Corinthian 0-6 Holmesdale - It was men against boys, admits Sitford

He went ruefully, "We worked hard in the first half but gave away a silly goal just before half time, then another just after the break and that was that! 

“But you know the thing that really disappointed me was that we stopped doing the things we're good at, but we're a young side playing effectively three Leagues higher than we should be! 

“All the teams we've played so far have played football against us and that's good for our learning curve, but they've all been physically stronger than us - it really has been men against our boys!"
 
And to be fair to the Corinthian boss, for the opening 44 minutes you have to say that his side more than matched Holmesdale, and if young striker James Morgan had converted an outstanding 42nd minute chance then perhaps things would have been different. 

But the youngster shot wide when clean through and within minutes, the visitors took the lead and that was effectively that! 

A delighted Dale boss Billy Hughes told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, "We asked for a performance after the disappointment of losing to Beckenham on Saturday and I think we got it tonight.  The slope here is advantageous to them, and fair play they used it well first half," he said. 

"We scored at just the right time (a minute before the break) and went on from there after the break."
 
And how right he was, as for long periods in the first half, the home side looked more dangerous kicking down the Gay Dawn Farm slope, and could have taken the lead as early as the seventh minute. 

Morgan was released through the inside left channel and his shot across keeper Chris Arnold produced a fine full length save from the Dale stopper. 

The game meandered onwards towards half time, but the next chance arguably turned the game against the home side. 

Charlie Sweetman and Martin Difede combined brilliantly on the edge of the box to feed the ball through to Morgan, who with just the keeper to beat fired wide! 

And how costly that proved as within 90 seconds Holmesdale had the lead courtesy of one of the most straight forward goals you'll see. 

Dan Moody got to the line down the right and his pull back was perfect for Tony Atkins who drilled the ball into the bottom corner.
 
One down at the break, slightly perhaps against the run of play, the home side came out for the second period very much in the game - or they were for precisely 6 more minutes, for on 51 minutes Holmesdale doubled the lead. 

A corner was played square to Anthony Morrison and his swinging curling shot flew into the roof of Charlie Thornes net. 

Worse was to follow three minutes later, and this time Morrison was the architect as his driven centre was turned home by Austin Gachery. 

Three became four ten minutes later, as a long clearance was flicked on by Gachery for Atkins who held off two defenders to score from the edge of the box. 

Within a minute it was five, as a corner wasn't cleared and defender Frank Bunani gleefully rammed the ball into the net following a series of ricochets that could have gone anywhere!
 
Fair play to the home side as they kept plugging forward and on 71 minutes Ray M'Fon was bravely denied by Arnold in a clash on the edge of the box that left both men requiring treatment. 

Corinthian's misery was completed on 78 minutes when substitute Adam Greenaway expertly glanced Moody's cross into the corner of the net.

Atkins should have arguably completed his hat trick as on 80 minutes he fired wide when well placed, and on 85 saw a free header (from a Morrison cross) sail high into the trees behind the goal. 

"He'll take some stick for that" manager Hughes admitted after the game.  "I'm delighted with the response after Saturday and with all the fresh blood that we've brought in we knew it wasn't going to happen over night, but I'm happy tonight!"
 
For Corinthian boss Sitford, there was a pleasing realisation that his young side are improving game by game

"We were without four of our senior players tonight and quite frankly we couldn't cope with the pressure" he said. 

"As I said before this side had two weeks notice before the season started and we are playing three divisions higher than we should be. 

“If we finish third from bottom we really have achieved something and with that in mind we've got a really big game on Saturday against (Sporting) Bengal. 

“We're here to help these lads in their footballing education and take them on," he said with a genuine passion that is so refreshing to see. 

But even Sitford will admit, this evening was a lesson that his players will not want to repeat in a long, long while!
 
Corinthian: Charlie Thornes, Jamie Billings, Shaun Douglas, Adam Douglas, Matt Rozer, Charlie Sweetman, Ray M'Fon, Jamie Taylor (Joe Curtain 66), Martin Difede (Graeme Luger 80), James Morgan (Chris Slater 73), David Briant
Subs: Erik Alstom; Jack Saunders
 
Booked: Martin Difede 35. Jamie Billings 58, David Briant 46, James Morgan 61, Charlie Sweetman 66, Ray M'Fon 89
 
Holmesdale: Chris Arnold, Ricky Hardy, Russell Bedford, Ashley Reid, Luke May, Frank Bunani (Louie Dean 80), Dan Moody, Jason Thompson, Austin Gachery (Adam Greenaway 66), Tony Atkins, Anthony Morrison (Kevin George 85).
Subs: Paul Semikula; Ben Chick
 
Booked: Anthony Morrison 35, Luke May 68, Russell Bedford 71
 
Goals: Tony Atkins 44, 64, Anthony Morrison 51, Austin Gachery 54, Frank Bunani 65
 
Attendance:  85
Referee: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)
Assistants: Mr S Cole and Mr R Whitaker