Walton Casuals 1-2 Thamesmead Town - I thought we wanted it more than them, admits Keith McMahon

WALTON CASUALS  1-2  THAMESMEAD TOWN
The FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round
Tuesday 28^th August 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Waterside Drive

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says his side showed unity despite the club’s off-the-field problems after  they booked their place in the next round of The FA Cup by winning a hard-fought battle away to struggling Walton Casuals.
 


McMahon revealed seven days ago that the Ryman League Division One North club were on the brink of going out of existence due to the on-going delay in moving into the new facilities at their Bayliss Avenue ground.

Thamesmead Town were down on their luck at the weekend when they were leading Walton Casuals 1-0 at the break, courtesy of Sean Roberts’ goal, but referee Mark Englebretson abandoned the game at half-time due to parts of the ground under water.

But they came back to Waterside Drive and finished off the job with a comfortable 2-1 victory against a Walton Casuals side that are rooted to the foot of the Ryman League Division One South table with one point from their opening three games.

Thamesmead Town, who went into the game sitting in eleventh-place in their division, were indebted to the left-foot of their 27-year-old left-back Ashley Probets, whose two in-swinging corners deservedly won the game for the Mead.

Lea Dawson, 20, who was immense in the middle of the park, headed home Probets’ 22^nd minute corner, before an error from visiting keeper Rob Budd gifted the home side an equaliser seven minutes into the second half, which Hassan Nygang accepted, but Thamesmead booked a home tie against Worthing on 8 September when Probets scored directly from a corner with fifteen minutes remaining.

McMahon was delighted that his side won a hard-fought FA Cup tie.  Walton Casuals won the foul count 23-20.

He said: “Big hard fought game. We came here Saturday 1-0 up before it was abandoned and to be fair it was a lot more comfortable than tonight.  They were very long ball. We had to withstand a lot of aerial pressure.

“Listen, the boys dug deep tonight. A centre forward (Rob Carter) didn’t turn up until two minutes until the kick-off. When we lost Danny Kerrigan after ten minutes with a cut to the nose it looked like we were a bit up against it a little bit but I thought we held together.

“We stood a little bit of pressure but nothing major. We scored and I thought we were a little bit comfortable and then we’ve conceded from a throw on after half-time.

“Anyone whose come and watched Thamesmead over the years we can defend crosses and long balls into the box all day long so I’m pleased.

“We’ve got a lot of youngsters in there so that will do them the world of good – a big battling performance and that’s what it was – a proper Cup tie.”

Walton Casuals’ best chance came as early as within the opening eight minutes when former Thamesmead player Sol Paterson-Bohner was released down the left flank and he cut the ball back to striker Rob Sheridan, whose left-footed angled drive from 20-yards crashed against the near post with the former Ilford keeper rooted to the spot.

Thamesmead Town took nearly fifteen minutes to create their first opening when Sean Roberts threaded the ball through to striker Rob Carter, whose drove a low right-footed shot past the post from 25-yards.

Carter did not take part in the pre-match Respect handshake because he had to do his own swift warm-up because of his late arrival at the ground, which is located on the bank of the River Thames.

Walton Casuals relied too heavily on long throws from central defender Michael Corbett and they went close when Sean Bradley flicked his shot just past the near post.

Otherwise, Corbett’s bullet throws were meat and drink for Thamesmead’s two central defenders, Lewis Tozer and James Donovan – other than the 52^nd minute when the Surrey side equalised.

McMahon said: “When it matters, they’re the people you want in the back. I said I wouldn’t swap either two of them as centre halves. Again they just wear their hearts on their sleeves and that’s what you need at this level. They’ll die for you.  One isn’t the quickest, one is, they complement each other really well an they’ve bonded over the last two years and we were immense, especially when they just launched it up in the air.   I don’t think we’re going to lose too many first or second balls. I thought we got tight. They never got behind us so it was a good day for them.”

Carter was brought crashing down following a challenge from behind by Walton Casuals’ other central defender Jon Boswell and Probets’ resulting left-footed free-kick deflected just over the bar.

But Thamesmead Town scored from the resulting corner as Probets’ in-swinging corner was powered home by Dawson at the near post.

McMahon said: “Our set-plays are quite hard to defend to be honest.  Anytime Ashley puts the ball in the box we look like we can score. Lea’s put his head to it.  I thought we could’ve got a couple more straight after that with the same delivery.  He got the winner from that as well.”

