Beckenham Town 1-3 Glebe - We've come here and put in a good performance that puts us on the board and we move forward from here, says Glebe boss Peter Sweeney

Beckenham Town 1 – 3 Glebe
Location	Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JL
Kickoff	21/08/2019 19:45

BECKENHAM TOWN  1-3  GLEBE
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Wednesday 21 August 2019
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

GLEBE manager Peter Sweeney says he isn’t losing any sleep over his side’s slow start to the new season after springing a surprise to beat Beckenham Town at Eden Park Avenue.

The Chislehurst-based outfit started their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Lordswood, before bouncing back to beat league rivals Hollands & Blair 3-1 in The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round before going down to a 2-0 defeat to Deal Town at Foxbury Avenue at the weekend.

Beckenham Town started with a 2-1 home win over Punjab United, beating Raynes Park Vale 4-3 in The FA Cup before coming away from K Sports with a 2-1 win on Saturday.

Jason Huntley’s side were miles better than Glebe during the first half and deserved their lead, courtesy of a fine angled finish from left-winger Shameek Farrell.

Glebe grabbed the equaliser on the stroke of half-time thanks to high quality top-corner finish from their left-wing-back Matthew Parsons.

Glebe vastly improved after the interval and Scott Kinch volleyed in a stunning strike with 12 minutes remaining before Jack Harris came off the bench to tap in a third to leave Beckenham Town shell-shocked.

Despite waiting outside the dressing rooms until 22:15, none of Beckenham’s four-strong management team made themselves available for interview post-match, as Glebe got their campaign going with a derby night victory.

“I thought, especially the second half, was very good. We dominated the second half, we out worked them, they had minimal chances and they had too many in the first half but all-in-all pleased with the performance, especially second half,” said Sweeney.

“We touched on a few points at half-time that we weren’t happy with shape wise and a couple of other things but that’s what half-time is for. You re-group and the boys responded exactly how we wanted them to and it showed that when they do do what is asked, you win football matches.”

Both teams lined up with three centre-halves and wing-backs and Beckenham Town bossed the midfield battle, while Glebe were content with hitting long balls out of defence and asking Anthony Dwyer to work the right channel.

Beckenham Town created an opening in the seventh minute when right-wing-back Harvey Brand played a one-two with winger Stefan Cox and Brand drove through the heart of the pitch before playing the ball on his outside to Farrell, who cracked a left-footed drive sailing over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Andrew Mott and Ryan Hall produced a short free-kick routine which was cleared back out to Mott, who chipped the ball through for Cox to drill a left-footed shot which was blocked by the legs of visiting goalkeeper Nick Blue.

“They started quite well Beckenham,” said Sweeney.

“They were going to be direct, they were quite quick and direct up top and I felt in the first half we didn’t quite hold onto the ball long enough and move them about and that’s something we touched on at half-time. 

“Once we did that in the second half we pulled them out of their shape and that’s when the chances were created.”

Blue, who has quality distribution, drilled a clearance over the top of Beckenham centre-half Kiki Oshilaja but Dwyer failed to keep his half-volley down, as his attempt from 15-yards from the right-hand side of the penalty area skied over the crossbar.

Beckenham Town squandered a glorious chance to take a deserved lead in the 21^st minute when right-winger Cox cut the ball onto his left-foot and whipped in a great cross towards the near post but Hall stuck out his leg to poke the ball straight at Blue from just inside the six-yard box.

With Glebe’s Joe Bingham losing the midfield battle, Beckenham Town took a deserved lead with 23 minutes and 26 seconds on the clock.

Holding midfielder Junior Kaffo fed the ball to Hall who swept the ball in behind Max Fitzgerald and Nathan Palmer to put Farrell through on goal and he calmly swept his left-footed shot across Blue, who got down low to his left and used his left hand to flick the ball against the far post, only for the ball to nestle into the back of the net.

“It was poor play from us. We gave the ball away cheaply in midfield, which caused the problem for the goal, which I touched on again at half-time,” added Sweeney.

“You give the ball away and you’re out of shape and it was one of those things, but give the ball away cheaply and I was more angrier.”

Glebe started to fight their way back into the game and had a good spell inside the final 15 minutes of the half.

