Lordswood 1-1 Whitstable Town - We fancy our chances in replay, says Metcalf

Saturday 29th August 2009

LORDSWOOD 1-1 WHITSTABLE TOWN
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Preliminary Round
Saturday 29th August 2009
Mike Green reports from Martyn Grove

A wonder goal from seventeen-year-old substitute Jamie Humphrey sealed Kent League Lordswood a FA Cup replay against Ryman One South Whitstable Town.

After an instantly forgettable first-half, the second half immediately sprung into life when Dan Wisker gave the Ryman Leaguers the lead and when Lorswood had defender Patric Behan sent-off for a head but on Wisker, the Kent League hosts looked doomed.

But an inspirational double substitution by manager Kevin Metcalf turned the game on its head and the ten-men not only equalised to seal their replay, but also came within fingertips of causing a preliminary round upset.

Lordswood boss Metcalf, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards agreed that his double substitution changed the game.

“We had our backs to the wall,” he said. “I’ve no qualms about the sending off and have to be honest that we were thinking about the change for a while before we made it.”

He added: “And wasn’t it a great finish from Jamie! Not bad for a seventeen-year-old whose shorts over hanged the top of his socks!

“We believed since the start of the season that we can play football against anyone, but we have the annoying habit of not switching on from set-plays.”

Whitstable Town boss Mark Munday, on the other hand, was disappointed, yet relieved, as he spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I’ve got to be disappointed after leading against ten-men, as I thought for the opening 10-15 minutes of the second half we were terrific,” said Munday.

“I knew that it wouldn’t be easy today as it was their cup-final, but we’re still in the competition.

“Of course I’m happy to get them back to the Belmont on Tuesday, but given the position that we had, I’m disappointed that we didn’t create enough.

“There were times today when I thought we were very naïve.”

For long periods of the first half, to say that this game, considering the watching crowd was supposedly witnessing a cup tie, it was more like a damp squib as neither side could cope with an extremely uneven playing surface and a strong swirling wind.

Indeed, it took until first half stoppage time for there to be a real shot of any note - it came from a smart turn by Stuart Vahid from a Alex Hossick cross that the former Ramsgate striker did extremely well to shoot on the turn, only to see his drive smack against the face of the Lordswood crossbar and rebound to safety.

If the first half was dull and dreary, the second half exploded into life as on 48 minutes Whitstable took the lead.

A corner down the right wasn’t properly cleared, and as the ball dropped to Wisker, the Whitstable striker made no mistake from eight-yards to put his side ahead.

Lordswood seemed stuck in the dressing room as Vahid and Ian Batten exchanged passes on the edge of the box only for Vahid’s outrageous back-heeled flick flew wide of Lordswood keeper Grigola Zulmatashrili’s left-post, leaving the Georgian keeper rooted to the spot.

On the hour, the game took a sinister turn when Wisker and Lords defender Behan clashed and the home player appeared to give Wisker a head but.

Referee Matt Eva (who was excellent throughout the contest) was in no doubt and showed Behan a red-card.

Shortly after this, Metcalf made the double change that kick-started his side into life.

On 74 minutes, Jeremiah Fagan outpaced the Whitstable defence down the right and was unlucky to see his cross bobble straight at keeper Fewell, who did well to gather at the base of his left post.

The equaliser and proof that dreams and the FA Cup do live hand-in-hand arrived two minutes later.

A huge clearance by Zulmatashrili wasn’t dealt with in the heart of the Oystermen’s defence and substitute Humphrey took full advantage as he picked up the ball and gloriously beat Fewell from 25-yards, with a shot that left Fewell groping at thin air.

It was soon evident that Lordswood had the momentum, although the Whitstable backline superbly marshalled yet again by Gary Sayer and Dan Tanner were stretched to almost breaking point, as Lords realised that the upset was most definitely on.

As time expired, Lloyd Gofton (who had a great game in midfield), drove a free-kick straight at Fewell, but the Whitstable keeper was to be his side’s hero as he was called upon to keep his side in the competition.

A mazy run by Humphrey saw the ball rebound to midfield general Nathan Nelson, whose first time shot brought a wonderful save out of Fewell as the keeper produced a magnificent full-length save low to his left.

A buoyant Metcalf admitted that a cup run would do wonders for the Medway club.

“Everybody knows about the competition and how much it is worth to a club like ours, but I look at it because it’s tradition - tradition that we can still play a part of,” said the former Tunbridge Wells boss.

“I’ve got some players to come back still and they’ve really given me some questions for Tuesday night.

“We’ll go there with confidence that we can get something.”

For Whitstable and boss Munday, who from his playing days is used to being the underdog, agreed with his opposite number that he too was happy to be heading back to the Belmont on Tuesday.

Munday concluded, “There will be sides today from our level who will go to lower opposition and crash out of the competition.

“I’m just relieved that today at least that won’t happen to us!”

Lordswood: Grigola Zulmatashrili, Patric Behan, Ben Hilden, Wes Hammond, Aaron Nelson, Elliott Payne, Jeremiah Fagan, Lloyd Gofton, Scott Penfold (Jamie Humphrey 66), Nathan Nelson, Darren Bridges (Charlie Helps 66),

Subs: Alec Osborne, Chris Lemar, Michael Holliday, Abiola Adeagbo, Ronan Arnott.

Goal: Jamie Humphrey 76

Sent off: Patric Behan 60

Whitstable Town: Kevin Fewell, Gareth Cornhill, Tom Parker, Dan Tanner, Alex Hossick (Clint Gooding 54), Gary Sayer, Ian Batten, Jake Gess, Stuart Vahid, Dan Wisker, Dan Dolton.

Subs: Dominic Elmes, Steven Lloyd, Greg Smith.

Goal: Dan Wisker 48

Attendance: 83

Referee: Mr Matt Eva (Tongham, Surrey)

Assistants: Mr Ernesto Santos (Camberley, Surrey) & Mr Mark Sharpe (Camberley, Surrey)