Hythe Town 4-0 East Grinstead Town - If everyone can remember what they gave last year to have got to where we got to that's not going to be enough this year - we've got to give that and some more, says Hythe Town boss Steven Watt

Hythe Town 4 – 0 East Grinstead Town
Location	Reachfields Stadium, off Fort Road, Hythe, Kent CT21 6JS
Kickoff	12/08/2023 15:00

HYTHE TOWN  4-0  EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 12 August 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from Reachfields Stadium

HYTHE TOWN manager Steven Watt says his promotion chasing side have set an opening day marker down by thrashing East Grinstead Town to rise to the summit of the Isthmian League South East Division table.

The 38-year-old Scotsman guided the Cannons to a fifth-place finish last season before beating Ramsgate 4-3 on penalties after the away Play-Off Semi-Final finished all square at 1-1 after extra time, before Charlie Harris scored the only goal of the game to ensure Whitehawk were promoted to the Premier Division alongside champions Chatham Town.

“A perfect start really.  I’ve just said to the boys in there, I felt it was a complete performance from start to finish really,” said Watt.

“We didn’t score enough goals last year (51 in the league) so I would’ve been happy with a 1-0 as much as a 4-0, if I’m honest.

“It’s a great start to the season, the way you want to start.  It’s always good to win the first game, you can’t win anything, you can’t lose anything but you can set your stall out and you can set a little marker and say we’re here and we don’t plan to be going anywhere.”

There was to be no hangover from that Friday night defeat in Brighton, as Hythe Town opened their new campaign with a comfortable victory over Drew Cooney’s fourteenth-placed finishers.

“I’ve lost play-off finals, so it was my first play-off final as a manager. I was extremely proud of the group and proud of the club to be able to achieve what we achieved last year.  As a management team the goal was to get promoted and obviously we fell short of that goal,” said Watt.

“It was obviously a disappointment but you have to reflect and you have to look back on the season and I felt over the course of the season we were fantastic but we can be better and that’s what we’ve stressed for this year, to show more consistency through the 38 games, not just the last 19-20 games, so that’s what we’re going to try and do this year and see where it takes us.”

Hythe Town took only 82 seconds to open the scoring today through holding midfielder Aaron Barnes, who scored on his debut having signed from National League South side Welling United.

Ethan Smith rolled in their second goal before his brother Liam Smith flicked in a near-post header from a corner, before former Sheppey United winger Bradley Schafer drove in a debut goal, eight minutes into the second half.

Hythe Town have now extended their unbeaten run to 11 games at fortress Reachfields Stadium, losing 1-0 at home to Ramsgate on 26 December 2022 and debutant goalkeeper Adam Molloy maintained a clean-sheet, with Hythe Town having the meanest defence in the division last season, conceding 34 goals in their 38 league outings.

Cooney certainly didn’t do his homework on Hythe Town as the hosts took the lead following their first of nine long throws from centre-half Jack Steventon.

The Wasps failed to clear their lines at the near post and debutant striker Jake Embery flicked the ball on and Barnes stroked a left-footed half-volley across the keeper into the far corner from six-yards.

“We know a big part of our arsenal are set-pieces and it should be a big part of any teams arsenal, particularly in non-league, so it’s stuff that we work on and stuff we look to score from,” said Watt.

“We put people in areas and the best thing about that goal is two new members of the squad contributed to the goal, assist and finish. It was pleasing and it was a good goal and got us off to a good start.”

When asked about his debutants performances, Watt was simply impressed.

He said: “I thought Jake Embery was outstanding. I though him and Johan (Caney-Bryan) up top, I thought both of them deserved a goal. I thought their work-rate and their intensity was unbelievable.

“I thought Bradley Schafer was outstanding as well. We put him in a different position and it was a different role for us and when we moved him more centrally, you saw the impact that he can have there and Aaron Barnes’ is just levels above.  You can see the quality he possesses and the calmness he has, so I’m really happy with all of the debutants.

