Match Reports: Halting our Trophy tie was ridiculous, fumes Dover chairman

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DOVER ATHLETIC 2-0 CAMBRIDGE CITY
(Match abandoned after 53 minutes)
FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 1^st November 2008
Paul Parkinson reports from Perrys Crabble

ON A pitch that would have been more at home on the silverscreen, supporting Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, or possibly Ernie Wise‘s rendition, both teams tried their best to play a fast-paced passing game.

Ultimately though, the game ended in a farcical manner as referee Nigel Lugg, having told both teams he would judge the conditions after 10 minutes of the half, called off this FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round tie 7:37 into the 2nd half with heavy rain still falling.

Throughout the play that was possible, the attacking intentions of Dover‘s Jerahl Hughes (widely accepted as the Man of this halted Match) and the visitor‘s Ashley Fuller were tempered by the ball stopping in puddles.

This led to both teams looking to play the ball in behind the opposition defence and Dover‘s John Whitehouse spent more time as a floating sweeper than saving shots on his goal.

Indeed it was Whitehouse who was called into action within the first 10 minutes saving well when Neil Midgley broke through one-on-one. The keeper‘s smothering save denied the Cambridge forward and Lawrence Ball completed the clearance, setting Hughes away down the left. A quick ball across the face of the goal found Frannie Collin breaking into the box, but he shot tamely at Zac Barrett.

In near monsoon conditions, the Whites took a deserved lead on 14 minutes. After good build-up play by John Keister, Hughes unleashed a rasping shot that gathered pace off the surface and Barrett did well to turn the ball to the side of his goal.

Collin was quickest to react to the save and dinked a ball to the back post where Keister, in what Dover manger, Andy Hessenthaler described as nosebleed territory for the veteran midfielder, slid in to turn the cross home for his first of the season.

Keister‘s celebrations were shortlived as he became the first player into Mr Lugg‘s notebook for a crude challenge on Adrian Cambridge, although the midfielder did get the ball first, his momentum in the slippery conditions took him into the City man.

With Alan Pouton pulling the strings in midfield and Shaun Welford‘s presence on the frontline especially telling, Collin and Hughes started to have an increasing influence on the game. Hughes was unlucky that a puddle denied a shot on goal following good work by Welford on 24 minutes.

Hughes nearly returned the compliment three minutes later as his cross was steered wide by the sliding Welford at the back post.

Deservedly, Dover doubled their lead on 39 minutes, when Collin retrieved a long Sammy Moore corner and as Barrett slipped in his 6-yard box, Lawrence Ball diverted Collin‘s pinpoint cross beyond the helpless keeper.

There was one more scare for the Whites in the first half as Neil Sharp released Scott Neilson into the box, but as Whitehouse closed the angle, the Cambridge man‘s shot slid across the front of the goal.

With the rain showing no sign of easing through the half-time interval, the groundstaff did their best to remove the surface water, but when Midgley produced an almost comical air-shot on 52 minutes, caused by the ball stopping in another puddle, Mr Lugg called the match to a halt.

Understandably, the Dover players and officials were frustrated by this decision, with chairman, Jim Parmenter, talking to BBC Radio Kent afterwards, left frustrated.

“One of the most ridiculous decisions I‘ve ever seen,“ he fumed. “The pitch was no more dangerous when the ref called it off than when the match started.

“It was a good game of football. There wasn‘t an injury, or a bad tackle, the trainer hadn‘t been on, so how could the decision be for the players safety. There was a bit of surface water in one area, but the pitch hadn‘t cut up at all."

Talking about the fantastic support his side had received, Mr Parmenter said he felt sorry for them, but hopefully they‘ll come out on Tuesday.

“I know it will cost them more money as there are no refunds once the match goes past half-time, but I‘m just sorry for them that the referee has made this decision,” he added.

Dover Athletic: John Whitehouse, Matt Fish, Sam Gore, Dean Hill, Lawrence Ball, John Keister, Sammy Moore, Alan Pouton, Shaun Welford, Frannie Collin, Jerahl Hughes.
Subs:: Giuliano Grazioli, Sam Jones, Nathan Bailey, James Rogers, Rob Lindley

Goals: John Keister 14, Lawrence Ball 39

Bookings: John Keister 17, Shaun Welford 42

Cambridge City: Zac Barrett, Neil Sharp, Lee Chaffey, Dave Theobald, Mark Smith, Stephen Smith, Scott Neilson, Adrian Cambridge, Lee Roache, Neil Midgley, Ashley Fuller.
Subs: Ben Nunn, Ramon Calliste, Matt Haniver, Danny Spendlove, Craig Ratcliffe.

