Whyteleafe 2-0 Ashford United - They've pushed us all the way, says Whyteleafe boss John Fowler

WHYTELEAFE  2-0  ASHFORD UNITED
Southern Counties East Football League
Easter Monday 21^st April 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Church Road

WHYTELEAFE manager John Fowler thanked his chairman for his financial backing after the club celebrated their first league title for 45 years’ today.

The Leafe became the first Surrey club to win the Kent League/Southern Counties East Football League title after beating a tired looking Ashford United side that finished runners-up.

Whyteleafe, who went into the title decider with 74 points, five more than their Kent challengers, needed one point from their last two games this week to claim the title.

Bentley Graham settled any nerves when he drilled his eighth-goal of the season into the bottom corner just before the break.

Greg Andrews came off the bench to rifle a shot into the roof of the net late on before skipper Jason Thompson held the trophy aloft in front of the home club’s largest crowd of the season.

John Fowler, who has guided Whyteleafe to the league title in only his first season in charge after leaving Combined Counties League side Croydon last summer, had a beaming smile on his face when he said: “I couldn’t ask for anything else, could I?

“Let’s be honest, it was one of them.  They had to win it. All we needed was a point.  I wanted to win it firstly because we were playing at home in front of our own supporters and they’ve been excellent all year.  You couldn’t have had a better end to the season.

“Nice big crowd, the supporters were absolutely superb.  You heard them signing from start to finish and I think they really got behind the team and really drove them through the pain barrier so that was good.

“After the first game with them getting beaten and having a man sent off was a bit of a bitter taste left in my mouth. The boys were up for it. They didn’t need no incentive did they rather than having the league title.

“They’ve (my players) got to really appreciate that (winning the title) as well. It might not come round again. They’ve got to really enjoy it.

“You can tell by the support here today the club is not a Kent League or Southern Counties East League side. It’s definitely a Ryman club and with all the new development and that so hopefully we can push on.”

Ashford United boss Paul Chambers was a bitterly disappointed figure at the final whistle. 

However, he watched the trophy presentation from outside his dressing room door and clapped the league champions from his lofty position above the pitch.

“Congratulations to Whyteleafe, they’ve done ever so well and we’re pleased for them,” said Chambers, who has finished runners-up in their first season at this level after the new club spent their first two seasons playing in the Kent Invicta League.

“At the end of the day, they’ve been the best team in the league all season.”

Played on a tired-looking pitch, the first half was mainly a midfield battle, but Whyteleafe were to be denied by a string of fine saves from visiting keeper Joe Mant, who enhanced his reputation that he should be playing at a higher level of football.

Whyteleafe created the first chance of the game inside the opening eight minutes.

Star-striker, Roscoe D’Sane, who has scored 21 goals this season, latched onto a long ball over the top but his right-footed chip sailed past Mant and dropped the wrong side of the right-hand post.

Ashford United went close within four minutes, through route-one football.

Mant pumped the ball upfield, which was flicked on by Gary Mickelborough but Ronnie Dolan’s first time left-footed angled drive whistled past the near post.

Whyteleafe, who won the corner count 14-4, went close again when Dylan Merchant came up from the back to plant his header across goal after Ryan Fowler swung in a corner towards the far post from the left.

Whyteleafe created a couple more chances after 21 minutes when D’Sane cut the ball back to Fowler, who floated a cross towards the far post, which was brought down by Graham, but a couple of his shots were blocked.

Ryan Fowler swung in the resulting corner towards the near post where central midfielder Jensen Grant planted his header wide of the near post.

Ashford United next missed opportunity arrived in the 25^th minute when Dolan whipped in a cross from the left which was glanced wide by Mickelborough at the near post.

However, the champagne was getting prepared when Whyteleafe right-sided midfielder Bentley opened the scoring after 39 minutes, seconds after Mant made a smart save.

A big kick straight down the middle of the pitch from Whyteleafe keeper Ceesay bounced over the Ashford back-four and D’Sane brought the ball under his spell before stroking a right-footed shot towards the bottom right-hand corner.

However, Mant dived to his left to make a fine block and eleven seconds later Bentley drilled his angled right-footed drive into the bottom far corner of the net.

Fowler said: “Our game plan was to not concede.  At the end of the day all we needed was a draw.

“We knew that they had a bit of pressure and they needed to win.  It was pretty much sit tight, be nice and compact and hit them on the counter attack and it worked in the first half.

“Well, a great bit of build-up play and a bit of skill from Bentley for the goal when he went round two players like that. What can you say and he drilled it into the bottom corner. Perfect finish!

