Zero to hero Smith repays Jones' faith

Friday 21st August 2009

SEVENOAKS TOWN boss Simon Jones admitted knocking local rivals Tunbridge Wells out of the FA Cup as “a weight off his shoulders,” writes Stephen McCartney.

Midfielder Guy Smith turned from zero to hero, as it was his cracking goal that sealed a 2-1 replay win at Greatness Park on Tuesday night.

Smith had been red-carded in last Saturday’s Extra Preliminary Round tie at Culverden Stadium, with his side leading 2-1 at the time, but they had to settle for a replay when Wells’ substitute Jon Pilbeam levelled with ten minutes left.

But Smith volleyed home Joe Minter’s corner in Tuesday night’s replay, setting up a trip to Ryman League Division One South side Dulwich Hamlet on 29th August.

“It was nice to score my first goal for the first team and lovely to win the game,” Smith, who stepped up from the club’s third team, told www.sevenoakstownfc.org.

“It fell straight onto my right foot, and I hit it, and it does make up for getting sent-off on Saturday, but I don’t think I deserved to be.

“I am enjoying the step up to the first team, and I know I should really be playing a better standard of football anyway, but Simon (Jones) has given me the opportunity.

“I think we deserved to win the game, in fact I think we should have won the first game, but didn’t put our chances to bed.”

Sevenoaks were thwarted by a string of excellent saves from Tunbridge Wells goalkeeper Mikelle Czanner during the first game at Culverden Stadium, so it was a shock when Alex Rich grabbed the home side the lead ten minutes before the break.

But Sevenoaks netted a couple of quick-fire second half goals from Chris Walker and Matt Foreman but after Smith saw red, Wells grabbed a lifeline and a midweek replay at Greatness Park.

Benji Agana, who caused Sevenoaks problems in the first match, broke the deadlock for Tunbridge Wells in the replay, but Walker levelled after Foreman’s spot-kick was blocked by Czanner - before Smith repaid the faith shown by Jones to book a trip to Champion Hill and bank his club £750 in prize money.

Tunbridge Wells finished the replay with ten-men, as Brad Draper and Pilbeam were both red-carded.

Jones was full of praise for Smith afterwards, “It was a cracking goal and well deserved, because again I thought he was again the best player on the pitch,” he told www.sevenoakstownfc.org . “He worked tirelessly across the park.

"I was ecstatic at the end of the game, because I thought it was never to come. We seemed to be passing up too many good opportunities, but it was a weight off my shoulders when I saw Guy Smith smash the ball in at the back post.

“I think we approached the first half a little bit too casually, and I thought Tunbridge Wells were the better side for the first 20 minutes, they hustled and bustled us, and we were never really at them.

"They scored a decent goal, and they could have got a second and we were hanging on a little bit, but it was the wake-up call we needed, and got our act together.

"It was the first game on the main pitch for a lot of our guys, and it's a big surface to play on, and took a while to get used to.

"They put us under pressure in the first period of both halves, but we worked hard, and got ourselves into a position to create chances to win the game.

"It was a really positive performance and the right result."

Quotes courtesy of www.sevenoakstownfc.org

Greenwich Borough v Sevenoaks Town

Bulmers Cider Kent League

Saturday 22nd August 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At 68 Oakley Road, Bromley, Kent BR2 8HQ