Match Reports: Wait finally ends for Strouts and Luchford

Sunday 13th January 2008

We bring you match reports from yesterday’s games.

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LORDSWOOD 1-2 FAVERSHAM TOWN
Kent League Premier Division
By Tony Gray

DANE LUCHFORD’S brace against a 10 man Lordswood side was enough to secure a first league victory for Faversham Town's management duo of Jimmy Strouts and Justin Luchford.

Never a game for the football connoisseur this fixture was, for most of the 90 minutes, a scrappy affair played on a heavy surface denying both sides the opportunity of producing their best.

The early stages saw both sides fight hard to retain possession with the best chance of the first half falling to Lordswood's Lewis Taylor who saw his 25th minute strike tipped over the upright by Town keeper Rob Hudson.

A flurry of yellow cards were shown to the home side in the first half hour and it came as no surprise when referee Wyatt issued Alec Osbourne a straight red on 30 minutes for a badly timed tackle which saw Faversham Town defender Dean Yorath brought down.

Faversham Town's best chance fell to joint manager Strouts whose 33rd minute shot passed wide of the Lordswood goal.

After the break it was the home side who started the stronger despite being a man short, Mark Vernon having two chances to give the home side the lead - his first effort beating Hudson only to drift agonisingly wide of the far post the second being well stopped by the Lilywhite keeper.

The stalemate was finally broken on 63 minutes when a long range shot was deflected downwards off of the crossbar, skipper Tom Hickman was first to react only to be denied at close range by Arnott in the home goal, the deflected clearance fell to Luchford on the edge of the area who fired the ball home with ease.

The woodwork also played a part in Faversham Town's second goal five minutes later, when Mike McKenna's shot from the right hit the bar, the deflection falling straight to the feet of Luchford who slotted home from close range for his second of the afternoon.

Lordswood continued to chase the game and were rewarded for their efforts on 83 minutes, an innocuous shot at goal appeared to be destined for the arms of Hudson only to take a deflection from the pitch surface to beat the keeper and put Lee Farrell on the score sheet.

The remainder of the game proved somewhat nervy for the Faversham Town players and supporters alike as the home side pressed hard for the equaliser, Faversham’s defence happy to see the ball cleared up field after each attack.

It wasn't pretty to watch but for the first time since visiting Greenwich Borough back in September Faversham Town left the field having secured a valuable three points.

SLADE GREEN 0-5 ERITH & BELVEDERE
Kent League Premier Division
By Thomas Hawes

ERITH & BELVEDERE eased past an abysmal Slade Green side to move up to fifth place in the Kent League Premier Division table.

Erith struck eight goals at home to Tunbridge Wells last weekend and it took the Deres just four minutes to hit the goal trail again.

Matt Johnson’s corner-kick was met by the head of Chris Hill. Hill’s header was cleared away off the goal-line, but the linesman on the far side ruled that the ball had crossed the line and the goal was duly given. The goal was Hill’s first since joining the Deres from Croydon for the start of the new year.

After 20 further minutes of dominance, Erith finally doubled their lead. A ball over the top drew Green keeper Chris Peck out of his goal, but prolific striker Aiden Pursglove beat him to the ball and finished well from an acute angle.

The hosts registered their one and only meaningful attempt on target on the half hour, but any hope of a comeback was effectively ruled out when Paul Springett was dismissed for kicking out at Aiden Pursglove on 32 minutes.

Erith were 3-0 up at the interval as Steve White cheekily slid the ball home from an impossibly acute angle when everyone was expecting a cross or cut-back.

Slade Green had begun to turn things around in recent weeks, registering impressive results against Hythe and Herne Bay. Stand-in boss Matt Longhurst was clearly disgruntled with the standard of the first half performance as he sent his players out for the second half eight minutes early.

Green had the better of the opening exchanges of the second period, but it was to be Erith who were to get the next goal. On 60 minutes a sloppy pass was intercepted by a grateful Nick Smith, who slid the ball under Peck to make it 4-0.

Smith was unlucky not the get his second of the afternoon, when his 71st minute header was brilliantly saved by Peck.

