Kentish Football 
LIVE COVERAGE: Erith Town 1-0 Hythe Town - Dockers celebrate thanks to Cook own goal
ERITH TOWN 1-0 HYTHE TOWN
Kent League Cup Final
Saturday 3rd May 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Buzzlines Stadium
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An own-goal from Hythe central midfielder Dave Cook ensures Erith Town won the Kent League Cup for the very first time in their history at a sunny Cheriton Road ground in Folkestone.
Kevin George’s 39th minute corner wasn’t dealt with by a combination of Dale Skelton and goalkeeper Paul Hyde at the near post and the ball struck the unfortunate Cook inside the six-yard box to find the net.
Whilst Eriith Town celebrate, there is heartbreak for both Gillingham and Cray Wanderers.
The Gills were relegated from League One, following their 2-1 defeat at Leeds United, and Cray Wanderers lose 1-0 at Tooting & Mitcham United in the Ryman League Division One South play-off final as the Terrors seal promotion into the Ryman Premier League.
PRESENTATION
As is the norm, the presentations are done on the corner in front of the players tunnel, and beaten Hythe go up first to receive their runners-up medals. Victorious Erith Town players clap their opponents, as fans line up behind the perimeter fence. Erith goalkeeper James Westell leads his side up and collects his medal first. Alan Hanlon, Erith’s skipper, lifts up the Kent League Cup to the delight of their fans.
CELEBRATIONS
Erith’s players begin their celebrations out on the pitch, whilst Hythe are standing dejected in the other half of the pitch with some players on their backsides.
RESULT: LEEDS UNITED 2-1 GILLINGHAM
Gillingham are relegated and will be playing League Two football in August - the lowest tier of English League football - one above the Blue Square Premier.
RESULT: ERITH TOWN 1-0 HYTHE TOWN
Erith Town celebrate winning the Kent League Cup for the very first time, courtesy of an 39th minute own-goal from Hythe midfielder Dave Cook.
INJURY TIME
The nippy Cassius bursts down the left and centres low to George, but Hyde bravely smothers the ball at his feet some six-yards from goal.
AGONY FOR GILLS
Nick Southall hit’s the post for Gillingham late in the game at Elland Road.
TIME ADDED ON
There will be four minutes of time added on in this Kent League Cup Final.
GOAL: LEEDS UNITED 2-1 GILLINGHAM
Gills will be playing League Two football in August, as Tresor Kandol, a player who used to play for Purfleet/Thurrock sends down the Kent club.
86 MINUTES
A mazy run down the left-hand side by Marcus Cassius, sees him beat Hythe defenders Sam Marsh and John Walker, before whipping in a low cross, which just evades Kevin George inside the six-yard box at the far-post and Gavin Ransley pokes the ball to safety.
STAND UP
There are six people standing up inside the Erith technical area, whilst five members of the Hythe technical area are standing up. The forth official, meanwhile, is enjoying his day in the Folkestone sun, oblivious to what’s going on beside of him.
81 MINUTES
A Hythe chance goes begging as substitute Simon Rainbow blazes a right-footed volley from 14-yards over the crossbar.
GOAL: TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED 1-0 CRAY WANDERERS
A Paul Vines volley has given Tooting & Mitcham United a deserved lead in the Ryman League Division One South play-off final.
CROWD
The attendance has just been announced as 447.
71 MINUTES
Smissen blasts a left-footed drive over Wastell’s crossbar.
GOAL: LEEDS UNIDED 1-1 GILLINGHAM
70 MINUTES
Lee Winfield’s last action, before being replaced by Simon Rainbow, is to deliver yet another corner, but Ransley glances wide.
68 MINUTES
Hythe go close when a driven cross from the right from substitute Ian Hayes is picked up by Michael Smissen, who turns inside the penalty area, before driving a shot towards goal, which brings a smart save from goalkeeper Wastell at the near post.
62 MINUTES
Mahama Cho should have given the Dockers a two-goal advantage when his towering header, from Kevin George’s corner, bounces off the top of the crossbar and goes out for a goal-kick as the Dockers look to win the Kent League Cup for the very first time.
61 MINUTES
Erith’s Tompkins meets a cross with a right-footed half-volley, which is beaten out by Hyde, 45, at his near-post.
60 MINUTES
Hythe test goalkeeper Wastell, who saves at the second attempt, low down, denying Cook with a right-footed drive from 25-yards, on the left-hand side.
58 MINUTES
Erith right-back Alan Matthews heads Gavin Ransley’s bullet header off the line at the right-post, after Winfield whips in a corner to the far post. This is Hythe’s best chance of the game.
