Kentish Football 
Sevenoaks Town 2-1 Erith Town - My players can't handle the pressure, admits livid Tony Russell
Wednesday 23rd March 2011
SEVENOAKS TOWN 2-1 ERITH TOWN
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Wednesday 23rd March 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park
ERITH TOWN rookie manager Tony Russell says he is considering his future as his beleaguered side have hit a slump in form in recent weeks.
The Dockers’ stretched their winless run to five league games as they threw away a first half lead, as Sevenoaks Town leapfrogged over local rivals Tunbridge Wells into seventh place in the Kent League table with a 2-1 win at Greatness Park.
Former Holmesdale striker Joel Hughes made a goalscoring debut for Erith Town, having arrived from Guildford City, but Sevenoaks Town clinched the three points through second half goals from Adam Marsh and debutant Jack Taylor.
Erith Town boss Tony Russell was a crestfallen figure at the final whistle, as his side have failed to cope with the pressure since they reached the Kent League summit with an impressive care-free 4-2 win at Fisher on 7th February, and as a result of going five league games without a win have slipped down to fourth place.
They reached the Kent Senior Trophy Final, when they lock horns with Tunbridge Wells at Park View Road, Welling on Sunday 17th April, and their performances have nose-dived, which has clearly upset Russell.
“I’m just livid at the moment, disappointed ain’t the word,” he said.
“I mean, they’ve had two shots on goal and scored - it’s still not good enough, the attitude in the whole squad ain’t good enough. We’ve got to a Cup Final, they think that’s our season over with.
“I said to the boys at half-time - we were 1-0 up and we didn’t play well.
“When we lost at Herne Bay I sat down with Lew (Watts, my assistant) and basically said we need to make a decision if we’re going to do this next year - and if we are going to do it next year we need to look at players that ain’t quite good enough.
“I don’t actually think it’s technically, I don’t think it’s about ability. It’s mentally. The pressure gets put on and we have players who can’t cope with that and just freeze or don’t do things they’re supposed to do.
“If you’re going to win things in any level of football you’ve got to have character and unfortunately we haven’t got that in our team.”
When asked about his position at the club, Russell, who’s side have now dropped to fourth place in the table with 39 points from 23 games - nine points behind leaders Hythe Town, Russell replied, “Listen, like I said before, I didn’t ask to be a manager. It wasn’t an ambition of mine when Steve (O’Boyle) left. I said to Albert (Putman, the chairman) that I’ll do it until the end of the season and then we’ll sit down and make a decision whether I’m going to do it or whether they’re going to bring someone else in.”
Sevenoaks Town boss, Keith Levett, who also runs the Welling United Academy alongside Rob Quinn, who serves a two-match ban this weekend, was pleased with the win tonight.
“I thought on the balance of play we deserved the win,” said Levett.
“When we came in at half-time we did feel a bit sorry for ourselves because we did feel they didn’t threaten the goal too much and we found ourselves 1-0 down so we were happy to come away with a win.”
Erith Town created the first real chance of an evenly matched first half when in the 23rd minute Liam Burgess’ stabbed pass released Hughes through on goal, but the new-boy dragged his shot past the far post from a tight angle.
A long punt up-field from visiting goalkeeper Tim Roberts was then met on the volley by Michael Power, which looped high over Dan Bygraves crossbar and landed in the bushes behind the fencing.
Sevenoaks Town’s first chance arrived in the 36th minute when Welling United Academy winger Leon Farrell whipped in a low cross from the left and Jack Jeffrey’s flicked shot was blocked at the near post and the ball came out to Danny Lye (who has played for Faversham Town and Maidstone United this season) but the central midfielder sent his left-footed drive from 25-yards over the bar.
With fog lingering over parts of Greatness Park, Erith Town broke the stalemate in the 40th minute.
Power released Hughes through on goal and the striker drove a right-footed shot straight into the middle of the net, via the body of the Sevenoaks goalkeeper.
Russell explained how he’s brought Hughes back into the Kent League from Combined Counties League outfit Guildford City.
“Basically, after the Herne Bay (which we lost 4-0 at Winch’s Field on 9 March), I started to watch games, look at potential players, whether I’m manager here or coach, I like to go and look at games and jot down players names just in case if I’m working for someone or I’m manager myself, if I need them.
“I came across him and I liked what I saw. I spoke to him on the phone just briefly to see what he’s doing playing wise and he told me about Guildford and he wasn’t getting in at the moment and he was looking for some football.
“It gives him a chance for him to look at us - and us to look at him - for next year.”
For Levett, meanwhile, he felt the goal should have been chalked off for offside.
“Jack Taylor is 17, he’s playing at centre back, making his debut. He’s a good lad but he’s just made the wrong decision there, he let the boy turn. Michael Power is a good player, he’s turned and he’s put the ball in there but all the back four said the boy (Hughes) was clearly offside. The boy coming back from the goal said to our back four ‘I’ve put my hands up there, I was offside,” but the linesman’s (Brian Harvey) is 70-year-old, he ain’t kept up with play and that’s disappointing.
“So it’s offside but it’s a goal. It’s like a double-whammy.”
Sevenoaks winger, Marsh, almost grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time when he cut inside left-back Lawrence Collins and was denied by a near post save from Roberts.
Sevenoaks brought on striker Richie Stevens at the break and this move inspired the home side to add a new dimension to their play, as the former Corinthian and Maidstone United forward caused Erith Town problems with his pace and hunger.
Levett said: “He’s got a bit of pace, he dribbles with the ball well. It’s a hard pitch to dribble out there but he does the best he can out there and he threatens the back four with his pace.
