Sevenoaks Town 2-2 Beckenham Town - "It's all to play for," agree rivals

Tuesday 09th March 2010

SEVENOAKS TOWN 2-2 BECKENHAM TOWN
Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Tuesday 9th March 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

BECKENHAM TOWN appear to be the favourites to reach the Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup Final as they scored two away goals at third-placed Sevenoaks Town tonight.

With away goals counting double after extra time (if needed) in the second leg, which takes place in fourteen days time, Beckenham were pleased with their dominant second half performance, which left the home side hanging on.

Sevenoaks took the lead early on through Bill Shinners seventeenth goal of the season, before Beckenham levelled through Anthony Weir’s penalty.

Sevenoaks regained the lead when visiting goalkeeper Nick Blue was credited with an own-goal following Joe Creasey’s swung-in free-kick from the left, before Gary Gorman levelled early in the second half to ensure that both sides have all to play for at Eden Park Avenue.

Sevenoaks, sitting proudly at their highest ever league position, were without cup-tied trio John Maloney, Tony Atkins and Badar Mohamed.

Beckenham Town boss Jason Huntley, meanwhile, dropped Andy Gallaghan, Danny Wise and Perry Belchamber to the bench, bringing in Danny Lawson, Durrand Jemmott and Terry Khan.

Huntley also revealed that goalkeeper Blue and Gary Gorman felt unwell prior to kick-off, but both played their part in the game.

Sevenoaks drew first blood, however, taking the lead inside the opening five minutes.

Long-throw specialist, Jamie Johnston, used his feet to release nippy winger Chris Walker down the right and he took Blue out of the game before centering for Shinners to slot the ball into an empty net from 12-yards.

Beckenham almost levelled when George Belchamber whipped in a precise cross and Weir nipped in front of Sean Funnell to loop his header just over the unguarded net.

Beckenham levelled in the 16th minute from the penalty spot.

Gary Gorman released Nick Curran with an weighted diagonal pass and the midfielder was brought down by Michael Cook, which resulted in referee Michael Lehane pointing to the spot.

The Bexleyheath based referee held up the penalty to book Sevenoaks skipper Danny Ward for dissent but Weir held his nerve and sent Funnell the wrong way with a clinically taken right-footed penalty.

An agile save from Blue at his near post thwarted Shinners his second of the night, before Sevenoaks doubled their lead after 26 minutes.

Blue was booked for making a wild challenge outside his penalty area and Creasey swung in the resulting free-kick from an acute angle, down the inside left channel.

Blue appeared to have the ball covered but he palmed the ball down and despite his efforts couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line - although numerous angry Beckenham players contested the decision to award the goal protesting to assistant Mark Cheeseman before being waved away by the referee.

Huntley revealed afterwards that he gave his side an inspired half-time team talk, and those words were still ringing in his players ears when they equalised for a second time just six minutes into the second half.

The goal was route one, however, as Blue launched the ball forward and Sevenoaks defenders Tony Webb and Ossie Bayram maybe could have dealt with the bouncing ball instead of it finding its way into Gary Gorman’s path, and the former Orpington striker latched onto it like a flash before drilling a left-footed shot across Funnell and into the bottom far corner.

Sevenoaks should have regained the lead for a second time when Creasey poked the ball through to Shinners but all he could do was stab the ball past the advancing Blue and also agonisingly past the foot of the left-hand post.

Sevenoaks’ last chance then arrived when Johnston met Creasey’s corner from the right with a powerful header, which looped over the crossbar.

Beckenham finished the stronger of the two sides and created numerous chances to go on and win the tie outright.

It turned out to be a dual between Gary Gorman and Funnell, with the Sevenoaks keeper coming out on top.

Gorman had at least four golden opportunities during the final ten minutes, but found the wrong side of the far post or the keeper in fine form.

Belchamber floated in a cross which was met on a hooked right-footed half-volley by Gorman, but Funnell dived low to his left to prevent the ball finding the far corner.

The Sevenoaks keeper then made the save of the night, palming over the striker’s powerful header as he met Curran’s precise cross.

Beckenham Town’s manager Jason Huntley said he was “pleased with the result,” when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“It’s nice to get two goals away from anywhere,” he said. “I think we acquitted ourselves a lot better second half. We played better as a team as a whole, created numerous chances in the end. In the space of five minutes we could’ve had three goals. The keeper pulled off three great saves at the end, to be fair to him.

“Pleased with the reaction (after) we spoke to them,” he added. “In the first half we wasn’t happy with one or two things. They wasn’t really listening to what we were telling them to do.

“We came out second half, once they had their little five or ten minute spell, we dominated the rest of the game to be fair.”

Huntley insists home advantage for the second leg will seal his side’s passage to the final (against Herne Bay or Faversham Town who play their first-leg at Winch’s Field on Wednesday night).

“Game on! It’s all to play for!” he said. “I think they’ve got to come at us. Away goals, that’s after extra time count, but we’re going to go with a game plan of winning at home. If we play like we played tonight, I think we’re in with a chance of doing that.”

Sevenoaks Town boss Simon Jones - celebrating two years in charge at Greatness Park - admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk that things didn’t go quite to plan.

“It was an edgy, scrappy affair,” he said. “Both sides were a little bit nervous, cautious. There wasn’t a lot of football played out there if the truth be told.

“I think both sides realised tonight was going to be if you could set it up for the return leg in a couple of weeks.

“For a Sevenoaks point of view we’re disappointed that we gave away two goals that could’ve been prevented and I think the Beckenham side probably think the same thing about our goals.

“Both sides are probably feeling a little bit sorry for themselves but we’ve still both have something to play for in the second leg so at least that takes some positives out of tonight.”

Speaking about the second half, Jones added, “To be honest with you, both sides could’ve had a couple of goals each - so therefore maybe on the balance of play a draw is a fair result tonight and it sets it up for an interesting game down in Beckenham in a couple of weeks.”

Looking forward to the second leg, Jones said, “I think both sides have certainly given themselves a platform to try and take something out of the game and as you saw, game on.

“Let’s have a look and see what we can do. At times we played some reasonable football and at other times I thought we weren’t very good at all. Both sides will probably say the same thing!”

Sevenoaks Town: Sean Funnell, Toby Webb, Michael Cook, Jamie Johnston, Danny Ward, Ossie Bayram, Kyrone Josephs, Daniel Twin, Joe Creasey (Daniel Akpoveta 88), Bill Shinners, Chris Walker.
Subs: John Phillips, Joe Minter, Joe Wood, Adam Porter.

Goals: Bill Shinners 5, Nick Blue 26 (own goal)

Booked: Danny Ward 16, Bill Shinners 49

Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Danny Gorman (Andy Gallaghan 77), John Farley, Terry Khan, James Holder, Danny Lawson, George Belchamber, Nick Curran, Anthony Weir, Gary Gorman, Durrand Jemmott.
Subs: Danny Wise, Billy Webb, Ibrahim Fusieni, Perry Belchamber.

Goals: Anthony Weir 16 (pen), Gary Gorman 51

Booked: Nick Blue 26, James Holder 49, Nick Curran 72, Danny Lawson 90

Attendance: 76
Referee: Mr Martin Lehane (Bexleyheath)
Assistants: Mr Nick Goodhew (Sittingbourne) & Mr Mark Cheeseman (Faversham)