0 down to beat Beckenham Town at Eden Park Avenue.

Jenkins played 22 players for their fourth pre-season friendly and left out four other named players, while Beckenham Town used an eighteen-man squad for this local derby.

Beckenham Town, who finished a disappointing eleventh-place in the Kent League last season, raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening eighteen minutes to stun their Ryman Premier League opponents.

Alfie Nunn punished poor defending to hit a first time shot into the corner to give Beckenham Town an early lead, before Nick Curran headed into the corner following a free-kick following his disappointment earlier in the week when he was one of eight players released by Jenkins on Monday night.

But Crystal Palace goalkeeper, O’Shane Brown, 16, had a game to forget as he played a part in Cray Wanderers’ comeback.

Leigh Bremner looped in a header to pull a goal back, before the Beckenham Town keeper pushed in Jack Clark’s low drive after the keeper was adjudged to have picked up a back-pass.

Cray Wanderers scored the winning goal with nineteen minutes remaining when man-of-the-match Louis Sprossen scored from the spot, but Beckenham Town squandered a chance to earn a draw but Jamie Turner drove his penalty past the left-hand post.

Despite getting through so many players, Jenkins admitted he didn’t learn too much.

“Not much to be honest with you. I learnt what a good side Beckenham are, but other than that it’s just another game I don’t get much out off as a manager,” admitted Jenkins.

“I don’t like pre-season. I’ve got far too many players at the minute and that’s down to me and the coaching staff to address but we are rebuilding as a team and I need to have a look at as many players as we can.

“We’ve got so many down here but it’s difficult to come to a place like this and have 20-24 players and hope for a decent performance from all of them.”

Jenkins added: “We had a game Monday night against Seven Acre and we released eight from that.  I’m releasing a few from tonight’s game. I’m meeting tomorrow night with my coaching staff and we’ll go over who we want there on Saturday. 

“I’ve just told the players in there I only want to take 18-20 players there on Saturday to Welling to play Erith & Belvedere.  A lot of people will be released tomorrow night. It’s no fault of theirs, it’s just one of them. They’re not quite good enough on one night and they’re going to get ruined for it.  They’re going to get punished for it and released.”

Beckenham Town boss Jason Huntley was gobsmacked with his side after they threw away a commanding early lead to end up losing to their third higher-league side, the other two being Bromley and Dulwich Hamlet.

“I think we’re still a long way off from where we want to be, or where we thought we was,” said Huntley.

“We started off quite well first 10-15, went 2-0 up. It’s something that’s crept into our game last year.  We think we’ve won the game and we start doing all bad things.  We were doing the right things in the first quarter of an hour and we just seem to think the game’s won and they start doing tricks and that’s how it looks on the side.”

Huntley added: “It’s been happening last couple of games, we’ve got a few people where their attitude is not right so it’s something that we have to deal with and speak to the players and make changes basically.”

Beckenham Town started on the front foot and Curran’s driven cross was parried by trialist goalkeeper Riwan Anibaba, who was relieved to see Jake Britnell sweep the loose ball over from eight-yards.

Beckenham Town punished poor defending from former Fisher defender Ben Frempah, to take the lead inside the opening five minutes.

Frempah’s gifted possession to right-back Nathan Paul who picked the ball up and drove towards the by-line before he cut the ball back for Nunn to sweep a first time right-footed shot into the bottom near corner.

Huntley said: “Very good goal! A well-worked move. Alfie’s scored seven in four now so he’s on a bit of a good streak at the moment. The move was good, it was a well-worked goal as far as I’m concerned and a nice first time finish from Alfie at the end of it.”

Jenkins added: “I’m disappointed how it came about.  Chrissy Saunders was overdoing it in midfield, gave it away and they punished us!  Ben’s back pass – it’s his first mistake that he’s made in pre-season to be honest with you!

“I’m disappointed with the way the goal came because they didn’t really have to do too much to score it!”

