Glebe 1-1 Rusthall - It's a great point to get away from home, says Rusthall boss Jimmy Anderson

Glebe 1 – 1 Rusthall
Location	Foxbury Avenue, off Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6SD
Kickoff	25/02/2025 19:45

GLEBE  1-1  RUSTHALL
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 25 February 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Foxbury Avenue

RUSTHALL manager Jimmy Anderson says his young side are not getting carried away after earning a point to climb into the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-off zone.

The Rustics’ made it nine league wins in a row following their 2-0 home win over second-from-bottom side Lordswood seven days ago - and striker Charlie Clover notched his 23^rd goal of the season to give Anderson’s men a first half lead in Chislehurst tonight.

Glebe’s talisman striker Jamie Philpot, 28, sublimely volleyed in his 19^th goal of the season to restore parity before Rusthall were reduced to 10 men on the hour-mark when Italian right-wing-back Yassin Fares saw the red mist and retaliated in an off the ball incident and will serve a three-match ban in a weeks time.

“Point gained. Hard to say if we dropped two points because to have to play 30 odd minutes with 10 men and they’ve got the slope as well,” said Anderson.

“I thought the boys dug in really well and to be fair I can’t really remember them creating too many chances that Serine’s had to make loads of saves from when we were down to 10 men.

“I thought we held our own and probably had the better chances, so all in all, I think it’s a point gained and I’ve just said to the boys, fair play to you, it’s another point on the board and we go again Saturday.”

Glebe – who were 2-1 home winners over Holmesdale last Wednesday – have won just one of their last eight games in all competitions.

Glebe manager Fred Dillon said: “Competitive game. They’ve been on a really good roll. We had a spell like that at one point and then we dipped in and out of it a bit but I thought whilst we had 11 to score in the second half was a positive and then we couldn’t do enough to get over the line but fair play to them.”

Rusthall kicked down the slope at Foxbury Avenue and went close to taking the lead after only 189 seconds following their first of five corners.

Fares cut the ball back from the right and left-wing-back Jack Lyons cracked a left-footed angled drive from 25-yards, which skimmed the top of the crossbar as Glebe goalkeeper Justin Lee tried to use his fingertips to make the save in the centre of his goal.

“I thought we started really well. I felt like it was two different playing styles probably on a tricky pitch.  Jack Lyons has been superb for us recently,” added Anderson.

Dillon added: “They were very lively from the start, both sides, I thought they were a threat.”

Glebe winger Kelvin Bakare gave the ball away as his clearance was intercepted by Rusthall’s holding midfielder Frank Griffin, who took a touch before hitting a well-struck right-footed rasping drive down the throat of Justin Lee from 30-yards.

“He will score this season soon, yes, he will score, I promise you that because he can hit them really well and from distance.  Obviously, their keeper saved it. He’s had a few this season where they’ve been close,” added Anderson, who then explained why Griffin started as holding midfield before dropping into central defence in the second half.

“We wanted to push up the pitch so we played a holding midfield at centre-half and then we changed the shape.  I felt like when we went down to 10 men, talking tactics, I wanted to basically give us width with wing-backs and have my holding midfielder as my centre-half and try to play a little bit further up the pitch.”

A long ball from Glebe was flicked on by attacking midfielder Joshua Jackson and this released the pacey Bakare, whose right-footed drive from 15-yards was pushed away by visiting goalkeeper Serine Sanneh, diving to his right and using a strong right-hand to deny the home side in the eighth minute.

“I felt he should’ve held it to be fair if I’m being critical to Serine but Serine’s a great keeper for us. It was a good hand. I felt like he could’ve held it,” admitted Anderson, who revealed his goalkeeper took a whack from Jackson in the second half.

Dillon added: “He was unlucky. There was a few spells in there where I just feel we’ve just got to punish, take those chances because they’re the difference at the moment.

“We had some great chances over weeks where we’ve probably not put the ball in the back of the net as many times as we want but listen we’re competing, that’s the main thing.”

Rusthall counter-attacked down the slope at the half-way mark when physically strong midfielder Thompson Adeyemi released Jack Kirby down the right wing and he played the ball inside to Fares, whose right-footed shot from 22-yards lacked power and comfortably bounced into the midriff of the Glebe keeper.

Adeyemi dwelled on the ball and lost possession in midfield to a pressing Philpot, who fed Jackson, whose left-footed drive from 20-yards was spilt by Sanneh, low to his left before the goalkeeper did well to flick the ball away from Philpot’s path.

Glebe left-back Matthew Self launched five long throws into the Rusthall penalty area during the game and the Rustics’ defence allowed the ball to bounce a couple of times before Philpot hooked his shot over his shoulder and watched it trickle across Sanneh and past the far post in the 26^th minute.

