Beckenham Town 2-0 Erith Town - Bitter rivals clash over Jamal York's selection

Wednesday 13th October 2010

BECKENHAM TOWN 2-0 ERITH TOWN
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Wednesday 13th November 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

STRIKER Jamal York was at the centre of a controversial team selection spat between officials of bitter rivals Beckenham Town and Erith Town before tonight’s clash at Eden Park Avenue.

There’s certainly no love lost between these two Kent League clubs following high-profile spats over kit clashes in the past and tension reared it’s ugly head again as both club’s fought for supremacy before kick-off.

Beckenham Town secretary Peter Palmer fought his corner in front of bemused supporters, claiming that the now Erith Town striker has not coughed up £190 in fines for two red cards that York collected whilst playing for his club last season.

Despite the arguments and frantic phone calls to Kent League management, referee Mr Paul Beadle was handed a late Erith Town team sheet, with York listed in blue writing at number 10 - but this was later changed with Cris Borchescu being drafted in off the bench to wear the number 9 shirt - with Rikki Cable playing as the lone striker wearing the number 10 shirt (having originally been listed on the official team sheet as number 9).

This was Tony Russell’s first game in charge, following Steve O’Boyle’s resignation at the weekend over 50% budget cuts, and the Dockers were forced to play Cable as the only striker in a 5-4-1 formation, as Leroy Huggins has jumped ship to sign for Ryman League Division One South outfit Chatham Town.

O’Boyle’s number two, Russell, was a frustrated figure afterwards as his side squandered a number of good chances as two set-piece goals from defender Steve McNamara ensured Beckenham climbed into second place in the Kent League table to move to within just one point of VCD Athletic, with a game in hand.

Beckenham Town manager Jason Huntley, who is also the club’s chairman, cleared up the situation concerning York, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“Jamal played for us last season and he got sent off two games on the spin and he just went,” said Huntley.

“We don’t pay no players down this club and we tell them they pay their own fines, especially for dissent, aggressive play. If I deem it as a genuine tackle, I pay their fines. They know the rules before they play.

“He owed two lots of red cards and when you don’t pay them, they double up. It’s the first time I’ve seen Jamal tonight. I didn’t even know he was down at Erith Town. I found out and Peter (Palmer) told the League last week that this player owes us £190, I think it is, and they said he won’t be able to play.

“Peter told me the lad was going to come down and give me the money yesterday, but he didn’t turn up.

“They (Erith Town) said they would pay a cheque today, which Peter said he didn’t want a cheque because he’s got issues going back with this club from well before I was here, which I won’t get involved in.

“Then, tonight he’s turned up and they (Erith Town) want to pay £45 but Peter stood by his ground and said he can’t play.

“He then got in touch with the League on the phone and they said "no, it ain’t gone through the right channels so he’s got to play.”

“We’ve left it down to them to play it and they took him off the teamsheet. He could’ve played but they took him off as far as I’m aware.

“I heard the conversation with Peter and the lady at the league, she said “no he has to play.” I was surprised he weren’t playing. Someone made that decision to take him off. We didn’t say take him off.”

Huntley added: “When they got here he was told before unless the finances were settled then he couldn’t play then we had the call from the league saying it hadn’t gone through the right channels or something like that. In the end the league said he could play. His name was on as far as I’m concerned and it was taken off and the lad left the ground.”

Erith Town chairman, Albert Putman, meanwhile, was furious that York left the ground 22 minutes before the scheduled kick-off after being told he wasn’t going to play in the game.

“Well, he played for Beckenham and he got sent off before Christmas and he got a fine and a ban of £45,” Mr Putman told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“He got fined, which he never paid the club back, which he didn’t think he had to at the time and Beckenham were trying to claim £200 of him.

“The Kent League, Mr Masters and Richard, I don’t know the other guy there, said the game should be played and Jamal York should be playing in it.

“He was picked to play in our side. We dropped him out because they (Beckenham Town) said that he wouldn’t be able to play and then ten past seven they said he could and he was on his way home and that’s why he never played tonight.”

Mr Putman admitted the administrative blunder should have been dealt with before the game - and not in full view of everybody in front of the dressing room/clubhouse.

“It should’ve been discussed and it should’ve been dealt with before the game or it should be discussed with after the game,” he said.

“We’re going to have a dispute over it, which is not going to really enhance Kent League football and that’s what my main aim is, which is to get on and get on together and we’ve had to pull one of our players out because they wouldn’t let him play.”

Erith Town squandered a whole host of chances during this game and ran out 2-0 losers as Beckenham march on.

Beckenham Town goalkeeper Nick Blue was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the former Orpington stopper made a comfortable save from tireless midfielder Lee Morgan from 30-yards and then he tipped over David Hall’s right-footed chip, after the impressive right-back picked the ball up from the halfway line and went for goal on the edge of the penalty area.

Beckenham’s first chance arrived after 18 minutes when right wing-back Danny Lawson sent over a cross and Danny Gorman’s looping shot was tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Tim Roberts and Allie Jaward and Gary Gorman both had low shots blocked from inside the six-yard box before Danny McKone fired wide.

Danny Gorman - who plays on the right of three central defenders - lost possession to Borchescu and his floating cross was tipped away by Blue and Cable retrieved the ball and centred for Lawrence Collins and his drive was flicked over his own crossbar by Danny Gorman.

Beckenham right wing-back Danny Lawson latched onto a ball out of defence and cut inside Collins but his left-footed shot crashed into the side netting.

