Hollands & Blair 2-0 Hythe Town - We've got to stay positive, says Hythe Town assistant Darren Beale

HOLLANDS & BLAIR  2-0  HYTHE TOWN
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 26^th July 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Star Meadow

HOLLANDS & BLAIR manager Paul Piggott says he was really pleased with his players for matching and beating a side that play two leagues higher despite having five regular players unavailable.

The Gillingham-based side pulled off a shock 2-0 win over Ryman League Division One South side Hythe Town on a scorching day to make it a 100% record from their opening four pre-season games.

Blair have defeated Greenwich Borough (4-0), Faversham Town (5-2) and Fisher (5-1) and stunned Hythe Town thanks to two second half goals from two strikers, Rob Denness and substitute Anthony Carlton.

Hythe Town have now suffered back-to-back defeats to lower league opposition having lost 2-0 at Southern Counties East Football League side Lordswood in their last game, after beginning with a 1-1 draw against Ashford United and a 4-1 home win over Canterbury City.

A crowd of 88 watched the game at Darland Avenue, but half chose to watch the game without paying the £3 admission charge with a drink in hand peering in from behind the fencing in front of the bar to watch a deserved Hollands & Blair win.

Piggott said: “I’m pleased, not just with the result, but I spoke to them (my players) before the game (and said) whether they can match a team that plays two leagues higher than us.  In as far as the physical strength and the fitness side of it and I felt we matched them with that and that’s pleasing more than anything.

“We had one or two other chances but the result doesn’t really matter too much. I know it’s a bit of a cliché but it doesn’t.”

With Hythe Town manager Tim Dixon away on holiday, assistant manager Darren Beale took the game and admitted he was disappointed.

“Disappointed at times,” said the former Ramsgate man.  “I thought we had a good account of ourselves first half.  It’s a new side, half the side are new players and faces. It’s going to take a while to settle in but we didn’t do too bad second half.

“We came out and I think we was a little bit flat and it got a bit disjointed from there really, so overall I think I was disappointed but first half much better than the second half.”

Hollands & Blair were to be denied an early breakthrough inside the opening two minutes by a fine double save from visiting goalkeeper Roddy Hayward.

Scottish left-back Bryan Greenfield dinked a free-kick into Denness, who brought the ball down under his spell before his poked shot was blocked by Hayward low to his right, who got up to block James McDonald’s follow-up shot from closer in.

“He’s (Hayward) done well there,” said Piggott, who praised his two strikers, who banged in 60 goals between them last season.

“Those two are playing together now and they’re linking up really well so again that’s pleasing for us.  They like each other, they get on together and that’s important and now it’s rubbing off on the pitch.”

Beale admitted Hayward did himself no harm with his performance whilst on trial at Reachfields Stadium.

He said: “Roddy is on trial with us at the moment.  He’s doing us a favour.

“Not making excuses, we’ve got six players out today so Roddy came in for Dan Eason, who’s got a wedding and he’s had another event last week so Roddy’s helping us out at the moment.

“He’s done well to be fair to him. At times he showed some good signs so he’s definitely someone we’ll be looking at between now and the limited amount of time we’ve got and he might be someone that can come and push Dan Eason and give him a bit more competition.”

Hythe Town squandered an excellent chance to score on the break just 58 seconds later.

Craig Thompson released his strike partner Jordan Wells down the left but the former Whitstable Town striker dragged his left-footed shot across James Smith and past the far post.

Denness played the ball inside to Jordan Gallacher, who was played on the left wing, and the former Phoenix Sports striker raced down the line to whip in a cross which was headed away and midfielder Stuart West hit a first time right-footed drive straight at Hayward from 25-yards.

Hythe Town were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area in the 19^th minute, but Dave Pilcher caressed his right-footed free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.

Beale said: “The gaffer’s gone on record to say that one of his assets is his set-pieces. That’s what we liked about him when he played at Ramsgate for us. His dead-ball situations are second to none. We just have to get a few more on target as supposed to just going over!”

Hollands & Blair certainly didn’t look like they were two league’s below Hythe Town on this showing and they were to be denied a deserved goal halfway through the half.

Denness started the move down the right, which also included Joe Hopkin, Tom Michelson and McDonald and finished with Denness clipping the top of the crossbar with a right-footed drive from 20-yards.

“Yes, it was a great shot, a great shot,” said Piggott.  “He’s got that in his locker.  We’ve found a role for him this year, that we think will get the best out of him and we’re hoping we will.”

But Hythe Town squandered an excellent chance to grab the lead in the 33^rd minute.

Pilcher floated a free-kick towards the edge of the penalty area but Thompson’s glancing header forced Smith to dive to his right to tip the ball away towards safety.

Beale said: “We know what we get from Thommo. He gets in some good areas but apart from the Canterbury result we just seem to be lacking in front of goal at the moment. A little bit of composure, being a bit more clinical, I think in all areas.

“Jordan Wells works his socks off up there but when you look at the amount of chances we had in total throughout the game, it weren’t that many.”

Piggott said of his goalkeeper: “He done well. He got across his goal.  He used his feet quite well, which is good this time of the year because as an ex-goalkeeper I know it’s hard to move your feet across the ground at this time of the year.  It’s hard and he moved his feet to make a comfortable save, which is good.”

Hollands & Blair created the last chance of the half following their first corner.

Hopkin swung in the ball towards the near post where West (who was brilliant in the air throughout) beat his man to power his header across goal and past the far post.

Neither side brought on any of their four substitutes at the break with Hythe Town bringing on former Ashford United striker Sam Conlon six minutes into the second half.

