Beckenham Town 2-2 East Grinstead Town - We're in the top three at Christmas - most people with bigger budgets and bigger profile managers than us would love to have our position, says happy Beckenham Town coach Billy Walton

Beckenham Town 2 – 2 East Grinstead Town
Location	Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JL
Kickoff	17/12/2024 19:45

BECKENHAM TOWN  2-2  EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN
Isthmian League South East Division
Tuesday 17 December 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

BECKENHAM TOWN coach Billy Walton says most people with bigger budgets and bigger profile managers would love to have their position of third-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table heading into Christmas.

Del Oldfield’s side extended their winless run to six games in all competitions after being held to a 2-2 draw by an East Grinstead Town side that became the only side to beat league leaders Ramsgate just 14 days ago.

Beckenham Town took the lead through a quality finish from left-winger Steven Townsend, before East Grinstead Town levelled through a clinical strike from Connor Tighe, the striker notching his sixth goal of the season.

Townsend slotted in his ninth goal of the season to give the home side the lead going into the break, before Drew Cooney’s Wasps levelled through a sublime 30-yard strike from holding midfielder Charlie Harris, who scored his sixth goal of the season.

“I suppose, in chances, we should’ve won the game. I thought we’ve done enough to win the game,” admitted Walton.

“We just keep doing silly little mistakes, letting them in, letting them back in the game.  

“We had enough chances to really put the game to bed in all fairness but fair play to them, they kept plugging away and they got a couple of little breaks. It cost us really.”

When asked what threats fourteenth-placed East Grinstead Town (24 points from 19 games after tonight) posed, Walton replied: “I don’t know to be honest with you. I think the threats came from our bad passing where we were giving the ball away to them.

“I didn’t think they created through themselves opening us up or anything like that but I just thought we just gifted them silly passes, mistakes that we were making and handed it to them on a plate really.

“I thought first and foremost we should’ve won the game. We should’ve won the game. We had enough chances to put them to bed.

“This lot here today, you’ve seen them yourself, they beat Ramsgate, who are one of the best teams in the league.  Ramsgate have only lost one game and it’s to East Grinstead, so they’re not a bad side.”

Beckenham Town were without Robert Carter (thigh), Harry Gamble (ACL), Tom Hever (broken arm) and Mudiaga Wanogho (hamstring), as they became the first side in this eighth-tier division to play 22 (out of 42) league games.

Beckenham Town were almost caught out while playing out from the back, but Tighe lashed his left-footed drive over the crossbar (6:04), before Beckenham Town opened the scoring following their first chance with six minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.

Attacking midfielder Archie Burnett played a 20-yard pass along the deck out to Townsend on the left and he cut inside and curled a sublime right-footed shot into the top far corner from 30-yards on the angle.

“That’s Steve of old. I’ve seen him to that quite a few times, cutting inside and burying it in the far corner,” said Walton.

“It was one of the things we talked about before the game. We thought that was an area where they’re quite weak and we exploited it really well, right from the start, so yes, very good goal from Steve.”

Beckenham Town’s 14-goal striker Louie Theophanous dropped inside his own half before reversing a pass to release right-winger Freddie Nyhus, who was tackled on the edge of the box by East Grinstead Town’s left-back Alex Andrade Filipe.

Burnett kept the move alive by teeing up the impressive holding midfielder Dominic Morgan-Griffiths, whose right-footed drive from 25-yards bounced into the comfortable gloves of Matte Pierson.

“Dominic’s an intelligent player, he’s my sort of footballer. He wants to get the ball down and play. He’s very good on the ball and does a good job for the team,” added Walton.

Beckenham Town were caught offside on three occasions inside the opening 20 minutes by a high line East Grinstead back four.

The Wasps produced a well-worked move along the deck with Harris and Terlochan Singh linking up well before Singh rolled the ball the ball out to former Beckenham Town attacker Finlay Lovatt, whose left-footed drive from 17-yards was comfortably saved in Archie Burford’s midriff at the half-way point of the half.

“We know Finlay’s strengths, he’s good at breaking past the back line and getting in and he done so there and luckily for us, Archie’s saved it,” added Walton.

Theophanous hit a right-footed speculative angled drive flashing across Pierson and past the far post from 30-yards out wide on the left, but East Grinstead Town were the better side at Eden Park Avenue tonight with their patterns of play but they went to pieces inside the box.

