Kentish Football 
Worthing 0-0 Beckenham Town - We're a bit gutted we haven't won, admits proud Michael Marks
Saturday 01st October 2011
WORTHING 0-0 BECKENHAM TOWN
The FA Cup with Budweiser Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 1st October 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Woodside Road
BECKENHAM TOWN boss Jason Huntley says he fancies his side’s chances of progressing into the penultimate qualifying round of The FA Cup after his bravehearts made a physically strong Worthing side look very ordinary on their own patch.
Worthing went into this Second Qualifying Round tie sitting in third place in the Ryman League Division One South table, just one point behind leaders Dulwich Hamlet.
They went into the game with a 100% home record, having scored sixteen goals in four games, had come away from Kent clubs Whitstable Town and Chatham Town with wins in the previous two rounds, and had scored in all of their ten previous games.
Beckenham Town, meanwhile, had defeated Littlehampton Town at the first hurdle, but stunned Walton Casuals (who were thrashed 5-1 by Worthing here on 10 September), and Ryman Premier League side Metropolitan Police, both on the excellent playing surface at Eden Park Avenue, in the FA Cup.
But Beckenham won their own personal battles all over the pitch and were the better side for long periods of the game.
Both sides were reduced to ten-men after 53 minutes when Worthing’s central defender Tony Timms allegedly threw a punch at Beckenham striker Alfie Nunn in an off-the-ball flashpoint.
Although Beckenham keeper Nick Blue, 26, made two excellent saves late on, Huntley’s heroes deserved their second bite of the cherry, at Eden Park Avenue on Tuesday night, and will take their place in the third qualifying round draw for the very first time in the club’s history.
This was Beckenham’s first goal-less draw (at the 12th attempt) of the season, but it was a very proud day for the Kent Hurlimann Football League side.
“I think the boys’ done exceptionally well,” said a very proud Huntley afterwards.
“I think the first half we played a bit better than the second half if I’m being honest, although the first fifteen (minutes) we were very nervous but once we settled down after 15-20 minutes we started playing our game and it came together for us.
“They had their two good chances (late on), I think that was the only problem they gave us then Bluey’s made two worldy saves.”
Huntley added: “We’re all pleased. We deserved the draw at worst. We could’ve nicked it, we didn’t pressurise their goal when the forward got sent off, it changed our shape but we fight to live another day.
“I’m just well pleased with the way we performed. We came here, especially as they were a bit nervous before the game. I don’t know why they was, there’s no need to be, but Tuesday there will be no nerves. We’ll be playing on a lovely pitch and I’m sure you’ll see a difference to us.”
Huntley’s assistant manager, Michael Marks, was extremely proud of the performance from the Kent side.
He said: “Extremely proud of them! I knew they’d give me everything, me and Jason everything. They’re a bit gutted in there that we ain’t won because we had some chances. Alright, Bluey’s made two quality saves but I thought second half we dominated it. We kept them out well. To me, they’re there to be beaten. Now we fancy ourselves at home, that’s for sure!”
Huntley made three changes to the side that thrashed local rivals Holmesdale last Tuesday, with rock solid Jason Rose partnering Frenchman Malik Fofana at the heart of defence, Nick Curran slotted in to the middle of the park and Adam Greenways partnered Nunn up front.
Nathan Paul switched from right-back to the right flank, which saw skipper James Lawson slot in at right-back, although Paul dropped to full back after Lawson was forced off at half-time due to a medial ligament injury in his knee.
The high tempo start from the higher placed hosts failed to materialise as their play was rather sluggish on a bobbly, hard, playing surface, as they struggled on a record breaking temperature for October as southern England continues to enjoy an Indian summer.
Beckenham took the sting out of the game early on, slowing down the play, and despite being backed by vocal home support, Worthing failed to trouble Blue in the Beckenham goal, as his back line was excellently marshalled by Rose and Fofana.
