Cray Valley 3-1 Greenwich Borough - We're going to run it like a proper professional club - Jones

CRAY VALLEY (PAPER MILLS)  3-1  GREENWICH BOROUGH
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Wednesday 24^th April 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Middle Park Avenue

GREENWICH BOROUGH assistant manager Owen Jones says the club will be playing Kent Hurlimann Football League football next season despite their current uncertain future.

The club’s three-year groundshare deal with Bromley-based Holmesdale expires after Saturday’s home game against Fisher.  Holmesdale chairman Mark Harris has confirmed that he has agreed a two-year deal (with a further one-year option) for Glebe FC to groundshare Oakley Road.

Glebe chairman Rocky McMillan, 56, confirmed today that he has appointed former Greenwich Borough manager/secretary Gerry Cox to take charge of first team affairs at the club next season, but he kept under wraps which league the club will play in next season.

For Greenwich Borough, the most likely venue to share would be Cray Valley, who play close to Borough’s traditional ground, Harrow Meadow, which is now a housing estate.  However, such plans have been scuppered as Erith Town have confirmed this week that they will be playing their first team fixtures at Cray Valley next season, whilst training and playing their reserve team games at Erith Stadium.

When asked what’s happening for next season, Jones replied, “At the moment I can’t really say too much because I don’t really know too much. 

“We’re dealing with about facilities, we’re dealing with that. We’re going to be having proper training, everybody has to train properly next season.  We’re going to run it like a proper professional club.  We’ve decided we’re going to get this season out of the way so we can have the meetings and just put forward what we want to do.”

When asked whether the club will be playing Kent League football next season, Jones replied, “Yes! I’m not sure where we will be playing at the moment. There’s a few places that we’re looking at but the club will be there next season.”

Lewisham-resident Jones, who is John Cumberbatch’s assistant manager, feels strongly how one of his local clubs have been treated in the past.

Jones said: “It’s shocking!  For me it’s just really upsetting but I think the damage to the club was done maybe a few years back.  When you think of the people that had hold of the club, maybe if they invested correctly, maybe the club would still be there (at Harrow Meadow).  Maybe the (Greenwich) council would’ve said we’ll give you another ground or something. 

“When people own premises they want their money and they go don’t they?  Unfortunately it looks like the club was not as important as the person whose put all their money in.”

Jones added: “The club will be alright.  Everything will be alright!  You’ll know more by the end of the season alright.  That’s all I can say on that because I’m not going to quote things.  We haven’t really sat down and discussed.  We’ve got our chairman who’s just come on board and the other chairman that’s looking into this as well.”

Jones added: “At Greenwich all season it’s been up and down with the club and it’s not the players’ fault.  Hopefully with myself and John (Cumberbatch) with other people getting involved with a new chairman we can get things right.”

On the pitch, however, Greenwich Borough remained rooted in the bottom four with 23 points (six wins and five draws and now eighteen defeats) after Cray Valley climbed up three places into eighth-place in the table (12 wins, seven draws and 11 defeats, after taking their points tally up to 43 points.

Greenwich Borough stunned their hosts by taking the lead on the hour with a high-quality dipping 35-yard free-kick from central midfielder Lamar Hurley, who showed the talent that was spotted by West Ham United when he was a youngster.

But Cray Valley equalised within 202 seconds when left-back Steve Springett poked the ball over the line following a free-kick.

The home side scored twice inside stoppage time at the end of the game, courtesy of Michael Brown’s penalty and striker Tunde Aderonmu tucking home a counter-attack.

Cray Valley’s head coach, Joe Ford, who is the 23-year-old son of Fisher co-manager Martin, admitted Steve Chapman’s side left it late to claim the three points.

“We played really well tonight in stages,” said Ford.

“We keep trying to tell the boys to play their stuff.  What was a bit disappointing was I don’t think we played as much football as we can and what we’re capable off.

“I said to them after the game we’ve left it late again. One of the main things we’ve been doing since I’ve been here anyway is we’ve been leaving things pretty late.  We’ve had some good results against Erith Town and people like that and when you come at home against Greenwich Borough you’re expected to take three points, which we’ve done tonight, but I think we could’ve done it a lot easier than what we’ve had.”

