Erith & Belvedere 2-1 Sidley United - Things are going to happen with Ford on board - Gorman

Sunday 06th September 2009

ERITH & BELVEDERE 2-1 SIDLEY UNITED
FA Carlsberg Vase First Qualifying Round
Sunday 6th September 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

ERITH & BELVEDERE joint-manager Paul Gorman insists the clubs new general manager, Martin Ford, will bring in the players to take the club towards winning the Kent League title this season.

Former VCD Athletic and Slade Green boss Ford was appointed by Richie Radbourne and Gorman on the eve of this FA Vase first qualifying round win over lower league Sidley United.

Herbingi Grant finished off a slick seven man move to give the under-performing Kent League hosts an early lead, but they were pegged back when Paddy Cody scored with a 35-yard screamer to bring the Sussex County League second division visitors level after just nine minutes.

Sidley United, playing with a 3-5-2 formation that caused the Deres problems throughout this tough encounter, enjoyed plenty of possession - but they were dealt the sucker punch just before the break when Chris Hill’s volley sealed the Deres a trip to Horley Town in the next round in thirteen days time.

But controversy reared its ugly head inside first half stoppage time when the home side were reduced to ten-men as Grant turned from hero to villain, during an off-the-ball incident, which sparked a melee.

Gorman, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, alleged that “Bingi got smacked in the face by their centre half. Six (Kingsley Parsons) done it.

“The 5 (Kevin Rose) done something, I don’t know what the 5 done, but he got booked.”

After things cooled down, referee Tim Hatt consulted one of his officials, Grant was shown a red card and Rose was only booked.

However, Grant took a long time to leave the pitch and claimed to Gorman (who was coaching his players from behind the barrier in front of the Deres main stand) that the referee was also going to send off a Sidley player as well.

Sadly, there were ugly scenes following the half-time whistle as Grant refused to listen to Gorman’s instructions to enter the home dressing room, instead he waited for Parsons and was seen to throw his right arm at the Sidley centre-back, who insisted he was innocent, as both sets of players rowed at each other for a few seconds as they walked down the steps towards their dressing rooms.

“The centre half (Parsons) actually smacked him (Grant) in the face and he (Grant) wanted to know why he got smacked in the face,” claimed Gorman when asked about the incident in the players tunnel.

“The centre half (Parsons) was giving lip so it was just one of those things. It was blown out of all proportion really.

“It was all calmed down, I calmed it down and got everything moving on. It wasn’t as bad as people made it out to be.”

With the clubhouse staging a jazz function inside the clubhouse before kick-off, Erith & Belvedere hit the right note, by taking the lead inside the opening four minutes.

Gorman was barking out instructions to his players to spread the ball around the lush playing surface at Park View Road, and the hosts were running rings around their lower league opponents as the ball zipped off the pitch at pace.

Seven different players were involved in the move and Danny Tipple played the ball to Joe Penny on the overlap and after beating Cody whipped in a delightful low cross, which was flicked into the corner of the net by Grant from just two yards out.

But unbeaten Sidley stunned their hosts by scoring an excellent goal of their own in the ninth minute.

Wing-back, Cody cut in from the right and cracked an unstoppable left-footed drive from 35-yards, which screamed over Matt Bromby’s outstretched arms and flew into the roof of the net.

This goal seemed to spur Sidley on and Erith & Belvedere were unable to get a foothold onto the game, although Sidley failed to test the home goalkeeper despite their dominance.

Much-travelled striker, Ross Cable, sent a right-footed free-kick over the Sidley wall, but agonisingly past the left post - and Bromby made a comfortable save from Matt Darby, following a slick three-man Sidley move.

On the half-hour mark, a diving Bromby was relieved to see Darby’s 30-yard drive flash just past his post during a period where Sidley were the better side.

Sidley’s formation appeared to confuse the home side, who were guilty of giving the ball away on too many occasions.

But despite that, Erith & Belvedere grabbed the winner, against the run of play, in the 44th minute - before all plans took a nosedive following Grant’s misdemeanour.

The Deres were awarded a free-kick some thirty yards from goal and this was chipped into the box by central midfielder John-Paul Collier and Hill caressed a right-footed hooked volley past Gavin Bourne to win the game for the Kent Leaguers.