They should have been level when centre-half Briggs Ojeman hit a long ball over the top and a mistake from Beckenham centre-half Nathan Paul let in Dwyer. He only had Dagenham & Redbridge’s former second choice goalkeeper Lewis Moore to beat but the Bromley prospect fluffed his big chance as Moore made himself big for as long as possible to make a vital save.

Sweeney said: “Listen, I’m not fussed about the chances he’s missed. He knows he should score. He should’ve scored it 100%.

“I said to him at half-time, don’t worry about it. You’ll get another chance and keep making those runs and you will get in. I think he knows he should’ve scored!”

Beckenham Town then switched off and Billy Craske cut in and flashed a deflected drive fast the far post and Stacy Long’s resulting corner came in from the right and Ojeman’s near-post header sailed straight into Moore’s hands for a comfortable near-post catch.

“There were spells but I felt we didn’t capitalise on it,” admitted Sweeney.

“Once we got on top we let them get back into it, which was frustrating at times and another thing that we touched on at half-time, which in the second half, once we got on top, we didn’t allow them back in.”

Beckenham Town almost doubled their lead from virtually the same blade of grass as their goal. 

Left-wing-back Archie Johnson fed Mott, who slipped Hall in behind Palmer and his first time left-footed angled drive flashed across Blue and also past the foot of the far post.

Glebe worked themselves back into the game by scoring a screamer with 43 minutes and 41 seconds on the clock.

This moment turned the game to Glebe’s favour as referee Damian Mirzadeh awarded Glebe a free-kick just outside the corner of the penalty area.

Long played a short free-kick inside to Parsons, who drilled a stunning first time left-footed drive screaming into the top right-hand corner from 22-yards.

“I think the goal was perfect and it was the perfect time to score just before half-time because it deflates the other team and you’re on the momentum for the second half,” said Sweeney.

“Great goal – I’ve scored a few like that myself – I joked about it, said it took a deflection but it didn’t – it was a great finish!”

On his motivational half-time team talk, Sweeney said: “I said, obviously touching on the problems I thought was there, which we touched on and they came out and fixed it.

“One of them was our shape and once we did get on top in the second half we didn’t allow Beckenham to get back into the game and they ran out of ideas.”

Glebe started the second half on the front foot as Parsons shrugged off Cox down the left and whipped in a low cross which was flicked towards goal by Craske, which was comfortably saved by Moore in the fourth minute.

When asked about the Bromley trio spending time at Glebe to adapt from Academy football to the blood and thunder of part-time football, Sweeney said: “They’ve settled in really well since they’ve been here. They’ve played three games now.  Briggs Ojeman has that balance with the three at the back.  Billy Craske has got great energy, he’s got good quality on the ball and Anthony Dwyer up top, I thought his work rate was absolutely brilliant.”

Beckenham Town created their first opening shortly afterwards when Cox broke through the heart of the pitch before releasing Brand, who flashed his shot across goal and just past the foot of the far post.

Dwyer and Bingham linked up for Glebe in the final third and Jesse Darko’s shot on the turn from 22-yards forced Moore to move to his left to hold the shot, as the striker aimed for the bottom right-hand corner.

“Jesse and Anthony up top were brilliant.  Jesse has come back from injury, Anthony’s just come in so I thought they worked really well and Jack Harris has come on and scored so it gives me problems but good problems,” said Sweeney.

Beckenham Town have pace and quality down the flanks and an otherwise quiet striker Hall played the ball out to Farrell, who unleashed a left-footed angled drive, which flashed across Blue and past the far post from 30-yards.

Beckenham Town fell into complacent mood and Glebe took full advantage.

Sweeney pulled off a masterstroke as he hauled off Bingham and put on Tom Hever and Craske – who like Ojeman has recently signed his first pro contract at Bromley – slotted into the middle of the park and Glebe looked a different outfit as Beckenham Town slumped.

Sweeney said: “We made the change and brought young Tom Hever on as well for his energy. 

“Beckenham had good spells of the game.  Listen, they’ll win more games here than they’ll lose certainly here this season. It’s a fantastic win!”