Paul, who played in two positions in defence, played a fine pass to release Jake Britnell down the right and Chris Saunders was lucky not to be booked for chopping down the Beckenham midfielder.

Turner whipped in an excellent free-kick from yards outside the area and Curran peeled off his marker to make space at the near post to glance his header across Anibaba for the ball to nestle inside the bottom far corner of the net.

Huntley said: “They released him Monday night. Both of our goals were very good! I know what sort of player Nick is and I wanted to get him in anyway. I don’t mind any player want to try a higher division, which he went and tried and he said if it didn’t work out he’d come back to me. He’s a player that I do like.  I’ve got a lot of time for him. He knows what he’s doing. He’s good around the lads’ as well.”

Jenkins said: “You’re always got to hold your hands up when it’s a good goal, but it’s a ball in the box at the end of the day and he’s had a free header.

“Nick has been with us funnily enough up until Monday when I released him and he’s come back and he scores a good header, but it’s a free-kick in the box and he’s put it in the corner so fair play to them.”

Cray Wanderers should have pulled a goal back when Alex Stavrinou clipped the ball into the Beckenham penalty area where striker Tommy Whitnell found space before he cut the ball back to Bremner who stroked a right-footed shot past the foot of the near post from sixteen-yards.

But Cray Wanderers produced a slick eight-man passing move to bring themselves back into the game in the 25^th minute.

The move included Chris Saunders, Bremner, Danny Phillips, Clark and Stavrinou, who played the ball outside to James Fray, who found right-back Louis Sprossen on the overlap. The right-back cut inside his marker to whip in a precise cross from the edge of the box towards the far post and Bremner rose above his marker to loop his header into the corner from eight-yards.

Jenkins said: “That was probably our best play of the half because we pushed it around really quickly. We had a good opportunity at the edge of the box where I thought Chris may have hit it but we’ve got it in there. It was a left-foot shot but he’s decided against it, kept it simple and we’ve worked it wide and he put in a great ball and Brems has got across the defender and flicked his header in. A great team goal!”

Huntley added: “I think the ball’s in the air too long! The centre half could’ve done better there and the keeper could command his area a lot better there.

“I’m not going to criticise the keeper. He’s only a young boy, sixteen. He’s just come to us this year from Palace.  They’re monitoring his progress with us. I think he’s got a lot to learn at this level of football. It’s quite hard to him. I don’t want to put too much on his shoulders, but he made some decent saves second half to be fair to him, but you can’t criticise him too much because I don’t want to ruin his confidence. He’s only a young lad. At the moment he’s doing us a favour.”

Curran cracked a speculative right-footed chip towards goal from 35-yards after seeing former Lewisham Borough and Sevenoaks Town stopper Anibaba had ventured off his line but he managed to get back to pluck the ball out of the air before patting the ball down onto the lush playing surface and gathering.

Cray Wanderers were given a lifeline by referee David Smart on the stroke of half-time.

Sprossen clipped the ball upfield and Whitnell chased the ball as French defender Malik Fofana came across.  The ball appeared to bounce off Fofana’s knee and Brown picked up the loose ball and the Maidstone official awarded an indirect free-kick fifteen-yards from goal on the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Bremner touched the ball to Clark, who drove a left-footed shot towards goal and Brown dived to his left and pushed the ball inexplicably into his bottom near corner.

Both managers admitted the decision to award a free-kick for a back pass was harsh.

Club stalwart Sam Percival has video evidence on the incident having videoed the entire game from the gantry above the dug-outs.

Huntley said: “I’ve seen the video. We’re actually starting to video our games when we’re playing midweek to show players where their faults are.  On the video the centre half actually tripped on the ball.  That’s the truth and it goes to the keeper but they should deal with that anyway.

“Malik didn’t deal with it first of all and I expect my keeper to come out and just clear everyone out in front of him, to get out of his box.  As I say, he’s a young lad, he’s still learning his trade.”

