Otford United 0-2 Hildenborough Athletic - We have got potential in abundance, says Mike Cramp

The Tonbridge based outfit grounded out a vital 2-0 victory away to relegation threatened neighbours Otford United tonight to keep the title race going right to the wire.

Cramp, 24, takes his side to league leaders Metrogas and a win in New Eltham at the weekend will see his side take top spot going into both promoted side’s final game of the season.

Cramp said: “It was important we got the three points going into the weekend.  The conditions weren’t easy for the boys and they dug in again and that’s all we can ask from them.   We’ve had so many games and they’ve done well for us so far.

“We’ve played four games in eight days, one of them a Cup Final, so we’ve had some tough games and we’ve managed to grind out results.  We haven’t played the best football but that doesn’t matter when we’re getting the wins!”

For Otford United manager Jim Gillan, who took over from Denis Leigh four games ago, he knows it’s out of their hands to whether they escape relegation into the lowest tier of the Kent County League.

This was also the fourth time that the club have played midweek games under floodlights this season and they have failed to pick up a single point, after suffering defeats to Fleetdown United, Chipstead and University of Kent.

He said:  “First half I think we matched them a little bit.   They’re a good, strong side. They’re well organised. We knew it was going to be tough.  I think they can still go on and win the league, I believe.  I’m not really looking at the top of the league, we’ve been looking down the depths, but I think we matched them.

“I can’t fault the boys’ commitment tonight. We set out to get a point if I’m honest. We didn’t have the firepower to take them on properly.”

Hildenborough adapted to the wet conditions at the Otford Recreation Ground, where striker Karl Smith took his goalscoring tally to 51 goals for the season with two second half strikes against an Otford United side that didn’t test Slovakian keeper Michal Czanner, who is on a dual registration with Kent Leaguers Tunbridge Wells, at all.

This game passed a three o’clock pitch inspection, despite Sevenoaks Town’s home fixture against newly crowned Kent League champions Herne Bay, and Scott Gooding’s benefit match between Tonbridge Angels and Crystal Palace both falling victim to waterlogged pitches locally.

Gillan added: “The pitch is really good here. The goalmouth’s a bit sticky but apart from that I would’ve loved to play on that surface tonight. The ball didn’t slow up. It skimmed off the grass nicely. 

“I didn’t know what it was like for a spectacle to watch.  It certainly wasn’t a spectacle to manage. It was a bit too nervous for me. I think we could’ve played a lot more football on it than we did and that was the trouble.

“I’ve seen them play three or four times this year and they weren’t on their best form tonight either, but they got the result they needed and good luck to them.”

Otford United started brightly and lone target-man Dale Taylor squandered an excellent chance to give the strugglers a vital lead inside the opening nine minutes.

Jamie Knight was released down the left and reached the by-line and he floated over his cross behind Taylor, who turned and clipped a left-footed shot over from eight-yards.

Hildenborough’s first chance saw Joe Adams released down the left, but his angled left-footed drive curl across Otford keeper Jordan Busby and out for a throw-in beside the corner flag, before Steve Ashmore, who like Scott Whibley, who slotted in at left-back, is on dual-registration from Tunbridge Wells, prodded a right-footed shot across Busby and wide from fifteen-yards.

Otford were unlucky when another cross from Knight was met on the volley, this time by Mike Cunningham, but his right-footed effort was blocked inside the Hildenborough penalty area.

In fact, all shots, other than the two goals, were off target as both keepers didn’t have to a save to make.

Hildenborough went close in the 28^th minute when Dean Spenceley, who had his back to goal, cushioned down his header into Matt Newman’s path and the midfielder lashed his right-footed drive over from 25-yards.

And then Adams’ clever pass found Smith, whose right-footed drive flashed across Busby and just past the far post.

Otford really should have broken the stalemate in the 32^nd minute when Taylor did well to retrieve a pass and cut inside defender Adam Davies before cutting the ball back to Terry Masher, who had time and space to whip in a fine low cross across the face of goal and Cunningham ghosted in towards the edge of the box and had time and space to compose himself instead of blasting a left-footed shot over from 20-yards.

