Bearsted 4-0 Holmesdale - I think the players' need to take a good look at themselves - we've got to shut up shop and we need leaders and we've got none of them, admits Holmesdale coach Ross Mitchell

Bearsted 4 – 0 Holmesdale
Location	Otham Sports Ground, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG
Kickoff	29/11/2025 15:00

BEARSTED  4-0  HOLMESDALE
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 29 November 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Honey Lane

HOLMESDALE coach Ross Mitchell insists they will look to bring in the right personnel after conceding four goals for the eighth time this season and leaking the most number of goals in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division despite sitting in fifth-place.
 

Bearsted put in a lacklustre performance for the first hour of this clash between two sides inside the play-off zone but Holmesdale once again capitulated in embarrassing fashion during the second half.

Kevin Stevens’ side grabbed the lead – against the run of play at the time – through Ashton Mitford’s fourth goal of the season before ruthless 26-year-old lone striker, Jake Embery, scored a hat-trick with his only three chances of the game to take his goalscoring tally to 17 goals for the season.

“Very frustrating and frankly disappointing,” said Mitchell, who was sent out for post-match media duties by Andy Constable.

“First half, I felt it was quite an even half. I thought we had the better chances, clear-cut chances and second half for the first 20 minutes I thought we came out, looking like we were going to be the team that was going to score but then we just capitulated after and that’s not acceptable.”

When asked about this being the eighth time (in all competitions) that his side have leaked four or more goals in a game, Mitchell replied, “I think if I can put my finger on it, then we wouldn’t be in the place that we’re in.

“The reality is, is that it is a common theme and it’s something that we can only address through personnel changes.  There’s nothing tactically that we can do to change some of those mistakes and I think the players’ need to take a good look at themselves in those situations.

“It’s disappointing for us as a management team because we obviously don’t set up to make those mistakes but when you make one, you certainly can’t make two, three or four. One you can recover from but two’s, three’s and fours, you can’t.

“I think Bearsted are a very hardworking, resilient team. They work well for each other and I think they’ve got to take credit of where they are in the League through that.  They’ve got a bit of quality in certain areas but the thing I’ve been impressed with them in the two games we’ve played is they work hard for each other.”

Bearsted manager Kevin Stevens send out his assistant manager for post-match media duties.

“A really good result, a really positive result and I think it kind of shows where we’re at, at the minute,” said Billy Jones.

“We’ve had a bit of a sticky spell where we went three defeats in a row and then we got a good result away at Fisher (1-1 draw) and then we beat Corinthian (4-0) in the (Kent Senior Trophy), so to get back to the League and beat a decent Holmesdale side 4-0 at home, really pleased.

“Do you know what, we kind of knew they were going to sit behind the ball, which they did first half and they did that at their place (a 1-0 win on the opening day of the season) as well.

“We said to the boys in the second half expect them to come out and they did so. They did in the first 10 minutes and they caused us problems. I think some of that was our own fault as well but I thought after we got through that first 10 minutes, I thought we were excellent.”

Reflecting on Bearsted’s lacklustre opening hour, Jones replied: “I think it was difficult. Listen, they had a really good shape about them. They got behind the ball and made it really difficult for us to find the pockets of space that we normally go after.

“Did we move the ball quick enough? Probably not. Did we create enough? No.  but then again we haven’t given anything away. We’re still nil-nil at half-time, knowing we can go up a couple of levels.”

Constable’s side lack leaders, character and are spineless and capitulate like a girls’ football team.  They have now leaked 42 League goals in 19 League games – the worst defensive record of all of the 19 clubs.

There were only 285 seconds between Bearsted’s first and second goals – and only 79 seconds between the third (a penalty) and Bearsted’s fourth, as a clinical Bearsted scored four goals despite only having six goals on target.

Goalkeeper Charlie Wealands (who was at fault for the first goal and made only two saves of the six shots faced), right-back Jude Jeffrey, holding midfielder Anthony Musoke, centre-half Alimany Mansaray, wingers Malachi Hudson and Nathan Palmer and striker Marcus Elliott all need to up their games, otherwise Constable, his assistant Tony Beckingham and Mitchell will need to get out their contacts book and bring in players who can perform in front of a spare crowd of 79 at Honey Lane in the ninth-tier of English football.

