Erith & Dartford Town 1-2 VCD Athletic - I'm here to win the league, says Gary Abbott

ERITH & DARTFORD TOWN 1-2 VCD ATHLETIC
Pre-Season Friendly
Thursday 21^st July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

ERITH & DARTFORD TOWN boss Gary Abbott says he wants his side to become the inaugural Kent Invicta League title winners and guide the new club into the Kent League at the first attempt.

Abbott fielded a young and inexperienced squad against landlords VCD Athletic and they grabbed the lead against the run of play through striker Richard Whyte, before the Kent Leaguers scraped a victory through second half goals from striker Aiden Pursglove and the versatile Ben Yiadom.

When asked his team line-up before the game, Abbott was only on first name terms with his players, but he was pleased with the way they performed in their first home game at Oakwood.

“It was a derby game, obviously it was the first time we’ve been together,” said the former Sittingbourne boss.
 
“We’ve probably trained once so tonight wasn’t about winning the game or anything like that against opposition that was a league above us - so we done alright.

“We went 1-0 up, played some good football, but there was a lot of mistakes out there but we’ve got four weeks to get over that.”

He added: “It was a good fitness work-out.  The result didn’t matter.  I thought we gave away two sloppy goals but apart from that there was some good football.  There was a lot of positives and there’s a lot of stuff we can work on.”

VCD Athletic boss, Ricky Bennett, who finished his first season in charge behind Herne Bay and Hythe Town in the Kent League last season, was pleased with their work-out against spirited lower league opposition.

“Well it served its purpose really, a decent work-out,” he said.  “Again, everyone’s put in their shift, that’s what you want at this stage of the season.  I’m not too worried about results at the minute but it’s all about fitness and getting some partnerships and some understanding with certain new players and one or two others who may be playing in different positions.  On the whole, a good night’s work.”

Speaking about their opposition, Bennett said: “They worked really hard, as you would expect.  Abbo’s got a lot of players there trying to make a squad out of so they’re all keen to impress and they really did work hard.”

VCD Athletic dominated the opening 20 minutes and it was all one traffic, although Erith & Dartford Town’s goalkeeper Stewart Copeland kept the landlords at bay in the two club’s first ever meeting.

Greg Benbow and James Duckworth combined to slip left-back Liam Hickey through on goal, but he was denied a certain goal as Copeland stuck out an outstretched left leg to prevent the low drive finding the corner.

VCD Athletic stepped up the gas and skipper Gary Cook clipped a right-footed chip wide of the far post after Yomi Dada failed to clear Benbow’s corner from the right.

Benbow sliced open the tenants back four with an inch-perfect pass that sent Mike Cullen through on goal, but the striker fluffed his lines and screwed his shot embarrassingly wide with only Copeland to beat.

Although the second half strike force were impressive, Bennett revealed Cullen’s interesting background.

“Michael Cullen’s a centre forward, who comes from Oldham Athletic funnily enough in his early days but suffered an Achilles rapture that curtailed that .  We’ve sort of picked him up out of Sunday football.  He’s been at Tooting & Mitcham in the past and other places here and there but in the main the last couple of years he’s just been playing Sunday football. There’s a bit about him. He’s one to look at maybe.”

Despite all that pressure from the side in green and white hoops, it was Erith & Dartford Town that grabbed a 26^th minute lead – as their first shot on goal warranted their first goal in senior football, having lost their first friendly outing 4-0 to Tunbridge Wells.

A through ball released Whyte through on goal and the striker kept his composure when his initial shot was parried by Fewell, but Whyte pounced on the loose ball and steered the rebound into the back of the Vickers net.

Abbott said: “Obviously he’s done well to follow his shot up.  I think we deserved to go in 1-0 at half-time.  There was a lot of changes as well, especially second half, but I probably had 25 players here tonight so I still didn’t look at everyone.  I’ve got to put that squad down to at least 17-18 and I’ve got to do it within the next week or so.”

Bennett gave his thoughts on the goal, saying, “That was bad from our point of view – a lack of organisation really from a throw in wasn’t good enough.  We spoke about that at half-time, that and a few other things.  We started very well, very bright, just needed a goal or two to settle us down a bit.”

Shell-shocked VCD went up the other end and Copeland made a comfortable save from Benbow’s driven shot after the winger shrugged off the attentions of right-back Ashley Cameron.

VCD Athletic struck the crossbar in the 29^th minute when James Duckworth cut the ball back and Daryl Wheeler unleashed a right-footed curler which agonisingly smacked against the crossbar with Copeland rooted to the spot.