Reflecting on Clark’s strike, Huntley added: “He got a hand on it but I blame the wall as well because on the video the wall just breaks.  The wall is there to do a job. If it stood still, it would’ve hit the wall.”

Jenkins added: “I thought it was harsh!  From that distance I just thought it was harsh to give. I weren’t going to scream for it, put it that way. I don’t think that I did. It’s a bit harsh, but fair play they worked the free-kick and we got lucky I think.  The keeper pushed it in. We were lucky, quite fortunate with that one!

“I said to Clarky in the dressing room, I said the keeper’s thrown two in tonight ain’t he?  The penalty from Louis and Clarky’s one!”

Jenkins made four changes at the break, which included Billy Bennett, whose father Ricky is now on the club’s coaching staff.

The Beckenham keeper made amends for his earlier mistakes when he palmed away Fray’s long-range drive early in the second half.

Troy Copeland then released Nick Whybrow bursting forward down the left and after cutting inside his right-footed drive sailed wide of Beckenham’s far post.

Beckenham Town midfielder Frankie Warren unleashed a speculative right-footed drive from 35-yards which was caught low down by Anibaba in the Cray Wanderers goal.

There was a controversial moment on the hour when referee Mr Smart asked both managers to substitute a player each – instead of producing a red-card each – after Britnell and Cray Wanderers’ trialist Junior Fatai were involved in a flash point.

Huntley said: “It’s a bit harsh!  Jake had three or four heavy tackles put on him. He didn’t react to any of them. Maybe he reacted a little bit to that one but apparently their young lad that came on he’s a trialist as well. He’s only had five minutes in a trial game which isn’t really fair. Use common sense there, have a chat with them, tell us. If there’s any more niggling goes on between them then tell us but to ask them to go off straight away was the wrong decision to be honest.”

Jenkins added: “I just thought it was harsh!  The referee could’ve managed it a little bit better or come and speak to us about it and we can take them off for five minutes and then bring them back on because he’s missed an opportunity there, our centre forward Junior to impress me. He hasn’t had an opportunity and it wasn’t a sending-off offence so a bit harsh.”

Brown made a confidence boosting save when he palmed away Fray’s shot, before gathering at the second attempt.

But the game was then littered by substitutions as Jenkins had a look at numerous youngsters.

Huntley isn’t a fan of multiple changes in a game.

He said: “It spoils it for me, it makes a mockery of the game then.  At this stage of the season you should have your settled 17-18 man squad really. I don’t think you need to be looking at a full side of trialists’ if I’m being honest. The amount of names, it must be hard for you!”

Beckenham’s best chance arrived with 20 minutes left when substitute striker Gabriel Adesina cracked an angled drive, which was saved at the second attempt by Anibaba.

But Cray Wanderers claimed the local bragging rights when they scored the winner with 71 minutes on the clock.

The impressive substitute striker John Ogunbiye was sent flying to the ground following a challenge from the hapless Beckenham keeper and assistant referee David Lunani waved furiously and referee Smart pointed to the spot after consulting his colleague.

Sprossen capped off a fine personal performance when he drove his right-footed penalty straight down the middle but Brown couldn’t prevent the ball finding the back of the net despite getting in the way of the shot.

Jenkins said: “It’s nice. That’s summed up his night really. He’s confident enough to pick the ball up and slot it in.  I thought he was a bit fortunate with the penalty. I think the keeper’s unlucky but at the end of the day it’s gone into the back of the net and it’s another win in pre-season.”

Huntley complained about the way the assistant had flagged for the decision, but rued Turner’s miss later.

Brown’s woeful night resulted in him being substituted after he picked the ball out for a third time and his replacement Daniel Conteh made a fine save to deny Ogunbiye from scoring with a left-footed shot.

Beckenham squandered an excellent chance to equalise with 12 minutes remaining after Anibaba was guilty of bringing Adesina down just inside the penalty area.