Beckenham Town needed to increase their levels and they created a couple of openings when Mott’s floated cross was half-cleared but Hall failed to take advantage, looping his header into Blue’s midriff from 12-yards.

Brand, who liked pushing forward in his wing-back role, slipped the ball into Cox’s feet and he played the ball out to Farrell, who took a touch before dragging his shot past the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Glebe took the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated the final 20 minutes.

Dwyer worked the left-channel, cut the ball back to Parsons, who whipped in a cross and Darko swept a shot on the turn towards the bottom left-hand corner, forcing Moore to dive to his right and grab hold of the ball at the second attempt.

Glebe deservedly took the lead with 32 minutes and 10 seconds on the clock, following a set-piece.

Long drove in a free-kick from the right and Kinch found a pocket of space inside the Beckenham box to bring the ball under control with his chest before smacking a right-footed volley into the top left-hand corner from eight-yards.

“Great goal! Great ball from Stacy and a great finish from Kinch and he does really well for the second goal as well, Kinchy,” said Sweeney.

Glebe wrapped up their victory by scoring their third goal of the night with 40 minutes and 5 seconds on the clock, following another set-piece.

Long drilled in his left-footed free-kick from the left wing and found Kinch lurking at the far post. Kinch hooked in his shot, which was across Moore, who did well to parry the ball but it fell kindly for Harris on the other post and he had the easy task to tap the ball over the line from close to the goal-line to join Kinch on two goals for the season.

“Jack Harris is there to slot it in. That’s what he’s there for Jack. A good substitution but all in all I’m pleased, especially with the second half,” added Sweeney.

Glebe have risen three places to sixteenth-place in the table on three points from three games, while Beckenham Town slip down a couple to seventh-place with six points.

“We’ve got three points on the board now. The first two games were frustrating! Everyone is frustrated because we know we’re better than that and I think today has proved to the boys, with a bit of organisation and good shape, our ability will win games.

“It’s early days. The first two games didn’t go to plan but we won’t lose any sleep over it. We’ve come here and put in a good performance, that puts us on the board and we move forward from here.”

When asked whether there was pressure on him before tonight’s derby, Sweeney replied: “No! Not at all. Obviously it’s a derby, if you like, but we’re only down the road but it was another football match. It was against Beckenham. There was no pressure from my end anyway and the lads didn’t have any pressure. It was just about what we did and how we played.”

Sweeney takes his side to thirteenth-placed Sheppey United in The FA Cup Preliminary Round on Saturday (15:00).

“It’s going to be a hard game, it’s always a tough place Sheppey. It will be a tough game, they’re not on a bad run.

“It’s about us. If we do what we can do there’s not a lot of teams that will be able to live with that!

“It’s massive, all the cups games are. Every game is. It’s about good habits and it doesn’t matter what cup we’re playing in, where we’re playing, or who we’re playing, I keep saying it, it’s about us and what we do.

“I won’t really look at other teams if I’m honest.  I look at my team and I look at what we’re doing and if it’s not good enough I’ll fix it and if it is good enough, then nice!”

Beckenham Town: Lewis Moore, Harvey Brand, Archie Johnson, Mudiagha Wanogho, Nathan Paul, Kiki Oshilaja (Bertie Valler 52), Stefan Cox, Junior Kaffo (Steve Townsend 79), Ryan Hall (Mathieu Ramsamy 66), Andrew Mott, Shameek Farrell.
Subs: Jamie Brown, Malik Nosike

Goal: Shameek Farrell 24

Booked: Nathan Paul 77

Glebe: Nick Blue, Nathan Palmer, Matthew Parsons, Scott Kinch, Max Fitzgerald, Briggs Ojeman, Anthony Dwyer, Stacy Long, Jesse Darko (Jack Harris 79), Joe Bingham (Tom Hever 64), Billy Craske.
Subs: Aaron Fray, Chris Edwards, Mackenzie Foley

Goals: Matthew Parsons 44, Scott Kinch 78, Jack Harris 86

Booked: Nathan Palmer 73, Matthew Parsons 82, Jack Harris 87

Attendance: 195
Referee: Mr Damian Mirzadeh (Westminster, London SW1)
Assistants: Mr Stephen Luke (Pembury) & Mr James Black (Orpington)