The first half was very poor indeed. Bearsted were playing crab football – backwards and sideways – and lacked quality going forward, overhitting the ball on 10 occasions during the first half as Embery was isolated and their usual threat, winger James Bessey-Saldanha was very quiet, although he linked up well with 17-year-old overlapping right-back Reuben Jones on quite a few occasions.

Bearsted’s holding midfielder Jack Palmby fouled Hudson, who stroked a low right-footed 30-yard free-kick towards the bottom left-hand corner, which was comfortably gathered in Leighton Fanshawe’s midriff, dropping down to his knees, with 11 minutes and 15 seconds on the clock.

“Did the keeper really make too many saves today? No and again, if you don’t create chances, you’re not going to score goals,” said Mitchell.

“I think we’ve got to look at that and address that issue going forward but ultimately you can’t win games if you concede four goals.”

Jones added: “I think it’s got to be something spectacular from 30-yards out in any game to kind of go in. I think Leighton had that quite comfortable.”

A clearance from Holmesdale goalkeeper Wealands was knocked forward by Palmby inside the Bearsted half, before Embery dropped deep to set the ball to attacking midfielder Samuel Stace, who swept the ball out to Bessey-Saldanha on the right, who cut inside and scuffed a poor shot rolling past the near post from 22-yards (16:26).

“James is a player that plays on success, so success is him beating his man, getting crosses in, getting shots in. He had a couple of half-chances, cutting in on his left-foot, didn’t amount to much,” admitted Jones.

“We just needed to up our tempo in the second half and I think we’ve done that, albeit, that’s why we’ve gone on and scored four goals.”

Holmesdale lacked quality inside the Bearsted half and should have taken the lead in the 20^th minute.

Attacking midfielder, Callum Keeble launched the first of his seven long throws into the box.  The ball was flicked on at the near post and was knocked down by Elliott at the far post and the ball dropped to an unmarked centre-half Mansaray, who lacked composure, looping his right-footed volley over the crossbar from 12-yards.

“He scored one like that earlier on in the season against Hollands & Blair and done well,” said Mitchell.

“I think if he realises how much time he had, he could’ve brought that down, take a touch and then put it in the back of the net but I think that was probably our clearest chance of the game.”

Bearsted’s left-back Conrad Lee threw the ball into the middle and Stace gave the ball away and Hudson cut inside and drove a low 25-yard drive towards goal, which bounced in front of Fanshawe, who gathered at the second attempt.

Jeffrey played a low pass into Keeble, who cut inside and swept a left-footed drive sailing over the back-peddling goalkeeper and over the crossbar from 35-yards, as Holmesdale were the better side for the first hour.

Holmesdale missed a glorious chance to change the outcome of the game, but this chance also fell to a centre-half, with 29:31 on the clock, following a set-piece.

Jones slid in to foul Holmesdale left-back Reelwan-Ayobami Lugboso and Keeble swung in a left-footed free-kick from the touchline.  Fanshawe flapped at the ball and the ball fell at William Bell’s feet at the far post and he hooked his right-footed shot past the foot of the right-hand post from six-yards.

Constable used to tuck away those chances, especially during his Erith & Belvedere days when Micky Collins’ title-winning side back in season 2012-13, launched a long throw into the box, the ball was flicked on and Constable scored.

“Should score. Again these chances don’t come along too much. We deliberately do that throw to create a bit of chaos in the box. What you need is someone on the end of it – and we haven’t today,” admitted Mitchell.

Jones added: “We knew a long throw for them is a big part of their game, especially when you get into the final third, so we just had to kind of compete with the first contacts, second contacts.  I think we done that pretty well today.”

Stevens decided to switch Bessey-Saldanha to the other side of the pitch and this had the desired affect as Holmesdale right-back Jeffrey opened the gate in the 43^rd minute.

