Thamesmead Town 0-0 Thurrock (4-2 pens) My players' have done the club really proud, says McMahon

Tuesday 15th January 2013

THAMESMEAD TOWN 0-0 THURROCK
(Thamesmead Town win 4-2 on penalties)
Ryman League Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 15^th January 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue
THAMESMEAD TOWN manager Keith McMahon says his players’ practice penalties on a weekly basis after they booked their place in the Ryman League Cup Semi-Finals for the very first time in their history.

The Mead, who went into the game sitting in seventh-place in the Ryman League Division One North table with 39 points from 21 games, knocked out a Thurrock side that arrived at Bayliss Avenue sitting in the bottom three in the Ryman Premier League with 19 points from 18 games and were playing Blue Square Bet (Conference) South football last season.

No goals were scored during the 90 minutes of football, but McMahon’s men sealed their passage by scoring four of their five penalties at the end.

After wins over Waltham Abbey, Faversham Town and Aveley, Thamesmead Town find themselves in the semi-finals, looking to replicate the successful sides of Fisher Athletic (2006) and Ramsgate two years’ later.

”A bit unbelievable really, a club like ours getting to a semi-final, but we’ve worked really hard all year and the lads deserve it,” said a proud McMahon afterwards.

”We’ve played today, up against it, with a depleted side. Our top goalscorer Stuart Zanone couldn’t get here because of an accident on the A2. Jack Hopkins was out with flu, Baffe (Addae). Rob Carter got here ten minutes before the kick-off, so we were up against it a bit.

”We’ve had players like Richard Butler, who hasn’t played for six months, he had to start tonight. Young Chris Edwards, it was his first game for four or five weeks because he’s just had a baby.”

McMahon added: “We’ve withstood some pressure but actual shots on goal, they’ve had a one-on-one, we’ve hit the post. They had a lot of corners, I know that, but we’re a side that defends and you’ve only got to look at our league record you can see that we don’t concede that many goals. That’s our third clean sheet on the spin.

”I’m over the moon. The lads’ deserve it. We’ve worked our absolute socks off there and when it goes to pens you’ve got a chance and the lads’ done the club proud tonight.”

McMahon had to shuffle his pack before the game because 28-goal striker Stuart Zanone failed to turn up at the ground due to sitting in traffic on the motorway.

”I thought Eggy (Adjei) came in and done well. He’s not a forward, but when you’ve got someone who has come in and scores you nine goals in eleven games, Stuart and Rob Carter really compliment each other and you only need a chance. He’s a threat in behind and he’s a threat around the edge of the box so of course we missed him.

”The ball didn’t stick too well in the first half. Young Enoch is only a winger and he’s very lightweight but he’s very quick so we asked him to do a job at the last minute but I actually thought Rob Carter up front was absolutely outstanding tonight. His work-rate, he chased everything down. He was a constant threat and that’s the reason why we’ve kept a clean sheet because as much pressure they couldn’t rest on their laurels. Every time they took a touch he was there.

”If Stuart played we would have got a lot of joy off him tonight. Of course we’re going to miss him but we’ve won. He’s had a horrendous journey, being stuck on a motorway for five hours. We’ve stuck together and we’ve got through so we’re in good stead.”

McMahon asked winger Enoch Adjei to partner the hardworking Rob Carter up front and Carter kept the Thurrock defence on their toes throughout, with Lewis Tozer and James Donovan excellent at the heart of the Thamesmead defence.

”That’s what they’re all about,” said McMahon. “People can get down the flanks, we’ll head them all day. I think the two centre halves were outstanding today, especially Lewis, the skipper, he is strong.

”Thurrock had a lot of pace up front. Especially with Richard Butler not playing for six months and he’s not the quickest anyway, but he done a good job for us. I thought the two centre halves were outstanding, they didn’t lose anything.”

Thamesmead Town created the first chance on a freezing cold night after only 83 seconds when Carter cut the ball back to central midfielder Lea Dawson, who stung Wil Viner’s fingers with a right-footed drive from 30-yards.

Thurrock, who won the corner count by fourteen-to-nil, should have done better from such deliveries, but Thamesmead formed a solid defensive green wall in front of keeper Rob Budd.

Darren Ebsworth floated over their first corner in from the right towards the penalty spot but Jack Jeffries planted his header over.

Thurrock should have done better after right-back Ritchie Jones had time and space to whip in a cross, which found it’s way out to Robbie Norris, but the central midfielder screwed his right-footed shot wide from 22-yards.

