Coney Hall 2-2 AFC Croydon Athletic - We've had to come back to go forward, admits Chris Tucker

CONEY HALL 2-2  AFC CROYDON ATHLETIC
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 30^th July 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Tiepigs Lane

CONEY HALL manager Chris Tucker says the club are taking a step back to move forward.

Tucker, 37, took charge of his first game back in the hot-seat at Tiepigs Lane as his side held their Combined Counties League Division One neighbours AFC Croydon Athletic to a creditable draw.

The West Wickham based club withdrew from the Kent County League Division One West at the end of last season and will be playing in the Surrey South East Combination Intermediate Division One when their season kicks off on 6 September.

The Rams open their league campaign with a trip to Chessington & Hook United on Saturday and this was Antony Williams’ side’s sixth warm-up game tonight.

Coney Hall opened the scoring inside ten minutes in their opening pre-season game through Sean Rivers’ header, before AFC Croydon Athletic equalised through John Doherty.

The Rams took only 29 seconds to take the lead at the start of the second half through Tony Lineker but a headed own-goal from Tony Martin restored parity.

Tucker said he has taken, “A lot of positives from that.  We had a lot of young players in there in our first game back at the club against a team that’s two divisions higher and four days away from their season starting so there’s a lot of positives from us out there.

“We had a lot of young boys who we haven’t seen before.  We’ve only had six sessions at pre-season and we had a couple of chances.”

Coney Hall created a couple of chances inside the opening 84 seconds of a frenetic first half.

Dave Baker swung in a corner from the right towards the far post where central midfielder Martin Bugden’s deflected header sailed wide. 

Darren Flaherty took the resulting corner from the left and Bugden hooked his right-footed shot over the crossbar.

But Coney Hall stunned their higher-league opponents by taking the lead.

Chris McGinty, who scored 27 goals for Kent Invicta League side Sutton Athletic last season, swept the ball out wide to winger Flaherty on the right, who whipped in a cross towards the near post for Rivers to plant his header into the top corner from eight-yards.

Tucker said: “Chance after chance. We started with a strong side first half that we knew would be strong for pre-season.  Antony (Williams) started with a good side for Croydon.

“I thought we shaded it first half.  I thought we had a couple of better chances and their keeper pulled off a few saves.

“Sean Rivers’ has played at a very high level, a very high level and he’ll be a great asset to us.

“If we can keep McGinty happy, no doubt he’s a 30-goal man in this standard and Flaherty’s been with me everywhere. He could always play higher but he likes playing football (with me).”

AFC Croydon Athletic responded and pressed for an equaliser during a dominant spell.

Danny Cumber played in striker Lineker in behind the defence but he cracked his left-footed drive sailing over the Coney Hall crossbar.

Doherty whipped in a cross from the right, which was missed by Lineker in the middle and Lee Jansen’s left-footed hooked volley forced Ryan Knowles into making the first of many fine saves, diving to his left to push the ball around his post.

Dan Penfold swung in the resulting corner from the right and Knowles made another smart low save to thwart Jordan Martin coming up from the heart of defence to plant a downward header towards the bottom corner.

A dinked pass from Jansen released Doherty through on goal but his right-footed chip sailed just over the crossbar in the 20^th minute.

Penfold whipped in another teasing free-kick and Knowles made yet another close-range save to block Cumber’s header, before getting down low to smother the ball on the line in a scramble.

Coney Hall were left off the hook when they failed to clear Doherty’s cross from the right and Lineker hooked the ball over the bar from 10-yards.

But despite being outplayed, Coney Hall should have doubled their lead on the half-hour mark.

Baker made progress down the right to reach the by-line before whipping in a cross towards the near post where the unmarked Rivers glanced his header across keeper Daniel Burnett and past the far post from six-yards.

Coney Hall were made to pay for that glaring miss as AFC Croydon Athletic – who will play at their old Mayfield Road ground in Thornton Heath this season - levelled in the 34^th minute.

Set-piece specialist took a corner from the right, which swung out to an unmarked Doherty on the edge of the box and the big midfielder brought the ball under his spell before looping his right-footed shot over Knowles’ left shoulder into the roof of the net from 20-yards.

“There’s a few things to work on and we know we’ve got a few things to work on,” admitted Tucker.

“They had quite a few free headers from set-pieces so we certainly need to work on that.

“The kid took it well. Doherty’s took it well. He’s played for me before.

“Look, it’s pre-season, these things happen in pre-season, so we don’t look too much into that.”

Within a minute, Bugden had his third attempt on goal, a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which sailed wide.

McGinty then played Rivers in behind the Rams’ defence but his right-footed dink brought a fine block from Burnett, who dived to his left to make the save.

When asked how he has enticed former Bromley and Cray Valley striker McGinty to the club, Tucker said: “No training. Training is not compulsory. They can train if they want to keep up.

“There’s no midweek games. There’s no Christmas, New Years’ fixtures so it’s one game a week. They don’t have to travel far. The furthest they go in this division is up to Wimbledon extensions.  The travelling’s excellent.  The young boys can get there by public transport so that’s why we’ve come out of the Kent County League.”

Burnett made a comfortable save to deny Flaherty a goal with a left-footed free-kick from 35-yards.

AFC Croydon Athletic squandered a great chance to take the lead six minutes before the break.

Coney Hall keeper Knowles made his first mistake of the game as he allowed Doherty to pinch the ball off him from inside the box, before laying the ball back to Jensen, who sent his right-footed chip sailing over an empty goal from 25-yards.