Filipe put over a deep cross from within the left channel towards Tighe on the other side of the penalty area but a poor first touch by Lovatt at the near-post ensured the ball bounced into Burford’s gloves for a comfortable collection.

Beckenham Town linked up well down the left and an example of this came on the half-hour mark, when East Grinstead’s right-back Ricardo Thompson opened the gate.

Left-back Akheem Belford fed Morgan-Griffiths on the overlap and his right-footed angled drive from a tight angle was meat and drink for Pierson at his near-post.

Pierson’s clearance upfield was met by the head of central midfielder Casey Dudley and the Tonbridge Angels loanee released Theophanous through on goal – in between centre-halves Glenn Wilson and Tom Cadman – but Pierson made a big save in a one-on-one situation in the 35^th minute.

“I mean, there again, you put your house on him scoring but as I say he does score quite a lot of goals for us, so he’s entitled to have a bad shot every now and then,” said Walton, after Theophanous scored Beckenham’s goal in their 1-1 draw at Steyning Town Community at the weekend.

The Sussex side remain second-from-bottom in their first campaign at this level with eight points from 20 games, while Darren Anslow’s Phoenix Sports are rooted to the foot of the table with the same number of points.

East Grinstead Town were guilty of a glaring miss with 40 minutes and 39 seconds on the clock, following a spell of pressure.

Harris fed Filipe, who put in another lovely cross from within the left channel but Tighe poked his first-time right-footed shot across Burford and past the foot of the far post from six-yards.

“It was a good effort from them. It was a good move that they’ve done and the shot just went past the far post, I do believe,” added Walton.

East Grinstead Town deserved their leveller when it arrived with 41 minutes and 37 seconds on the clock.

Right-winger Luke Harrison released Tighe on the charge and the striker cut inside and clinically placed his left-footed drive across the keeper and into the bottom far corner from 10-yards.

Walton said: “I mean it was one of the rare times where Archie (Burford) kicked the ball long, Casey (Dudley) missed the flick-on with the header and it fell to them and they passed it clinically through us and scored. 

“There again, it was just our mistake. It was a total mistake from us.”

However, Beckenham Town showed great character to grab the lead – just eight seconds into stoppage time – thanks to some poor defending from Wilson.

Luke Hedges, Jack Holland and Nyhus played out from the back before centre-half Holland launched a right-footed long ball over the top and Wilson opened the gate.

A sublime first touch from Townsend saw him get in behind Wilson, before Pierson came off his line and grabbed hold of the ball after Wilson’s back-pass before the keeper spilt the ball and Townsend kept composed to take a touch before slotting his left-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner of an open goal from 10-yards.

“Steve capitalised on a bad mistake and calmly slotted it away,” said Walton.

“Steve’s a good player at this level. He’s been with us for an x-amount of years and we’ve seen him score an untold amount of goals. I’d like to know the amount of goals that he’s scored in the time he’s been here.

“I’m pleased for him because he does work hard, he’s one of our players who has been here for a while and he’s one of the lads we know we can get the best out of him, especially at home.

“We felt they were playing a really high line and we could capitalise in putting the ball up in behind them and getting our midfield runners through to get on the end of the long passes over the top of them and just don’t be sloppy on the ball, basically.

“We had quite a few chances to get in and through our sloppiness and bad passing it was just chance-after-chance we were throwing away, so we just said (at half-time) just be a bit more clinical and better with our passing.”

East Grinstead Town went close to equalising with just 21 seconds on the clock, with another well-worked move down their dangerous left.

Filipe put over a cross from within the left-channel, Tighe curled his shot over Burford and the ball clipped the top of the far post and an unmarked Harrison went to pieces, lashing his first-time shot over the crossbar from six-yards.

“As I’ve said to you many a time over the years, you don’t get nothing for hitting the post, you might as well hit the corner flag, so that’s irrelevant to me,” added Walton.

Dudley wasn’t pressed by the East Grinstead midfield and tried his luck with a right-footed drive from a central position from 35-yards, which was comfortably held by Pierson, low to his right, with 97 seconds on the clock.

