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Erith Town 0-2 Lordswood
Saturday  8 November 2003
Go Travel Kent League Premier Division
by Darrell Harman

Lordswood came into this game on the back of the great 1-1 draw against Maidstone United ten days ago.

After eight minutes James Short flicked the ball to Glen Barlow and he ran into the penalty area and tried to chip goalkeeper Jake Slate, who saved at the second attempt.

The game went quiet with both sides giving possession away and then the home side went close after 23 minutes.  Paul Springett on the edge of the area turned and shot but Lordswood goalkeeper Paul Piggott backtracked before pushing the ball over for a corner.

Erith's leading marksman, Glen McTaggart found space inside the penalty area before blasting a volley high and wide.

The last piece of the first half action came after 40 minutes.  Andy Freeman received the ball on the left, reached the left by-line and crossed for Glen Barlow.  His header struck the crossbar and came out and Craig Allen was brought down by the goalkeeper.

Barlow's penalty, however, was blasted straight but high over the crossbar.

The second half started off slowly with the home side increasing the tempo and dominated possession. 

After 56 minutes a long goal kick was headed into Springett's path but his shot went wide.

Three minutes later a long ball forward saw Piggott race out of his goal and miss his kick enabling McTaggart to collect his cross into the area and Danny Little's goalbound header was headed off the line by Kevin Thorburn and then hacked away.

The game changed in the 65th minute when Thorburn's clearance was helped on by Sam Colyer to Sean Hetterley, who raced down the right wing and crossed into the area when Short headed home from six yards.

Erith's last real chance came with twenty minutes remaining when they took a quick free kick and Scott Edwards shot from thirty yards came back of the crossbar.

Three minutes later Lordswood wrapped up the points, and had the goal been scored by a Brazilian, then the goal would have been talked about for many a year.  But it was at The Erith Sports Centre, watched by a crowd of only 48.

The ball was crossed into the penalty area, the ball pinballed around before Short took charge of the situation and his overhead kick flew the net from 12 yards.

Lordswood almost scored a third when Short passed to debutant Adam Overton and his threaded ball through Erith's defence for Barlow to run onto but as he saw the goalkeeper come off his line, he chipped the ball over the goalkeeper but wide of the goal.

Lordswood: Piggot, Johnson, Thorburn, Peck, Allen, Colyer, Freeman (Overton 61), Cunningham (Hetterley 57), Short (Broad 86), Barlow, Pearson