The first half ended with yet another missed chance from VCD – right-back Tamer Bilal powering Benbow’s corner over at the far post.

Bennett made six changes at the interval and this sparked his side into life early on and Pursglove cut the ball back to Tom Gamblin, who found Mark Allen and his driven shot was parried by Copeland and Rogers was in an offside position by the time he turned the ball into the net.

Gamblin then rode a challenge from Connor Reardon and wriggled clear down the right flank and his excellent cross was met by the unmarked Allen (who had made a late run into the box), but he powered his header over from six-yards.

But VCD Athletic deservedly levelled in the 53^rd minute.

Allen released the impressive Gamblin down the right and he whipped in an excellent cross which flashed behind the defence and in front of the keeper and Pursglove applied the finishing touch, clipping a right-footed shot past Copeland to find the bottom far corner.

“It was a great cross from Gambo, a nice finish from Aiden as well,” praised Bennett.  “A question mark over whether the keeper should’ve come and made it a bit harder for him.”

Erith & Dartford Town’s players were lively in attack, although they lacked the know-how in certain areas of the pitch and gave the ball away too cheaply at times.

They almost levelled through an unsporting manner when Darrell Francis drilled a shot which looped up into the air and Fewell climbed to take but Tom Creasey tried to bundle the former Whitstable Town goalkeeper and the ball into the net.

VCD Athletic pressed for the winner and that duly arrived with ten minutes left and Gamblin flashed the ball across the goal and Yiadom tapped the ball over the line at the far post from two-yards.

Bennett said: “We started to get on top a bit and we didn’t create so many clear cut chances but had quite a lot of possession and a lot of balls flashing across the box, again, from some good work from Gambo.  It made the opening and (Yiadom) was in the right place at the right time for a tap-in, which is a great trait.”

Bennett admitted he has high hopes for Gamblin.

“He’s full of energy, Gambo, he’s got a lot to improve on, he’s only a young lad but I’ve got high hope for him,” he said.

“Last season, again, it was the same thing, but unfortunately too early into the season last year he broke his ankle which basically messed his season up.  He’s now back fighting fit and looking really sharp.”

Bennett revealed that Yiadom (nicknamed Tom-Tom) is on trial, having turned out for Ryman League Division One North side Waltham Abbey last season and has Kent League experience which includes Greenwich Borough, Croydon and Erith Town.

“He’s another one we’re hoping we can get on board.  He’s got a lot of flexibility and can play in a number of positions, so we’re hoping he’s another addition,” said Bennett.

Abbott, meanwhile, doesn’t want his lads’ to feel sorry for themselves.

“I’ve told the boys’ to get their heads up because we’ve done well.  VCD are probably going to finish in the top six in the Kent League next year so I’m quite confident with what we’ve got, what we’re going to work with and I think we’re going to be alright.”

When asked about his aspirations for the new season, Abbott replied, “I want to win the league, that’s it, otherwise I wouldn’t have come here.  My aim is to win the league and get out of this league and that’s what I intend to do.

“You’re probably going to make Ashford favourites, but like I say, I like to think I’m going to be up there as well. 

“I went to watch Bly Spartans on Saturday and I think they finished in the top half (of the Kent County League top-flight) last year.  Obviously, I’m not going to talk about them.  I think we’ll be alright.”

Erith & Dartford Town:  Stewart Copeland, Ashley Cameron (unknown 65), Leyton Thompson, Connor Reardon (Colin Nelson 67), Sam Baker, Michael Odejobi, Olatunji Able, Sam MacNeil (Theo Baffoe 46), Richard Whyte (Tom Creasey 65), Javlon Campbell (Darrell Francis 65), Yomi Dada (Bal Thind 46).
Subs:  Jemel Maize, Andres Murillo, Desmond Amonoo, Marlon Button, Calvin Crooke.

Goal:  Richard Whyte 26

VCD Athletic:  Kevin Fewell, Tamer Bilal, Liam Hickey (Ben Yiadom 46), Gary Cook (Casey Scotter 46), James Brown (George Mitchell 46), Jamie Lawrence (Mike Cullen 84), Daryl Wheeler (Mark Allen 46), Jimmy Rogers (Liam Hickey 77), Mike Cullen (Aiden Pursglove 46), James Duckworth (Tom Gamblin 46), Greg Benbow.

Goals:  Aiden Pursglove 53, Ben Yiadom 80

Attendance: 60
Referee: Mr Alan Escudier (Belvedere)
Assistants:  Mr Adam Back (Sidcup) & Mr Steve Perry (Bexleyheath)