Attendance: 652
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Luis Pinto Nunes (Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey) and Mr John Ryan (Worcester Park, Surrey)

EASTBOURNE TOWN 2-2 FOLKESTONE INVICTA
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 1^st November 2008
Richard Murrill reports from Crompton Place

FOLKESTONE INVICTA had to settle for a point despite twice taking the lead through top goalscorer James Dryden on their first visit to a very wet Compton Place road on Saturday afternoon.

Heavy rain fell throughout the game and puddles formed on the pitch on what was a miserable afternoon weather-wise.

Dryden twice put Invicta ahead during the first half to make it three goals in two games since becoming the new captain following news of the club’s cash crisis.

But the home side twice came back to retrieve the situation.

Invicta made one change to the starting line up beaten 3-1 away to Cray Wanderers in midweek as local 23-year-old Kieran Byrne came in for his first senior start in place of substitute Josh Vincent, who had himself made his senior debut in midweek.

Dryden shot over with the visitors’ first attempt at goal in the seventh minute after a Byrne touch on the left.

And it was Dryden who opened the scoring in the 14^th minute when he was there to convert in the middle after Tayler Thomas played an inviting ball in from the right following a good ball out wide from Micheal Everitt.

Thomas then shot at goalkeeper Russell Tanner a minute later following a touch from Dryden.

At the other end, Invicta centre half Frankie Chappell put the ball out for the game’s first corner in the 17^th minute following a big kick from goalkeeper Tanner and fellow defender Liam Friend got across to block as Eastbourne won a second corner five minutes later.

A Danny Leach shot from distance was then well held by goalkeeper Charlie Mitten.

Invicta threatened again in the 37^th minute when Byrne shot over from the left hand side of the penalty area following a move involving Everitt and James Corbett.

There was a scare for home left back Lloyd Anthony when he played the ball back dangerously close to his own goal for Invicta’s first corner of the game after 37 minutes when goalkeeper Tanner mis-cleared the ball towards Thomas.

But the home side drew level in the 40^th minute courtesy of a well-struck 25-yard shot from Jamie Salvidge which flew into the Invicta goal.

A Leach shot was then blocked for a corner two minutes later following a one-two with Simon Catt down the right hand side.

Invicta restored their lead in the 44^th minute when Friend broke forward and played the ball out to Byrne on the left and his good ball in what met by a Dryden header.

But Eastbourne were level again within two minutes of the second half when striker Liam Baitup volleyed in at the far post after a Leach cross from the right in a move also involving Salvidge.

As the rain came down even heavier, Invicta’s Jimmy Jackson broke through the middle and shot at goalkeeper Tanner in the 52^nd minute.

Eastbourne substitute Kinglsey Parsons got in before Dryden to make a vital 62^nd minute clearance at the expense of a corner when Thomas played the ball in from the right in a move started by Corbett.

And Byrne shot over after cutting in from the left hand side two minutes later when he collected the ball from Jackson.

For Eastbourne, Peter Cooper shot high and wide when the ball was played across to him on the right hand side in the 73^rd minute.

Invicta were close in the 77^th minute when Thomas dispossessed full back Anthony but played the ball back behind Byrne in the middle.

An 82^nd minute Baitup shot was blocked in the Invicta penalty area, while Byrne shot at Tanner after combining with Thomas down the left.

There was a late scare for Invicta when Eastbourne substitute Ethan Strevett’s dangerous low cross from the right was cleared for a corner after 87 minutes.

Eastbourne Town: Tanner, Catt, Anthony, Cooper (Strevett 78), Williams (Parsons 45), Featherstone, Simmonds, Salvidge (Brockwell 73), Baitup, Dicker, Leach.
Subs: Francis, Barden.

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, Lindsey, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Byrne, M. Everitt, Thomas, Dryden, Corbett, Jackson.
Subs: Towse, Vincent, Dix.

Attendance: 191.