“I didn’t feel like we were troubled or I didn’t feel like they were knocking on the door in the first half if I’m being brutally honest with you,” admitted Anderson.

Rusthall opened the scoring with 31 minutes and 21 seconds on the clock when Glebe centre-half James Fitchett opened the gate.

Lyons launched a long ball out of defence, Fitchett failed to clear his lines some 40-yards from goal and this released Clover charging down the left, before he cut into the penalty area.

Fares got involved inside the box and laid the ball back to Clover, who looped a first-time shot into the top far corner of the goal from 16-yards on the angle.

“Yass laid it off to Charlie and he’s wrapped it in the far corner – I think it’s a really good finish and I felt like we were knocking on the door at that stage,” said Anderson.

“Strangely we found it hard to play on that slope today. They played a high line. I don’t know why, we just didn’t seem to play to our rhythm.  I felt like we played better with 10 men as mad as that seems in the second half.

“Maybe because of the shape change, maybe I should’ve changed it a bit quicker but I didn’t feel like we played as well as we could’ve today. That’s why all-in-all, it’s a great point to get away from home.

“I’m delighted, Charlie’s been phenomenal for us. He’s been great. I think that’s his best tally so far at this level, so long may it continue.”

Dillon added: “I thought it was against-the-run-of-play a little bit. We should’ve dealt with it better from the throw. We didn’t and ultimately we got punished for it.”

Glebe were to be denied an equaliser with 34:09 on the clock when Philpot stroked the ball forward, left-winger Harvey Mead laid the ball off for attacking midfielder Reggie Rye who drilled his right-footed 25-yard drive across the keeper and crashing against the base of the far post.

“He’s done that a few times this season. When he’s done it previous, it’s normally gone in, so he was unlucky. It’s hit the post. I thought on another day, it goes in but it was a good chance,” said Dillon.

“I was a bit frustrated but I also felt we did compete. We had a go first half. We got caught out, we got punished for the one chance that they sort of had and then I came in at half-time and I was just positive and I just felt we could go out and change the game in the second half.

“I just said like you’ve got to believe. We have to believe. If you give the chances we’ve created and didn’t score, if we keep doing that, something will drop and something will go in.”

Anderson added: “A good strike, whether it’s luck or whatever, it just happens.  Yes, it was a good strike and I felt like they didn’t follow in the rebound. It bounced and went across goal and nothing become of it.”

The Rusthall manager was asked what threats Glebe posed his side tonight.

“I felt their work-rate was really good, so they worked really hard off the ball.  They liked to turn you. They play the ball over the top or further up the pitch very quickly. They play a high line.  I felt like both of their wingers were a theat.

“We knew they were going to come at us. I actually said that I didn’t think it was going to be a 1-0 win. I felt like we needed another goal.

“Obviously the slope plays its part, so we had the slope in the first half, they had it in the second half. I didn’t feel like they had another gear to give but I felt they were just going to grind out a result. I felt like they could do that.

“I was just hoping that we’ll have a moment of magic or a moment where we’ll just see the game out.”

Rusthall went close to doubling their advantage after only 14 seconds into the second half.

Adeyemi’s long ball over the top released Clover in behind Glebe centre-half Daniel Vaughan but Clover’s left-footed half-volley flashed across the keeper and past the far post from 20-yards.

“I felt like that’s a great chance. If he scores maybe it’s us taking three points and continuing our run but it goes wide,” agonised Anderson.

Dillon added: “It’s just coming out of the break and ultimately you’ve got to be switched on at all times.”

Glebe then took the game by the scruff of the neck and deserved their leveller when it arrived seven minutes and 40 seconds on the clock.

Rye hit a long ball to release Bakare charging down the left and he cut the ball back from within the channel towards Philpot, who steered a left-footed volley with the outside of his boot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from 18-yards with a clinical strike.

Dillon said: “Philpot’s had a lot of chances lately. He finished that one very nicely, so I said to Kelvin get down the wing, get the ball in the box. He did that and Philpot got on the end of it, so it was a good finish.

“Kelvin’s slowly getting back to the Kelvin that we know. He’s direct and positive and then he can cause people all sorts of problems.”

Anderson added: “Philpot obviously scores goals every season and he’s a quality player, so you’ve got to be aware of him.

“He carries a threat. The goal, it’s a phenomenal strike by him. He’s hit it in the bottom corner and for god knows how long we’ve kept him quiet and after he scores, we’ve kept him quiet but if you give him one chance, he scores a goal like that!

“The finish is unbelievable because it’s half on the volley, outside of the boot, far corner, no chance for Serine - it’s a hell of a finish!