Collins then swept the ball forward and the ball was missed by Danny Gorman and Cable fashioned a chance for himself by dancing around a couple of defenders but his weak shot struck Danny Gorman and this took the sting out of the shot and Chris Hill was on hand to clear the ball off the line at the near post.

Morgan disputed the decision by the referee to award Beckenham a free-kick following a challenge on Danny McKone on the edge of the penalty area.

Morgan must have known what was coming as McNamara struck a left-footed free-kick from 25-yards, which took a wicked deflection and wrong footed Roberts as the ball nestled into the bottom right-hand corner, giving Beckenham a 43rd minute advantage.

Beckenham rode their luck during the second half and McNamara’s penalty with eleven minutes remaining was harsh on Russell’s dominant side.

Beckenham, however, should have doubled their lead within 51 seconds when Quentin Conteh latched onto McNamara’s excellent ball over the top and cut the ball back to Gary Gorman who side-footed his shot wide when well placed.

Beckenham defender Chris Hill blocked a couple of efforts from the impressive Chris Walker and Morgan, which allowed his goalkeeper Blue to make comfortable saves.

Morgan should have done better when he met Liam Burgess’ free-kick with his head, but he planted the ball past the near post.

Walker then went on a fine mazy run through the heart of the Beckenham defence and his low curing right-footed shot was parried by Blue and Danny Gorman injured himself as he prevented the rolling ball from crossing the line and the keeper pounced on the loose ball.

A rare Beckenham attack saw substitute Ibrahim Fussini released down the left and after cutting inside his right-footed drive from 30-yards forced Roberts into making a low save.

Beckenham grabbed their second when Lew Watts was adjudged to have fouled McKone inside the penalty area and McNamara sent Roberts the wrong way with a left-footed penalty, which nestled into the right-hand corner.

Erith Town substitute Ted Hart struck a right-footed drive from 25-yards straight into Blue’s arms but they couldn’t prevent Beckenham from winning their fifth successive league game.

“Very pleased with the result, not pleased with how we played,” admitted Huntley, the Beckenham boss.

“We had 10 days off and I think it showed. We were a little bit lethargic. We were second to the ball a lot of the time but having said that all credit to them (Erith Town). We came up against a very good footballing side tonight, probably one of the best teams we’ve played in this league so far. They get the ball down and knock it about well. I was very impressed with the way they played.

“We didn’t play as well as we can play but I said to the boys in the dressing room, we can play a lot better than that and get beat and we’ve done that several times, dominated games and got beat, so sometimes you’ve got to take these results.”

Huntley was full of praise for his two-goal hero McNamara, and revealed that the former Chertsey Town defender shouldn’t have played - or taken the penalty.

“He’s got a very good, cultured left foot to be fair, he’s got a lovely left foot,” he said.

“He’s not been well today, he’s got a bad flu. Maybe I shouldn’t have played him but I’m a bit skinny of players at the moment through injuries so I was forced to play him. He didn’t have his best game but he popped up with two goals.

“He wasn’t down to take that (penalty). I didn’t tell him to take that. The other guy (Gary Gorman) was going to take it but obviously he’s put his name on it.”

Huntley praised his players for grinding out a win.

He said: “I think their attitude last year we’d probably had lost that game if I’m being honest. They took all the game to us second half, I think we stood our ground. We defended when we had to defend. We tried to attack but we didn’t get our football going as well as I would have liked.

“We stuck at it, we didn’t give in. Last season and the season before our heads would have dropped and we would have lost that.”

Russell’s first decision as Erith Town’s manager was to withdrawal the controversial inclusion of York from his team line-up.

“Obviously I spoke to Jamal and I didn’t think he was in the right frame of mine to play the game today,” the 32-year-old rookie manager told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I had a chat with him and I asked him to be honest - and he was - and I don’t think he was mentally ready to play a game of football today so I just told him to go home and we’ll see him at training on Monday.”

It has been a difficult four days for the club following O’Boyle’s shock decision to part company with the club - and Russell explained why he is staying put.

“Obviously it’s been difficult, with Boylie because he brought me to the club and we get on really well and for whatever reason - I don’t want to go into - he’s decided to leave the club,” he said.

“I had a decision to make and obviously I had a chat with him first and I thought it was in the best interests of the club - and the players we brought to the club, out of respect to all the players we’ve brought to the club - that I stayed and try to keep the dressing room together and the ethos and the way we play football and keep pushing that on.

“I’m a massive fan of Boylie and there’s no doubt he’ll go on and manage somewhere else and hopefully we’ll cross paths later.”

Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Danny Gorman (John Farley 64), Steve McNamara, Chris Hill, Danny Lawson , Reece Parmenter, Danny McKone, Nick Curren, Quentin Conteh, Gary Gorman (Declan Hamilton 84), Allie Jaward (Ibrahim Fussini 71).

Subs: Jason Cook, Jack Carthy.

Goals: Steve McNamara 43, 79 (pen)

Booked: Danny Gorman 52, Danny Lawson 56

Erith Town: Tim Roberts, David Hall, Laurence Collins, Ben Payne, Dean Kearley, Lew Watts (Ted Hart 80), Liam Burgess, Lee Morgan, Cris Borchescu, Rikki Cable, Chris Walker.

Subs: Vinchenzo Wade, Calum Comerford, James Hawkins.

Booked: Lee Morgan 76, Lew Watts 77, David Hall 88

Attendance: 98

Referee: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks)

Assistants: Mr Jed Keegan (Plumstead) & Mr Lee Judd (Tunbridge Wells)