Walton said: “He’s another lad that’s joined us (on loan from National League South side Tonbridge Angels). It’s his third game and he’s done an impressive job for me tonight. He works extremely hard. For once we’ve got a midfielder that’s not frightened to have s shot, so hopefully a few of them will start going in for us.”

East Grinstead Town restored parity with six minutes and 58 seconds on the clock, following their first of two corners of the match (Beckenham Town had six).

Harris swung the ball in from the left, and the ball was cleared out of the Beckenham Town penalty area and Harrison played the ball inside to Harris, who was left in space some 30-yards out and he unleashed a sublime right-footed drive, which sailed over the flat-footed goalkeeper into the top right-hand corner from within Dudley’s area of the pitch.

Walton said: “I mean, we didn’t get out quick enough to shut him down. It’s a problem, when you’ve got somebody 30-yard out and you don’t go out and shut him down, there’s always a chance they’re going to pull one out of the bag and hit a screamer in the top corner.

“It’s just sloppy from us. We didn’t get out and press the ball quick enough and that’s what happens, you get punished.”

A long ball out of the East Grinstead Town defence was laid off by Tighe with his back to goal and Lovatt cracked a first-time right-footed lob from 45-yards which appeared to be sailing over Burford’s head, but the Beckenham Town goalkeeper plucked the ball out of the air with two hands in the 64^th  minute.

“It was a great effort, inches out of going over the goalkeeper’s head but luckily Archie was in the right position and he managed to catch it,” added a relieved Walton.

Beckenham right-back Hedges was fouled and Pierson lined up a five-man wall for Theophanous’ right-footed free-kick from 25-yards, which the visiting goalkeeper grabbed hold of the ball at the second attempt, while stepping to his right.

Just 27 seconds later, Burnett’s fine through ball released Theophanous through on goal again but Pierson came out and used his left-leg to make another vital save.  The ball fell to the wrong man. Alfie Bloomfield isn’t the most clinical of finishers and fluffed his big chance to score as Pierson smothered the ball low to his left to deny Townsend’s replacement.

“The rebound came out to Alfie and I just don’t think Alfie is forceful enough, really stretched out. He should’ve scored,” admitted Walton.

“He doesn’t lack confidence. He works so hard for us. He just doesn’t seem to (get chances) fall in his path to have a nice, easy tap-in. It’s always a 50-50 but I’m sure he’ll get there, I’m sure he’ll get there.”

Theophanous was played in down the side before his right-footed angled drive flashed across Pierson and past the far post as the game entered the final 15 minutes.

Cooney threw on Omar Folkes and the central striker fed the ball out wide to fellow sub Matthew Daniel, who cut inside and onto his left-foot and his cross/shot took a wicked deflection and only just missed the top of the far post.

Both sides had late chances to win it, as East Grinstead Town extended their unbeaten run to three games, having beaten Steve Lovell’s Herne Bay 2-1 at Winch’s Field at the weekend.

The impressive Morgan-Griffiths blotted his copy book by losing the ball and then tripping Camron Lawson before Harris cracked his right-footed free-kick over the four-man wall and inches over the crossbar from 25-yards (42:42).

Filipe played the ball inside to Folkes and the big target-man laid the ball off to substitute central midfielder Warren Colman, whose right-footed shot from 20-yards was plucked out of the air by Burford.

Referee Joseph Gray blew for time at 50:25 – Beckenham had a chance to snatch the victory with 46:44 on the counter-attack.

Dudley broke down the heart of the pitch before releasing Nyhus, who cut onto his left-foot and saw his angled drive screamed just past the far post from 25-yards.

“Freddie was close to winning it when he cut inside. He reminded me of when we won the League (Combined Counties League Premier Division South) that year when he cut inside and hit a screamer into the top corner.

“It would’ve been great to have won it and set us up for Saturday on the back of a little bad spell we’ve had but we’re undefeated in the last two games.

“I don’t see what the negativity is, it’s all positive from me. I just think to myself after last year’s diabolical season, we’re in the top three at Christmas. Most people, with bigger budgets and bigger profile managers than us in this league would love to have our position, so I’m quite happy with how it’s gone.”

Ben Smith’s Ramsgate (52 points from 19 games) are battling it out for the title with Ryan Maxwell’s Sittingbourne (50 points from 19 games).