“He was lively, by the way, the winger (Bakare). He was lively. He was a theat. I felt like Jim Lyons dealt with him really well in the first half. They swapped sides in the second. He came out a bit lively the other winger (Mead).”

Justin Lee lined up a four-man wall for Fares’ free-kick, which he stroked right-footed and dipping over the crossbar from 25-yards (12:58).

Glebe’s Jackson was heard laughing into Fares’ face as the pair jogged back towards the half-way line and Fares responded by pushing over Jackson, which was spotted by assistant referee Martin Quinn, who called over referee Mitchell Bush, who pulled out a red-card (14:48) for violent conduct, and then booked Jackson for unsporting conduct.

Anderson said: “I spoke to the referee and the lino and obviously an incident has happened where their team have gone over trying to wind him up and he’s reacted.  He will learn from it. That’s fine. He’s won us so many points this season anyway and he will do for the rest of the season anyway.

“It happens. You can tell how much the boys respect him because they dug in and got the job done.”

Dillon added: “I didn’t quite see what had happened. I see someone fall over in the distance but other than that, I didn’t see a lot of it.”

Glebe sent the rest of the game knocking on the door but they failed to find the decisive moment to prevent Rusthall extending their unbeaten run to 12 games.

Glebe won the corner-count by 8-5 and went close following their fourth when Arif played the ball short to Philpot before Arif drilled his shot across a crowd of players from within the left-channel and flashing past the far post.

Glebe substitute Louis Duckering cut onto his right-foot and cracked a 25-yard drive, which bounced awkwardly for Sanneh, who got his body behind the drive to make a save inside the final 18 minutes.

Sanneh’s poor clearance was intercepted by Mead, who cut into the box and his left-footed shot was gathered by the Rusthall goalkeeper in between his legs at his near-post in the 28^th minute.

“I think we had enough chances to win the game,” said Dillon.

“Fair play to them (Rusthall).  They stepped up a gear. I think when they went to 10 and it felt like they still had their 11 on the pitch and fair play, they gave it everything and ultimately we didn’t take the chances that we possibly should’ve done, especially from some of the deliveries from Alex Arif.

“We’re creating chances, which is a real positive. I was pleased, the lads were frustrated at the end because they felt they had an opportunity to go on and win it and I said to them, listen Rusthall have been in good form. They’ve been beating a lot of sides and we’ve competed with them tonight.

“On another day maybe one of the late chances would’ve gone in but we’ll take that point and we’ll move forward.”

When asked about his side’s resilience, Anderson replied: “The boys have done that all season to be fair. We’ve gone and won games late on. I’ll be honest with you, I felt like the way the game was going, if we had eleven-v-eleven, the way we’ve been of late, we might’ve nicked that, we might’ve won that.

“I’m disappointed for Yass because he misses three games but we’re obviously going to miss him but other than that the boys should be very proud that we’ve got a point today away from home.

“Serine’s done really well today to deny their striker (Jackson). He done a late challenge and I thought he should’ve been booked and he clattered through. He didn’t need to do it and Serine’s basically played the second half with an injury and he’s been superb for us.  I don’t know (what the injury is), he’s just complaining that he’s in pain”.

Glebe’s big target-man, substitute Tod Bamber smashed a left-footed volley over the crossbar from 20-yards after latching onto Philpot’s flick on, as dominant Glebe went for the win.

Rusthall substitute striker Steadman Callender had a late chance to snatch the victory, with a right-footed shot on the turn from 22-yards, which bounced in front of Justin Lee, who made the save and Dillon said “I’ve been really pleased with him,” as his goalkeeper remains ‘focused all the time.”

Anderson said: “Steads has been unlucky this season due to the fact that Charlie’s done so well, so that’s the thing. Charlie has done so well and unfortunately it’s mean that Steads has had to bide his time for an opportunity.”

Another Glebe sub, Red Jenkins, cut onto his right-foot and stroked a 22-yard effort just over the crossbar as another chance went begging as both sides had to settle for a point.

VCD Athletic were 3-1 home winners over Snodland Town in the other league game and have returned to the summit, having picked up 63 points from 27 (of 38) league games.

Faversham Town (62 points from 28 games), Punjab United (51 points from 29 games), Fisher (50 points from 29 games) and Rusthall (44 points – 13 wins, five draws and eight defeats) from 26 games are in the play-off zone tonight.

Larkfield & New Hythe slipped down to sixth-place with 43 points from 29 games, Whitstable Town follow on 40 points from 25 games and Glebe are in eighth-place tonight with 38 points (10 wins, eight draws and 10 defeats).

“Like I said, it’s just another point. We might be in the play-offs but there’s a long way to go and we’ve still got 12 games to go,” said Anderson.