The ball appeared to be a hot potato as both sides were guilty of giving away possession, but both sides then created a flurry of chances after 20 minutes.

Thamesmead Town ball-winning central midfielder Sean Roberts chased a lost cause down the left flank before playing the ball to Adjei, who cut the ball back to Chris Edwards, whose right-footed drive bounced wide of the left-hand post.

Thurrock striker Charlie Stimson should have given his side the lead within 40 seconds when he latched onto a ball over the top of an otherwise solid home defence but Budd dived low to his right to get a strong hand to the shot to palm the ball behind for another corner.

McMahon said: “He over ran it to be fair. I’m not taking it away from Rob, he’s come out and done his job, he’s made a save.”

Thurrock keeper Viner made a comfortable save at his near post from Carter, who tried to score from a tight angle, before Edwards’ stroked his right-footed free-kick around the wall but the ball bounced wide of the left-hand post.

Adjei showed the pacy side of his game when he cut inside Thurrock left-back Darren Ebsworth before Edwards found Roberts, whose right-footed angled drive flashed across Viner and past the far post.

Thurrock’s shooting was woeful during the first half and Norris swept the ball out wide to Jones, who burst forward before drilling his right-footed shot wide of the right-hand post from 30-yards.

Reflecting on the first half, McMahon added: “We’ve had a couple of chances first half. They started very well in the first 20-25 minutes possession side but I thought we got a real good grip and young Sean Roberts in the middle of midfield was brilliant. He’s played 90 minutes tonight with an injury and he’s worked really hard.”

But Thamesmead Town came within inches of taking the lead with only 104 seconds into the second half.

Dawson delivered the ball in from the right and Edwards took a touch before cracking a right-footed drive towards goal from 25-yards, the ball taking a slight deflection, before sailing beyond the diving keeper and crashing against the right-hand post.

McMahon was full of praise for the midfielder, who was playing for Kent Invicta League leaders Phoenix Sports earlier in the season, before jumping two levels to sign for the Mead.

”He’s hit a great strike, the deflection has taken it away from goal because I think it was flying into the top corner,” said McMahon.

”He’s been outstanding for us. It’s a big jump for him. He can’t play every single game. We’re trying to monitor when he can play. He’s just had a baby and I think he’s girlfriend was fairly ill from it so he’s missed some games and he’s had to go to hospital a lot, but things have gone good for him now and that’s his first start in four or five for us and he’s not let us down.

”He’s played six games for us now and he could play at this level. He’s learning all the time. He’s got the ability, good feet and he’ll do well.”

Conference South side Bromley were alerted about Edwards’ talents but McMahon made the call to entice him to Bayliss Avenue.

”You’ve got to be careful,” explained McMahon. “I think there are some players at those levels in the Kent League and the Invicta. There’s clubs like Phoenix that are doing really well. We’re local and you know players and you’ve got to have a look, but I think it’s just how you integrate them. If you throw them in at the deep end and you just keep playing them, they get into bad habits. They need to learn. We’ve known Chris for a while anyway so you just need to be careful with them by playing them in some games, bring him off when he looks like he’s tiring, just to keep his head up really and you have to do that throughout.

”You’ve got to keep looking when you’re a club like us with not so much money, you’ve got to try and find someone that will fill the squad.

”We’ve done the same with Sean Roberts, who without doubt is one of the best midfielders in our league and tonight you could see how good he was.”

The attack was not dead as Carter drew a comfortable save from Viner following his shot on the turn.

A quickly-taken Thurrock free-kick caught Thamesmead off guard after Tozer was penalised for holding back the pacy Luke Wanadio on the half-way line. Stuart Thurgood clipped pass released winger Harry Honesty, who played the ball inside to Stimson, whose lofted ball into the area looped into Budd’s gloves.

Thurrock central defender Matt Turpin came up for Norris’ corner from the right but planted his header wide of the near post in the 62^nd minute.

Thamesmead’s supporters behind the goal claimed Carter’s effort had crossed the line before Viner grabbed hold off the ball, but appeals were ignored by referee Elliott Kaye.

McMahon added: “Everyone behind the goal told me the ball went over the line!”

The longer the game went on, it was becoming more likely that this quarter-final would be settle by a penalty shoot-out.

Thamesmead soaked up the pressure that Thurrock threw at them and Edwards’ 80^th minute speculative right-footed half-volley from 40-yards bounced harmlessly wide of the post.

Thurrock squandered a couple of chances to grab a late victory in normal time – but had to settle for their third tie in the competition to be settled by penalties, after knocking out Brentwood Town and Waltham Forest by that method.

