Metrogas 0-4 Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club - That was a poor performance really for a Cup Final, admits disappointed Metrogas boss Joe Glover

Metrogas 0 – 4 Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club
Location	Mayplace Ground, Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT
Kickoff	02/04/2016 19:00

METROGAS  0-4  STANSFELD OXFORD & BERMONDSEY CLUB
Kent Reliance Intermediate Shield Final
Saturday 2^nd April 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Mayplace Road East

STANSFELD OXFORD & BERMONDSEY CLUB manager Lloyd Bradley says he’s feeling absolutely thrilled to beat landlords and holders Metrogas to lift the Kent Reliance Intermediate Shield.
 

Metrogas, who clinched the NRG Gym Kent County League for the second successive season under former boss Roy Davies last season, knocked out their bitter rivals in the semi-finals of last season’s competition but Stansfeld got their own way in a dominant and impressive performance on a wet Saturday night in Barnehurst.



LOCAL BRAGGING RIGHTS: Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club claimed the Kent Reliance Intermediate Shield by thrashing holders and landlords Metrogas 4-0 on a wet Saturday night at Phoenix Sports FC
Photo courtesy: Kent Football Association

A crowd of 225 watched third-placed Stansfeld thrash their sixth-placed rivals Metrogas, courtesy of Casey Kilillea’s early header, Billy Jolley’s penalty – his 15^th goal of the season – and two brilliant second half headers from striker Billy Shinners, which took his goalscoring tally for the season up to 23.

“Thrilled, absolutely thrilled about that, very satisfying that to be fair,” said Bradley, after spanking their bitter rivals, a fixture that means so much between these two New Eltham based clubs.

“It was a good performance. That was the main thing. I was thrilled with the scoreline, obviously, but the actual performance itself was absolutely tremendous. Again in the second half and I got exactly that.

“We’re the lodgers at the ground there. We owe them a few results. Last year they did the treble over us. We lost in the semi-finals to them so it was really nice tonight to actually turn it around and get the result.”

It’s proving to be a season of transition for Metrogas, especially after Roy Davies leaving last summer after four seasons in charge.

Now managed by Joe Glover, he said: “Very disappointed.  Do you want me to say more than that? Alright. I don’t know what more to say on that. Four-nil to your arch-rivals in a Cup Final, I’m very gutted and disappointed. We were awful!

“We’ve done well to get here following everyone leaving pre-season. We’ve done well to build a side and get to a final because that was a poor performance really for a Cup Final.

“We gave away four sloppy goals. We’ve given them the goals, four silly mistakes. One of them was a bit lucky on their behalf but we did deserve to get beat today.”

Sunny and warm weather during the day turned to rain clouds at night but the Stansfeld contingent would have enjoyed their Saturday night with this impressive win.

A series of throws was won by the men in orange and Micky Smith’s right-footed shot on the turn brought a comfortable save from Metrogas keeper Dan Edwards.

But Edwards could do nothing about Stansfeld’s opening goal, timed at 07:55.

Smith swung in a corner from the right towards the near post and Kilillea came up from the back to glance his free header across the keeper to find the far corner to score his first goal of the season.

Bradley said: “Brilliant goal! We work on our set-pieces all season and that one came off really well. He got a nice bit of space, a good header and it helped us to settle the nerves. It was a nice early goal. 

“The aim was to go out and press the game early, try to impose ourselves on the game. If the goal came, it certainly would’ve been a bonus. It certainly was at that point!”

Glover added: “Yes, it was a silly goal to concede. We spoke about set-pieces before the game, disappointed to lose another goal on a set-piece.”

Stansfeld should have doubled their lead in the 15^th minute, courtesy of some impressive left-wing play from Freddie Sansom.

He was released down the left and sped past Aaron Seales to reach the by-line before cutting the ball back for central midfielder Terry Cohen to place his first time shot agonisingly past the foot of the near post.

“He should’ve scored,” admitted Bradley.

“He doesn’t score a lot of goals TC but he always makes those runs. He got across the front of the defender there as well. That would’ve been a nice goal because Freddie was really playing well down the left flank tonight.”

Smith floated over a deep free-kick from the left and Stansfeld right-back Charlie Burgess rose above Jack Gibbons to bounce his header into Edwards’ hands at his near post.

Gorman swept a speculative free-kick into the Stansfeld penalty area from the left touch-line from 40-yards, which captain keeper James Bradley collected at ease.

Gorman whipped in a second free-kick into the box and Billy Walton had two bites of the cherry to hook his right-footed shot past the right-hand post.

Stansfeld’s wingers Sansom and Jolley impressed on this night and left-back James Wade played the ball into Jolley, whose right-footed shot sailed over the Metrogas crossbar.

A good piece of skill from Sansom saw him take a touch and beat Gorman, the former Beckenham Town defender being forced into making a foul and referee Matt Pollington pointed to the spot.