Beckenham created the game’s first chance in the 12th minute when pocket dynamo Brad Draper brought the ball down under control with his chest before playing the ball inside to Nunn, whose right-footed shot on the turn from 22-yards looped into Dean Ruddy’s arms underneath the crossbar.
Worthing’s one and only first half chance came halfway into the half when John Lansdale sent a long throw into the penalty area and Glen Woodburn’s towering header was comfortably caught by Blue.
Huntley said: “I thought our defence was absolutely solid. We had someone watch these a couple of times and they were dangerous down the wings and I thought we dealt with that and the boy in the middle, we dealt with him.
“I think Worthing were a bit negative if I’m being honest. They had one up front, which I thought was a bit negative. Maybe they had a couple of players’ missing today, probably.”
Beckenham, who won the corner count seven-five, although Worthing’s last four corners actually came in the final four minutes when they threw the kitchen sink at Beckenham and were thwarted by Blue’s two excellent saves, should have done better from their first corner, swung in by Jake Hobbs, but Fofana rose to plant his header over.
Beckenham’s best chance swiftly followed when Timms’ slack free-kick towards Darren Budd was intercepted by Hobbs, who played a one-two with Greenways and Hobbs (who had raced down the left) floated in a cross towards an unmarked Greenways, whose glancing header from 12-yards bounced agonisingly wide.
Beckenham were the better side and had anyone walked into the sun drenched ground not knowing the teams, any neutrals would have thought that the visiting team in all blue were flying high in the Ryman League Division One South.
Beckenham went close with a corner just two minutes before the break. Hobbs swung the ball in from the right towards the far post and Greenways glanced a header past the far post from ten-yards.
Although real clear cut chances were at a premium during a low-tempo first half, Beckenham were a solid outfit and worked tirelessly on the hottest October day on record.
Beckenham frightened Worthing just 56 seconds after the interval when Paul released Greenways through on goal but the striker scuffed a low shot across goal and American keeper Ruddy made a comfortable save, low to his right.
Worthing squandered their best chance in the 51st minute when after a period of pin-ball heading inside the Beckenham penalty area, skipper Tom Manton ghosted in and planted his header over from eight-yards.
Then came the unsavoury incident that saw referee Peter Lavelle brandish red-cards to both Timms and Nunn, which resulted in Beckenham playing with just one man up top – Greenways - until the introduction of eighteen-year-old Ben Slade, who had come off the bench to score against Walton Casuals and Metropolitan Police.
The flashpoint happened in close to the home dug-out so Huntley had a good view of it.
Huntley claimed: “I’ll be honest. I’m not crucifying my player. The five (Timms) slapped him round the face. He (Nunn) was too honest. Had he gone down, he (the referee) had to speak to the linesman. He saw it clearly. He even said to me he saw it clearly.
“Of course, the ref saw it also, didn’t speak to him (the linesman) so he didn’t give his opinion. If he’d (Nunn) gone down, you don’t go off! He was too honest the kid, but I will stick up for him because he didn’t raise his hands. He was like face-to-face, the kid (Timms) actually raised his hand.”
Marks claimed: “I saw it. It was right in front of me. I was watching right at it. They went in for a challenge, Alfie’s tried to get up as he got up the other boy didn’t like whatever he done. I don’t think he (Nunn) touched him and he (Timms) got up, he’s swung a punch at him and he blatantly hit him. Their five (Timms) hit Alife! Why the ref sent Alfie off, I just don’t know!”
Slade was a physically strong and pacy presence for a physically strong Worthing back four and was an outlet for Beckenham to play the ball up field at every opportunity.
In the 72nd minute, Fofana looped the ball into the penalty area and Slade flicked the ball wide from a tight angle whilst under pressure.
A cross from attacking substitute Steve McNamara down the left found Hobbs at the far post and after cutting inside left-back Metcalf the ten-goal winger fired wide of the near post.
A mistake from Worthing defender Woodburn gifted possession to Curran, whose ambitious right-footed drive from 35-yards was caught low down by Ruddy.