LEYTON 2-0 THAMESMEAD TOWN
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 1st November 2008
Kevin White reports from Lea Bridge Road

THAMESMEAD TOWN dropped another three vital Ryman League points in torrential rain at Leyton on Saturday.

New Thamesmead Town keeper Tony Kessell, a recent arrival from neighbouring Dartford, didn’t get off to the best of starts, as he failed to prevent Valenti's in swinging corner from crossing the line for the opening goal in the fourth minute.

Leyton's keeper Rob Blackburne saved well from a typical Rikki Cable angled drive in the 20th minute and got down well to make another save two minutes later.

As the rain got heavier, Cable missed a great chance to equalise when he scuffed his shot across the face of goal on 35 minutes.

Close to half time, Stuart Blackburne nearly put the east enders two goals ahead as his powerful header met the crossbar.

Leyton were reduced to ten men on the hour after Andy Jones received a straight red card for a harsh tackle.

However, Mead failed to capitalise on their one man advantage. As they desperately searched for a goal, Velenti broke away on the stroke of full time and his work resulted in an unfortunate own goal to seal the game and the three points for the home side.

Thamesmead still lie in 17^th place in Ryman League Division One North table, but they must look at picking up points at home to Hillingdon Borough on Saturday if they are to avoid the prospect of a relegation dogfight.

Thamesmead Town: Kessell, Merriden, Collins, Brown, Watts, Coburn, Tarrent, Knight, Wood, Cable, Smith. Subs: Willams, Thomas, Mulholland.

GREENWICH BOROUGH 2-5 SLADE GREEN
(Slade Green won 6-4 on aggregate)
Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup Second Round Second Leg
Saturday 1st November 2008
Robert Smith reports from Harrow Meadow

RICKY FREEMAN and Lee Barnett combined to devastating effect with two goals apiece either side of the interval aidly abled by a Dan Westerman effort as they turned around a 2-1 first leg deficit to fire Green into the Quarter Finals of the Kent League Cup.

Things couldn’t have got much worse for The Green when on 8 minutes they fell behind.

Grant Cunningham failed to make his tackle count and Danny Hunt was on hand to fire home the resulting left wing cross.

Slade Green gradually stamped their authority on the game. Barnett’s header from Westerman’s corner was guided onto the post by keeper Danny Firkins and from the resulting flag kick taken by Westerman, Luke May drilled the ball narrowly wide.

Two quick fire goals from Freeman then levelled the game on aggregate. On 22 minutes Luke May played the ball into the danger area to pick out Barnett and after his shot was parried by Firkins, Freeman was on hand to smash the loose ball into the net.

Two minutes later Freeman struck again, Barnett picked up the ball on the right hand side and after he hoisted it into the box a Boro defender failed to control the ball and the predatory Freeman duly latched onto it and fire past Firkins.

At the other end Richard Monan’s long range effort hit a divot in the penalty box and bounced narrowly over but with their next attack Greenwich drew level.

Tarik Ozresberoglu gave away a free kick on the left hand and from the resulting set piece Joseph Ogoo let fly on the volley to give Martin Grant no chance in the Green goal.

There is little doubt that Slade Green and Greenwich are perhaps the best two footballing sides in the Kent League but after the break it was Green who adapted better to the treacherous wet conditions and put Greenwich to the sword with a commanding second half display.

Just two minutes into the second Lee Woodyard made fine inroads down the left and from his resulting cross, Barnett looked set to pounce only for the ball to escape from his clutches.

However, with 52 minutes played in a similar move Green moved ahead, once again Woodyard was the provider whipping a ball in from the left flank and Barnett skilfully checked in between two Boro’ defenders before nonchalantly stroking the ball past Firkins.

Eleven minutes later Barnett struck again, having picked up Luke May’s crossfield pass, Barnett rode the challenge of his marker ghosted past a second player and elegantly slotted in his 8^th goal of the season to continue his pursuit of the Kent League Golden Boot.

Slade Green’s passage into the last eight was confirmed with 18 minutes remaining in a move started and finished by Westerman. Westerman broke down the right wing and following his one two with Luke May, Westerman cut in across the penalty box before letting fly from an acute angle for his 3^rd goal in as many games.

Slade Green: Grant, Glover, Ozresberoglu, Styles, Cunningham, Long, Westerman, L.May, Barnett (S.May), Freeman (Ramirez), Woodyard (Beauchamp).
Subs: Willis, Dabner.