Jones reflected on his side’s defeat and took the positives out of their performance.

“I thought the lads did really well,” he said.  “I thought we started off really well, defended well.  We picked up players when we needed to pick up players in the right areas, but really if I’m honest, what really let us down is our fitness in the last 10-15 minutes.

“I’m not going to get into what the referee done with the penalty or anything like that. I thought it was a fair game. If our fitness was there in the end maybe we would’ve got a draw out of it.

“I’m pleased with what the lads’ did.  They were more of a tighter unit, more organised, more disciplined and it was an enjoyable game to watch.”

After hosting Fisher on Saturday, Greenwich Borough travel to leaders Erith & Belvedere (30 April) and then to Canterbury City (9 May).

“We’ve had our problems but this is all trial and error for next season,” added Jones.

“We’re going to get everything right, spot-on and we’re going to make things more professional and organised.  I think the lads in the last four games have been tremendous.  They’ve really listened to what myself and John (Cumberbatch), as manager, wants and it’s just a shame we’ve not had the opportunities to train how we want to train. Our fitness has gone backwards a little bit.”

Despite a light rain shower during the first half, the pitch was rather dusty and hard, but the game’s better chances came before the break.

Cray Valley’s first opening arrived inside the opening four minutes when striker Luke Tanner released Brown through the middle and Greenwich Borough goalkeeper Jack Rankin rushed off his line and his clearance deflected off Jordy Akumwami and looped on top of the roof of the net.

Sam Gunner swung in the resulting corner from the right and Springett’s header from a couple of yards out bounced narrowly wide of the near post.

Brown then cracked a left-footed angled drive from sixteen-yards, which sailed over Rankin’s crossbar, before Greenwich Borough should have taken the lead.

Akumwami whipped in a fine cross from the right touchline and Jamie Linnett ghosted in at the far post and took a touch before cutting inside Jay Smale but his right-footed shot was blocked by the legs of Millers’ goalkeeper Matt Bailey.

Rankin produced an excellent save to deny the home side a 12^th minute lead.

Sam Gent’s through ball was missed by Greenwich Borough’s left-back Cory Knight and the ball fell nicely for Tanner, who stroked a right-footed shot towards goal and Rankin dived to his right to push around the post.

Greenwich Borough went agonisingly close again when the experienced Kris Hollidge floated in a free-kick from the right, which was headed away and George Jones headed the ball back across the box and lone striker Dan Akpoveta stretched but couldn’t get his toe to the ball as the ball rolled down the hill and out for a goal-kick.

Poor defending from Mel McCann gifted Cray Valley a 24^th minute corner and Greenwich Borough nearly paid the price.

Gunner swung the ball in from the right, which was punched away by Rankin’s outstretched right arm and Gent hooked his right-footed volley over from 12-yards.

The home side then built down the left and winger Brown cut the ball back to left-back Springett, who floated in a cross which was punched away by Rankin and the ball dropped to Tanner on the edge of the box who brought the ball under control and his right-footed shot deflected over.

Scottish referee Gerry Heron was suffered an embarrassing moment in the 27^th minute when he attempted to book Tanner for raising his feet when Rankin punted a clearance up field.  The referee, who was being assessed, didn’t have a yellow card in his pocket so walked over to assistant Issac Aumjaud to collect a yellow card before showing it to the nine-goal striker.

Rankin excelled on the half-hour mark when he denied Cray Valley a certain goal.

Tanner swept the ball out to Gunner on the right who had time and space to cut inside before floating over a left-footed cross, which was met by Aderonmu’s looping header from eight-yards, which was superbly tipped over by the keeper outstretched left arm, high to his left.

Ford said: “The keeper done well. He’s kept our Tunde’s effort from a header, tipped it over the bar and to be fair to him he’s a small keeper but he’s very agile and managed to pick a couple out of the net.”

Jones said: “He’s a very good goalkeeper. He’s been tremendous all season.  He’s had an injury in the Beckenham game and he had to go to hospital so he hasn’t been back that long, but he showed his true worth and class.”

A free-kick from Brown saw Paul Gross nip in and glance his header towards goal from 12-yards, forcing Rankin to catch the ball low to his right.