But the Cannons lacked any firepower up front – with Ben Brown and Tom Staff solid at the heart of Hollands & Blair’s back four – and it was Denness that impressed up front for Hollands & Blair.

The striker’s shot on the turn deflected narrowly over the crossbar from 20-yards after 64 seconds, before he hooked his shot just over the bar from a tight angle after shrugging off his marker.

Therefore it was no surprise when Hollands & Blair opened the scoring after 52 minutes, courtesy of Denness’ third goal in pre-season.

Goalkeeper Smith launched a big kick straight down the heart of the pitch, which was headed on by West and McDonald teed up Denness, who dinked his right-footed shot over the advancing Hayward from 12-yards, the ball sailing into the empty net.

Piggott said: “There’s more ways to skim a cat! We all want to score a perfect goal but you can’t always do that!

“Sometimes you have to play a little bit ugly and that was a little bit of a clearance from James and Westy’s always quite strong in the air and you have to capitalise on that and we did.”

Beale added: “Rob’s a handful whatever level he’s playing at. He’s certainly a handful for us all day.

“It’s one of those where I think we’ve switched off. We’ve looked flat and a little bit complacent and that’s where he’s found himself free to get the goal.”

Six minutes later, Hythe Town’s left-back Lewis Mingle stopped a Blair attack and poked his pass to Wells, who went on a 40-yard run before drilling a shot with his right-foot which was well taken by Smith to his right.

Denness – who should be playing Ryman League Division One South football – brought the ball down under his spell again before turning and cracking a right-footed shot from 25-yards, which took a deflection and Hayward dived to his left to push the ball around the post.

Denness then drilled a low shot straight at Hayward, who made a comfortable save at his near post, after West threaded the ball in behind Mingle and Craig Cloke.

But Hythe Town skipper Cloke was at fault for Hollands & Blair’s second goal with sixteen minutes left.

Cloke, who was in the right-back position at the time, attempted to head the ball back to Hayward but Carlton pounced on the ball and slotted his shot into the bottom far corner to score his third goal in pre-season.

Piggott was pleased that Carlton got on the scoresheet, admitting he will not nudge McDonald and Denness out of the starting line-up.

“Especially as a young lad as well,” he said.  “He’s got a tough task in front of him. He’s got to try and get himself some minutes in front of James McDonald and Rob Denness so he’s going to have a tough old season getting minutes this year.

“But every time he comes on he never lets us down.  There’s parts of his game that we have to work on but he’s a decent talent and we’re glad we’ve got him and we’re going to work on him.

“I think it was another long ball and he put the centre half under pressure.  The centre half went to head it back to his goalkeeper, cut it short and he gambled on it and slotted it past the goalkeeper.”

Beale added: “Craig’s back header was one of those where he thinks he’s got a little bit more on it and it hasn’t quite carried.  It’s one of those, they’ve accepted it and finished it well.”

Blair substitute Mark Swift played a pass to Gallacher who flashed his right-fotoed drive wide of the left-hand post.

Carlton eased past Lee Pleau to play in Michelson, who scuffed a rolling shot into the gloves of substitute goalkeeper Jed Amor.
 
Humbled Hythe, however, went close to scoring a consolation goal at the death when summer signing Pilcher unleashed a right-footed drive from 35-yards, which sailed just over Smith’s crossbar.

Beale said: “I’m not going to take anything away from them. They’re a good, organised side. They should be playing at a higher level. Obviously they would be if it wasn’t for the infrastructure so it served a purpose for us today.

“It’s been a good work-out. We’ve learnt a few things.  We still have a couple of trialists to look at so we gave them a few minutes at the end so it served its purpose really.”

Hythe Town, who are targeting the play-off despite a reduced playing budget, must improve on this performance when they host Maidstone United on Tuesday night, before travelling to Ryman League Division One North side Chatham Town next Saturday.

The Cannons open their Ryman League campaign at home to Burgess Hill Town on 9 August.

Beale is refusing to panic after this shock defeat.

He said: “We’ve got to stay positive. We’ve got to keep working on the training ground and it’s the ninth of August that counts and providing we’re all on it then and working hard and that’s the main thing.”

Piggott, meanwhile, said winning all four pre-season games has given his side extra confidence going into their Pain & Glory Sports Kent Invicta League opener at home to Kent Football United in two weeks’ time.

He said: “I thought when you’re playing one of these (Ryman League) sides I thought they would be stronger than us, but I thought we matched them and that’s the most pleasing thing for me.

“It’s not the be-all-and-end-all of the pre-season but it obviously helps. It helps with your confidence and it helps with the players. Everyone wants to win a game of football. I’d be lying if I said that we didn’t, but we’ve managed to tie in results and performances, which have been good so far.”
 
Hollands & Blair: James Smith, Steve Dampier, Bryan Greenfield, Ben Brown (Rob Alderman 56), Tom Staff, Tom Michelson, Joe Hopkin (Luke Fewsdale 56), Stuart West, James McDonald (Anthony Carlton 70), Jordan Gallacher, Rob Denness (Mark Swift 68)

Goals: Rob Denness 52, Anthony Carlton 74

Hythe Town: Roddy Hayward (Jed Amor 83), John Walker (Liam Clark 75), Lewis Mingle, Jamie Collado (Sam Conlon 51), Craig Cloke, Lea Pleau, Dave Pilcher, Harry Carr (Rhys Mortimer 70), Craig Thompson, Jordan Wells, Josh Burchall.

Attendance: 88
Referee: Mr Ollie Butcher (Canterbury)
Assistants: Mr Adam Crane (Tunbridge Wells) & Mr Paul Cruttenden (Maidstone)