Bessey-Saldanha latched onto Jones’ sublime right-footed diagonal out of defence, reached the by-line and used his left-foot to put in a quality delivery into the corridor of uncertainty and Mitford’s first time shot brought an outstanding reaction save from Wealands, to his left.

“It was a great save It’s one of them where you think it’s in all the way. How he saved it, I don’t know but for them it’s brilliant. For us, it’s not so good,” said Jones.

“Listen, it’s a good chance. Bessey going down the left-hand side, crossing it on his left-foot, which was a positive and Ashton being in the right place and should score but he pulls off a great save.”

Mitchell, a former goalkeeper himself, added: “I was pleased with the save. I was not pleased with the defending. We didn’t get tight enough and we’ve allowed him (Bessey-Saldanha) to put a ball across our box, which ain’t acceptable and Charlie’s had to make a worldy save and he’s done too many of them this season – a great save!”

Holmesdale central midfielder Kevin Dance was booked for a challenge on Stace on the very edge of the penalty area but Jones lashed his right-footed free-kick over the crossbar, as the sparse crowd hoped for better quality from both sides in the second half.

Jones said: “Listen, I don’t think we were bad. I thought we moved the ball very well. I thought we got in some good positions.

“Did we create enough first half? No. but when they started to come out at us and it opened up, the spaces for us to play, especially our midfielders, that’s where we’re dangerous. It looks very good at times.

“Do you know what, we didn’t think there were going to be four goals in it either to be honest. I think it was a one-goal game written all over it.

“It was to find the areas of space for our midfielders. It was to get our wingers off the line. We give the boys in possession as much freedom as we possibly can and I think that showed in the second half.”

Mitchell added: “I think it (our first half performance) was acceptable.  We know that we can play a lot better than that and we have done that throughout the season.

“We’ve come in at half-time without conceding, which we were happy with and then we just needed to put the ball in the back of the net in the second half and we haven’t done it.

“I think you saw the reaction from the half-time team-talk in the second half and there were certainly no cups or anything thrown around, it wasn’t that type of half.

“We said ‘be patient, defend well and take your chances’ – and we haven’t done that.”

With Constable and Beckingham constantly moaning at their players for their poor quality during the first half, they certainly gave their troops an ear bashing during the interval as Holmesdale came out with all guns blazing for the first 10 minutes.

Left-back Reelwan-Ayobami Lugboso clipped a long ball into the left channel and Elliott showed desire to chase the ball and keep it in play before cutting the ball back to Palmer, who put in a low cross.  The ball was set by Keeble and Hudson cracked a first time right-footed drive over the crossbar from 25-yards, after 225 seconds.

Palmer found space and played the ball inside and along the deck to Dance, who cut onto his left-foot to crack a drive towards the bottom right-hand corner from 30-yards, which was comfortably saved in Fanshawe’s midriff (8:34).

“They’re sort of basic chances but what we were pleased with is we came out in a different gear in the second half – but again we didn’t really test the keeper at all in the game,” admitted Mitchell.

“What was missing in the second half? A goal from us! I think if we score in that first 20 minutes of the second half, I think it’s a different outlook then in the game.

“We can then hold onto a lead or go and nick a second and they’ve got to come out -  we didn’t score.”

Jones admitted: “We didn’t quite get it right in the first 10 minutes. We didn’t start the second half very well but they came after us in the second half, which they probably felt they could do after the fact they sat behind the ball and made it hard for us, so we didn’t get that quite right and eventually when we did and they were moving out of their spaces, we then created a lot more space for us so it kind of benefited us in the end.”

Now playing with three men at the back, Bearsted weathered the early storm and controlled the game after the hour-mark.

Jones was full of praise of makeshift centre-half, the versatile Jarred Trespaderne, who partnered Sam Flisher, the Maidstone resident who has been a long Bearsted servant.

“I think the back four and Leighton, I don’t think they were in any danger if I’m being brutally honest during the whole game. I thought our full-backs were excellent, especially Conrad Lee, coming back, he’s been out for most of the season, so to come back and get 75 minutes, I thought was really good,” said Jones.

