greenwich170804

Northwood sees red but Mead get season back on track

Thamesmead Town put Saturday’s disappointing performance behind them to kick start their ambitions of winning the Kent League title with an impressive 2-0 win over Greenwich Borough at Bayliss Avenue on Tuesday night, playing 70 minutes of the game with 10 men.

Manager Paul Blade made three changes to Saturday’s defeat to Lordswood, one being the inclusion of new signing Jason Clews.

Mead started the game fairly brightly and were having some good possession, but Greenwich were looking dangerous on the break with their quick forwards.

The first chance in the game after just five minutes. Mead broke down a Greenwich attack and hit them on the counter.

Kieron Collins played a ball forward that striker Dean Burns flicked on to Pedro Knight, who had made a great run from midfield.

Knight was one on one with the goalkeeper, but his attempted lob was parried by the Borough goalkeeper.

The ball fell into the path of Clews who’s shot was kicked on the line by a defender.

Mead should have taken the lead 2 minutes later when the impressive Knight flicked a header on into the path of Clews, who was clear on goal, but he snatched at his shot and pulled it wide of the Borough goal.

It was all Thamesmead pressure now and it looked only a matter of time before they opened the scoring and should of on the quarter of an hour mark.

Mead were awarded a corner that Peter Deadman swung in, Burns got a flick on straight into the path of Mead skipper Dean Kearley who was in the six yard box, but Kearley shot straight at the Borough keeper.

Five minutes later proved to be a big turning point in the game. Borough played a long ball forward that caught the Mead’s defence square, Thamesmead keeper Steve Northwood came rushing out of his penalty area, but the Borough forward got to the ball first and shot, the ball seemed to hit Northwood on the chest, but the linesmen on the far side flagged.

The ref stopped the game and awarded a free kick 25 yards outside the Mead penalty area, but more importantly sent Northwood off for deliberate handball.

Mead captain Dean Kearley took the responsibility and went in goal. The free kick was taken and looked goal bounds but Kearley pushed the ball over the bar for a corner.

Mead’s management made a couple of tactical reshuffles and four minutes later Mead went in front.

Dave Weatherhead won the ball from the back and played the ball quickly into Knight in midfield, who spotted a great run from Curtis Williams and found him with a great pass.

Williams was 30 yards from goal but took the ball passed a helpless defender with his first touch, his second took him past another and with only the keeper to beat Williams coolly rounded him and slotted the ball into the empty net for a 1-0 lead.

Thamesmead didn’t sit back and went looking for a second goal, whereas Greenwich were trying to get forward but every time they did the were easily dealt with by Mead’s three new signings of Kieron Collins, Mark Dudley and David Weatherhead, all of whom defended superbly all night.

With 34 minutes on the clock Mead doubled their advantage with a tremendously well-worked goal. Clews picked the ball up in midfield and played it to the feet of Dean Burns, Burns held the ball up well and played it out wide to Ray Power, Power played the ball into the box first time where Pedro Knight had made a 20 yard run and meet the ball with pace and headed it straight passed the keeper and into the top corner.

Mead then should have put the game beyond Borough’s reach with 2 minutes before half time.

Mark Dudley won the ball at the back and drove into the Borough half picking Burns out with a great 25-yard pass. Burns first touch was good and was in on goal but his shot was straight at the Borough keeper.

The second half was fairly subdued as chances go, both sides created one excellent chance each. The first was Borough’s on the hour mark. The ball was won in midfield and sprayed out wide and a first time cross was well meet in the area by one of Borough’s forwards but Kearley dived to his right to make a great save low down.

Borough tried to rally forward by Mead were having none of it and were holding firm restricting them to long range efforts that Kearley was dealing with as if he had been playing in goal all his life and it was Mead that should have put the game out of reach in the 70^th minute.

Williams hit Borough on the break with his pace and found Clews out wide who spotted Burns had pulled off at the back post and sent in a great cross, which Burns headed over from close range.

 The rest of the game saw Mead pressing for a third and Borough trying to play long balls over Mead’s defence for their forwards to run onto but they didn’t look like scoring all night.

All in all it was a good Mead performance especially with ten men but more importantly it gave manager Paul Blade his first three points of the season, which will give his side their confidence back for Saturdays tough trip to Ramsgate.

Thamesmead Town: Northwood, Williams, Deadman, Dudley, Kearley, Weatherhead, Power, (Brown) Knight, Clews, (Loveridge), Burns, Collins, Subs not used: Thomas, Martin

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