VCD Athletic 1-3 Hythe Town. Crawford helps Hythe buzz - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

The Scottish defender made his debut in tonight’s convincing 3-1 win at VCD Athletic to leapfrog over the Crayford side into top spot in Group A of the Kent League Cup.

Crawford, who was released by Ryman League Division One South outfit Ashford Town, slotted in at the heart of Hythe’s defence as they won their last group game to give them a good chance of reaching the quarter finals.

Hythe endured a horrendous journey to Oakwood as they arrived just thirty minutes before kick off and were also force to field Leigh Holdway, their reserve team assistant manager, in goal as first choice Seb Barton had already played one game in the competition for Herne Bay and was cup-tied.

VCD Athletic, however, should have opened the scoring inside the first four minutes - but against the run of play.

Striker Richard Sinden should have scored against his former club when he latched onto a long through ball but dwelled on the ball inside the penalty area to enable Gavin Ransley to make a last ditch well-timed tackle.

They were made to pay for that miss as Hythe deservedly opened the scoring just four minutes later.

A left-flank cross from John Walker found an unmarked Roy Godden and the prolific striker buried the ball past Grant Wallis and into the right hand corner.

Wallis was beaten at his near post ten minutes before the break when a low angled drive from Hythe skipper Lee Winfield crept past the diving goalkeeper.

But the highly-rated goalkeeper, who picked up an injury during the game, made amends when he tipped Godden’s fierce drive over the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Hythe would have deserved their three goal advantage at the break.

Danny Penny, who scored Vickers two goals during their 2-1 win at Wisbech Town to reach the last 32 of the FA Vase on Saturday, unleashed a long-range drive which Holdway did well to save at the second attempt.

But Sinden made amends for his earlier miss when he brought Vickers back into the game after 57 minutes.

Sinden latched onto Penny’s defensive splitting pass and with only Holdway to beat he kept his composure to rifle the ball over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net with a fierce shot.

Hythe almost scored from their seventh and last corner six minutes later when Godden met Dale Skelton’s far post corner with a towering header but the ball flew over.

Vickers threw on substitute Leroy Huggins for a three man attack late on and they almost stole an undeserved equaliser with 12 minutes left.

Substitute Mark Greatorex latched onto another defensive splitting pass from Penny and with only Holdway to beat the one-time Margate striker agonisingly fired past the far post.

Any hopes of salvaging a point, however, were dented when long-haired midfielder Gary Ward was sent off after picking up his second yellow card.

Ward, however, would have felt aggrieved as his second caution came when he showed dissent towards Gillingham referee Mr Alan Marshall after he was fouled by Hythe striker Stuart Daffin.

Hythe wrapped up a deserved victory with three minutes remaining when Skelton unleashed a screamer from 30-yards which flew into the right hand side of the net after good play from Walker, Daffin and Godden.

Their victory made up for a very bad afternoon for Fisk.

“We’re really pleased,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game.

“We’ve had a bad day, we’ll I’ve had a bad day, struggling for a goalkeeper but we played really well.

“It’s a nice pitch and I think we enjoyed it. We enjoyed keeping the ball and passing the ball. I just wish we can do it a bit more often.”

Fisk admitted he was pleased that long-term target, Crawford, made his debut for the Reachfields Stadium outfit tonight.

He said: “He’s a really good player. We tried to sign him last year but he got into the Ashford first team.

“He’s not fit yet but a couple of weeks when he’s fit - we’re looking forward to that really as we’ve lost Roy Guilver (to neighbours Folkestone Invicta) and we’ve signed Barry and we might have done us a favour really.”

Fisk, who takes his side to the Mile End Stadium on Saturday to tackle Sporting Bengal United, does so in confidence.

“Going to Crayford on a Thursday night and then we go home and go to Sporting Bengal on Saturday is not particularly great,” bemoaned Fisk.

“I suppose if we hadn’t won I’d be more unhappy but we’re pleased we’ve won. At least it’s a nice place to come to.

“We’ll after today we’ll be more confident. Sporting Bengal do well in some games so were not taking anything for granted at all.”

Fisk, however, revealed his aims for the rest of the Kent League season.

“We want to push on in the league really,” he said. “We want to get into the top six - that’s our aim.

“We’ll take top six first. I don’t want to make predictions and fall short.”

Debutant Crawford was also “very pleased” with the way his first match for his new club went.

He said: “The boys dug in, very good first half. Second half they came back into it but we dug in deep and got the result in the end. The third goal was just the killer in the end.”

Crawford admitted that he was “disappointed” having to leave Ashford Town after playing 18 times for the Homelands club.

“I was disappointed the way it ended as I had a lot of friends at the club but me and Tim (Thorogood) just couldn’t see eye to eye.”

And on tonight’s showing, Crawford believes Hythe will finish in the top six this season.

“Again, if we play like that there’s no reason why we can’t go on a good run now and press up the league,” he said. “Who knows, the same effort and drive and hopefully we can.”

Interview with VCD Athletic boss Martin Ford follows later.