lordvbeng130304

Lordswood complete their first double of the season

Substitute Barlow nets two as visiting goalkeeper takes early bath


Lordswood 3-0 Sporting Bengal United
Saturday 13 March 2004
Go Travel Kent League Premier Division
by Darrell Harman

Lordswood returned to winning ways and also completed their first double of the season against Sporting Bengal United.

Sporting Bengal United had won their first ever Go Travel Kent League Premier Division game of the season, at the 27th attempt last Saturday, when they won 4-0 at Tunbridge Wells.

The game started quickly for Lords and in the fifth minute Sean Hetterley received the ball on the left, sprinted down the wing and got to the by-line before crossing low to the near post for Andy Doerr whose shot was saved at the second attempt by Alex Lawler.

Sporting Bengal United were reduced to ten men, however, four minutes later when Hetterley laid the ball forward to Gary Beggs who raced clear of the defenders and was fouled by Lawler outside the area and being the last men was sent off by the referee.

Peter McGillicody took over between the sticks and his first piece of action was to line up the wall for the free kick, which was wasted.

The game went into free fall with both sides failing to trouble either goalkeeper.

The home side should have taken the lead in the 37th minute when Glen Barlow was put clear and ran into the penalty area and was just about to shoot but Danny Husbands got back and tackled him six yards from goal.

Lordswood took the lead in the 41st minute when a back pass to McGillicody was closed down by Doerr and the clearance went straight to Barlow on the left wing and he controlled the ball and then saw his shot from 25 yards float into the net over the stranded goalkeeper.

The second half was only four minutes old when a long diagonal ball from Craig Allen found Barlow who ran into the penalty area but saw his shot saved by the goalkeeper.

Bottom-of-the-table Sporting Bengal United suddenly work up and sometimes supporters wondered who had the ten men and in the 57th minute Darren White, in the middle of the park, beat three Lordswood players before releasing Foyzal Hoque on the edge of the penalty box and the shot whistled past the far post.

Four minutes later, Barlow put Doerr in on goal and his shot was saved by the stand in goalkeeper.  Moments later the visitors almost equalised when a free kick into the area was punched clear under pressure by Darren Watson but the ball fell to Younes Benmessaoud and his 15 yard shot sailed over the bar.

A run from White in the 67th minute ended with a shot from 28 yards beat Watson but crashed against the crossbar before Lordswood increased their lead when Doerr on halfway passed out to Barlow on the right wing and crossed to Hettrerley who smashed a shot home from six yards.

Lordswood were now in full control and in the last four minutes could have increased their lead three times.

Firstly the goalkeeper got a finger tip to Barlow's 20 yard chip and diverted the shot against the post and it rolled across the line before being cleared.  Ronan O'Connor found himself in the area but from 12 yards blazed his shot over the bar.

Lordswood's third goal finally came in the 89th minute when Barlow was put through, ran into the area and stroked  the ball past the goalkeeper.

Lordswood: Watson, Crust, Cook, Day, Allen, Colyer (Mitchell 55), Broad, O'Connor, Doerr, Hetterley (Cunnigham 73), Beggs (Barlow 12).  Subs: Peck, Piggott