Jolley stepped up and calmly slotted in his right-footed penalty, sending keeper Edwards the wrong way, diving to his left as the ball nestled into the back of the net to double the lead in the 28^th minute.

“Billy’s been good all season with his pens. We’ve earnt a lot of pens this year. We do try to attack in the box, get at players in the box.

“Billy’s so good, he scored in the semi-final as well, which was a key penalty, we won 1-0. If anybody’s going to be on it, I’ve got so much confidence that he’s going to score.”

Glover added: “Sloppy penalty to give away! It was a penalty, nailed on penalty, a sloppy penalty to give away. It was a stupid tackle to make inside the box, again defensively poor.”

Metrogas were guilty for a period of poor defending down their right-hand side and Sansom almost capped off a great first half, hitting a dipping drive which was plucked out of the air by Edwards, the ball spilling behind for a corner as the keeper fell to his knees.

Another fine run down the left by Sansom resulted in Cohen playing the ball inside to Smith, who drove his right-footed shot past the left-hand post.

But Metrogas will be kicking themselves for a glaring miss in the 42^nd minute from former Fisher defender Billy Walton, who was playing in the centre of midfield tonight.

Lone striker Abbas Agoro, who struggled to impress, clipped the ball out to winger Charlie Payne on the right hand side of the penalty area and he clipped in an inch-perfect cross towards Walton, who glanced his free header across goal and sailing past the left-hand post from six-yards.

“Billy Walton’s header in the first half, if that goes in, it’s game on second half,” added Glover.

“That’s the only chance we had whole game, one chance all game is all we had!”

Bradley added: “He should’ve scored! I would’ve been disappointed had they had at that point. He should’ve scored. He made a nice run to the far post, a good cross. It looked like he closed his eyes just at the end, that happens.”

Both managers were asked their thoughts at the break.

Glover said: “We changed it. We went 4-4-2 in the second half. We just put Paul Hewitt on to try to make us play a bit more but like I say the third goal has killed it and was the end of it really.”

Bradley said: “Same again, to come out the same way as we started the game, don’t take anything for granted.

“They were very good in there, there was no cockiness in there, everybody listened. I said if we can go out and get 20 minutes of pressure again, if we nick a goal, bonus, if we don’t we manage the last 25 minutes where we’re 2-0 up.

“Instead of that it worked perfect.  We came out and we nicked an early goal and at that point it was a lot easier to manage the game from there.”

Metrogas took off their midfield enforcer Harry Rogers, who attempted to kick everything that moves, for Paul Hewitt, but the game was over when Stansfeld scored their third goal after only 43 seconds.

The ball landed at Wade’s feet and the left-back swept in a quality 40-yard diagonal cross for Shinners to loop his free header high over the goalkeeper’s right-shoulder into the top far corner of the net.

“Looping header over the top of the keeper. Billy’s such a talented player and he’s so good in the air,” said Bradley.

“That was a great header. If you’d have seen that in the Premiership you would’ve been thrilled with that.

“It was a nice cross in, a volleyed cross. He had to put a lot on it to get it to go where it went. It was a great goal, well deserved tonight.”

Glover added: “The third goal killed us. It was the third goal that killed us after half-time.

“We came out with a game plan second half, tried to stick with it and from their first shot on goal they’ve scored and that was the end of it really.

“I don’t know about free header so much. I think the ball caught us out a little bit. We weren’t expecting a ball like that inside the box and our centre half lost his marker by a couple of yards. Again, they took their chance.”

Sam Ryan then put Shinners through on goal, who lost all of his composure to blast his shot over the bar. 

Metrogas created an opening when Agoro laid the ball into Alex Tarrant’s path but the left-sided winger hit his first time shot past the near post from 16-yards from the left-corner of the penalty area.

Shinners produced another brilliant headed goal to score the fourth goal of the game after 56 minutes.

Ryan’s hooked pass released Shinners down the left and he played the ball into Sansom, who whipped in a deep cross into the penalty area. Metrogas’ left-back Jack Lynch allowed the ball to sail over his head and Jolley was invited to beat Lynch before putting over a quality cross from the right, towards the near post and Shinners planted his header into the top right-hand corner from eight-yards.

“Powerful header into the top corner, great goal,” hailed the Stansfeld boss.

“If you get crosses across the box, he’s so good in the air, he buried it as well. That’s the difference. The first half miss from a header (from Walton), Bill’s scored two goals with headers!”

Glover added: “Again, our left-back Jack Lynch dived in, missed the tackle, they put a cross in the box and they score another one.”

Edwards showed a good pair of hands when he caught Smith’s right-footed free-kick from 35-yards that would have dropped into the bottom near corner.

Jolley whipped in a cross from the right, which was poorly headed out of Metrogas’ box by substitute Hewitt and Stansfeld sub Jesse Thackham laid the ball off to Smith, whose deflected drive from the edge of the box was saved by Edwards.