“We’re low on centre-halves today. Conrad Lee (left-back) has been out for a long time, so I think that was more fatigue more than anything, which we knew that was going to happen.  Luca Radojevic coming back from suspension, so we had good cover there.

“Dan Keyte unfortunately dropped out this morning (family commitments). Ryan Blake is hopefully getting back from injury this week. He done a bit of work before the game, so we were low on our usual centre-halves. Sonny Jackson got injured yesterday working, so he wasn’t available today.

“So we just had the option of moving Jaz (Trespaderne) back into centre-half with Flish and to be honest I thought they were comfortable and the clean sheet was worthy.”

Bearsted grabbed the lead – against-the-run-of-play at the time – with 16 minutes and 10 seconds on the clock.

Jeffrey failed to close down an unmarked Lee, who had time and space to recycle the ball back into the box from the left and the unmarked Mitford’s initial attempt was blocked by Wealands but the winger hooked the second bite of the cherry into the centre of the goal with his right-foot.

“I think second, third, fourth bite of the cherry for him at the back post but that’s the positions he needs to get in,” said Jones.

“I thought it was an excellent cross by Conrad. It’s something that he gives us. Luca (Radojevic) gives us that as well. Reuben (Jones) down the other side gives us that. Just be able to set the ball back and whip in a dangerous ball in like that, so pleased for Ashton and pleased for Conrad for his assist.”

Mitchell added: “Rubbish defending! We’ve not got tight enough to the player. We’ve not cleared our lines and we’ve allowed them to put the ball in the box freely really and again that’s just not acceptable at this level of football.”

This is the time for Holmesdale’s players to show some backbone and character -  but they leaked their second goal just 285 seconds later, with 20 minutes and 55 seconds on the clock.

Stace picked the ball up and drove straight down the heart of the pitch before Mitford flicked his pass on to Embery (quiet up until this point) and his first-time right-footed shot took a deflection and looped over Wealands’ left-shoulder into the right-corner.

Bearsted’s two-goal lead at this moment in the game was flattering – because at half-time it felt that this was going to be settled by just the one goal.

Jones admitted: “I think we needed that! I think we were having a real good spell and we were finding our pockets of space and thankfully it’s the second goal and you kind of think we probably still need one more just to kill it but yes I was pleased for Jake to get his first one.”

Mitchell admitted: “Again, none of their goals today were brilliant. None of the goals were when they’ve carved us apart and put the ball in the top corner – they’ve all come from our mistakes.”

Bearsted almost scored a third goal (25:44) when Lee stroked a low left-footed free-kick against the base of the near (left) post from 25-yards.

“Unlucky – actually you kind of think maybe inside of the post, you’ve got half-a-chance but it’s a decent effort. I think he was starting to fatigue a little bit after that,” added Jones.

Bearsted upped their tempo and started to play on the front foot and at a much higher tempo than they did during a poor first half showing from the Bears.

“We’re kind of good at doing that. It comes from us from the side. We give them the freedom to play and when we do it, I’m going to be really biased, I think we look very, very good at doing it,” said Jones.

“But first half we couldn’t quite create that and I think we’ve got to give them a bit of credit because they closed those gaps of when we kind of turn it on in there it does look very good.”

Reuben Jones then substitute Richard Jimoh played balls in from the right and Palmby swept his first time shot narrowly over the crossbar, the ball landing on top of the roof of the net.

Constable hooked Hudson, Musoke and Elliott for the last 11 minutes of normal time and Elliott’s place as the central striker was taken by a centre-half in Micquelle Murray.

Bearsted killed the game off by scoring their third goal from the penalty spot, with 43 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock.

Embery whipped in a quality delivery into the Holmesdale box and substitute striker Jimoh was fouled inside the box by Deandre Williams, who was the third visiting player to be cautioned by referee Connor Wood.

Goalkeeper Wealands dived to his left and Embery used his right-foot to dink the ball rolling into the bottom left-hand corner.

“Rich comes on, gave us pace. It was Jake that created it. A nice ball over to Rich and the player fouled him, so he’s very good from the penalty spot, so I was pleased. That was the goal that we needed just to kill the game,” said Jones.

