Lordswood 2-2 Greenwich Borough - Lordswood is a great place to be around at the moment, says Lillis

Lee Maskell received the ball on the edge of the box, and with great aplomb hammered in a volley that beat Firkins all ends up. 

It was a goal that his manager would have been pleased to score during his distinguished career, and it was a strike that pleased the Lords boss no end.  “With Lee he’s had a really tough time,” Lillis said, “and so just to get him to come back and play and put a Man of the Match performance in like he did today was terrific and I’m really pleased for him.”
 
Greenwich then came back hard at Lordswood and created chances to go back in front.  On 26 minutes a Jason Mabbs free kick from around 25 yards could have ended up anywhere as a deflection took it narrowly wide, before a minute later Peter Afolayan’s corner saw Billy Walton head wise from inside the six yard box, only for in the very next minute the same player to somehow clear the bar from two yards out!
 
On 37 minutes Matt Byott in the home goal had to be at his brilliant best to deal with Charlie Swann’s deflected shot, whilst at the other end Matt McHugh saw a shot deflected wide and Scott go close with from a corner following Maskell’s knock down – the midfielders shot ricocheted behind fro a corner with Firkins motionless and the ball fizzed past the post. 

In stoppage time, the home side were again indebted to Byott as Swann cottoned onto a poor back pass.  The keeper forced the Greenwich man wide brilliantly and in the end Swann just ran out of pitch!
 
The second half was only two minutes old when Greenwich did regain the lead – a long ball was flicked on into the box, only for Michael Jones to be felled by the onrushing Byott. 

Referee Joss had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Jones coolly slid the ball into the left hand corner as Byott dived the other way. 

It was a decision that Lillis felt was harsh but fair.  He said,” I spoke to Matt afterwards and he didn’t think he touched the guy, but every time you commit yourself as a keeper and someone goes over you, chances are that the refs going to give a penalty and that’s what’s happened today.  I can’t complain really!”

It was almost a case of de ja vu for the home defence as on 51 minutes another loose pass at the back saw Afolayan latch onto a bouncing ball and as he knocked it goalwards Byott was on hand to punch clear. 
 
Lordswood had their first chance of the half on 57 minutes when a corner to the edge of the area saw Scott knock on for Wes Hammond whose first time shot went inches past the post. Two minutes later, McHugh set Elmes up in the box, but he just couldn’t keep his snap shot down and it whistled over the bar.  The home side kept searching for an equaliser and on 62 minutes Stephen Elliott couldn’t have gone much closer as his 20-yard pile driver whistled literally inches past the post.
 
Finally the home side did get on level terms – but in such bizarre circumstances that it was almost difficult to take. 

Hammond’s long ball out of defence was allowed by the Greenwich defence to run through to keeper Firkins.  But under immediate pressure from Elmes the keeper completely missed his kick and Elmes showed great composure from an acute angle to knock the fourth goal of the season into the empty net. 

Just as with Maskell’s strike in the first half, boss Lillis was delighted for his goal scorer.  “Dom’s worked his socks off today,” he said.  “He’s worked really hard and chased everything that I’ve asked him to chase, and to be fair he deserved the break for his goal as he closed the keeper down very well, but he showed some composure still to roll the ball into the net – I’m really pleased for him. 

"Thing is that three minutes before he scored we were going to bring him off.  We were just waiting for the ball to go out of play to make the change but I’m so pleased now obviously that the ball stayed in play!”
 
Greenwich roared back up the other end only for Afolayan to beat Craig Millgate and his vicious shot from 18 yards moving in the air forced Byott to push it around the post for a corner.

It really was a remarkable save from Byott as he was clearly going the other way before having to change position almost in mid step to beat the ball out.
 
Both sides then went in search of the winner but none was forthcoming and so the points were shared – incredibly Greenwich’s first League draw of the season!
 
For Lillis and his side though, this battling point showed just how far the Lords have come since early season. 

The manager said, “With a club like us and you don’t get your quota of players, and when players aren’t quite right – Wes (Hammond) came out of hospital on Tuesday, had Alan Scott coming back not fully fit; we had Lee Maskell which was in truth a gamble – I mean you just throw them in and for a club like ours you have to sometimes take a gamble like that, but we’ve just got to get on with it.  And I tell you this club is a great place to be around at the moment!”

Lordswood:  Matt Byott, Andy Forster, Adam Hooper (Craig Millgate 60), Alan Scott, Wes Hammond, Richard Styles, Matt McHugh (Alex McKay 75), Peter Huggens, Dominic Elmes (Rob Norman 70), Lee Maskell, Steve Elliott.
Subs: Marc Morrison, Ben Hilden.

Booked:  Wes Hammond 28, Andy Forster 42, Matt Byott 48

Goals: Lee Maskell 20, Dominic Elmes 70

Greenwich Borough:  Danny Firkins, Micah Banton, Nathaniel Bell, Jason Mabbs, Billy Walton, Bobby Hanley, Charlie Swann, Michael Jones, Peter Afolayan, Danny Hunt (Duke Binitie 14) (Tyler Norbert 84), Jamie Turner.
 
Booked: Duke Binitie 22
 
Goals: Bobby Hanley 9, Michael Jones (penalty) 48
 
Attendance:  58  
Referee:  Mr Richard Joss (Margate)
Assistants:  Mr Christopher Mearns (Canterbury) & Mr William Mearns (Canterbury)