Wanadio retrieved an over-hit ball and cut the ball back to Jones, who found Honesty at the near post and his left-footed shot on the turn rolled safely into Budd’s gloves.

But the former Ilford stopper made an excellent save with the last action of normal time.

Jones released Wanadio down the line and the winger reached the by-line before hanging his cross towards the far post and Stimson looked destined to score but Budd spread himself to make a fine block.

Speaking about the two late saves, McMahon said: “I think that one was an easy save from a shot at the edge of the box. The second one, the lad’s got to the by-line and he’s dinked it back stick and the bloke’s got a good header and Rob’s made a fantastic save.

”Rob’s doing really, really well for us and especially as he’s not had loads of shots to save tonight. There’s been a lot of things going around his box but he’s starting position was good. He came and cleared when he had to and he’s keep himself in freezing conditions and he’s made a great save at the end. He’s a valuable part of our team and he’s saved two penalties and then he’s gone and scored done for himself as normal. He’s had a good night. He’s had a tough year as well to be fair to him.”

But Thamesmead Town will join Hastings United, Concord Rangers/Wroxham and Dulwich Hamlet/Kingstonian in the semi-finals after their 4-2 victory in the penalty shoot-out, where Budd excelled.

Thamesmead Town’s dependable left-back, Ashley Probets, who has scored 13 goals this season, stepped up first but his left-footed penalty was palmed away by the diving Viner.

McMahon said: “Ashley has scored thirteen goals this year, that’s his first penalty miss but I think they’ve done their homework and the keeper’s made a good save.

”Listen, I would put Ashley in front of anyone taking penalties. He’s an outstanding penalty taker. He’s scored again on Saturday, not a problem.”

Thurrock skipper, Thurgood, gave his side the lead, although the diving Budd guessed the right way, got his hand to the shot, but the ball agonisingly went in, off the right-hand post.

Tozer led by example to level for Thamesmead, before Budd saved low to his right to deny Ebsworth.

Thamesmead substitute, striker Arlie Desanges, who made a nine-minute cameo, scored, before Budd was beaten by Norris, despite getting his hand to the shot.

Budd caught his opposite number by surprise by smashing his right-footed penalty to the keeper’s right, before diving to his left to tip Callum Ibe’s right-footed penalty around the post to put the home side in the driving seat.

And Carter marked a fine performance by scoring Thamesmead’s winning penalty at the end.

McMahon added: “1-0 down, they’ve scored and then Rob’s made two very good saves and he’s got his hand to every single penalty as well to be fair to him and then he’s scored himself.

”Penalties are a bit of a lottery but we practice them in every single training session out there. The lads’ love them! Every single session we have a penalty competition so it just sets you in good stead if they do happen. We’ll do it again on Thursday!”

Thamesmead Town, who dumped Kent Senior Cup holders Hythe Town out off the competition with a 3-0 home win here last week, are fighting on two Cup fronts and are in with a shout of grabbing a play-off place at the end of the season.

”These players’ are fairly young and they’ve done the club really proud,” said McMahon.

”We want to win every single game that we’re in. It’s only the London Cup where I don’t think we would but that’s done to other reasons (the standards of refereeing.)

”We’re in the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Cup as well. If we could get to a final, the club’s never been to a semi-final of the Ryman League Cup before. We’re a young club in the Ryman League, we’ve established ourselves in the league now, we’re doing well in that. We’re doing well in the Cups and we just have to hope we can carry on that level all the way to the end of the year and you never know what we can do.”

Thamesmead Town: Rob Budd, Richard Butler, Ashley Probets, Danny Kerrigan, Lewis Tozer, James Donovan, Sean Roberts, Lea Dawson, Enoch Adjei (Arlie Desanges 81), Rob Carter, Chris Edwards (Alim Sesay 86).
Subs: Stuart Zanone, Adriano Lawson, Jack Hopkins

Thurrock: Wil Viner, Ritchie Jones, Darren Ebsworth, Jack Jeffries (Frank Griffin 36), Matt Turpin, Stuart Thurgood, Callum Ibe, Robbie Norris, Luke Wanadio, Charlie Stimson, Harry Honesty.
Subs: Ben Walster, Lewis Clark, Jordan Clark, David Hughes

Booked: Charlie Stimson 41, Stuart Thurgood 46

Attendance: 40
Referee: Mr Elliott Kaye (Loughton, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Catejan Agryanwu (Chadwell Heath, Essex) & Mr Kirk English (Romford, Essex)