Ricky Freeman, then Phoenix Sports striker produced the Miss of the Season in the 68^th minute of their FA Trophy First Qualifying Round 1-1 draw against Tonbridge Angels on 31 October 2015.

Freeman has tonight lost that title but Shinners now claims the miss-of-the-season crown – ironically at the same goal as Freeman’s shocker.

Jolley put Shinners through on goal, the former Sevenoaks Town striker skipped past the advancing Edwards and had the whole of an empty goal to slot the ball into.  However, Bradley explained just why Shinners left-footed shot in the 69^th minute was dragged just past the foot of the far post from 12-yards.

It should have been Shinners’ 24^th goal of the season.

Bradley said: “He’s doing well. He’s hit worst own critic and he probably should have had a lot more than that. That’s still an achievement. He’s a 30-goal a year striker. I don’t care what level you play, if you give him an opportunity he will score.”

But did Shinners miss because it would have cost him money to buy his team-mates a round of drinks in the bar after the game?

“He’s hit it with his left, he didn’t need to hit it, he could’ve walked it in to the goal, he was that clear,” said Bradley.

“We’ve accused him in there of jug avoidance because when you’re on a hat-trick if you score a hat-trick you’ve got to buy a jug of beer and that’s blatant jug avoidance what he’s done missing a chance like that was a wrong’un!

“He would’ve buy a jug of beer because he had to buy a jug if he’d scored a hat-trick, now jug avoidance he’s supposed to buy two jugs!”

Glover briefly said of that miss, “Yes, he did but I don’t want to talk about that, enough’s enough!”

Jack Gibbons cracked a speculative right-footed half-volley over the Stansfeld crossbar from 35-yards, but Metrogas failed to impress on the big stage.

Their plight was summed up when at the death substitute Dan Hunwick played in fellow sub Charlie Roberts, whose shot was cleared off the line by Kilillea, who showed the desire to get back on his line to maintain the clean sheet.

“That was key, again we spoke about that at half-time as well. Let’s try and keep a clean sheet as well,” said the Stansfeld boss.

“You heard me shouting all night, it’s all about getting our shape back early, making sure we got back behind the ball. We didn’t need to press them. It wasn’t a cause of destroying them or being flamboyant at the end. It was more a case of making sure we did everything eight on the night and we proved that really, the chances we limited them to during the whole game was not a lot.”

And Gorman was shown a red-card for collecting his second yellow card for a professional foul on Alan Buckingham, who was taken out by Gorman just outside the penalty area.

Glover said: “Rightly so. He might’ve got a straight red anyway because he was last man so we’ll take that because that will only be a game’s suspension rather than three.”

Ryan then released Shinners, who looked like he was going to save money by not scoring a hat-trick, hitting the last chance of the night over the Metrogas crossbar when he should have at least tested Edwards.

The managers son, James Bradley lifted the Shield and the manager is delighted to scoop his second trophy in only his second season in charge.

“He picked up a cup last year and that’s good. Since we’ve come to the club now that’s two trophies that we’ve won,” said Bradley, the manager.

“As every manager you’d still prefer to win the league really, that’s the bread and butter.

“This is a good competition to win. It’s the highest cup we can go into at our level so it’s really important that we can pick up something like this so I’m really thrilled about that.”

Metrogas host league leaders Faversham Strike Force next Saturday, the league leaders won 5-2 at Greenways today to edge six points clear at the top of the NRG Gym Kent County League table on 46 points with eight game left.

Glover spoke more about his aspirations for the rest of the season.

He said: “We lost every game in pre-season, so we were a little bit worried and then we won the first two games of the season on a high. We’ve done well. We’re going to finish midtable this year, probably about sixth. We’ll take that and a Cup Final but I’m still disappointed to lose by a four-nil margin.

“The league’s gone now so we’ve just see the season out on a high.”

Metrogas: Dan Edwards, Aaron Seales, Jack Lynch, Harry Rogers (Paul Hewitt 46), Danny Gorman, Tom Gibbons, Alex Tarrant, Billy Walton, Abbas Agoro (Dan Hunwick 57), Jack Gibbons, Charlie Payne (Charlie Roberts 86).
Subs: Harry Dolby, Craig Martin

Booked: Harry Rogers 11, Danny Gorman 35

Sent Off: Danny Gorman 90

Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club: James Bradley, Charlie Burgess, James Wade, Terry Cohen, Casey Kilillea, George Martin, Billy Jolley (Philip Rogan 85), Sam Ryan, Billy Shinners, Micky Smith (Alan Buckingham 79), Freddie Sansom (Jesse Thackham 57).

Goals: Casey Kilillea 8, Billy Jolley 28 (penalty), Billy Shinners 47, 56

Attendance: 225
Referee: Mr Matt Pollington (Tonbridge)
Assistants: Mr George Lowe (Canterbury) & Mr Steve Roots (Tunbridge Wells)
Fourth Official:  Mr Peter Cruise (Rochester)