Eltham Palace 0-3 Seven Acre & Sidcup - I don't apologise for threatening ref, insists Paul Mann

Referee Thomas Vandepeer was forced to abandon the game between Kent Football United and Eltham Palace during the half-time interval eight-days ago after he was subject to Mann’s alleged threatening behaviour.

Mann, 39, was in the Eltham Palace dug-out for the last time tonight, after manager Terry Naden’s decision to part company with the club at the weekend.

When asked to explain the allegations made against him, Mann said: “Without saying too many strong words, because obviously I’ve still got to answer to the case, I thought the referee took the maximum thing that he could do without asking or trying to do anything other than abandon the game.

“I approached him in a sensible, diplomatic manner at half-time and he pushed his hand up in my face and told me to go four or five times knowing it was aggravating me. If he didn’t want to speak to me at half-time he could’ve just asked me.

“My reaction was out of hand! I admit that now. In the heat of the moment, yes, I was wrong but ultimately the ref was wrong!

“Respect that they keep banging on about is a two-way thing. Referees want to be talked to with respect, they should be speaking to people with respect, but I’ll hold my hands up and answer the case that the FA want to.

“I thought a lot of referee’s now maybe watch too much Premier (League) football. They think the game’s about them when it’s not! They’re there to control the game and communicate with players. Communication is a powerful tool but it’s two way. It must be two way! You can’t shout at a player, talk down to a player when it suits you and not talk to a player when it doesn’t suit you when you ask a question.

“I feel he could’ve asked me to leave the ground and carry on with the second half, which he never done. I had changed at half-time because I was so incensed by the incident how he spoke to me.

“I didn’t trust myself to go back in to the dug-out so I changed and I was prepared to leave the ground anyway.  He couldn’t choose that. He could’ve asked a lineman to go into the middle and he could’ve run the line, yet he chose to do the biggest thing possible and abandon the game without asking me or Tel (Terry Naden) if I could leave the ground.”

When asked whether he would like to apologise publically for his shocking actions, Mann insisted: “No, no, not at all! I wouldn’t apologise to the referee simply because of the way that he spoke to me and if he thinks he can push his hand up people’s face four or five times and get away with it, no, I don’t apologise for threatening him, no, not one bit!

“Maybe if anything now comes out of this the referee will learn that he needs to talk to people with a bit more respect because I didn’t approach him literally with the manner of speech and actions that he approached me with.”

Meanwhile, Seven Acre & Sidcup completed their Kent Invicta League campaign in fifth-place on 50 points after their comfortable 3-0 win over Eltham Palace at Green Court Road this evening.

After a goal-less first half, former Erith Town winger James Hawkins broke the stalemate only 12 seconds into the second half, before striker Troy Copeland added two further goals.

Seven Acre & Sidcup boss Chris Tuley, 32, said he is pleased with his side’s top-five finish in his first season at the helm at Oxford Road.

“It’s been a lot of a nervy few weeks for us because our main objective this year was to try and break into the top five,” he said.

“We knew we’ve been there and there abouts all season and some of the results have been a bit inconsistent so it’s just a relief getting the three points today which finally seals fifth place for us.”

Mann added: “I thought they probably deserved it definitely.  They had us under the cosh for most of the first half, which I thought was prominently wind assisted.

“I thought second half it might change. We didn’t come out for the second half at all, which we’ve done numerous occasions this year and they’ve scored instantly from the break and from then on we were always chasing shadows with a weakened side, another part of our season really.

“We’ve never had the same team week in, week out and yet again we could only field three substitutes, one of them being our physio (Frank Windsor), which has always been our downfall, probably consistency of our squad across the season and our performances.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup dominated the first half and created their first chance after only 87 seconds when the impressive Copeland shrugged off the attentions of Eltham Palace’s central defender Tony Beckingham before hitting a right-footed shot over the bar from sixteen-yards.

Copeland’s flicked pass released his strike partner Tony Ecyuer through on goal but his left-footed angled drive clipped the outside of the near post before going out for a goal-kick.

Eltham Palace squandered an excellent chance to take the lead within the opening five minutes when Harry Rogers played a delightful pass with the outside of his right boot to release striker Ben Smith through on goal but his right-footed shot lacked conviction and allowed Charlie Martin to comfortably gather.

Mann admitted Smith wasn’t fit enough to take a decent early chance.

“In fairness to Ben, he played in goal at the beginning of the season and then he told us he wanted to play out on the pitch,” explained Mann.

“He’s had a few weight problems in the past. He’s just not played, other than the last game, the last seven or eight games when he’s been away trying to get back to match fitness and he probably found the game a little too fast for him and he didn’t have his legs going at that time.”

