hythevslade081103

Thursday 01st September 2005

Nightmare return for Coupland

Hythe Town 1-0 Slade Green

Saturday 8 November 2003

Go Travel Kent League Premier Division

by Robert Smith

Peter Coupland's return to the Kent League lasted just 35 seconds as he was sent off in Slade Green's 1-0 defeat at Hythe Town.

The striker who completed his transfer from Chatham Town in midweek was introduced to proceedings with 15 minutes remaining but with his first touch he received his marching orders following what seemed to be an innocuous challenge on an opposing player.

With the Kent League's leading goalscorer Sam Prett now at Whitstable Town, Darren Laming (unavailable) and Dave Martin out with the flu, Green boss Phil Miles was forced to reshuffle the pack, with Paul McCarthy returning to the side following his recent groin injury along with two new faces the other Phil Miles and Keith McKintosh.

It was the home side who threatened to draw first blood when Scott Porter's stinging drive dipped just over Paul Vines goal.

At the other end a foul on Mckintosh led to a free kick for The Green which saw McCarthy's powerful goalbound effort tipped over the bar by keeper Nick Day.

Meanwhile neat play from Shaun Malyon set up Mark Barton but his snap shot was easily dealt with by keeper Day.

After Dean Widnall had headed narrowly wide from a Jeff Ross free kick the seasiders looked to have opened the scoring 2 minutes before the interval when a quite blistering strike from Porter cannoned back off the post and with the rebounding ball falling to Dean Widnall his point-blank range effort drew a stunning full stretch stop from Vines.

Day rescued the home side twice in as many seconds on 53 minutes as firstly he tipped away Barton's curling shot and then followed this by superbly parrying the rebound from Malyon.

The decisive goal eventually arrived in the 63rd minute. Having come on as a sub just 5 minutes earlier Frank Frisk proved to be the match winner as he showed neat control collecting a pass before spinning round and executing a shot to beat the fully stretched Vines.

Mark Sabatino twice carved out good openings for The Green firstly his deft pass found Malyon who drilled the ball narrowly wide and then a Sabatino corner fell to Phil Collier who was left with a free header but he was unable to keep the ball on target.

Slade Green: Vines, Miles (Hassane), Sabatino, Barber, Upson, Collier, Corrigan (Coupland), McKintosh, Malyon, McCarthy. Other subs: Haskins, Lewis.