KENT SENIOR TROPHY FINAL: Beckenham Town 0-2 Thamesmead Town

Beckenham goalkeeper Grant Hall was sent off with only 50 SECONDS on the clock after rushing off his line to bring down striker Richard Dimmock a yard outside his box and central defender John Maloney followed after 32 minutes for a sliding challenge on Mead skipper James Brown.

Brown bravely soldiered on until the 77^th minute following the challenge, leaving the former VCD Athletic player with a shocking gash across his lower back/backside.

But first half goals from Pedro Knight and Junior Baker ensured that the silverware was coming back to Bayliss Avenue for the first time in three years, leaving Beckenham waiting for their first major honour, having suffered defeat to both Fisher Athletic (1982) and Thamesmead (2005).

This game was to be billed as a Cup Final between two of the best passing sides in the Kent League.

However, 45 minutes before the start of the game, a big bang of thunder resulted in a downpour, which soaked both sets of players during their warm-ups and drenched what is normally a pristine playing surface at Welling United’s Park View Road.

There were concerns that the game was going to be called off late but despite there being numerous puddles across the pitch, the game went ahead.

And Gillingham referee Mr Paul Kelly quickly pulled the red card out of his pocket after Hall sent Dimmock flying to the ground on the left hand side of the D. The challenge was made after just 45 seconds and five seconds later Beckenham were down to ten men.

The stunned former Cray Wanderers goalkeeper through his yellow jersey down beside the post and took the walk of shame down the tunnel.

Stocky midfielder Danny Ward, meanwhile, took on the responsibility of facing Rikki Cable’s 19-yard free-kick which deflected past the post.

But Thamesmead scored from Crable’s resulting corner as Pedro Knight stabbed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner following a scramble to score from four-yards with only 281 seconds on the clock.

Knight squandered an excellent chance to double Thamesmead’s lead after 15 minutes, latching onto Curtis Williams’ pass, but Knight drilled his right-footed shot from fifteen-yards agonisingly past the far post.

Beckenham striker Joe Healey should have found the target when presented with a headed chance from six-yards but he sent his header over the crossbar from six-yards out.

Knowing that their opponents didn’t have a recognised goalkeeper in between the sticks, Knight and Dimmock both unleashed long-range shots at Ward from over thirty-yards out, which were dealt with comfortably, and Baker then sent a long range shot just over the bar.

Healey’s right-footed shot from fifteen-yards flashed past the far post as he latched onto a poor defensive header.

But Beckenham faced an uphill task when Brown came off worst as he and Maloney slid in to contest the ball in midfield, which resulted in Maloney being shown a straight red card, which resulted in Beckenham manager Jason Huntley storming onto the pitch in protest, having to be held back by the fourth official, Mr Babatunde Adebayo.

But Thamesmead had one hand on the trophy when Baker sent a looping header over Ward and into the top left-hand corner from six-yards out - with the goal being timed at 34 minutes and 31 seconds.

Durrant Jemmott drilled a right-footed shot past the far post from sixteen-yards before Healey sent his header agonisingly wide of the left post from sixteen-yards as Beckenham created a couple of injury time chances.

Despite being down to nine men, Beckenham dominated and had the chances to get back into the game as Thamesmead, needing three more points from their last two games to secure the title, were content in soaking up the pressure that came their way.

Mead goalkeeper Chris Conneally made a comfortable save from Healey’s right-footed shot from 30-yards inside the opening three minutes of the second half.

And Conneally made his best save just before the hour mark when he flew to his left to turn Healey’s right-footed free-kick from 25-yards around the post.

And from Tommy Youle’s resulting corner, the impressive Theo Fairweather cracked a left-footed volley, which sailed just over from 25-yards.

A run from Fairweather, when he got in behind the Mead defence, brought a fine smart block from Conneally at his near post, as he rushed off his line to block the poked right-footed shot from ten-yards.

Substitute Nick Curren and Reeves’ couldn’t find a way past Conneally late on so it was Brown and Dean Kearely that lifted the Kent Senior Trophy together.

Baker balancing the trophy on his head was the only celebration afterwards as Thamesmead know this is only the first part of their double - they’ve got to bag one win from their last two games before the parties can really begin.

Beckenham Town: Grant Hall, Ryan Pacey (Nick Curren 56), Michael Ebanks, John Maloney, Terry Khan, Nick Reeves, Durrand Jemmott (Charlie Hawkes 71), Danny Ward, Tommy Youle, Joe Healey, Theo Fairweather (Pat Hitchin 72)
Subs: John-Paul Collier, Darren Wise.

Booked: Michael Ebanks 44

Sent Off: Grant Hall (50 seconds), John Maloney 32

Thamesmead Town: Chris Conneally, Danny Chapman (Robbie Tarrant 54), Junior Baker, James Brown (Lee Dawson 77), Lew Watts (Dean Kearley 71), Lee Coburn, Scot Mulholland, Pedro Knight, Richard Dimmock, Rikki Cable, Curtis Williams.
Subs: Peter Deadman, Adam Woodward.

Goals: Pedro Knight 5, Junior Baker 35

Booked: Curtis Williams 44

Attendance: 505
Referee: Paul Kelly (Gillingham)
Assistants: Mr Andrew Mead (Orpington) & Mr Jonathan Gooding (Ashford)
Fourth Official: Mr Babatunde Adebayo (Bexleyheath)