Hawkins swung in a brilliant free-kick with his left-foot towards the near post where Ecyuer’s flicked shot bounced just past the near post.

Seven Acre & Sidcup produced a slick three-man move but squandered another chance inside a frenetic opening ten minutes.

Ecyuer swept the ball inside from the right touchline to central midfielder Rob McMahon who played a low cross to the unmarked Copeland, who hit a right-footed volley over on the turn from eight-yards.

Eltham Palace keeper Alex Hyde made a low save to his right to prevent winger Marlon Thomas from scoring with a left-footed shot after he picked up a pass from the impressive Copeland.

Seven Acre & Sidcup produced another sweeping move in the 27^th minute when Jake Burman played the ball into Copeland who laid the ball off to Ecyuer, whose wind assisted left-footed curler from 25-yards looped up into the air before dropping over the crossbar.

Thomas played a ball across goal to the unmarked Burman but he dragged his right-footed shot wide of the near post from 22-yards.

A brilliant 60-yard pass out of defence by Bobby Hanley released Hawkins, who cut past Eltham Palace right-back Sam Parry before he unleashed a left-footed drive which forced Hyde to kick the ball away with his left foot whilst diving to his right.

Reflecting on Hyde’s performance, Tuley added: “He’s done well. I know that young lad from VCD’s reserves. He surprised me today, I didn’t think he was that good! But he did make a couple of great saves, otherwise the score could’ve been more!”

Seven Acre & Sidcup’s pressure finally told when they were awarded a 40^th minute penalty when Hawkins was brought down by Parry.

But Burman’s right-footed penalty was at a nice height for Hyde to dive to his right to beat the shot away.

“That’s been our problem all year,” admitted Tuley.   “I think we’ve had probably 10 penalties this year and converted about three! We’ve missed so many penalties this year and I wasn’t confident.  Young Jake stepped up to the plate, but our penalty taking probably needs improving.”

Mann was full of praise for his goalkeeper, who has Kent League experience.

He said: “He’s come down and played the last five or six games for us and he’s been amazing!

“Seriously he’s far too good for this level. You could see from the penalty save, it’s probably one of the best saves anyone has made this season. Last Saturday he made a double save, which was on par.  Someone should be trying to sign him definitely, he’s a great player!”

Eltham Palace almost stole the lead going into the half-time interval.

Parry swung in a brilliant free-kick close to the corner flag and the ball was destined to drop into the top corner, but team-mate Warren Ciolek rose in the air and made a goal-line clearance to knock the ball down and Copeland was on hand to head the ball away as it sailed across goal.

Both camps were asked their thoughts at the interval.

“The biggest thing that we needed to do was to not panic,” said Tuley.  “We knew that we needed to get a goal to settle us a bit. I thought the longer the game was going on that we’d keep creating chances and eventually it was going to come and it did come.

“It was just a matter of keeping calm, don’t get on each other’s cases, keep playing and just keep being creative and try to create goalscoring opportunities and the boys done that so full credit to them. I’m over the moon for them.”

Mann added: “Just to go out and give it a go. We just told them to get out and enjoy it and just try to put pressure on them, basically the result was immaterial.”

Whatever Tuley said during the interval had the desired impact as his side took the lead with only 12 seconds on the clock.

Drew Watkins, who was later forced off through an ankle injury, clipped a deep ball from right-back to pick-out Hawkins some 30-yards from goal and the winger cut into the penalty area at pace before drilling a left-footed angled shot across Hyde to find the bottom far corner from 10-yards.

Tuley said: “Drew knocked the ball over to young James Hawkins and he’s got that quality in him. That’s why he’s played a higher level at such a young age. His left foot is second to none and when he’s got it on target there was no stopping it!

“We definitely needed that goal to really settle us because we were a bit nervy. We were trying to over-play and over create and once that goal went in it really did settle us and we played a bit more and created more chances from there.”

Mann added: “It’s been time and time again this season. Get out, start properly and the lads’ haven’t!  it’s one of those things. If you don’t start the game properly then it comes back to haunt you!

Seven Acre & Sidcup doubled their lead with their next chance in the 63^rd minute.

Copeland was released through on goal but Hyde did well to make a fine block and Ecyuer’s rebound was blocked by a defender and the loose ball fell to Copeland who steered his right-footed drive into the bottom left-hand corner.

Tuley was delighted with his two-goal hero.

He said: “Troy’s one of the young lads who we’ve got at the club. We had him early part of the season and it was a shame we could’ve have him for longer because he had work commitments but he’s finally come back for the last few games of the season.  He’s a young lad, big, strong, pacy and he’s a handful. He’s always going to create chances and has good reactions to follow up and put it into the net for us.”

