Holmesdale 2-2 Rusthall

HOLMESDALE 2-2 RUSTHALL
British Energy Kent County League Premier Division
Saturday 12^th May 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakley Road

Holmesdale chairman Mr Ray Tolfrey has asked the Kent League - and the Football Association - to “stretch” the rules to enable the ambitious Bromley based club win promotion.

The Oakley Road outfit have emulated Ramsgate and Maidstone United’s achievements of the past two years, by winning back-to-back championships.

But their biggest stumbling block is that their smart, little ground doesn’t have floodlights, which is preventing their progress.

Celebrating their 50^th anniversary, the club was originally formed in the 1920’s and can be traced back to the Baptist Church in Holmesdale Road, South Norwood - long before Crystal Palace took residence.

The club are waiting for Bromley Council’s decision later in the month to determine if they can persuade Kent League top brass to allow them in for the new season, which kick’s off on 11^th August.

But with Whitstable Town clinching promotion into the Ryman League, the Kent League will be operating with only sixteen sides next season, including east Londoners Sporting Bengal United - a side not good enough to compete at that level.

Holmesdale secured the British Energy Kent County League premier division title last Monday, when second placed side Bromley Green crashed to a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club.

But expecting a stroll in the park today, they came across a Rusthall side that were in the bottom six determined to give departing manager Robbie Forbes a good send off.

Forbes has decided to step down from managing the Jockey Farm outfit and will hand the reigns over to Hugo Langton next season.

And it was the side based near Tunbridge Wells that took the game to the champions.

A free-kick from full-back Phil Hassell from a yard just outside the penalty box flew over John-Paul Green’s crossbar within the opening ten minutes.

Another chance came Rusthall’s way nine minutes later when Alan Chapman’s cross was knocked down by Rob Perkins and Andy Myles’ right-footed shot from ten-yards deflected into Green’s grateful arms.

Holmesdale took 25 minutes to create their first chance of the game, from a well-worked set-piece.

Ricky Spain rolled a free-kick behind Rusthall’s wall for Joel Hughes to latch onto but his low shot was blocked by the legs of advancing goalkeeper Phil Hawkins.

From the resulting corner, taken by Chris Hatts, central defender Terry Bushell nodded wide.

And Hatt was provider again but Spain squandered the chance when his looping header ended up in Hawkins’ grateful arms.

But Rusthall took a deserved lead after 32 minutes when a low centre from skipper Perkins found John Penny, and after bringing the ball under control, stroked a right-footed drive into the bottom left-hand corner from sixteen-yards.

Rusthall created a couple of more chances when midfield playmaker Chapman unleashed a long-range left-footed drive past the post and Nick Coxon headed Myles’ far-post corner wide.

Hatt was desperately unlucky not to equalise with the last kick of the half when his right-footed angled drive from 25-yards bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Holmesdale made a brave treble substitution at the break, and this move paid dividends when former Welling United, Tonbridge Angels and Dartford striker Tom Creasey came off the bench to score two goals in the last twenty minutes to salvage a point from two goals down.

BRACE:  Holmesdale striker Tom Creasey scored twice in the last twenty minutes to secure a point for the British Energy Kent County League champions against Rusthall today.

Photographs courtesy of www.holmesdalefc.co.uk

But the 22-year-old striker also suffered a frustrating time in the half when his right-footed drive from twenty-yards rolled harmlessly past the post.

Hatt presented Creasey with another chance soon after but the striker’s towering header from eight-yards was saved low by Hawkins.

And Creasey’s third chance came after 50 minutes when he headed straight at the goalkeeper following a cross from fellow substitute James Dadson.

But Rusthall were thwarted by the crossbar just six minutes later.

Hassell’s corner was met by a header from Chapman, which floated across the goal-mouth back to the set-piece taker.

Hassell had time to whip in a far post cross for striker Nick Coxon, whose header struck the bar from six-yards out.

At the other end, Creasey squandered another chance when his first time shot found Hawkins’ arms again after Dadson crossed from the right.

Another Hassell corner presented the visitors with another chance and Coxon headed wide after Chapman initially missed a header.

Dadson whipped in another cross from the flank but Spain put the ball into the corner of the net - by using his hands - from just two-yards, which earned the midfielder a deserved booking.

Rusthall, however, found themselves two goals up, albeit for just under a minute.

Hassell’s far-post cross from the right was met by Perkins’ header, which crept into the bottom near corner, thanks to a mistake at his near post by Green.

But Creasey finally found the target when he cracked a right-footed volley which flew into the left-corner from sixteen-yards following another cross from Dadson with twenty minutes left.

Dadson ran forty-yards down the right to deliver another cross for Creasey, but once again he wasn’t going to trouble the pink-shirted Hawkins.

Rusthall striker Nick Coxon, wearing the number five shirt, squandered an excellent chance to wrap up the points with ten minutes remaining, blazing over from six-yards out following an attacking raid down the left by Chapman and Perkins.

But their defence went missing with six minutes remaining when they left Creasey unmarked inside the penalty area.

Hughes’ low-centre found the striker unmarked and with his right-foot, rifled his shot high into the roof of the net to break Rusthall’s hearts.

Green made a fine double save, from a free-kick from substitute Ian Balmer, and the follow up shot from Perkins.

Creasey should have netted a hat-trick late on but he drove agonisingly past the post from a fifteen-yard shot.

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