Greenwich Borough 0-1 Erith Town - Borough's football was lovley to watch - O'Boyle

Monday 12th April 2010

GREENWICH BOROUGH 0-1 ERITH TOWN
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Monday 12th April 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakley Road

ERITH TOWN boss Steve O’Boyle praised match-winning striker Lee Morgan as his first half strike ended nine-man Greenwich Borough’s five-match unbeaten run.

The Dockers leapfrogged over Deal Town into seventh place in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table in a game that was marred by Micah Banton and Frankie Warren both picking up their second yellow cards all within the space of a minute just past the hour-mark.

Banton was the first to go, for two fouls on Erith midfielder Kevin George; but Greenwich Borough boss Steve Firkins wasn’t best pleased with Warren, who had earlier gifted Morgan the decisive goal, before being booked for a foul on Morgan early in the second half, before going on the walk of shame for showing dissent towards Sittingbourne based referee Mr Kevin Welsh.

Morgan capitalised on a mistake from central defender Warren, who tried to play the ball across his penalty area in the 37th minute, but Morgan stole the ball off him and fired a left-footed shot past Danny Firkins into the bottom left-hand corner to win the game.

“We do encourage the boys to try and play from the back,” Firkins told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I can’t have a go at him for that because we ask the players to play out from the back but these things happen. It’s all part of the game and the boys have got to learn.

“But I will have a go at him for being stupid and keep talking to the referee to get his second yellow card and get sent-off for dissent.”

Greenwich Borough’s passing football throughout - even with nine players on the pitch - was a joy to watch, but the most disappointing thing was there was no end product and visiting keeper Tim Roberts was hardly tested.

O’Boyle, meanwhile, criticised the bobbly playing surface at Holmesdale’s Oakley Road ground, Bromley, saying that it’s not suited to Greenwich Borough’s passing game.

“The pitch kills them down here to be fair,” O’Boyle told www.kentishfootball.co.uk, following his side’s eleventh league win of the season over fourth-placed Borough.

“I’ve got to say the pitch wasn’t very good tonight. I was expecting to come down here with a lot better (playing surface).

“If they had a decent pitch here, they can pass, so yes, maybe killed them a little bit tonight.”

Lewis Wood, 28, who has joined Erith Town on a dual-registration with Ryman Premier League side Cray Wanderers, in a bid to spend more time on the pitch, swept an early shot past the foot of the far post early on - before having a close-range shot ruled out for offside during the second half.

Greenwich Borough’s first chance on goal also came early when a slick three-man move down the left resulted in striker Richard Monan striking a snap-shot just past the foot of the near post.

Erith Town, who were fresh from their 2-0 home derby day win over Erith & Belvedere at the weekend, called Danny Firkins into action following two Darren Nash corners, but skipper Dean Kearley and Morgan both headed into the keeper’s grateful arms.

Greenwich Borough finally called Roberts into action just before the hour when Danny Hunt was released down the right and his cut back was slammed low towards goal by Adam Wadmore, but the keeper saved low down at the foot of his near post.

Erith Town took the points when Morgan punished a mistake from Warren, much to O’Boyle’s pleasure.

“Morgs has done me a favour tonight,” he said. “Obviously James Taylor breaking his leg on Saturday we’re a little bit up against it forward wise, so I’ve asked him to do a job and go up front tonight and he’s gone up there and been a handful.

“He’s held it up well, he’s good in the air and I knew if he had a chance, he’ll put it away so he’s done well for us tonight, he’s done very well.”

Taylor, who had given the Dockers an early lead from the penalty spot after George fell over Ryan Royston’s outstretched leg in the Erith derby, suffered a horrific injury after he challenged for the ball with Sam Noller after fifteen minutes of play on Saturday.

Although the initial challenge looked innocuous, Taylor remained on the floor and in some considerable pain as his foot became struck in the pitch.

