VCD Athletic 0-2 Erith Town - It was not pretty, but we got the job done, admits Tony Russell

VCD ATHLETIC  0-2  ERITH TOWN
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Bank Holiday Monday 27^th August 2012
Mike Green reports from Oakwood

TONY RUSSELL’S Erith Town extended their early season lead at the top of the Kent Hurlimann Football League to five points after a 2-0 win against Saturday’s FA Cup heroes VCD Athletic, who in truth seemed to have left their legs behind following their win over Whitstable Town.


Two scrambled second half efforts proved enough for Russell's side, and left the manager very happy indeed as his side move clear of Cray Valley, who leapfrogged over VCD Athletic in the table.

He said: "That wasn't pretty - as I said to the boys "it was a bit like Sally Gunnell - not that pretty but it got the job done."

“It was a scrap today between two very evenly matched sides. I was proud of the way our boys dug in and tried to pass it even though it wasn't really working for us. Thought first half we created a couple of good chances that we really should have taken one of them. Then second half it was a bit scrappy - we got in front and apart from the bit of magic when they hit the post I thought that we were pretty comfortable at the back.

“Another clean sheet which is total madness – pre-season we didn't keep one and I was going crackers about it and Razor (assistant Ray Powell) did session after session on defence and midfield and we were talking about it all the time, but we've now played five league games, won five and scored eighteen and still haven't conceded a goal. God you'll take that all day long, but we've only had a good start we need to turn the start into a good season."

Vickers boss Ricky Bennett on the other hand was frustrated that his side had almost "ran out of steam" but was frustrated at having to play two such important games in the space of 72 hours.

He said: "I wasn't totally disappointed with our performance although I did think we looked a bit leggy - Saturday's (FA Cup win over Whitstable Town) took a lot out of us and as I've said before, we haven't got the biggest squad.

“Maybe I could have done something different and freshened it up a bit with some fresh legs but I thought that the momentum that we took for Saturday's result - as well as our previous results this season - would have carried us through.

“But to be honest it caught up with us towards the end - when you give two poor goals away... well that’s down to mental tiredness I think!

“I didn't think we were outplayed and that we had some decent passages of play but it all proved just a bit too soon after Saturday.

“We've had some great results this year without really hitting top gear but we've run into a bit of a wall today but there is still such a long, long way to go.”

Bennett added:  "I can’t quite understand why some teams get the whole week off and we've come out of the back of a cup tie and then face a big League game today, and still have to play two more League games before we play in the next round of the Cup on Saturday week. I'm sure that there should be some logic involved but there you go! But obviously it’s one of those things that we just have to deal with.”

The opening half was particularly inspiring - it resembled a closely fought chess match with both sides (in this case) probing for the weakness and the gaps in the opposition's armour.

Gary Clarke was just too high for VCD, and James Duckworth sent a free kick straight at Erith keeper Kevin Fewell, whilst for the visitors Cory Walters-Wright fired over when well-placed and Tyrus Gordon missed a glorious chance right on half time after VCD keeper Steve Northwood misjudged a corner - Gordon could only head wide with the goal at his mercy.

The game was crying out for a goal, and it came just four minutes into the second period.

Erith Town had already gone close (with Peter Smith just couldn't keep his shot down after good work from Jamie Humphries) before they took the lead through Ray Powell.

A long throw into the VCD box wasn't dealt with and Powell, displaying all his instincts from his striking days (he's now playing as a right full back) and prodded the ball beyond Northwood and into the bottom corner of the net.

VCD hit back - first through Karl Dent, who's 25 yard drive flew inches wide, and then following the passing move of the match, Vickers sub Billy Bennett - who had played a delightful one two with Dent to wriggle free of the Erith defence - was denied brilliantly by Fewell who spread himself well to save.

The home side got even closer on 71 minutes when following a powerful run, Uche Ibemere beat Fewell's dive from 20 yards only to see the ball cannon off of the inside of the right post, run along the goal line before being hacked clear.

Chris Hill then went close with a header from Dent's free kick as the home side piled forward desperately looking for an equaliser.

By pushing forward, the Vickers left themselves exposed at the back and Smith was within inches of a second as his shot clipped the outside of the left post following a melee.

Back came the home side and Hill's flying header brought the best out of Fewell before the visitors sealed the points six minutes from time.

Shaquille Richards had just come on to replace Chris Walker, as with his first touch, he got on the end of Humphries surging run down the left, and the ball ricocheted off of the unfortunate Laurence Collins (himself just on for Jack Asbury), and the ball almost apologetically rolled into the corner of the net with Northwood completely wrong footed.

An inspired substitution by the Erith boss or not?

"I'll take that to be fair, but you know that when you put someone on and they find themselves in that position with their first touch - I was delighted when that one went in," admitted Russell.

The home side’s afternoon was summed up in stoppage time, when after Clarke's fine run had created the chance Aiden Pursglove blazed high over the bar. The frustration on the subs face clearly mirrored that of his team mate and home supporters alike. Maybe this was a game too far for Bennett's players.

The VCD boss was realistic when he said, "We'll have to bounce back from this on Saturday at Sevenoaks, but I know that that will be tricky as they are a lively young side but then every game in the Kent League is a tough one, but we'll get together again at training on Thursday and look back to bounce back again.

“I think that we always knew that the League would be tight with five or six sides that are very evenly matched looking to do something this year. There have been one or two surprises but then it wouldn't be the Kent League if there wasn't!"

For the Erith boss, it was a case of taking advantage both on and off of the pitch of a blank Saturday.

Russell said: "We didn't have a game on Saturday so took the chance to watch the first half at Rochester (who we play next week) and then the second half here against Whitstable. We needed to have a look at what to expect at Rochester and to be fair to them I was very pleasantly surprised - think they've got a tremendous set up and good pitch so we'll have no excuses next Tuesday. Before that of course we've got Deal, and you know what you're going to get with them - they're a strong unit and physical, so we'll have to be patient.

“But as a manager when you're winning especially you've got to be confident that we can win every game you play - then you lose a couple and can’t see where the next win is going to come from. So at the moment I just want us to play - heck, I was here for the second half on Saturday and I was absolutely gutted when the score was 1-1 going into injury time. So when (Billy) Shinners got the winner, I nearly jumped up myself let alone the VCD fans. I just want the games to keep coming."

VCD Athletic:  Steve Northwood, Jack Asbury (Laurence Collins 83), Greg Benbow, Chris Hill, Paul Gross, Gary Clarke, Jimmy Rogers (Billy Bennett 57), Karl Dent, Billy Shinners (Aiden Pursglove 16), James Duckworth, Uche Ibemere.
Subs:  George Mitchell, Kiran Dingri

Booked: Chris Hill 76, Gary Clarke 86, Billy Bennett 90

Erith Town:  Kevin Fewell, Ray Powell, Lee Craig, Cory Walters-Wright, Ben Payne, Peter Smith, Liam Burgess (Marcus Perona 63), Chris Walker (Shaquille Richards 82), Tyrus Gordon, Aaron Williams (Jamie Humphries 26), Harry Montgomery.
Subs:  David Noel, Dean Morris

Goals:  Ray Powell 49, Shaquille Richards 85

Booked:  Ray Powell 28, Ben Payne 43, Cory Walters-Wright 73

Attendance: 130
Referee: Mr David Gainsford (Basildon, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Danny Geary (Maidstone) & Mr John Quirke (Maidstone)