Gross, who was encouraging his team-mates throughout, ventured forward before clipped the ball into the penalty area for Gunner to ghost in to volley his left-footed shot straight into Rankin’s arms.

Gunner was then released down the right but he screwed his left-footed shot around the far post from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Greenwich Borough central defender Hugh Samuels – and holding midfielder George Jones – impressed tonight.

Owen Jones said: “Hugh Samuels is only nineteen believe it or not.   He’s got a future somewhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if a club does come in for him.  He’s got a lot of potential. He could play a lot higher. He’s a strong lad, very quick, very willing.  Again a lot of these guys are learning and he looks good.

“George Jones is actually my son! He was meant to be sub but because players didn’t turn up he ended up playing the holding role for the first time and he did a very good part in that.”

Ford added: “For the first 20 minutes I thought there was only one team in the game. I thought we played really well. I thought we kept going at them and didn’t really give them much chance. They only looked dangerous on the counter attack but again going back to what I’ve said before, we missed a few chances. 

“When you’re playing this sort of standard of football you need to take your chances. It’s one place where we’re seriously lacking in, scoring goals.  We’ve got a great centre forward in Luke Tanner, but if we’re looking to progress we need people to score goals and put their fair share in, not just Tanner, but the players around him need to contribute and score a few more goals.”

An uninspiring second half sparked into life with a strike of pure quality from Lamar Hurley gave Greenwich Borough a shock lead on the hour.

He cracked a right-footed free-kick from 35-yards from goal which dipped over the wall and dropped into the bottom right-hand corner, beyond Bailey’s despairing dive.

Jones said: “I actually said to John before he’s taken it, let’s see what he’s been taught because he was at West Ham when he was a youngster!  Let’s see what they taught him!  I was joking and then he did that!

“It was a fantastic free-kick and he’s got a lot of potential. Again, he’s got a lot of potential, again he’s just a young lad, 18 or 19 I think. He’s going to go further. He’s a very good player.”

Ford added: “Give him some credit for that, it’s a great strike!

“I just spoke to (goalkeeper) Matt in the changing room and he said it moved, it moved everywhere so some of them you can’t get to as a goalkeeper. Fair play to Matt, he just told us that it moved and he couldn’t get anywhere near it. It was a great strike from the fella!”

However, Greenwich Borough’s joy was short-lived, as Cray Valley restored parity shortly afterwards.

Bailey walked towards the half-way line to launch a free-kick into Greenwich Borough’s penalty box and the ball was flicked on by Gross and Brown rolled his shot across the face of goal and Springett was on hand to stab the ball over the line with his right-foot from close range.

Ford said: “He couldn’t miss! I’ve got to give him credit. He’s put in his fair share of goals this season from left-back. He’s scored five goals and he’s played very well, especially over the last few weeks.  We’re very happy with Steve. We’ve been telling him to get into those areas because he’s a very tall lad and he can get on the end of things.

“We did show good character to bounce back as we did.  To be fair to Grossy he’s flicked on. He’s made a living out of that.  We’ve needed one.  It was definitely coming!”

Jones admitted his side’s lack of fitness proved costly.

“We don’t train as much as we should and the way things have happened this season for us, we’re not as fit as we should be and that will always happen.  It doesn’t matter what side it is.  I don’t think Cray Valley were that good tonight, but they train and the fitness does tell in the end and unfortunately our fitness was letting us down.”

A deflected right-footed effort from Akumwami from 20-yards was caught by Bailey, as the game looked destined to end all-square.

But with only one player on the bench, Greenwich Borough tired as the game wore on and Cray Valley capitalised.

Rankin was on hand to catch a left-footed half-volley from substitute Ayo Noble from 12-yards in the last six minutes of normal time.

Rankin made another excellent save when Brown whipped in a corner from the left and Gross flicked the ball on and Aderonmu’s close range volley produced an excellent save from the keeper, who dived to his right, stuck out his left leg to block the shot before catching the ball.

Ford said: “It was another goalmouth scramble. I told the strikers afterwards, I said to them we’ve got to hit them in the back of the net there.  Give the keeper his due there, he’s pulled off a great save!”

However, Cray Valley ensured they grabbed the local bragging rights, with two late goals.

