Thamesmead Town 2-1 Concord Rangers - It will take an exceptional side to beat us, says McMahon

Tuesday 15th December 2009

THAMESMEAD TOWN 2-1 CONCORD RANGERS
Ryman League Division One North
Tuesday 15th December 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue

THAMESMEAD TOWN’S leading goalscorer Andy Constable was threatened to be knifed by a man claiming to be Concord Rangers’ kit-man, seconds after Rikki Cable scored a late winner for the hosts.

Constable, who was substituted just three minutes earlier, jumped off the substitutes bench, turned towards the Concord Rangers bench and clenched his fists shouting “get in there you c****”, which caused offence, whilst his manager, Keith McMahon celebrated the match-winning strike by sprinting a few yards down the touchline before trying to defuse the situation with his opposite number.

However, a man with ginger hair and glasses, who when asked claimed to be Concord Rangers’ “kit-man”, responded by threatening Constable with the words, “you’re going to get cut, you’re going to get cut,” as he gesticulated by pretending to cut his own neck with his finger as he stood a couple of yards from me, in between the dug-outs and behind the perimeter fencing, at a bitterly cold Bayliss Avenue.

One club official of the Essex club apologised to home officials for the man’s shocking actions afterwards, claiming that he had “special needs”, but that incident and the players melee at the final whistle (after Constable had bravely apologised to the visitors’ bench personnel for his actions) and visiting players arguing amongst themselves down the players’ tunnel (after they were locked out of their dressing rooms) left a bad taste on what was a good game of football between two in-form sides.

“No-one likes to see it,” McMahon told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, when asked about the Constable C-word touch-line incident.

“I was celebrating down the touchline, but it’s just passion. It was no disrespect and I know it’s hard. If it happened to us, you may take it the other way, but it was the same at the end of the game.

“They react, they’re quite loud and buoyant and when things are going well for them, as much as you’ve got to be gracious in winning and gracious in defeat, there was no animosity, just a great battle I thought.

“Tempers boil over sometimes and nothing’s meant, there’s no disrespect to anyone and we apologised to Danny for what he said and he took it.

“It was a blood and thunder game all the way through, as great football as it was there was some great challenges being whacked all over the place by both sides.”

When asked about the threat made towards Constable, McMahon replied, “How they conduct themselves is nothing to do with me. I just hope they don’t! You take it maybe with a pinch of salt, like I said, some people are louder than some others and it could be frustration.

“I didn’t take too much notice of it, I spoke to the fella and everyone else. I haven’t got too much to say on it.

“AC’s done his job, he’s said it out of passion, it was nothing degrading. They were ok with it at the end.

“I think it may be an excuse as they’re disappointed that we’ve just scored. Hopefully there will be nothing of it. We’ve got to go there (in February), it will be interesting when we go there.”

Both sides went into the game unbeaten in their last three league games, with Concord Rangers picking up nine points in the process, so a good game was in prospect.

Seventh-placed side Concord went in at the break a goal up, courtesy of central midfielder Steve King, who is on a dual-registration deal with Blue Square South side Welling United.

But second placed Thamesmead Town kept up the pressure on leaders Lowestoft Town (who could only draw 2-2 at Ware tonight) as goals inside the last twenty minutes, from Lea Dawson and Cable, bagged all three points.

The Canvey Island based side started well and created a couple of good chances inside the opening 20 minutes before high-flying Thamesmead Town hit back.

Striker Kieyan Kelipha was released down the inside left channel and struck a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which stung the fingers of Mead goalkeeper Steve Northwood.

And following a throw from the impressive Lyle Taylor, Dave Collins whipped in a cross from the left and King, with his back to goal, hooked the ball over his shoulder and Northwood made a comfortable save as the ball bounced towards his goal.

Thamesmead carved their first chance of the game after 18 minutes when the industrious Cable worked his magic down the left and after twisting and turning inside the box the striker cut the ball back to his partner Constable, who blasted the ball over.

Cable then cracked a left-footed drive from 30-yards, which moved in the air, although keeper Dale Brightly was on hand to catch the ball comfortably.

However, Concord Rangers grabbed the lead on the stroke of half time, following a second successive corner.

After the home side defended Taylor’s corner from the left, they switched off following Collins’ swung in corner from the other side and King beat his marker at the near post to powerfully head down and in at the far post.

Thamesmead, who play a 3-5-2 formation, with a solid central defensive trio of Junior Baker, James Campbell and Lewis Tozer, with Marcus Perona and Danny Moore pushing forward as wing-backs, should have levelled in the 56th minute.

Cable was released through the middle and his driven shot looped off a Concord defender and spun towards Moore at the far post, but the left wing-back could only stab the ball into Brightly’s grateful arms.