And Hildenborough created a couple of goalscoring opportunities towards the end of the first half. 

Spenceley struck a right-footed volley over after being set-up by Smith, before Smith cracked a left-footed shot on the turn, which agonisingly flew past the near post after Spenceley and Darren Yeung combined.

Off-target Otford will need to work on their shooting in pre-season as their final league game ended with them firing blanks.

Masher whipped in a cross from the right, which was chested down by Knight and Taylor cracked a right-footed volley, which sailed wide of the post.

That miss proved crucial in Otford’s battle to beat the drop, as Hildenborough drew first blood by taking the lead in the 49^th minute.

Czanner launched the ball up field with his right-boot and Otford keeper Busby made a complete hash of a poor downward punch, which fell kindly at Smith’s feet and the striker rolled a right-footed shot into the bottom near corner.

Cramp said: “Sometimes you need a little bit of luck, especially in games like this.  A long ball over the top and anything can happen when conditions are like this.  He took his chance and he put it in. That’s what you can ask, that’s what he’s there for.”

Gillan added: “Silly goal, absolutely silly goal.”

The home side finally called Czanner into making a save in the 52^nd minute, but Masher’s left-footed shot on the turn was poor and the ball rolled into the big keeper’s gloves.

But Otford went back to their old ways when skipper Callum Hill saw his speculative right-footed drive sail over from 35-yards.

With the rain now lashing down, making playing football very difficult, the next chance fell to Otford in the 66^th minute but Knight’s delicate left-footed chip over the advancing Czanner dropped over the unguarded net.

Hill played the ball inside to Phil Perkins, whose right-footed drive from 30-yards suffered the same fate as his team-mates – the shot failed to test Czanner!

Gillan was bitterly disappointed that they didn’t call Czanner into action.

Gillan said: “Unfortunately we did have chances.  We didn’t have enough shots at him. We didn’t test him at all to be fair.  When we did, we put it wide or over.  Just lately we haven’t been doing that. We’ve been hitting the target so that was disappointing.

“We’ve only played one up top tonight as well, which was hard work for Dale (Taylor), which is why I changed it and brought on (Mark) Lampard on later to do that same job.

“When they went 2-0 up we might as well had gone for it, so we didn’t even make the keeper make a save at all in the second half so that was disappointing.

“We never got enough crosses in the box and when we did there was no-one there so that side of it has not been good tonight and hopefully we can put that right pre-season.

“I’ve got a lot to do with them, I know that, but they’re good listeners, they’re good learners and we’ll get there.”

Hildenborough Athletic, meanwhile, extended their impressive run of form to eight wins on the bounce when Smith converted a penalty with thirteen minutes remaining.

Adams did well to cut in from the left and left four Otford players dazzled before his run was ended by a trip by Sean Ellis.

Smith stepped up and rifled his right-footed penalty into the top-left hand corner, although Busby was unlucky as he got hands to the ball, high over his right shoulder, but couldn’t prevent the Hildenborough marksman grabbing all the headlines.

Cramp said: “I think for the season he’s got 51 (goals).  The stats say it all for the guy.

“He’s put in a lot of work for us as well this year. He’s worked hard off the ball that he hasn’t done in the past and he’s got his rewards by getting his goals so credit where it’s due. He’s done really well for us.”

When asked whether Smith could play at a higher level of football, Cramp said: “Of course.  If anyone who has scored 51 goals in a season can easily play at a higher level but with work commitments and things like that it’s tough. He’s getting on a little bit now as well and he admits that.  He’s got the talent. If he wants to go forward he could.”

Gillan pointed the finger of blame straight at Ellis for the second goal.

He said: “If he doesn’t make the tackle, I’m going to shout at him and because he made the tackle I’m going to shout at him!

“On reflection the boys’ done well over the last four games that I’ve been in charge. They’ve shown me that I think next season, God willing, we can stay up and we’ve shown we can play against the top sides too, so I’m not too disappointed to be honest although I wanted something out of the game.”