Mann was disappointed how his defenders failed to react to Hyde’s initial fine save.

He said: “I can’t remember the amount of goals that have been scored by follow-ups that the keeper have saved!

“We went down to Hollands & Blair and got bashed with nine men. We got beat seven something I believe and I would say five of those goals were from rebounds that the keeper pulled off good saves.

“It’s just lads are not being schooled at this level and going asleep, not being switched on mentally. We’ve not trained at all since October. Fitness at any sport, at any level is a minimal requirement and games that are hard, fitness shows through and you fall asleep basically.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup central midfielder McMahon cracked a right-footed half-volley on the turn from 25-yards, which bounced wide of the near post.

Eltham Palace’s third attempt on goal arrived in the 73^rd minute when Nick Whybrow cracked a right-footed half-volley from 35-yards which was caught by visiting keeper Martin above his head.

Burman, who shrugged off a challenge from Rob Quick, poked the ball through to substitute Brady Powell, who ran forward before his left-footed drive from 10-yards sailed high over Hyde and the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar.

But Powell played his part in his side’s third goal with eleven minutes remaining.

Ecyuer released Powell down the left and he cut in along the by-line before he cut the ball back to Copeland, whose right-footed shot trickled across Hyde and over the line from six-yards.

Tuley, who was full of praise for winger Powell, added: “Brady’s dangerous on the left-hand side, full of pace. He’s improved every single game this year with his pace.  He came on as sub and showed a little bit of quality that he’s got in his locker.

“You know centre forwards get into those areas to score those goals and again he (Copeland) he was there to finish them off and put the nail in the coffin and the icing on the cake for us.”

Mann added: “We’ve asked an unfit person to play at left-back, who was carrying an injury and our right-back’s not a right-back so we’ve had to play players out of position because of injury and it’s always going to be a weak spot and they’ve got two quick wingers and they exploited that.”

A sweeping move from Eltham Palace gave them a late chance when skipper Ciolek and Smith linked up well but Whybrow’s left-footed shot was half-blocked by Martin and the ball rolled towards the goal, but Hanley got back to clear the ball off the line, despite being on the end of a heavy challenge from Lee Bunce.

Eltham Palace’s Bunce smashed a left-footed volley against the crossbar from 15-yards.

Seven Acre & Sidcup substitute Sam Prett whipped in a cross from the left which was met by a towering header from Brown, which rose high over the bar, before Hyde made a brilliant save at the death when the former Fisher stopper got a strong right hand down low to his right to prevent Prett scoring with a first time left-footed shot.

Reflecting on their top-ten finish in their inaugural Kent Invicta League campaign Mann said: “Well to be fair, me and Tel would’ve came into the season thinking let’s see how it goes and let’s see how far we can get. In all honesty 10^th place, table’s don’t lie.  It is what we deserve and to be fair it’s probably where we can get.

“The top four being the big-boys, no-one’s going to break into them, so midtable, I suppose we can take.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup face their Kent Invicta League rivals Meridian in the Erith Hospitals Cup Final at Welling United’s Park View Road on Thursday (7pm).

“One of the objectives we’ve just spoke about, top five finish and we wanted silverware.   We’ve got two finals ahead, one tomorrow, one at the end of May and obviously we want silverware,” said Tuley.

“They’ll be a few changes tomorrow. I would expect probably 50% of the side to be the same side that we put out tonight.  It’s not ideal with the way the fixtures have built up, we can’t do nothing.

“It’s been a struggle as well because our reserves were in a cup final last night and played 120 minutes and went to penalties so none of their players would physically play again tonight and we had to use the strength of the squad, which we did do but there’s no way around it.

“50% of the boys will have to play tomorrow and get through it but their young fit lads so I don’t expect them to do anything different other than give 100% and win a final.”

Eltham Palace: Alex Hyde, Sam Parry (Frank Windsor 78), Steve Diamond, Harry Rogers, Tom Beckingham, Martin Dunne, Nick Whybrow, Warren Ciolek, Joel Weston (Rob Quick 46), Ben Smith, Dennis Williams (Lee Bunce 71).
Sub: George Belchamber

Seven Acre & Sidcup: Charlie Martin, Drew Watkins (Jermaine Brown 74), Tom Dennington, Rob McMahon (Sam Prett 82), Lee Craig, Bobby Hanley, Marlon Thomas (Brady Powell 64), Jake Burman, Troy Copeland, Tony Ecyuer, James Hawkins.
Subs: Paul Gross, Tim Beckford

Goals: James Hawkins 46, Troy Copeland 63, 79

Attendance: 38
Referee: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)
Assistants: Mr Glenn Capelli (Erith) & Mr Zack Moules (Erith)