Following initial treatment from Erith & Belvedere’s physio Dan Smith, an ambulance was called and Taylor was eventually taken to hospital following a stoppage in play of just over an hour.

“I feel sorry for the lad,” added O’Boyle. “It wasn’t a bad tackle, no blame to the boy at Erith & Belvedere at all.

“I’ve got to say James Taylor is probably the nicest bloke I’ve ever come across in football, a very nice lad, very sensible. He’s always first at training, always first to games, you never get a problem with the lad.

“I’m obviously gutted for him. He’s broken his fib and tib and one of the breaks is quite bad. His due to have an operation but they can’t operate at this moment in time because of the swelling around his leg.

“A few of the boys have been in contact with him. I will be going to visit him tomorrow and we just wish him the best and try and help him out the best we can.

“The club’s insured so he’ll get a bit of money that way. We’ll just help him out the best we can. We feel sorry for him.”

Greenwich Borough’s best chance to snatch something out of the game came in the 53rd minute - before they lost their discipline - as Monan’s effort from the edge of the penalty box bounced down off the crossbar to safety.

But things got silly when Banton and Warren both went for early showers - but to their credit Greenwich Borough still kept the ball down and played their passing game, without troubling Roberts in the Dockers goal.

Erith Town struggled to find a way past the nine men, until the final five minutes, when they finally called Borough keeper Firkins into action.

Morgan laid the ball off to Darren Nash, whose drilled shot was saved by Firkins low down beside his near post and then the keeper dived to his right to prevent youngster Vincenzo Wade drilling a right-footed drive into the net from thirty-yards.

Steve Firkins, meanwhile, was just proud of the way his side played.

“I was just happy with our boys performance,” he said. “As you know we went down to nine-men, stupidly again! I can’t really say much about the referee because the boy’s have given him no options so that’s something that they’ve got to learn.

“What I wanted tonight was a good start at a pace. The last couple of weeks we’ve looked a little bit lethargic. I said to you before, we’ve had the Cup Final in our minds and it wasn’t helping our games.

“We asked the boys tonight to knock the ball about, play at pace, keep the tempo going and I think they done that tonight.

“We kept the ball well. We had some good combinations, passes, but never really made the keeper make a save, but we had attempts on goal but that was good enough for me!”

O’Boyle admitted his side struggled against the nine-men in red and black striped shirts.

“I think it maybe disrupted us a little bit,” he said. “They went down to nine men and I thought defensively they passed it well, Greenwich Borough, they passed it well but I thought they didn’t hurt us.

“It was lovely to watch but chances wise I think we had more chances than them second half, but obviously it was always going to be an uphill task for them to come and beat us, 1-0 down.”

O’Boyle added: “On paper, people probably thought Greenwich Borough would win at home here tonight, but it’s not to be. They played some good stuff but we’ve won the game and that’s what matters!"

Greenwich Borough: Danny Firkins, Micah Banton, Kyle Demetrius (Joe Jackson 73), Jason Mabbs, Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott, Frankie Warren, Adam Wadmore, Kevin Sefaah (Akeem Hanson 57), Richard Monan, Danny Hunt (Mark Sisson 87), Sam Friskey.
Sub: Billy Watson.

Booked: Micah Banton 19, Richard Monan 45, Frankie Warren 48, Akeem Hanson 71

Sent Off: Micah Banton 61, Frankie Warren 62

Erith Town: Tim Roberts, Aran Heyrettin, Vincenzo Wade, Alan Hanlon, Dean Kearley, Lee Craig, Darren Nash, Ted Hart, Lee Morgan, Lewis Wood, Kevin George (Joe Plant 69).
Subs: Steve Diamond, Salih Hafiz, Craig Clark.

Goal: Lee Morgan 37

Booked: Kevin George 34, Lee Morgan 65

Attendance: 33
Referee: Mr Kevin Welsh (Sittingbourne)
Assistants: Mr Ged Keegan (Plumstead) & Mr Dave Hooker (Bromley)