“Adam Molloy in goal, when he had to do stuff, he did well but I thought you can pick out everyone out for an outstanding performance today but I really thought that front line really set the tone for the 90 minutes.”

Hythe Town played with a high intensity and pressed the East Grinstead Town back three with only Glenn Wilson the only defender to play with composure, often running over the halfway line with the ball at his feet.

East Grinstead Town missed a glorious chance to equalise in the 21^st minute.

Striker Max Walsh spun Hythe Town centre-half Lex Allan before speeding towards the penalty area before whipping in a great cross towards the far post which was met on the volley by unmarked central midfielder Kiye Martin, who placed his shot just past the right-hand post.

“We got a little bit overrun, we got broken in our shape and over ran at the back stick. It’s something that we try to prevent but they’re going to have chances in games and they will feel disappointed that they didn’t take their chances but luckily enough for us they didn’t,” added Watt.

East Grinstead Town were enjoying some control to proceedings before Hythe Town called visiting goalkeeper Matte Pierson into making a comfortable save.

Holding midfielder Frannie Collin played the ball into deep striker Johan Caney-Bryan, who sprayed the ball out to the left for Schafer.  His initial drive was blocked but his second was comfortably gobbled up by the goalkeeper at his near post.

Hythe Town grabbed a second goal (32:41) against-the-run-of-play at the time, courtesy of their high intensity pressing in the final third.

East Grinstead Town’s former Sevenoaks Town and Cray Wanderers centre-half Matthew Weaire was pressed by the hungry Embery before the ball ran through to Caney-Bryan, whose fine 10-yard pass played in Ethan Smith, who kept composed to slot his right-footed shot past the advancing goalkeeper to roll it into the middle of an empty goal.

“We are a high and an aggressive team when it comes to the press with great energy and intensity in those high areas so it’s really important that we look to set traps and look to draw them into mistakes, which we did perfectly there,” said Watt, who wants more than three goals from the former Gillingham man this season.

“Jake’s done well to force the mistake and it’s broken to Johan and it’s a fantastic ball and a great finish from Ethan.

“He didn’t score enough goals last season but what I’m really pleased, the first game of the season he’s had an opportunity to go through one-on-one and he’s finished it brilliantly.”

Ryan Green – the man who plays on the right hand side of East Grinstead Town’s three-man defence – found oceans of space to unleash a right-footed stinging drive from 35-yards, which was palmed up in the air by Molloy before the serial tier nine title-winner grabbed hold of the ball as it dropped down without any pressure from the Wasps’ front men of Omar Folkes or Walsh.

Watt said: “It’s one of them, they’ve got down the right-hand side but if he’s going to score from there it’s either going to be the goal of the season or I’m going to be looking at my goalkeeper.

“I’m happy for people to have shots from there within reason, particularly a centre-half but it was a great strike but luckily for us it was straight at Adam and quite comfortable.”

Hythe Town sealed the deal, however, with a trademark set-piece goal with three minutes and 57 seconds into time added on.

Steventon launched his third long throw towards the near post and left-back Liam Smith found a pocket of space to flick his header over a crowd of players to find the top far corner of the net.

Watt said: “A great header but it’s all on the ball. I’ve attacked many of Frannie’s free-kicks or set-pieces in my time and it’s a delight when he gets that one right, like he did.

“As soon as I saw Liam’s movement, I said ‘goal.’  I just knew it was a goal. It was a fantastic delivery and a great header from Liam.”

Referee Michael Butcher played 50:36 in the first half and 49:59 in the second half.

When asked what he said to his players during the interval, Watt replied: “Don’t sit off quite simply.  At 3-0, the game’s kind of done but it can go either one or two ways.  They could nick a goal, which they could’ve done and then it becomes interesting.

“We didn’t start the way I wanted to start but we corrected that very quickly and got the goal to go four up.

“I said let’s set a marker today. It’s half a job done.  We need to do it for another 45 minutes, which baring the first 60 seconds of the second half, I thought we did brilliantly.”