But they were reduced to playing on the back-foot for the remainder of the game, but Sidley, in truth, didn’t have the quality to unlock a resilient defence and Bromby was immense throughout the second half as he dealt with everything that the away side whipped into the box.

Early in the second half, Cable cut in from the left, and his drive brought a comfortable save out of Bourne at his near post.

But Bromby excelled when he dived to push away Chris Agutter’s angled drive just before the hour and saw the Sidley skipper flash another shoot just past the near post.

Bromby was alert in the 63rd minute when Darby played in substitute Sam Hesmor in behind the Deres defence, but the advancing goalkeeper, narrowed the angle and blocked the shot.

Erith & Belvedere thought they had grabbed a third, against the run of play in the 76th minute.

Collier chipped a free-kick from a central position from 24-yards towards goal and the ball bounced down off the crossbar and Tipple followed up to turn the ball over the line - but an offside flag had already been raised.

Erith & Belvedere defended excellently in numbers and the only time Sidley looked likely to force extra time was three minutes later when Agutter chipped the ball into the box and Bromby beat out Chris Honey’s effort.

Gorman was pleased with his side’s defensive qualities as his battling side scraped through.

“The sending off didn’t help but the referee got it right and very wrong,” said Gorman. “It should have been two red cards, possibly three. Two of theirs and one of ours.

“We had to battle hard, which we did and we got through so that’s the main thing.

“We went 2-1 up and we were fine. The incident happened and it was backs against the wall.

“Matt (Bromby) pulled of one blinding save, the long balls were coming and he was dealing with it and they had no answer to it.”

Gorman revealed that the management team are going to bring in fresh blood to mount a serious title push.

Ford beat two others to land the new role, and Gorman said: Martin Ford has come on board to help us out.

“We’re going to bring in players that we want, look at the players that are on offer, but we’ll bring in players.

“We’re not going to stop there because we are a big club. It’s going to be good because we’re going to have competition now.

“Good players are coming in, very good players and the future’s looking good because people want to come and play (here) now.

“We’ve not got a lot of money but people aren’t playing (for a lot of) money, which is good and it looks promising.”

When asked about the management structure at Park View Road, Gorman confirmed, “Me and Radders (Radbourne) are obviously the main two and Martin’s come in to help us out as in general manager, advisory role.

“He’s got the experience and is a very good manager. He knows what he’s doing and what he’s talking about and basically we can learn from him. I’ve only been speaking to him for the last two days and I’ve learnt quite a bit from him.

“I may be an old pro, but I’m still learning and you only learn from people that have done it.

“He done well with VCD and he was unfortunate with the way things transpired at VCD but it’s a new story and a new chapter for him and he’s up for the battle and it looks good.”

Gorman, whose side welcome Tunbridge Wells to Park View Road on Saturday insists Ford will bring the winning mentality to the club.

“Things are going to happen and things are going to happen quick!” Gorman said.

“We’re not going to mess around, we’re going to do it quick. Martin come in to bring in people he knows as well as we’ll bring in people we know as well.”

When asked about winning the Kent League title, Gorman replied, “I’m hoping this season. It may not happen straight away but it’s going to happen soon.”

Erith & Belvedere: Matt Bromby, Sam Scotes, Joe Penny, David Conway, Chris Hill, Aaron Burrett, Adrian Deane (Richie Radbourne 65), John-Paul Collier, Ross Cable (Nathan Bell 87), Harbingi Grant, Danny Tipple.
Subs: Lee Benevente, Danny Beszant, Casey Scotter.

Goals: Harbingi Grant 4, Chris Hill 44

Booked: John-Paul Collier 79

Sent off: Harbingi Grant 45

Sidley United: Gavin Bourne, Paddy Cody, Milton Miltiadou, Chris Rea (Sam Hesmore 57), Kevin Rose, Kingsley Parsons, Matt Darby, Chris Agutter, Chris Honey, Adam Day (Josh Elliott-Noys 73), Alan Clinical (Zac McEnery 77).
Sub: Jon Saunders.

Goal: Paddy Cody 9

Booked: Kevin Rose 45, Paddy Cody 75

Attendance: 112
Referee: Mr Timothy Hatt (Redhill, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Del Maschio (Horley, Surrey) & Mr Dave Holmwood (Horley, Surrey)