The Deres midfield pairing of Matt Johnson and Lee Morgan were given a well deserved break, as Richie Radbourne and Andrew Browne came on for them with 10 minutes remaining.

Browne got his name on the scoresheet after a quick free-kick caught the Green defence napping. Smith slid the ball to Browne, who was allowed to run to the six-yard box before smashing the ball into the roof of the net.

Erith & Belvedere welcome Ryman Premier League Wealdstone to Park View Road on Wednesday evening for a London Senior Cup match, with the winner hosting Fisher Athletic in the last eight.

Erith & Belvedere: Bromby, Bedford, Scowen, Morgan (Browne 80), Hill, Holder, White, Johnson (Radbourne 80), Smith, Pursglove (Bell 74), Friskey.
Sub: Benevente.

Attendance: 172

CROYDON 0-3 VCD ATHLETIC
Kent League Premier Division
By Brian Norris

VCD ATHLETIC came away with the points in an entertaining game against Croydon when, following a fairly even first half they had the lions share of the play in the second period, and could have extended their lead by some margin.

The visitors enjoyed some early possession as they probed the home defence, but were given a scare when a ball was only half cleared and Croydon's Julian Appiah sent in a testing shot from the edge of the area that James Tedder just managed to turn onto the bar.

At the other end, Leroy Huggins put Richard Sinden through on goal but he lost control of the ball enabling goalkeeper John Henry to gather.

The game was becoming end to end and some loose play by VCD saw them caught out by a ball over the top putting Matt Knuckley through, but the retreating David Hunt managed to recover and dispossess him as he was about to shoot.

Then Kane Rice, who was in sparkling form, went on a run down the left flank and picked out Sinden with his cross, but the striker sent his low shot past the post. Minutes later another good run by Rice saw him play in Mark Greatorex but he sidefooted over.

Croydon retaliated with Appiah cutting inside Kevin Winchcombe and sending in a fierce shot which Tedder turned wide.

Then the tricky Knuckley who was in excellent form sent in a cross from the right that Jordan Taylor put over the bar from point blank range.

As the half looked destined to end in stalemate, VCD finally broke the deadlock with five minutes remaining.

Ashley Probets' ball down the line picked out Rice who took it on before squaring to Huggins who shot low past Henry, much to the relief of the visiting supporters.

Back came Croydon with Knuckley again testing Tedder, but the visitors were immediately back on the attack as Rice burst down the left. His pace took him clear as he beat three defenders in a mazy run before cutting inside and sending a low right footed shot into the bottom corner with Henry at full stretch.

The two goal cushion relaxed the visitors, and they started the second half straight on the attack. With only two minutes gone, the lead was increased as Winchcombe's throw reached Greatorex who turned and sent in a deep cross to the far post which was firmly headed home by the onrushing Rice.

Croydon had a chance to reduce the arrears when Appiah's cross from the right was pushed out by Tedder only as far as former VCD striker Bronek Dabrowa, but his low drive was cleared off the line by the ever reliable Gary Cook.

Back came VCD and Sinden's crossfield ball picked out Greatorex who cut inside and brought an excellent save from Henry.

This was followed by a fine bout of inter-passing between Winchcombe, Hogg and Greatorex and the latter's pinpoint cross reached Sinden who headed just past the post.

Greatorex was involved again putting Hogg clear, only to see his effort well saved, and then again when he picked out Rice whose return ball in was poorly dealt with by Henry, clearing the ball only as far as Huggins who side-footed wide.

As the minutes ticked by Vickers were content to retain possession in order to maintain the three goal cushion, but they were nearly undone in the final minute when Knuckley's clever back-heel put Steven McNamara clear down the left flank. His return ball inside reached Knuckley who jinked his way towards the six yard box but just as he was about the fire home David Hunt made the decisive block to maintain a clean sheet.

VCD Athletic: Tedder, Winchcombe, Probets, Ward (Spriggs 71), Cook (Capt), Hunt, Greatorex, Hogg, Huggins, Sinden (Mitchell 71), Rice (Abbott 71).
Subs: Whitehouse, Foley