LATEST: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 GILLINGHAM
Despite leading, in front of a crowd of 38,256, Gillingham will still be playing League Two football next season, as results elsewhere aren’t going their way.
55 MINUTES
Erith goalkeeper Wastell plucks the ball at the near post after Winfield’s corner was met at the far post by a header from Smissen.
HYTHE SUB
Paul Fisk, the Hythe manager, makes his first change after 51 minutes with Jason Brazier replacing Pat Kingwell.
46 MINUTES
Hythe striker Smissen doesn’t get any change from two Erith defenders on the right-hand side, and manages to get a shot in. However, his left-footed thump, bounces out for a throw in by the corner flag on the far side.
SECOND HALF
Hythe Town, trailing through an own goal from their central midfielder Dave Cook, get the second half under way, after huddling on the edge of their penalty area.
HALF TIME BREAK
Both sides’ substitutes are having a kick about in both goal-mouths, although there is a group of kids mucking about with a football, four of them wearing bright yellow steward jackets, on the pitch alongside Hythe’s substitutes. This, however, is not allowed to happen in the Ryman League, so why is this happening here for this Kent League Cup Final.
HALF TIME: TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED 0-0 CRAY WANDERERS
It’s goal-less at Imperial Fields at half-time as Cray Wanderers aim to join six other Kent sides in the Ryman Premier League. An inspired first-half performance from Wands goalkeeper Glen Knight has prevented the home side scoring from each of their four first-half performances. Giant Ryan Royston, who has won promotion for the last two years with Maidstone United, have been switched from defence to up front.
HALF TIME: ERITH TOWN 1-0 HYTHE TOWN
An own-goal from Hythe’s central midfielder Dave Cook, following Kevin George’s 39th minute corner, has given underdogs Erith Town the advantage at the break.
INJURY TIME
Marcus Cassius’ 25-yard screamer flies agonisingly past the near post as Erith thought they had gone into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
HALF TIME: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 GILLINGHAM
There are boos around Elland Road as the half-time whistle sounds with Jackson’s 20th minute goal gives the Kent side hope.
43 MINUTESAnother Erith corner, again taken by George is cut back to Edwards, who sends a right-footed over the crossbar.
GOAL: ERITH TOWN 1-0 HYTHE TOWN - 38:55
Erith Town take the lead, following their second corner of the game. Kevin George’s corner, was miss-headed by Dale Skelton, out of the hands of Hyde, at the near post, and the ball hit Dave Cook some three yards from the goal-line, and found the net off his the central midfielder’s thigh.
37:30
Bill Edwards’ free-kick from inside the centre circle was met by Heaslewood’s looping header, which deflected just over the crossbar.
LATEST: TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED 0-0 CRAY WANDERERS
The Ryman League Division One South play-off final is still goal-less at Imperial Fields.
32:41
Hythe’s 47-goal striker, Michael Smissen, cuts in from the right before scuffing his left-footed shot from 30-yards, which is dealt with by Wastell.
32:02
A right-footed drive from George, down the left, from 35-yards on the angle, brings a comfortable save from Paul Hyde.
31 MINUTES
Hythe central defender Gavin Ransley is the first player to be booked. Lee Winfield swung in his third corner of the game, which was punched away by Erith goalkeeper Wastell and he was kicked by Ransley, and after play died down, the referee discussed the incident with his assistant and booked Ransley.
28 MINUTES
Dockers player-manager Mark Tompkins is spoken to by the match referee,
CRUEL GAME:
Despite Gillingham leading at Leeds United, as things stand at the moment, the Kent side will still be relegated from League One. Here at Cheriton Road, not much has happened in the Kent League Cup Final as it’s still goal-less between Erith Town and Hythe Town.
GOAL: DONCASTER ROVERS 0-1 CHELTENHAM TOWN
Bad news for the Gills as relegation rivals Cheltenham are leading at Doncaster.
19:21
Erith Town’s first chance arrives as left-sided midfielder Kevin George sends a towering header past the near post, following Heaslewood arrowed a free-kick from left-midfield close to the half-way line.
GOAL: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 GILLINGHAM
The Great Escape? Gills stun the Leeds fans and take the lead at Elland Road, through Simeon Jackson. As things stand the Kent side will still go down as results elsewhere aren’t going their way.
LATEST SCORE: TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED 0-0 CRAY WANDERERS
Despite an open start in this Ryman League Division One South play-off final, it’s still goal-less at Imperial Fields.
11:15
Lee Winfield’s right-footed free-kick on the right-hand side, some 25-yards out, was met by Gavin Ransley’s towering header inside the penalty area, which was headed back across goal by Michael Smissen but Dave Cook couldn’t get on the end of it inside the six-yard box.