The only time that Worthing looked like scoring was following the 83rd minute introductions of substitutes Mark Pulling and Shaun Charles, as for once in the game there was a bit of urgency to their play.
It took Worthing 87 minutes to test Blue when they almost stole victory following their second corner of the game.
Budd swung in a corner from the right, which found its way to Metcalf whose hooked right-footed volley on the very edge of the box was screaming towards goal, but a diving Blue tipped the ball over.
It would have been cruel had Worthing snatched an 88th minute winner as their play beforehand didn’t warrant success.
A free-kick from Pulling was whipped in from the right towards the far post and a towering hanging header was nodded back across goal to Brotherton, who powered a header down from just three yards out and the ball was destined to crash into the back of the net.
The Worthing fans were on the verge of celebrating an undeserved victory, but the former Orpington keeper produced a world-class Gordon Banks/Pele-esque save, diving to his left and scooping the ball off the line and to safety.
Huntley revealed he’s seen Blue pull off an even better save, but this one was the most crucial.
He said: “Fantastic. Very, very, very pleased with it. The second save was unbelievable!
“The best save I’ve ever seen him done was down on the training pitch in a friendly game. He got it from the top corner and put it out. How he got there, I’ll never know! I’ve seen a lot but that was the best but that comes close, it does come very close!”
Marks also felt the save was simply world class.
He said: “I thought the first one was unavailable. The second one was even better! A bit of Gordon Banks weren’t it? Scooping it out, it looked like it was going in, didn’t it? It was going in put it that way, definitely.”
Marks added: “We’re a bit gutted we ain’t won to tell the truth! If someone said before the game ‘take a nil-nil’, we would’ve taken it, I think.
“I thought we done well though. We looked after ourselves, held our shape very well and didn’t let them play.”
Marks was delighted that Beckenham won their personal battles all around the pitch.
He said: “They were superb. The two centre halves, Rosey and Malik, were different grade, but every one of them, like little Jake worked his absolute testicles off. They all did. They all done well!”
When asked his man-of-the-match, former Millwall marksman, Marks replied, “I couldn’t pick one! I thought Rosey was brilliant. The keeper’s kept us (in the Cup). The save at the end, I think, deserved it, but if I say Bluey it makes it sound like our goalkeeper’s kept us in it but it weren’t like that. Every one of them. I thought little Harry Draper, maybe, a pocket dynamo ain’t he.”
Marks added: “Before the kick-off we were having a little huddle in the middle of the pitch saying to each other let’s make sure we’re not out of this draw on Monday and we’ve done it so you can’t ask for a lot more. I’m happy for them, I’m really delighted.
“Worthing aren’t going to like what’s happened here. I think they’ll be a bit upset with themselves because we’ve come here and I think we’ve dominated the second half and I could only see one winner up until their last effort at the end. I really didn’t think we were going to get beat.
“We can now go and finish off the job now on Tuesday!”
Worthing: Dean Ruddy, Matt Piper, Steve Metcalf, Darren Budd, Tony Timms, Glen Woodburn, Paul Kennett, John Lansdale (Luke Gedling 63), Jamie Brotherton, Tom Manton (Mark Pulling 83), Tom Lawley (Shaun Charles 83).
Subs: Josh Clack, Jack Fagan
Booked: Glen Woodburn 76
Sent Off: Tony Timms 53
Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Danny Lawson (Steve McNamara 46), Byron Beard, Jason Rose, Malik Fofana, Harry Draper, Nathan Paul, Nick Curran (Chris Edwards 80), Alfie Nunn, Adam Greenways (Ben Slade 71), Jake Hobbs.
Subs: Elstrom Die, Soloman Karache, Joe Jackson, Jason Clews
Booked: Harry Draper 10, Malik Fofana 59, Nathan Paul 65
Sent Off: Alfie Nunn 53
Attendance: 349
Referee: Mr Peter Lavelle (Totton, Hampshire)
Assistants: Mr Wayne Thomas (Southampton, Hampshire) & Mr Chris Miles (Southampton, Hampshire)
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