Mitchell added: “Poor defending! At this level of football, if you make those mistakes, you’re going to get punished and it’s another gimmie goal.”

Then came a crazy 16 seconds when Murray skipped past the advancing Fanshawe yet failed to stick the ball into the back of the net (44:12) before substitute left-wing-back Luka Radojevic drilled a sublime long through ball along the pristine grass carpet in behind Williams and Mansaray and Embery clinically found the bottom left-hand corner with a clinical right-footed finish, to score his hat-trick with 44 minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Both were asked about the actions at both ends of the pitch.

Jones said: “Not sure that Flish and Jaz were doing. Flish went to clear it and it hit Jaz and played the centre-forward through. I think Leighton’s done really well to come out really quickly and push him wide and then we’ve defended it and then Luca’s seen a pass and it’s a great pass through to Jake and he does that ever so well, running in behind and took it really well, fair play.

“I said to Jake before the game, his goal tally needs to go up. Although he’s got quite a few for us now but it’s always nice when you get a hat-trick and that increases his tally to 17.

“Jake does an incredible job for us up top and sometimes he’s a bit isolated but he does it ever so well and to come away with three goals is very pleasing.”

Embery also scored a hat-trick with a 100% strike rate in front of goal today – three goals from three attempts.

Such form is limiting Michael Hagan to cameo roles (40:48-49:11) at the end of the game.

“Do you know what, he’s such a good person, player to have around the group. He gets it, he understands is,” said Jones, when asked about Hagan’s time on the bench.

“He had 90 minutes against Corinthian and done ever so well. I praised him for what he done last week in terms of when Reuben scored the first goal because it was his voice leading a young boy to get him onto the back stick for a tap-in.

“Michael’s very good to have around the group. He needs more minutes, he’s getting there, he’s getting there. He’ll probably tell you himself he’s not 100 per cent fit yet but a clever footballer that we enjoy having around.”

Holmesdale’s best chances today all fell to the wrong players – centre-halves – Mansaray, Bell and Murray - who have scored two goals between them.

Mitchell added: “Micquelle’s not a striker. We put him up there to be a bit of a presence. Yes, he should score but that’s no reflection on Micquelle. He’s done a job for us there.

“But again, poor defending. But we’ve got to do better at defending, that’s the reality of it.”

Holmesdale leak goals as frequent as London Red Buses that pass Bromley Common Bus Garage nearby to their ground.  You wait ages for one and two come along at once!

“We’ve just said that in the bar at full-time there as a management team.  There’s been too many games this year where we’ve lost four and five nil and when you go 1-0 down, you’ve got to shut up shop. We need leaders and people to do that and we’ve got none of them,” admitted Mitchell, who was asked whether they are looking to bring in players with the right character and mentality to stop conceding goals.

“I think now, yes, that’s easier said than done to bring in players. There’s bringing in players and there’s bringing in the right players. Anyone can get any player but you’ve got to make sure that they’re the right positions that we want.

“But ultimately, I think the direction of travel for us now is not tactically, it’s not anything to do with that, I think it’s personnel.”

The awful Mansaray failed to score from close range following Palmer’s right-wing corner (46:04), the centre-half somehow cracking his shot against the crossbar.

“I mean, that’s sum the day up for me. We’ve hit the bar from a yard out and if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net, you can’t win games,” admitted Mitchell.

Tony Reid’s Larkfield & New Hythe sit at the summit with 39 points (only nine goals conceded) from their 18 games - and they host Whitstable Town in their next game on Tuesday 9 December.

Jamie Coyle’s Whitstable Town have slipped down to second place with 38 points (20 goals conceded) from their 16 games.

Jimmy Anderson’s Rusthall are third with 34 points from 15 games (18 conceded), followed by Bearsted (32 points, 10 wins, two draws and five defeats, 24 goals conceded) and Holmesdale (29 points, nine wins, two draws and eight defeats).

The rest of the top-eight include Erith & Belvedere (28 points from 19 games), Punjab United (26 points from 17 games) and Tunbridge Wells (26 points from 18 games).

