Ashford Town 1-2 Thamesmead Town - McMahon praises heroic Kessell

Lewis Wood’s goal four minutes into the extra period in the end proved decisive, but Mead boss Keith McMahon was grateful to a super first half goalkeeping display and a rugged rear guard performance in extra time that saw his side through.

“They battered us in the first half but Kess (Tony Kessell) was outstanding,” said McMahon.

“We were better after half time and I think deserved the equaliser. Once we were in front it was a rear guard action but they were hot favourites tonight so I’m very happy.”

His counterpart Steve Lovell, meanwhile, was naturally disappointed both with the performance and the fact that his side now faces having key personnel missing from their league campaign to come.

Lovell bemoaned, “I don’t like the competition especially when we’ve come off tonight with injuries to a couple of my key players and with Charlie (Glyde) now facing a ban for being sent off.

“Sometimes I wonder why the League has a competition like this, but I try to put my best eleven out but after a game like tonight I have to ask whether it was worth it.”

And to be fair to Lovell he does have a point although his side did have enough chances, particularly in the first half to have been out of sight and then when they needed it, lady luck was against them.

The home side dominated the first half and it was only the brilliance of Kessell that kept the scoreline blank as time after time the former Dartford and Folkestone Invicta stopper denied wave-after-wave of Ashford’s attacks.

It was a tough night for the returning Bradley Spice and debutant Leigh Hales - signed on a short term deal from Kent League side Norton Sports - as both strikers were denied by the sheer agility of Kessell, which makes his signing for the Ryman One North side surely one of the best of the season.
Thamesmead rarely got out of their own half in the opening 45 minutes, but just seven minutes into the second period full-back Curtis Williams was denied by Ashford goalkeeper Seb Barton after playing a wonderful one-two with Pedro Knight on the edge of the penalty area the full-back was denied by the keeper’s legs as the game finally burst into life.

Just before the hour mark, the sparse crowd of 99, finally had something to cheer as Charlie Glyde put the home side in front.

A cross from Jimmy Elford was helped on by Spice and Glyde gleefully slammed home a strike from 12-yards to finally defeat Kessell.

Wood should have equalised on 63 minutes, but he was denied by Barton after breaking clear of the defence - the diminutive striker saw his first shot saved by the goalkeeper and somehow his follow up dragged wide of the gaping open goal.

With five minutes left of normal time, Ryan Briggs saw a 25-yard drive deflect inches wide of the Thamesmead goal and from the resulting corner Sean Ray’s header was somehow blocked for yet another corner and from this one substitute Lee Hockey saw a flying header whistle just too high.

Just as many of the crowd began to make their way towards the exit, Thamesmead staged one last desperate attack.

Rikki Cable raced clear only to felled by Barton (who was shown the yellow card), and with what proved to be the last kick of the 90 minutes, the Thamesmead striker dusted himself down and buried the penalty low to the keeper’s left.

The former Eastbourne Borough keeper did get a hand to the ball, but couldn’t keep it out and so extra time was needed.

Just four minutes into the extra period, from Kessell’s long clearance, Ray’s attempted defensive header fell into the path of Wood who made no mistake from 18-yards.

Scott Mulholland was then denied by Barton’s knees for what would have been the insurance the visitors’ needed.

For Ashford bombed forward in desperate search of an equaliser and just how they didn’t find one only lady luck will know.

Particularly from set-pieces the home side were dangerous and either side of half-time in the extra period had golden opportunities to level the score.

On 103 minutes, Ray saw a thumping header magnificently turned aside by Kessell and three minutes into the second period, Hockey got even closer as again, from a corner, the substitute’s header crashed off the underside of the bar and onto the right post before Williams could hack clear.

The night turned sour for Ashford goalscorer Glyde with five minutes left as the young striker saw red for a comment he made to referee Mr Paul Harris after James Humphreys had collided with Tom Hopkins.

Whilst Ashford claimed a free-kick the Maidstone official gave the kick in favour of Thamesmead and Glyde expressed his anger rather too forcefully!

Afterwards, McMahon admitted to BBC Radio Kent that his side have been “punching above their weight” for much of this season.

“We’ve played a lot of good teams this year, we’ve let 8 goals in the last 5 minutes of games this year and have played some really top sides," he said.

“I think I underestimated the strength of the division, but after winning the Kent League last year we deserve to be in this league and are going to do our best to stay in it.

“We’ve come here tonight, massive underdogs and proved that we can beat one of the best teams in the Southern Division.

“I just hope we can carry this performance on. We’ve got a gap between us and the bottom of the table and if you look at it we’re only eighteen points off the play-off’s - so who knows what may happen in the second half of the season?”

Ashford Town: Seb Barton, Jimmy Elford, Daniel Brathwaite, Craig Wilkins (Lee Hockey 57), Sean Ray, Ryan Briggs, Anthony Browne, Danny Lye, Bradley Spice (Jimmy Bottle 70), Leigh Hales (James Humphreys 72), Charlie Glyde.
Sub: Darren Ibrahim.

Goal: Charlie Glyde 58

Booked: Seb Barton 90

Sent off: Charlie Glyde 115

Thamesmead Town: Tony Kessell, Curtis Williams, Danny Moore (Laurence Collins 79), James Brown (Sam Thomas 70), Lew Watts, Tom Hopkins, Scott Mulholland, Pedro Knight, Lewis Wood, Rikki Cable (Lee Dawson 108), Robbie Tarrant.
Sub: Jack Hopkins.

Goals: Rikki Cable 90 (pen), Lewis Wood 94

Attendance: 99
Referee: Mr Paul Harris (Maidstone)
Assistants: Leigh Crowhurst (Uckfield, East Sussex) & Mr Steve Roots (Tunbridge Wells)