Watt admitted he was satisfied with the additional minutes.

“I thought it was reasonable if I’m being honest.  I went to the League meeting in midweek and they said ‘you won’t see the level that you see at the highest level because you don’t have the fourth officials to keep track of it.’ but I thought the referee and his assistants had a great game today.

“I thought the first half was a little bit long but we scored three goals so you can argue that fact.  I thought the timing of both halves were reasonable. I have no problems with it.”

For the record, the time between the ball hitting the East Grinstead Town net and the away side restarting the game was timed at 58 seconds; 49 seconds; 54 seconds and 50 seconds after each goal.

East Grinstead Town showed character and upped their desire levels at the start of the second half and came close to pulling a goal back just 24 seconds in.

Green hit the ball forward, the ball was knocked down by Folkes and right-wing-back Cameron Reardon floated in a cross towards the edge of the penalty area.

Molloy appealed for handball as Connor Tighe (who scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round win at Pagham) brought the ball down before acrobatically hitting a right-footed hooked volley over Molloy, the ball looping against the top of the crossbar before dropping behind for a goal-kick.

“I thought it was a free-kick to be honest. The ref said, ‘it’s not deliberate’.  Handball, however, he’s gained an advantage for handling the ball, so I think that has to be a free-kick for us,” claimed Watt.

“However, it was a poor start from us but luckily enough we got away with it.”

Hythe Town got back in to their stride and went close following another Collin free-kick, which was met by towering centre-half Allan, which only just cleared the top of the far post.

The Cannons sealed the deal with seven minutes and 16 seconds on the clock with their fourth goal of the game.

Ethan Smith fed Caney-Bryan, who played a first time through ball, which was superbly brought under control by the impressive Schafer, who cut inside Green before drilling the ball beyond Weaire’s despairing slide to find the bottom far corner from 20-yards.

“It’s something that we worked on in the week,” revealed Watt.

“We were playing Brad slightly out of position a little bit, which we do do at times and we look to get him on the ball isolate particularly high up when we can so it was good to get him on the ball in that type of position (wide left).

“Bradley Schafer has got great quality, he really has and he scores goals at this level, so it’s very much get him on the ball in that area and that allows him to get those finishes so I’m delighted for him to get a goal and another well-worked move from us.”

Schafer split open the Wasps’ flat-footed defence to release Embery down the left and after cutting inside he dragged his shot past the foot of the near post from the edge of the penalty area.

Caney-Bryan played the ball out to Schafer, who pinged a sublime long 60-yard diagonal pass over to right-back Marcus Goldsmith but Pierson gathered the angled drive comfortably at his near post.

Pierson was called into action in the 63^rd minute, flying to his left to push Collin’s right-footed free-kick towards safety after Martin tripped Collin some 25-yards from goal.

Watt added: “Typical Fran, isn’t it? He just makes your keeper work. A great pace and great phenom on it. You’d probably like it a little bit further way from the keeper but he always tens to make the keeper work.”

Caney-Bryan, who notched 16 goals for Hythe Town last season, endured a frustrating time in front of goal, especially inside the final 15 minutes.

Ethan Smith reached the right by-line and his deflected cross bounced off the former Sittingbourne striker at the back stick and went the wrong side of the left-hand post.

Substitute right-back Sam Itauma hung over a cross from the right and Caney-Bryan rose to send his downward header past the far post.

Caney-Bryan squandered a glorious chance to score a fifth goal with 43:34 on the clock.

The impressive Schafer pressed Walsh and stole the ball from him inside the Wasps’ half, before releasing Embery charging down the left and he cut inside and put it on a plate for Caney-Bryan, who lashed a first-time shot over the crossbar when well-placed and left unmarked inside the penalty area.

“It was Jake Embery’s work-rate again that’s won that for us and a bit more composure.  I think at that point in the game I think Johan was a little bit tired.