McMahon was full of praise for Dawson, who put in a performance that belied his young age.

He said: “Listen, Lea Dawson is one of the best players in the league. I’ve said it for years. It’s unbelievable to think he’s only 20-years-old still and he plays like that! He’s got close to 250-300 Ryman League appearances and he’s won the Kent League double with us as a sixteen-year-old and he’s come through the ranks.  They’re the games he loves, the battles. He put his head to every ball and he won every tackle. He stood out.

“I think the difference between the sides. I thought we wanted it more than them to be honest.

“I thought young Sean Roberts in the middle of the field, he’s only seventeen. He was outstanding and when we put Richard Butler in the middle of the park he worked hard.  It was a big, all-round team performance and I think we got our just rewards.”

Walton Casuals’ attempts on goal were woeful on the night and Sam Robinson failed to trouble Budd when he cracked a right-footed drive wide from 30-yards after the Mead defence dealt with Corbett’s long throw in from the left.

They did, however, played a bit of football to create a decent chance in the 33^rd minute when Robinson swept an excellent diagonal pass with his left foot to pick out Shaun Elliott down the left and he whipped in an excellent cross to find Sheridan, who guided his header across Budd and past the far post.

Carter fashioned himself a chance just before the break when he cut in from the right, muscled his marker away from the ball, but his left-footed shot on the turn sailed over the Casuals’ crossbar from 25-yards.

McMahon added: “I thought first half especially, every time we went forward I thought we looked like we were going to score. 

“The second half was a little bit different.  It was a little bit scrappy.  In the first 20 minutes they came out a little bit and looked the better side and they scored early but we re-grouped and we all rallied round.”

Walton Casuals created the first chance of the second half when a clearance from right-back Matt Druce resulted in Sheridan – who faced the wrath of the home faithful for being caught offside four times during the game – sent a right-footed shot on the turn sailing over.

But Walton Casuals grabbed the lead with their first shot on target in the 52^nd minute.

Corbett hurled a bullet throw in from close to the corner flag and Budd inexplicably stepped towards the near post but failed to gather the ball and the ball bounced off Hassan Nyang and rolled through a crowd of players inside the six-yard box and rolled into the bottom far corner.

McMahon said: “I thought we were a little bit comfortable and then we’ve conceded from a throw on after half-time.  The keeper’s made a little bit of a mistake. He’s come for it and not got it and it’s come off their fella and gone in.  Other than that I thought we was fairly comfortable.”

Walton Casuals should have taken the lead in the 62^nd minute when winger Bradley whipped in a dangerous looking cross from the left and Tozer did brilliantly to slide the ball away but skipper Craig Lewington curled his right-footed shot wide as he attempted to find the top corner.

Thamesmead’s best chance to regain the lead came five minutes later when they turned defence into attack in a matter of seconds.

Lewington bounced the ball a couple of times before he prepared to take the corner – a sign that he was going to take it short to Patterson-Bohner – who stabbed the ball back to Lewington, who cut the ball back to Robinson outside the penalty area and he was tackled well by Roberts, who passed to Dawson, who released winger Enoch Adjei down the right.

The pint-sized seventeen-year-old ran at least 60 yards, leaving left-back Elliott chasing shadows, cut into the penalty area and with only keeper Gareth Williams to beat dragged his right-footed angled shot wide of the far post.

McMahon said: “We hit them on the break.  We know young Enoch’s got a load of pace and he’s took it from inside his half and they couldn’t get near him and he’s drilled it across the box but that’s what you’ve got to do when you’ve come away from home. You soak up pressure and see if you can nick it on the break. We’ve got a lot of pace going forward.

“Rob Carter was tremendous tonight. He led the line well. He was a constant threat. He was on their shoulder.”  

That inspiring counter-attack gave Thamesmead the confidence to venture forward and Carter used his strength to cut in from the left before his low right-footed drive was comfortably saved by the former Bromley keeper at the foot of his near post.

But Thamesmead Town scooped the much-needed prize money, thanks to Probets’ fourth goal of the season.

The former Arsenal trainee, who made the last of his 12 appearances for League Two side Rochdale in November 2004, swung in a corner from the right and Williams replicated Budd’s earlier miss, by stepping forward towards his near post but allowed the ball curl into his net, high above his outstretched arms.