Otford United are battling it out with Kennington and Milton & Fulston United, who are expected to replace Maidstone United as Sittingbourne’s tenants at Bourne Park next season, to see who is relegated along with AFC Sevenoaks and New Romney.

Gillan hopes his side can still avoid the drop, but is calling on some favours.

He said: “We now have to rely on other results for our survival but with Kennington and Milton having to play each other there will be points gained somewhere and if Milton drop a point we stay up and if Kennington go and beat Sheppey on Saturday then we stay up.  It’s not all doom and gloom.

“Unfortunately it was in our hands and I think we did well to get three points away to University of Kent and then go and beat New Romney as well.  I said when I took over six points would see us safe and then results went differently to what I thought.  I think seven would’ve done it.  It is out of our hands.  Nothing we can do now.  I’ll go and watch Chipstead (play Milton & Fulston United) on Saturday and hopefully our local rivals will do us a bit of a favour.”

The visitors’ went agonisingly close to making it three in the final five minutes when Scott Lock played the ball into the box, but Spenceley slid his right-footed shot just past the foot of the far post after his skill saw him beat two Otford defenders.

Cramp is looking forward to the potential title decider at Metrogas on Saturday, followed by another trip, to Fleetdown United in their last game.

“If we beat Metrogas then we go one point in front and we have to win the last game of the season to take the title, but we were happy with the promotion that we’ve got. If we can carry on going, even better for us.

“First season in this League you can’t ask for anymore for promotion and the Charity Cup Final win as well and going into the last two games as well with potentially a championship winning side as well so we’re happy with ourselves.”

Cramp added: “We were talking earlier, if someone said you’d definitely get second and you’d win a Cup Final we would say no, we wanted to win the League. That’s our aim and that’s what we want to do.”

Cramp was asked how far Hildenborough Athletic who play at The Racecourse Sportsground, The Slade in Tonbridge, can go.

He replied, “The club has got potential in abundance.  The main thing at this level is the money and the facilities and it’s so hard to get but we’ll keep going as much as we can and keep going as far as we can.  The club has got the people behind the scenes to go where they need to so you never know, you have to watch this space and see where we end up.”

While Hildenborough seem to be heading upwards, Cramp is sorry that the club with the best facilities in the division are heading the opposite direction.

“It’s a great club here.  They’ve got great facilities.  They haven’t had much luck on the field. I was speaking to a couple of their lads beforehand and hopefully they’ll be alright and they stay in this League.”

Speaking about the title race, the Otford United boss said: “It’s hard to choose between Metrogas and Hildenborough, but I think who will win they’ve both been very, very good sides. Both very organised.  Good luck to Hildenborough, they smashed us here in the Cup and only just beat us at their ground and to be fair tonight if it weren’t or the silly goal I think we could’ve held on a bit more.  We did give a silly goal away but they took it well.

“The best team will win at the end of the season and it will be out of them two and I wouldn’t argue if either of them won it and hopefully we won’t go down!”

Otford United:  Jordan Busby, Steve Knell (James Sandiford 83), Sean Ellis, Tom Beckingham, Chris Wade, Terry Masher (Andrew Knight 81), Callum Hill, Mike Cunningham, Phil Perkins, Jamie Knight, Dale Taylor (Mark Lampard 66).
Sub: Mark Lamborne

Booked:  Chris Wade 60

Hildenborough Athletic:  Michal Czanner, Adam Davis, Scott Whibley, Joe Adams, Scott Lock, Luke Stratford, Darren Yeung, Steve Ashmore, Matt Newman, Karl Smith (Tom Fountain 80), Dean Spenceley.
Subs: Alfie Hall, Ben Rainbow, Lee Hollands, Paul Redfern

Goals:  Karl Smith 49, 77 (pen)

Booked:  Scott Lock 58, Matt Newman 62

Attendance: 35
Referee:  Mr Chris Clarke (Aylesford)