“So much can happen. Everyone talks about us going on a nine-game winning streak. We can now go the other way. There’s so much football to be played so yes, we’ll see, it’s just another point on the board.”

When asked whether Rusthall are serious play-off contenders, Anderson replied: “I don’t know. Ask me that when the season’s finished.”

Orpington resident Anderson takes his side to Bromley on Saturday to play Holmesdale.

Andy Constable’s men are in eleventh-place in the pecking order with 36 points on the board from their 28 league outings.

“Another tough game. Every game is tough. You can’t expect to go and get a win anywhere,” said Anderson.

“We went there recently in the Cup, drew 0-0, lost on penalties and they’ve probably got, I don’t know, four maybe five of my ex-players there, who have played for me before so it will be tough.  They’ll probably know how I want to play. They’ll have a game plan. I’m sure to try to nullify our chances but it will be up to me to pick a team that will hopefully win a game.

“The players are feeling tired. It’s a heavy pitch. They’ve just earned themselves a point but they’re alright. They’re young but they’re not getting carried away at the minute.  You’ve got to understand at the start of October we were bottom of the league on five points, so they’ve just grateful and they’re just enjoying every moment.

“I’m not playing it down, it’s a great point due to the fact that we were down to 10 men and stuff like that.

Anderson, who has a current 24-man squad, which includes players from the under 18s and under 23s, is looking to bring in one fresh face.

“I might get one more in. I don’t know, we’ll see. I don’t really like to add too much to the group. You’ve got to be the right person.  The group is very tight at the moment so to add to the group, it’s got to be the right person to bring. I’m not giving too much away, we’ll see.”

Glebe welcome bottom-four side Snodland Town (25 points from 28 games) to Foxbury Avenue on Saturday, a side that are only five points clear of the drop zone that contains Lordswood and Lydd Town.

When asked whether this was a point gained or two dropped tonight, Dillon replied: “Tough question. We wanted three but I will take the point. After the last couple of games, we won the other night against Holmesdale. We’ll take a point tonight. We go into Snodland and we want to get three.”

When asked about his side’s position in the top eight tonight, Dillon replied: “Listen, we had a really good spell. We got in and around it. We didn’t quite take the chances that we had to get into that bracket at that period and all off a sudden as the weeks go on, if you don’t claim the points then you can drift away from it quite easily.

“We had a little spell where we blipped away but hopefully we’ve turned a corner and we can just push and push right to the death.

“We’ve got 10 games left, we’ll give it everything to get three points week-in-week-out.”

When asked whether Glebe can make a late dart towards the play-offs, Dillon replied: “I think you’ve got to keep winning and we’ll try to do that and give ourselves every possible chance, who knows?”

“We’ll have to take that as another real tough game. We can’t take our foot of the gas in anyway whatsoever. They’ll come here and they’ll want to win and we’ll be looking to do exactly the same.

“I’ve learnt a fair bit to be fair. It is intense. There is a lot of players that can offer you a lot but also players’ that only want one thing.

“It is for me finding the right balance. Finding the ones, the characters, the people that want to play and want to run through brick walls and also have a bit of quality and if you can get a good balance, which I feel at the moment we’re in a good place, we’ve found a good balance of characters, individuals and I’m pleased to have found them and to get to where we are and we’ll look to strengthen more and more as the weeks goes on.

“We’re still looking at a couple, which we’ve been looking over recent weeks.  We’ve cut the numbers down. It’s probably the least we’ve ever had and we’ve brought a couple of young lads that have been playing in the reserves and under 23s that we feel deserve the opportunity. We are now 18-20 in our squad.”

Glebe: Justin Lee, Femi Ogunbiyi, Matthew Self, Alex Arif (Red Jenkins 85), James Fitchett (Marcus Travers 90), Daniel Vaughan, Harvey Mead (Jack Songhurst 84), Reggie Rye, Jamie Philpot, Joshua Jackson (Louis Duckering 62), Kelvin Bakare (Tod Bamber 70).

Goal: Jamie Philpot 53

Booked: Jamie Philpot 17, James Fitchett 20, Daniel Vaughan 45, Joshua Jackson 61

Rusthall: Serine Sanneh, Yassin Fares, Jack Lyons, Daniel Blunn, Louis Anderson, Abdallah Khalil (Mustafa Hashemi 69), Kalani Barton (Steadman Callender 69), Frank Griffin, Charlie Clover, Jack Kirby, Thompson Adeyemi (Jeffrey Njuguna 69).
Subs: Matthew Blendell, Theo Hayford

Goal: Charlie Clover 32

Sent Off: Yassin Fares 60

Attendance: 92
Referee: Mr Mitchell Bush
Assistants: Mr Christopher Clarke & Mr Martin Quinn