“It took a bit of pressure off! Obviously a few of the nerves calmed down because in all fairness we’ve got quite a young side as well so this will do them the world of good having this experience.”

Fowler was full of praise for D’Sane, adding, “Roscoe’s Roscoe. He’s a decent player wherever he’s played.  He has a massive influence when I’m not on the pitch and I can’t give instructions.

“Roscoe’s a calming figure among all the young lads so he’s had a big part to play all season.”

Chambers admitted his side’s 1-0 home win over third-placed Tunbridge Wells had taken its toll on his players and there was no way back for them after going a goal behind.

He said: “I think we gave so much Saturday, it was such a big game Saturday.  To have the team that have just won the league and the team that are third in the space of three days, it’s just one of those, so fair play to the lads.

“They’ve come out and they’ve given so much Saturday.   We got what we wanted out of it and we’ve got second place, so we’ve got to be really happy with that.  We’ve got to be over the moon.”

D’Sane danced his way through the Ashford defence and was denied by another fine block from Mant and Bentley’s rebound was blocked again.

D’Sane, who was unplayable during the first half, glided past Ashford defender Luke Cuthbert before drilling a left-footed shot, which Mant beat away at his near post before gathering the loose ball at the second attempt.

Ashford United squandered an opportunity to bring themselves back in the game but fifteen-goal striker Sam Conlon fluffed his lines when his right-footed free-kick from 25-yards sailed harmlessly over the bar and into the stand behind the goal.

Whyteleafe were getting at the Ashford defence at ease and Sam Clayton almost capped off an excellent season with a goal, but Mant dived to his right to make the save and did well to hold on to the ball.

Fowler said: “He’s a really good goalkeeper. He wouldn’t be playing for Ashford, who are second in the league, if he wasn’t a good goalkeeper, so more than I expected.  They’re a dogged side and they pushed us all the way.”

Ashford United created the first chance of the second half when Ceesay was called into action after only 91 seconds.

Adam Cuthbert stroked a right-footed free-kick towards goal from 28-yards, which forced the Leafe keeper to dive to his left to push the ball around the post.

Graham was then given licence to cut into the penalty area from the left by-line before cutting the ball back for Clayton, whose shot from close range was blocked on the line.

Chambers was forced to make another change in the 53^rd minute when Ollie Finch, who replaced left-back Liam Whiting at the break, was forced off himself through injury and Ashford United switched their formation from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2.

Chambers said: “Liam’s struggling with his groin. We’ve got Jimmy (Dryden) struggling with his knee today. Ben Jordan with a cut head. Buster (Michael Smissen) is not available and he’s struggling a little bit so we’ve got five or six players out.

“When you come to places like this you can’t afford to have your better players out so with Pat Kingwell suspended, we’ve just had some really bad luck.”

Whyteleafe manager Fowler praised keeper Ceesay for denying Ashford United a certain equaliser after 57 minutes.

Mickelborough made progress down the right flank before whipping in an excellent cross towards the far post where unmarked former Hythe Town midfielder Dolan swept a first time right-footed volley towards goal, which was brilliantly saved by Ceesay, low to his left.

Fowler said: “You’ve got to give everyone credit where credit’s due so when he was needed to be called upon, he done his job excellently.”

Andrews was introduced by Whyteleafe and he almost made an immediate impact when his right-footed drive flashed just wide of the near post after Clayton’s pass.

Thompson, who has scored 25 goals from the middle of the park, was given time and space before drilling a first-time left-footed drive from 30-yards, which flashed wide of the right-hand post.

There was a controversial incident in the final seventeen minutes after Mant made another brilliant save.

Graham whipped in a low cross from the right which was swept towards goal first time by Andrews, which was brilliantly blocked by Mant, low to his left.

Referee Craig Burton immediately awarded Whyteleafe a hotly-disputed indirect free-kick which was smashed over the bar by Thompson from eight-yards.

Clayton’s right-footed drive dipped narrowly over the Ashford United crossbar from 22-yards, before Chambers was enraged when his side were denied a penalty, which Chambers felt the offender should have been sent-off for the offence, with only 12 minutes left.

Mickelborough swept the ball out side to substitute Ira Jackson who strode forward before cutting inside and drilling a left-footed angled drive which beat Ceesay.

However, it appeared that Whyteleafe defender Tommy Smith may have used his hand to clear the ball off the line but referee Burton failed to spot the offence and play continued.

Chambers was furious with the decision and stormed: “At the end of the day, if you know football, that’s a blatant penalty! Ira’s done everything well, he’s cut inside and he’s hit it and the lad saved it with his hand so he’s stopped it from going in so it’s a penalty and the lad gets sent off, so we’ve got fifteen minutes with ten-men, one-all, so it’s a joke that the referee says he didn’t see it!