Turner screamed in anguish after he drilled his low right-footed penalty agonisingly past the foot of the left-hand post, heading towards the clubhouse behind the goal.

“Well Jamie Turner is a quality player, but nothing worked for him tonight,” admitted Huntley.

“He had too many touches on the ball, flicking the ball, looking for a killer ball. He’s a very good player. No-one strikes the ball better than Jamie, but he just had a bad day for us tonight because he’s a very good player for us.”

Huntley added: “We had our penalty but we didn’t take our penalty.  It could’ve been a 3-3 draw. It would’ve been nice for us to get a draw.  We were saying about results, just for a little bit of confidence but they worked hard, they’ve got some decent players. Their first eleven that started are decent players there but they’re probably a little bit fitter than us at the moment.

“I believe they train three times a week at the moment, which is good and they’ve had a few more games than us.”

Jenkins added: “Riwan’s a bit upset tonight with his performance but he will learn from that. He’s only a young kid and he will make more good saves and mistakes in his career because he’s a natural.

“The boy put it wide at the end of the day, so we’ve had a result there.”

Cray Wanderers had the last chance of the night but substitute midfielder John Estrada arrowed his right-footed free-kick from 20-yards narrowly wide of the near post.

Huntley spoke about the positives and negatives from tonight’s run-out against a club that play two levels higher.

“I’m a little bit disappointed because the way we started and we took the foot of the gas and I don’t like things like that. 

“There’s a lot of positives. Negatives? Obviously the result. I know I said it doesn’t matter but it does really because I always want to win but I think we’re going in the right direction. We won’t be too far away at the start of the season.

“We’ve got a couple of new players. I don’t think we’ll be too bad this year – if we can sort out a few people’s attitudes, that’s what we need to do.”

But Huntley revealed that former Crystal Palace, Bromley, Ebbsfleet United and Cray Wanderers striker, Gareth Williams, 30, who came on for the final 25 minutes is wanted by a Southern Counties East Football League rival.

“I’ve spoken to him. He’s been at Whyteleafe training because he lives locally,” explained Huntley.

“Someone put him onto me and asked him to come and play tonight. He’s sort of made a commitment to Whyteleafe.  They’re paying money. I said I understand he’s been offered money. In this day and age and when you’re getting to his age you’ve got to take it I suppose.

“I said if anything falls down there always give me a call and we’ll speak and we’ll see what we come to about coming back, but he knows the situation we’re in down here (of not having a budget).

“For us, the playing surface is the drawing power for players. We’ll see what happens. I spoke to him tonight before he left. He said he did make a gentleman’s commitment there and I understand that. The ball’s in his court.”

Jenkins also spoke about his positives and negatives from the game.

“Nagatives outweighed the positives. There weren’t many positives. There weren’t many good things.

“Louis Sprossen, different class in that position because we’ve been looking for a right-back most of the pre-season. We haven’t really had anyone come through from the ranks or come for a trial so I’ll have a good chat with Louis. Ben Frempah has been brilliant. Aaron Day can play centre half if we need be. Other than that it was a non-event!”

Jenkins wants to see a lot more from striker Whitnell, following his one-season away with league rivals Margate.

“Tommy still has got to do a lot more though if he’s honest with himself,” he said.

“He’s played the last two halves of games and he hasn’t been at his best but you know what Tommy gives you. He’s good into feet. He plays the way we need a centre forward to play and he scores goals as well so it’s good to have him back.

“He’s a Cray man. He’s a Cray boy through and through.”

When asked whether Whitnell will line up alongside Bremner when they travel to Leiston on the opening day of the new season on 10 August, Jenkins replied: “Let’s hope they don’t think of that because if they do that they’re standards are going to drop. They’ve still got to work hard for me to get in there.  When you look at the boys Troy Copeland and John Ogunbiye, they’re good young players, they’re raw and they want to win.  They work hard. 

“I haven’t decided on any of my team yet for the first game of the season.”