McCann was booked for a challenge and Stephen Ita’s resulting free-kick struck the hapless central defender on his hand inside the box and referee Heron pointed to the spot, much to the disgust of their skipper Kris Hollidge.

Brown stepped up and lashed his right-footed penalty into the top-left-hand corner to give Cray Valley the lead, with 45:28 on the clock.

Jones claimed the central defender was simply protecting his manhood.

He said: “Let’s be honest the ball was aiming at a certain part of his atomy and what you do, you react don’t you?  You could see what he did.   It’s obvious what he did, he just reacted.  He went like that because he’s protecting his missus as well!

“I think the referee could’ve used his discretion there. If the ball had hit him there it could’ve been dangerous and I don’t blame him for reacting like that. I think I would’ve done the same thing.  It was a very good penalty.”

Ford added: “To be honest with you, over the last few weeks, we’ve had some of them given against us.  We’ve appealed from our box and said they’re pretty harsh and when the referee gives them like that he’s got to give everything.

“Penalties are liable to be given away every time the ball goes into the box because people have got their arms in different places.  I mean it would’ve been unfair on the lad (to give him a second yellow card). I thought the penalty was harsh enough.

“It was a great penalty from Brownie. I’m not sure whether he was meant to take it. I think Tunde had to step back. He didn’t fancy it but fair play to Brownie, he’s stepped up and put it into the top corner.”

Cray Valley hit Greenwich Borough on the break and added a third just 108 seconds later, which was a little harsh on the visitors’, who put in a performance that was better than their position in the bottom four.

Substitute Ita was released down the right and he played a low ball inside to Aderonmu, who drilled a first time shot past Rankin into the roof of the net.

Ford said: “Stephen has been in and out of the squad. He’s had other commitments, which is fair enough.

“Before he went on I had a quick word in his ear and told him to go out and express himself. We said to him go out and enjoy it and hopefully he’ll score. He didn’t manage to score but it was a great set up by him.  Tunde, again playing on the shoulder, managed to get a goal.”

Jones added: “They did what they did at the end. I didn’t think we gave them too much but they had a lot of the ball and they were plastering us with crosses and everything but we kept our shape.  I just think it was the last fifteen and good luck to them. They made some changes and brought some guys on with fresh legs and quicker players and you could tell they started to over-run us because we got tired basically.

“John said he put Hughie, our centre-half, up there.  Had Hugie stayed there that wouldn’t have happened. These things happen.”

Cray Valley complete their campaign with a trip to basement side Sevenoaks Town on Saturday, before travelling to Wembley bound Tunbridge Wells on Monday 29 April.

Ford admitted being in the top eight is not good enough for a club that has invested in their social facilities in recent years and were rated as a dark horse for the title during last summer.

“When I came in we was told a top six finish was the key and the idea and at the moment it doesn’t look like we’re going to achieve that but given time next season I think we’ll be able to improve massively on where we’ve finished this season.”

Cray Valley are seven-points behind sixth-placed Lordswood and Ford said: “We’ll be looking to win our next two games and get maximum points.”

Cray Valley (Paper Mills): Matt Bailey, Jay Smale (Chris McGinty 77), Steve Springett, Ryan Sawyer, Paul Gross, Sam Gent (Ayo Noble 73), Michael Brown, Jamie Miller (Stephen Ita 60), Luke Tanner, Tunde Aderonmu, Sam Gunner.
Subs: Joe Matthews, Troy Copeland

Goals: Steve Springett 63, Michael Brown 90 (pen), Tunde Aderonmu 90

Booked: Luke Tanner 27, Michael Brown 70, Jamie Miller 77, Stephen Ita 90

Greenwich Borough: Jack Rankin, Kris Hollidge, Cory Knight, George Jones, Hugh Samuels, Mel McCann, Jordy Akumwami (Nico James 87), Lamar Hurley, Dan Akpoveta, Steffan Hurley, Jamie Linnett.

Goal: Lamar Hurley 60

Booked: Mel McCann 90

Attendance: 50
Referee: Mr Gerry Heron (Beckenham)
Assistants: Mr Issac Aumjaud (Lee, London SE12) & Mr David Lunani (Bromley)