“But the thing is that goes their way, good luck to them. It’s just a sour taste when we should’ve had a penalty and they should’ve had a player sent off!

“I thought the referee was very, very, very poor for both sides.”

When asked his thoughts on the incident, Fowler added: “I honestly believe there was an incident in the first half exactly the same! A shot went in and the guy looked like he handballed it as well. It’s the same sort of scenario.  In fairness it probably evened itself up!”

That decision knocked the stuffing out of Ashford and it was only a matter of time that Whyteleafe would seal the title, the goal coming in the final eight minutes.

Graham played the ball inside to Clayton, who set up Andrews, who rifled his shot into the roof of the net from 15-yards to spark celebrations from Whyteleafe’s brilliant vocal fans.

“If you’re going to win the league, you win it with a finish like that,” said Fowler.

“Greg can do that whenever he wants, great finish!

“After that I felt then that was it! You could see Ashford’s heads, they went after that.”

When asked about the goal, Chambers said: “To be honest, I’m not really interested in their goals.  It’s the day that Whyteleafe have won the league. We can go on and pick out points from the whole season. It’s just one of those things.  

“The second goal was a good goal, I thought, so credit to them.”

Jackson played the ball into Conlon, whose shot on the turn was comfortably saved by Ceesay at his near post.

Whyteleafe, who travel to Deal Town next Saturday, created the last chance when Graham penetrated the Ashford defence, played a one-two with Clayton, before seeing his left-footed drive sailing over the bar.

Fowler can now prepare his second season in charge of the club for Ryman League football next season.

“That was the objective when I took over at the start of the season,” he said.

“Mark (Coote) had his vision where he wanted this club to be and he financially backed me as well. We wasn’t the biggest budget in the league but I knew with the personnel I knew and what we could get them for we’ve done really well with it and he’s paid it all year so on his part I couldn’t ask for a better chairman.”

Fowler says he will keep faith with his current squad for the higher grade of football.

“We’re in a luxury though that we’ve got probably a good side that can play in the Ryman League quite easy so there’s not a massive clear out and loads of players needed, which is good.  A good pre-season behind us, we’ll be alright.”

Today was the last game to be played on a grass pitch at Church Road as the club install a 3G artificial surface next Saturday, to join Ryman League clubs Maidstone United and Harlow Town, who play on those kind of perfect playing surfaces.

Fowler said: “Thank god! I’ve played here, I know what (our pitch) is like!”

“In all fairness it’s brilliant for the club.  They need to do it for the progression. 

“I’m all up for it. At this day and age the club’s haven’t got the money what they used to and I think a lot of non-league clubs will follow suit because they see it working.”

Despite losing the title decider, Chambers said he was proud of his side’s campaign and can now enjoy their last game of the season, at home to seventh-placed Phoenix Sports next Saturday.

“I’m so proud of my players. We’ve played all season and we’ve guaranteed second place,” said Chambers.

“If you would have turned round and said that we’re the new club promoted into this league and we ended up second we would’ve snapped your hand off, so credit to my players.

“My players are absolutely shattered.  Luckily Whyteleafe haven’t had to play three times a week like us where we’ve dropped points.  Good luck to them.  Let them go and enjoy themselves.”

Chambers admits the pressure is now off his side when they travel to last season’s Kent Invicta League champions Phoenix Sports next Saturday.

He said: “Nothing can happen. We can’t win the league. We can’t come third so we’ll just go and enjoy it.”

Whyteleafe: Sheikh Ceesay, Cedric Abraham, Alex Penfold, Tommy Smith, Dylan Merchant, Jason Thompson, Ryan Fowler, Jensen Grant (Greg Andrews 64), Roscoe D’Sane (Taylor Smith 81), Sam Clayton, Bentley Graham.
Subs: Adam Broomhead, Gareth Williams, Daniel Burnett

Goals: Bentley Graham 39, Greg Andrews 82

Ashford United: Joe Mant, Tom Scorer, Liam Whiting (Ollie Finch 46, Ira Jackson 53), Gary Clarke, Jordan Miller, Luke Cuthbert, Dave Cook, Adam Cuthbert, Gary Mickelborough, Sam Conlon, Ronnie Dolan.
Subs: Ian Wallace, Paul Chambers, John Ovard

Attendance: 275
Referee: Mr Craig Burton (Rochester)
Assistants: Mr Danny Roberts (Aylesford) & Mr Harry Wager (Tunbridge Wells)