“Just said to them at the end, we just concentrate on us. That’s all we can do. I’m sure every side is saying that,” said Jones.

“Listen, we always look at results, you have to. All we can do is concentrate on ourselves. We’ve got some really tough games coming up in December and you can only play one of them at a time and try to get three points so that’s what we’ll try and do. We’ll set up to try to win games.

“It’s not nitty-gritty stuff yet is it? We’ve got some tough games coming up, so there’s a real positive attitude within the group and yes the boys are doing alright.

“The three games we lost in a row in November set us back a little bit but like I said to them after the game there and Kev said it as well that people will look at that result and think that’s a very positive result.

“Everyone likes coming here (and playing on the best grass surface in the division) but it’s how we play and it’s how we want to play football and to score four goals against a very decent team, hopefully propels us to keep getting good results.

“Statement win? Yes, it can be, it can be. It depends how you look at it.  I mean some people will look at it, we’re only into the end of November. We’ve still got a long way to go but we had a really good month in October, start of November wasn’t great but if we can have a real positive December, you never know.

“But listen, we will keep trying. We try to play football the right way and you never know what happens at the end of the season.

“We’ve got a very competitive squad of 24-25 players that can all compete at this level or played at this level, if not above. We’ve got some young boys that have come in and have done ever so well recently.

“It’s just good to be a part of. It’s good to come to training. The boys listen and take on information and we’ll just look after the players, if we need to. If they need a rest. we’ll pull them out. If they don’t and we feel like they can keep going, we’ll keep going.”

When reflecting on Holmesdale’s position in the play-off zone tonight, Mitchell said: “We’ve got to take positives from that. The season’s by far not over. We’ve got a lot to play for and we are playing for that.

“I think our position in the league table probably reflects the whole division really of inconsistencies and I think we’re there on merit clearly but I think anyone can beat anyone in this league.”

Holmesdale lock horns with Gillingham-based side Hollands & Blair at Oakley Road next Saturday.

Darren Blackburn’s side have climbed eight points clear of the relegation zone, thanks to three wins and three clean sheets and have picked up 19 point from their 18 league outings.

“They’re going to come into that game very positive. That’s three wins on the bounce. We beat them at their place. We’re going to get to training on Wednesday, get ourselves together as a group. It’s at home and we’ve got to make home advantage count.”

But can a team with a goal-difference of minus nine be considered as a serious promotion contender via the play-offs?

Mitchell replied: “I think we’re not putting that pressure on ourselves. We’re there on merit and it would be lovely at the end of the season to be in and around it.

“I think all we can hope for and pray for us to stay in contention for the rest of the season. Where we end up is sort of in gods hands but if we can put a run of results together and stay there towards the end, then great, but we’ve got no official targets to meet.

“We’re actually in a good place with the injury perspective and we’ve had some consistency in the squad – we need to address some other bits.”

Bearsted: Leighton Fanshawe, Reuben Jones, Conrad Lee (Luka Radojevic 75), Jack Palmby, Jarred Trespaderne, Sam Flisher, James Bessey-Saldanha (Michael Hagan 86), Samuel Stace, Jake Embery, Aidan Clark, Ashton Mitford (Richard Jimoh 73).
Subs: Mason Williams, Lucas Brookman

Goals: Ashton Mitford 62, Jake Embery 66, 89 (penalty), 90

Holmesdale: Charlie Wealands, Jude Jeffrey (Deandre Williams 67), Reelwan-Ayobami Lugboso, Anthony Musoke (Anthony Morrison 79), William Bell, Alimamy Mansaray, Malachi Hudson (Enoch Muwonge 79), Kevin Dance (Harry Fleming 67), Marcus Elliott (Micquelle Murray 79), Callum Keeble, Nathan Palmer.

Booked: Kevin Dance 43, Callum Keeble 59, Deandre Williams 87

Attendance: 79
Referee: Mr Connor Wood
Assistants: Mr Dean Reynolds & Mr Antony Rawlings
Observer: Mr Kieran Cox