“Jack Jeffrey is a different player, he’s not as quick, holds the ball up, but I thought in the first half we never really got them turned and we never really got their back four looking towards their goal and Richie Stevens does ask more questions.”
A fine diagonal pass from skipper Lee Hales was picked up by Stevens on the left and he cut inside Joe Foster and his low right-footed drive flashed harmlessly wide.
A poor defensive touch from Erith Town defender Ben Payne gifted the ball to Stevens, who was unable to keep his shot down from 25-yards and just past the hour mark, an Erith Town corner from the right from Collins was met by Power at the far post and his left-footed volley whistled past the near post.
Sevenoaks forced a corner which Marsh cut back to Hales and the skipper floated in a cross for Taylor to loop a header towards goal, which was caught underneath the crossbar by the former Croydon keeper.
But Sevenoaks Town levelled in the 67th minute when left-back Chris Davies joined an attack and whipped in a left-footed cross across the face of goal and Marsh was on hand at the far post to sweep a looping left-footed shot past Roberts.
“I felt Adam Marsh had his best game for us since he’s been at the club,” praised his manager.
“He worked hard for the team and he also contributed well as an individual and I was very pleased for him and we obviously needed that performance from him and he delivered tonight.”
Erith Town squandered an excellent chance to equalise when Collins’ corner from the right was palmed away by Bygraves and Power looped a cross over to the far post but all Payne could do was to steer his header straight into the goalkeeper’s gloves at his near post.
Sevenoaks Town scored the all-important winning goal, with eighteen minutes of a low-quality game remaining.
Marsh delivered a poor corner from the right and Hales’ initial shot was blocked and the ball fell nicely for Taylor, who drilled a low right-footed shot past Roberts to find the bottom near corner.
After giving away Erith Town’s goal just before the break, Levett was delighted with Taylor’s resolve to bounce back.
He said: “That’s the character, he’s a young boy but you know he’s not going to hide and he pops up there and scores a cracking goal for us in the end and I’m really, really pleased for him because he’s one of those boys at the (Welling United) Academy who works really hard.
“You can tell all the boys if you work hard you get your rewards and there’s a boy who has worked hard all year, for two years, and he pops up and scores the winner for us and that’s fantastic for him and he deserves everything. He’s done very well.”
Sevenoaks’ substitute Joe Minter flashed a right-footed free-kick across the box, which was comfortably saved by Roberts.
Erith Town almost salvaged a point late on, when Foster slid the ball through to Hughes, who pulled the ball back from the by-line, but Power smashed a volley agonisingly against the near post.
Russell admitted his side “threw in the towel” during the second half.
“We weren’t in danger throughout the game,” he said. “I didn’t think they had a shot in the first half. I thought second half it was a nothing cross along the floor - someone slotted it - a neat finish to be fair and then we threw in the towel in.
“We’ve got nothing about us when someone puts a little bit of pressure.
“I know you won’t win the league without characters. We’ve got no leaders, we’ve got a few, one or two but we’ve got a big percentage of people with nothing about them.
“When we’re doing well and we’re playing well and winning games - brilliant! They all want the ball and they do their ticks and everyone will say what good players they are.”
But since they reached the summit with an impressive display at Champion Hill, the players froze on the big stage when they were mentioned as dark-horses for the Kent League title.
Russell agrees, saying, “All the while we were little old Erith Town, always finish midtable and all the resources got cut and the manager left and the pressure was off, let’s just play football and put the ball down and play and everyone wanted the ball and was playing well. We was ghosting past teams like they weren’t even there and then we found ourselves top after Fisher and then we lost to Beckenham and we were really poor, really, really poor.”
Russell added: “I’m putting it down to (the lack of) passion and desire. Lew said to me maybe it’s because we’ve got to a Cup Final?
“Well, that ain’t good enough! To win a game of football it’s all about momentum and confidence and we could have the Cup Final tomorrow and we are in serious trouble because I went to the game against Fisher (which Tunbridge Wells won 5-0) and they’re a good side going forward.
“If we ain’t at it, we’re going to lose.
Russell needs some guidance from a wise head - someone like Tommy Sampson who can offer him advice - as he did when things were going well.
Russell admitted: “It’s not only a test for the players, it’s a test for me because I haven’t been put in this position. I’ve come in and all my ideas came off and my subs and free-kicks came off and everyone was saying how wonderful Tony Russell is but now I find out a little bit about myself.”
Sevenoaks Town: Dan Bygraves, Dwayne Danvers (Joe Minter 72), Chris Davies, Mark Axcell, Rob Quinn, Jack Taylor, Adam Marsh, Danny Lye, Jack Jeffrey (Richie Stevens 46), Lee Hales, Leon Farrell (Dean Elliott 90).
Sub: Oluseyi Boye
Goals: Adam Marsh 67, Jack Taylor 72
Booked: Dwayne Danvers 22, Adam Marsh 33, Danny Lye 50
Erith Town: Tim Roberts, Joe Foster, Lawrence Collins, Ben Payne, Dean Kearley, Peter Smith, Liam Burgess (Elstrom Die 78), Lewis Wood (Chris Walker 66), Michael Power, Joel Hughes, Alex Tiesse.
Subs: James Hawkins, Malak Fofana, Martin Chirimuuta
Goal: Joel Hughes 40
Booked: Michael Power 90
Attendance: 78
Referee: Mr Graeme Ions (Westerham)
Assistants: Mr Brian Harvey (Bromley) & Mr Paul Greenfield (Eltham, London SE9)
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