“If the role’s reversed, I think Jake scores. I think it’s more Jake’s type of opportunity. He’s probably taken a touch, a bit more composure and finished it.

“I could see Johan was tiring a little bit but because I thought the two of them were so good, I didn’t want to take one of them off. I wanted to leave them both on to try to get that goal and yet they should have done.”

East Grinstead Town kept plugging away, however, and called Molloy into making a fine save with 49:19 on the clock.

Left-wing-back Tom Summerfield fed Walsh, who did well to cut inside three Hythe defenders before stroking a left-footed drive from 20-yards, which bounced in front of the former Erith & Belvedere stopper, who dived to his right and scooped the ball towards safety.

“It was a good save. It was a little bit of a mistake from us defensively. I think it was a lapse in concentration at that point in the game then, just controlling and trying to get through the 90 minutes,” said Watt.

“I was a good save from Adam. I though he did really well.  What was asked of him he did well.  We like to have our keeper’s have days off here. We like to give them a quiet 90 minutes, which I’m sure he agrees he had a quiet 90 minutes today but whenever he was called upon and what he had to do, he did well.”

Bottom-of-the-table East Grinstead Town hold home advantage over the Cannons in next Saturday’s FA Cup Preliminary Round clash between these two sides.

“Today is finished, we’re playing these again next week in The FA Cup, a completely different game. Today’s result means nothing,” said Watt.

“It’s a great start to have but at the end of the day it’s a start and we have got to move forward.  We’ve got to take care of the next game so we’ll keep trying to make this (stadium) a fortress, a difficult place to come. That will never change but it’s nice to hear stats like that (unbeaten here since Boxing Day).

“East Grinstead are not a bad side. They’re a good side, they really are. They’ve added some good quality to their team this year.

“I thought we were too much for them in key moments of the game. We took our chances and they missed a couple. It’s very fine lines at this level really, so we expect a really tough game next week.  I think next week will be twice as hard as what this week was. We’ll approach that trying to get through to the next round.

“The FA Cup is important. It brings financial benefits especially for a club like ourselves so it’s something that we need to look to take very serious next week and hopefully get through.”

Watt confirmed what his aspirations are for the league season ahead.

“As you can see today, if we can maintain that level of performance, we’re not going to win 4-0 every week. We’re not going to win every week but if we can maintain that level of intensity and performance levels, we’re going to be in more games than not and that’s all we can do and take care of ourselves and what will be, will be.

“Aspirations? One step further, one step further. Promotion. Nothing changes.  Promotion is my goal every season whenever I’m a manager. It doesn’t change and that’s what I’ll be drumming in there to the boys.

“But it’s a big, big ask. It will be much tougher this year with the money being spent around the league. 

“I said to the boys before the game, if everyone can remember what they gave last year to have got to where we got to, that’s not going to be enough this year. That might get you midtable this year. We’ve got to give that and more and some more.”

Hythe Town:  Adam Molloy, Marcus Goldsmith, Liam Smith, Frannie Collin, Lex Allan (Sam Itauma 62), Jack Steventon, Bradley Schafer, Aaron Barnes (Sam Flisher 81), Johan Caney-Bryan, Jake Embery, Ethan Smith (Jarred Trespaderne 81).
Sub: Charles Noyelle

Goals: Aaron Barnes 2, Ethan Smith 33, Liam Smith 45, Bradley Schafer 53

Booked: Jack Steventon 25

East Grinstead Town: Matte Pierson, Cameron Reardon (Thibault Abie 68), Tom Summerfield, Matthew Weaire, Ryan Green, Glenn Wilson, Connor Tighe (Christopher Alhassan 58), Jack Kenyon (Alex Andrade Filipe 57), Omar Folkes, Max Walsh, Kiye Martin.
Sub: Alessio Akabuogu

Booked: Jack Kenyon 14

Attendance: 271
Referee: Mr Michael Butcher
Assistants: Mr Stuart Beadle & Mr Kieran Williamson