McGinty was to be denied his first goal when Burnett moved to his left to catch a speculative right-footed chip from the Coney Hall striker.

Knowles made another brave save on the corner of his six-yard box after Lineker slid past left-back Barry Habgood and cut into the penalty area after latching onto Cumber’s long pass.

Coney Hall were caught sleeping as they went behind after only 29 seconds into the second half.

Straight from kick-off, Penfold tried his luck from the centre spot but the ball looped into Knowles hands inside his penalty area after only five seconds.

But a long ball released Lineker down the right and the Rams striker drilled his angled drive past Knowles with only the keeper to beat.

Tucker admitted Habgood was not fit enough to cope with the swift breakaway from Lineker.

He said: “We were struggling. Our left-back was struggling, but we kept him on to see if he could run it off and they found that out.

“It’s one of those things. Again, it’s pre-season. We’ll learn by our mistakes. They’ll learn by them. They’re only young. That side is a young, young side that we’ve got out there.  They’ll learn by that.

“A lot of it is a lot more mental tiredness comes into it more than physical.  Mentally they would’ve switched off and given them a couple of yards normally, but he got caught round the back and it was a good finish.”

AFC Croydon Athletic missed another excellent chance to kill off Tucker’s men.

Jansen cut the ball back from the by-line, Lineker dummied at the near post and Doherty stroked his first time shot past the post.

The home side brought on all four of their substitutes in the 51^st minute and they were rewarded by grabbing an equaliser on the hour.

Substitute Reece Hill released Baker down the right (who was now playing as a front-man) and he whipped in a cross towards the near post where central defender Tony Martin planted his header into the top near corner past the stranded Burnett.

“Baker’s been training with Croydon Athletic,” revealed Tucker.

“I’ve had Baker playing with me and we’ve given Baker some minutes to try to get him here to get him to play for me. 

“He’s not first choice. He’s a right-back for them but I see Baker as a centre forward in this division.  If I can get him then that will be another great asset for Coney Hall.”

Tucker was given permission by his opposite number Williams to bring McGinty back on due to an injury to Bugden.

The Kent side could have won it when McGinty unleashed a right-footed drive which curled agonisingly over the top of the far post after substitute Reece Hill and Baker both had shots blocked.

AFC Croydon Athletic missed a sitter when Doherty released substitute Aaron Agyeman down the left and he cut the ball back to the onrushing Declan Smith, the substitute placing his right-footed shot straight at Knowles, who saved low to his left.

Tucker praised the former Bromley Academy goalkeeper for his efforts tonight.

“Our keeper Ryan Knowles was excellent tonight,” he said.

“I thought there was a couple of individuals but Ryan stood out for me. He’s a very good signing for us and we’re trying to secure a few more in time for Saturday.”

Referee Ryan O’Sullivan, however, blew the final whistle with 32:37 on the clock, despite their being enough daylight to complete the rest of the game.

Coney Hall welcome Southern Counties East Football League side Sevenoaks Town to Tiepigs Lane on Saturday.

The Oaks are now managed by Micky Collins but Rob Palmer who was Coney Hall’s manager last season is part of the new management team at Greatness Park.

“I was vice-chairman and club secretary here anyway and there was nobody really that I wanted to run the Saturday first team once Rob Palmer left.

“We didn’t want Rob to go. Once Rob left then I sat down with Colin (Coldspring) and we’ve come back and that’s what we wanted to do.”

Tucker admits the club have taken a step backwards leaving the Kent County League.

“Coz at the time we were looking for another manager to come in but bring a young side in and it’s easy.  The transport links into this league is a lot easier than it is the Kent County League.

“As I’ve said before, they only have to go to Wimbledon common extensions and it’s a train to Malden and then a bus. It’s a lot easier than travelling in the Kent County League.”

When asked his aspirations for the season ahead, Tucker replied: “To win it! To win it! We’ll win it hopefully.  Hopefully we’ll be good enough to win it to get promoted.

“We’ve had to come back to go forward. We’ve had to come back.  This is where we started when I managed here 12 years’ ago.  This is exactly the same division we started and this is where we got promoted from and hopefully we’ll do it again.

“We need to keep these youngsters happy. If we can keep these youngsters coming through and the standard we’ve got, we’ll be alright.”

Coney Hall: Ryan Knowles, Matt Hoy, Barry Habgood (Charlie Akerman 51), Martin Budgen (Chris McGinty 66), Reggie Conroy, Aaron McFarlane, Dave Baker, Lewi Longhurst, Chris McGinty (Reece Hill 51), Sean Rivers (Kevin Saunders 51), Darren Flaherty (Connor Hill 51),

Goals: Sean Rivers 10, Tony Martin 60 (own goal)

AFC Croydon Athletic: Daniel Burnett, Jake Pitt (Declan Smith 51), Gideon Acheampong, Dan Penfold (Lewis Blake 53), Jordan Martin (Colin Harvey 46), Taylor Maddock, John Doherty, Tony Martin, Lee Jansen (Aaron Agyeman 53), Terry Lineker, Danny Cumber (Lewis Goddard 51).

Goals: John Doherty 34, Terry Lineker 46

Attendance: 45
Referee: Mr Ryan O’Sullivan (Croydon, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Dave Hooker (Bromley) & Mr Steve Rowedder (Bromley)