hythe030905

Thursday 01st September 2005

Top strikers off the mark

Saturday 3rd September 2005	Kentish Observer League	Martin Wiseman reports from The Small Glen
Slade Green	2	McTaggart 4 Bradley 82
Hythe Town	1	Sinden 18

For the second time in five days, Slade Green looked to two substitutes to combine late in the game to snatch a vital goal, writes Martin Wiseman.

Their midweek strike from Mark Penny had earned a late draw at Thamesmead, but when Micky Bradley pounced on 82 minutes against Hythe, it meant Green claiming all three points it was also their first victory of the season.

Green went into the game without the services of Scott Lewis, Alan Hanlon and Tony Weir and a further loss of players was to follow.

But before this, Mark Penny was to celebrate his first start of the season by winning his side a fourth minute penalty after being tripped in the box.

Visiting keeper Kevin Readings, however, did well to get to Glenn McTaggart’s spot kick, but the ball rebounded kindly for Green, and McTaggart stayed cool to convert this second chance, for a goal, which opened his account for the club.

In recent times top Kent League striker, Richard Sinden has performed with Maidstone , Herne Bay and Ramsgate, and earlier in the week the itinerant predator pulled into Reachfields to offer his services to Hythe.

Although not yet match fit he demonstrated his ability to whack a ball to good effect when on 18 minutes his humdinger from 20 yards gave home keeper, Gary Arterton, little chance.

McTaggart tested Readings with a well struck shot midway through the half before disaster struck for Green by the loss of their two ‘LEE’S’ and recent Man of the Match award winners.

An opposition elbow rearranged Lee Barber’s nose, while a calf strain accounted for the hard grafting Lee Morgan. Fortunately for Green, Bradley and Goss proved capable replacements.

Having kicked off early to accommodate international footy on television. the middle period of this game proved a pain for everyone present.

Constant blasts from the ref’s whistle were interspersed with a string of misplaced passes from both sets of players, who all performed as though unhappy at having to forego their lunch?

In this period Godden and the Winfield brothers, all eschewed good chances to ease the visitors ahead. Encouraged, perhaps, by Hythe’s wastefulness, Green decided to assert themselves during the games final quarter.

This awakening began on 68 minutes when the admirable Mark Sabatino hoisted a free kick into the Hythe box where it was met by a Bradley header that struck the inside of an upright before flashing back across rather than over the goal line.

Roy Godden arrowed a header (72 minutes) only inches over too high. But this proved to be Hythe’s last real threat. A dipping volley by Robert Browning and two close range opportunities for McTaggart could so easily have put Green ahead before Ryan Robinson, introduced on 70 minutes, was instrumental in sparking off the 82^nd minute winner.

It was his thunderbolt of a drive from the left side corner of the penalty area that was only inconclusively parried by custodian Readings. McTaggart and Bradley were both poised to capitalise, but, looking for his first Slade Green goal, Micky was the first to swoop and so ensure that the full points went to ‘The Green’.

Slade Green: Gary Arterton, Aaron Hayretting, Mark Sabatino, Tony Gallagher, Lee Morgan, Mark Penny, Lee Barber, Danny Little, Glen McTaggart, Shaun Malyon, Robert Browning. Subs: Paul Goss, Micky Bradley, Ryan Robinson