Beckenham Town (13 points, four draws and five defeats) have picked up 43 points from 22 games and they are joined in the play-off zone by Ben Greenhalgh’s Margate (42 points from 19 games) and Burgess Hill Town (36 points from 17 games).

Ernie Batten’s Sheppey United (36 points from 19 games), Merstham (32 points from 19 games), Adam Woodward’s Erith Town (30 points from 19 games), Danny Kedwell’s Ashford United (30 points from 20 games) and Steve King’s Deal Town (30 points from 21 games) make up the top 10.

“You’re looking at the other six sides, all big clubs in this division and we’re in there mixing it with them. We’ll be in there mixing it with them right until the end and hopefully we can get in that top five and have a go.  We won’t definitely give up. We’re in a great position come Christmas so as far as I’m concerned, so far, it’s been a really good season,” highlighted Walton.

“Succes for Beckenham? Staying in the league. I think success this year is staying in the league but now we’re in this position, we want to do as well as we can and hopefully get in the play-offs.

“I don’t think anyone out of the top two can really challenge Ramsgate and Sittingbourne. I think they will be the top two and it’s anyone from the next seven clubs and I’m sure we’ll be one of them.”

Bottom six side Three Bridges (five wins, three draws and nine defeats) visit Eden Park Avenue on Saturday, before Eastbourne Town visit here on Saturday 28 December before Keith Millen brings his AFC Croydon Athletic side here on Wednesday 1 January, before Beckenham make the trip down to Littlehampton Town on Saturday 4 January.

“We were in the same boat last season and we know when you come to grounds against the so-called better teams, you raise your game and I’m sure Three Bridges will come here and give us a good game, so it will be another one where if we take our chances, I’m sure we’ll create a few chances and defend a bit better, we’ll win the game,” said Walton.

When asked about the Christmas period, Walton replied: “We’ve got to ask them not to have too much Christmas pudding, that’s all you have to do, don’t have too many potatoes!

“When you work with a small team you just have to ask them to look after themselves and hopefully we don’t pick up too many injuries along the way.

“I’m sure every other club is in the same boat. They haven’t got massive amount of players to roll in, roll out. They’re not like Chelsea!”

This was Oldfield’s 11^th game in charge and Beckenham Town have picked up five wins, two draws and four defeats in all competitions.

Since beating Broadbridge Heath 3-2 here on 9 November, Oldfield’s side have lost 6-1 at Tonbridge Angels in the Kent Senior Cup, lost 4-2 at Merstham, lost 3-1 at home to Ashford United, lost 1-0 at Herne Bay, before drawing 1-1 at Steyning Town Community at the weekend before tonight’s home draw.

“We’ll, it’s like anything else. As you’ve had such a good start, you do get ramblings, not within the club, certainly from outside the club, what’s happened to Beckenham?

“We’ve lost five games, we’ve won a lot more games and then you hit a patch where through injuries and not having your strongest team out and teams playing well against us, we’ve lost five games so it was like, what’s happened?

“There were reasons why we had that little blip, we’re gradually getting back so I’m sure once we get all the players’ back fit and raring to go, we’ll start winning games again.”

Beckenham Town: Archie Burford, Luke Hedges, Akheem Belford, Dominic Morgan-Griffiths, Oscar Williams, Jack Holland, Steven Townsend (Alfie Bloomfield 65), Casey Dudley, Louie Theophanous, Archie Burnett, Freddie Nyhus.
Subs: Tylah Wallace-Ming, Henry Griffin, Rocco Zilli

Goals: Steven Townsend 7, 45

Booked: Alfie Bloomfield 90

East Grinstead Town: Matte Pierson, Ricardo Thompson, Alex Andrade Filipe, Charlie Harris, Tom Cadman, Glenn Wilson, Camron Lawson, Terlochan Singh (Warren Colman 73), Connor Tighe (Omar Folkes 74), Finlay Lovatt (Khalifa Jabbie 84), Luke Harrison (Matthew Daniel 62).
Sub: Kieran Humpherston

Goals: Connor Tighe 42, Charlie Harris 52

Booked: Charlie Harris 51

Attendance: 182
Referee: Mr Joseph Gray
Assistants: Mr Gary Baker & Mr Tony King
Observer: Mr Mark Joy