McMahon said: “It’s good when the team listens and does what they’re asked and set-plays are a major part at this level. We could defend theirs and they couldn’t defend ours.”

Walton Casuals almost hit-back when Lewington’s swung in a right-footed corner from the left, but Sheridan ghosted into the box but glanced his header across the goal and wide.

Richard Butler – who slotted into the middle of the park after Danny Kerrigan was forced off due to a cut to his nose within the opening ten minutes - played a fine ball down the line to release Carter, who once again cut in and Williams once again made a comfortable save beside his near post.

Thamesmead keeper Budd dived to his right to make a vital save to thwart Boswell, whose flicked a shot towards the corner after Lewington played a low free-kick into the penalty box.

And Walton Casuals’ night ended when Patterson-Bohner skied a right-footed hooked volley after Budd punched away another Corbett long throw at the death.

There were ugly scenes at the final whistle when Thamesmead substitute Saleem Masri and Walton Casuals skipper Lewington went eye ball to eye ball, while players from both sides surrounded the pair.

McMahon added: “Saleem’s a nineteen-year-old lad and he’s (Lewington) experienced and should know better than that.  He (Lewington) tried to do a couple of silly fouls he’s done on him and he tried to give it to him before the whistle and then he’s carried it on.  There was nothing major. It’s handbags.  Saleem hasn’t got a bad bone in his body. He’s a young kid. Maybe he should know better than that. I don’t see him (Lewington) go and pick on my centre halves. He picked on a young kid. Maybe that shows what he’s about?”

But McMahon was proud of the togetherness that his side showed during the entire game.

“We’ve always been a big team anyway but with what’s gone on off-the-pitch we’re all united together and they’ve got their heart of their sleeves and they’re playing for the club and you saw that tonight.

“I don’t think you saw anyone sitting there worrying about the future or anything. You saw everyone giving it everything, every dying breath for the club.  It was immense.

McMahon, meanwhile, criticised the predictable tactics from the home side.

“They’ve got quit a couple of talented players – their wingers are fairly lively. Obviously I know Sol Paterson-Bohner from us but they didn’t use them.

“They just tried to get a throw and then just throw it as far as they can.  I’m going to be critical of them.  It got a little bit predictable but you’ve still got to withstand that pressure, especially towards the end when you’ve got a few nervous players and they stood up and be counted.  I didn’t think they looked like they were going to threaten.”

The prize money will certainly be welcomed at Bayliss Avenue and they can now look forward to Worthing’s visit – and hopefully a large away following - in the First Qualifying Round on 8 September.

The Mead boss, who is also club treasurer said: “We’re not jumping through hoops because we’ve won £1,750, we’re jumping through hoops because we’ve just won away from home and we’ve put a great performance in and deservedly so.

“The money is a bonus. It is a major bonus but we’re not sitting here depending on it. If we had lost tonight it wouldn’t have been the end of the world.

“When you start worrying about the prize money I think you take your eye off the actual game itself.  I think my players showed their professionalism in that way tonight and we’ve set out to put the disappointment of Saturday, coming here and what happened with the pitch and not being able to come here yesterday and having to travel tonight, so we took a little bit of that away and we’ve bonded so that was the plan tonight.”

Walton Casuals: Gareth Williams, Matt Druce, Shaun Elliot (Matt Robinson 84), Craig Lewington, Michael Corbett, Jon Boswell, Sean Bradley, Hassan Nyang, Rob Sheridan, Sol Paterson-Bohner, Sam Robinson (Elton G’Joni 81).
Subs: Brendon Sebuiba, Harry Wise, Anthony Morrison, Kieran Campbell, Martin Beard

Goal: Hassan Nyang 52

Booked: Sam Robinson 25, Sean Bradley 28

Thamesmead Town: Rob Budd, Jack Hopkins, Ashley Probets, Danny Kerrigan (Richard Butler 10), Lewis Tozer, James Donovan, Sean Roberts, Lea Dawson, Rob Carter, Rikki Cable (Saleem Masri 82), Enoch Adjei.
Subs: Adriano Lawson, Chuck Duru, Ryan Flack

Goals: Lea Dawson 22, Ashley Probets 75

Booked: Enoch Adjei 41

Attendance: 53
Referee: Mr Michael Hayden (Epsom, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Daniel Simpson (West Drayton, Middlesex) & Mr Andrew Hickman (Northolt, Middlesex)