Then, moments later, Northwood used his agility to tip over a fierce 30-yard left-footed drive from Kelipha and was relieved when the same player stabbed the ball into the net - but from an offside position.

Moore, who picked the ball up from inside his own half, sprinted down the left flank in the 59th minute before squaring for Scott Mullholland but the central midfielder’s shot was weak and rolled into the keeper’s arms.

Their pressure paid off, however, as Thamesmead deservedly drew level with twenty minutes remaining, with a set-piece of their very own to be proud off.

Perona swept in a right-footed free-kick from 35-yards out which was knocked down at the near post by Campbell and 19-year-old Dawson smashed a low drive past Brightly and into the back of the net.

Northwood had to be at his very best to prevent Concord regaining the lead six minutes later, diving to his left to parry Taylor’s fierce driven shot after substitute Ross Wall played an excellent diagonal ball to release the striker.

Thamesmead, however, showed enough desire late on to go on and claim a massive three points.

A move involving Cable and Constable set up a chance for James Brown, who cracked a right-footed drive from a central position from 35-yards out, which was tipped over by the visiting keeper.

But the touchline fury began as Thamesmead scored an 89th minute winner.

Moore, joining an attack, whipped in an angled low cross, which rolled across Brightly towards the far post, and there was Cable who smashed home a low shot to score his 12th goal of the season - just two behind Constable - who was at the centre of the controversy moments later.

McMahon was naturally delighted as he had target eight or nine points from their games against East Thurrock (which they won 2-1 at the weekend), tonight, league leaders Lowestoft Town on Saturday and local rivals VCD Athletic on Boxing Day.

“To be fair, I thought it was a really good game for the neutral to watch,” he said.

“It had everything! It had good football, had a lot of passion and a bit of drama at the end.

“We’ve worked really hard to get a result. Like I said to you before, like East Thurrock, they’re a really good side and to beat them 2-1, they must’ve felt they played well and I thought we played really well.

“Yes, I think we deserved it in the end. I thought we just wanted it a little bit more.”

McMahon was disappointed that his side went in at the break a goal-down.

“They started fairly well, the first ten minutes and for 25 minutes I thought it was all us,” said McMahon.

“We had a couple off chances and I thought they scored against the run of play and what was more disappointed is that before the game we spoke about the set plays and where players should be and one player just went missing for that one delivery and they scored from it. A good delivery and a good goal.”

McMahon did, however, praise departed coach Tony Russell, as his efforts and graft on the training ground paid dividends.

He said: “We’ve been working on set plays a hell of a lot this year and our old coach Tony Russell has got a lot to play for that. We changed them slightly today and young Lea Dawson, who was immense again today (scored).

“People think he’s a lot older than what he is, he’s just turned 19 and he finished well the kid. He’s going to be an outstanding player as he gets on.”

McMahon also praised his match-winner Cable.

“When you’ve scored at one-one you’re always going to be on top in the ascendancy to win but Rikki’s performance tonight, like East Thurrock, his work-rate, every time he gets the ball he’s dangerous and he can score goals,” he said.

“That’s an unlike Rikki goal, a normal straight forward rolling the ball straight into the back off the net.

“Rikki’s on form, as much as AC (Constable) is and I think we’ve got the two top goalscorerers in the league put tot ether.

“Things are going well for us at the moment. I said about taking eight or nine points from these four games and we’ve got six out of six against two exceptional good sides, who will be in the top two or three all year.”

Thamesmead are currently in second place and can actually leapfrog over giants Lowestoft if they win there on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s unchartered territory for us and we are playing some great sides and we’re punching above out weight,” admitted McMahon.

“We’ve got a good side and on our day, it will take an exceptional side to beat us.”

Thamesmead Town: Steve Northwood, Marcus Perona, Danny Moore, Junior Baker, James Campbell, Lewis Tozer, Scott Mulholland (Callum McGeehan 81), James Brown, Andy Constable (Raphael Momodu 86), Rikki Cable, Lea Dawson.
Subs: Chris Borchescu, Peter Deadman, Joel Greaves.

Goals: Lea Dawson 70, Rikki Cable 89

Booked: Marcus Perona 61

Concord Rangers: Dale Brightly, Ashley Miller, Dave Collins, Steve King, John Eaterford, Nick Skelton, Liam Hopkins (Taylor Sinfield 86), Nicky Cowley, Kieyan Kelipha (Ross Wall 70), Danny Heale (Michael Beggs 76), Lyle Taylor.

Goal: Steve King 45

Booked: Nicky Cowley 69

Attendance: 59
Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (New Eltham, London
Assistants: Mr Martin Lehane (Bexleyheath) & Mr Paul Gorvett (Erith)