LATEST SCORES: LEEDS UNITED 0-0 GILLINGHAM
League One clash at Elland Road is currently goal-less.
4:51
4:51A kick-up field by Erith goalkeeper James Wastell is trapped well by Tompkins some fifteen yards into the Hythe half. The player-manager sprayed the ball to Kevin George down the left, who slipped the ball to Adam Heaslewood on the over-lap but the left-back’s cross drops on top of Paul Hyde’s net and out for a goal-kick.
KICK-OFF
Erith Town, playing in this Cup Final for the very first time, start the game, with Marcus Cassius tapping the ball to Mark Tompkins, the club’s player-manager.
PRESENTATION
Both sides - and the match officials - walk onto the pitch and line-up in front of the players tunnel to be presented to the representatives of Cup sponsors HAUC, Tom Mason and Liz Knight.
FAMILIAR FACES
Seven of the Hythe sixteen-man squad have previously played for Folkestone Invicta before dropping down to play in the Kent League.
TOMPKINS’ LAST GAME?
Erith Town player-manager Mark Tompkins hinted earlier in the week that this could be his last game. The much-travelled striker, who turns 41 in June, has decided to start this game.
14:18
The entire Hythe Town side, who will be wearing their away strip of all blue, jog onto the Cheriton Road pitch to join goalkeeper Paul Hyde for the pre-match warm-up.
14:15
Seventeen Dockers’ players, wearing silver and black training tops, black shorts and black socks, are now going through their pre-match warm-up.
14:04
Goalkeeper James Westell, is the first Erith Town player to begin his warm-up.
14:00
Hythe Town goalkeeper, Paul Hyde, 45, takes a couple of steps onto the pitch before sitting down to put on his boots before making his way down the other end of the pitch to begin his warm-up. Hyde is the first Hythe player out of the dressing room.
13:52
Hythe walk off and head towards their dressing room, to begin their pre-match pep-talk.
13:49
Hythe’s coach and a young mascot, start dropping yellow cones onto the pitch at Cheriton Road - at the Grammar School end of the ground.
13:41
Hythe Town’s players now arrive at Cheriton Road. After going into the dressing room, Hythe’s players, wearing black and red club tracksuits re-emerge and walk onto the pitch, some of them flicking through today’s match day programme. Erith Town players are now in their dressing room.
13:25
Referee Mr Darren Blunden and his three colleagues are in deep conversation in between the two dug-outs, as he issues his instructions, ahead of today’s Kent League Cup final. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, the Erith Town players, who will be using the away changing rooms, are in a happy frame of mind. This is the first Kent League Cup Final that their club have played in.
13:18
A suited James Wastell, the Erith Town goalkeeper, walks out of the dressing rooms, holding a match day programme and shouts to his manager, Mark Tompkins “some ones put five years on me!” In the programme the former Welling United stopper is listed as being 35-years-old.
13:15
The suited four match officials begin their inspection of the playing surface and goal-nets.
13:09
Erith Town are the first side to arrive at Cheriton Road, and after players make their way to the dressing rooms, and officials to the boardroom, the players venture out onto the pitch to decide which type of boots to wear for this Cup Final. The players are wearing white shirts, club ties, and dark trousers
ADMISSION CHARGES
It costs just £6 (adults) and £3 (concessions) to watch this game at a sunny and warm Cheriton Road in Folkestone. A crowd of over 500 is expected here today.
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MAIDEN CUP FINAL
Player-manager Mark Tompkins, who turns 41 in June, has guided Erith Town to their first ever Kent League Cup Final. The much-travelled striker has also hinted that he may be hanging up his boots after this game, may bring himself off the substitutes bench to play a cameo role here at Folkestone Invicta’s Cheriton Road ground.
TWO MISSING FOR HYTHE
Erith Town: James Wastell, Alan Matthews, Adam Heaslewood (Charlie Burgess 73), Bill Edwards, Danny Twinn, Miguel Cunha (Adam Ebrey 56), Mahama Cho, Alan Hanlon, Mark Tompkins, Marcus Cassius, Kevin George.
Subs: Nick Powell, Alwyn Jones, Wayne Grizzle.
Goals: Dave Cook 39 (own goal)
Booked:
Hythe Town: Paul Hyde, John Walker, James Gregory, Sam Marsh, Gavin Ransley, Dale Skelton, Joe Neilson (Ian Hayes 56), Dave Cook, Michael Smissen, Pat King well (Jason Brazier 51), Lee Winfield (Simon Rainbow 71)
Subs: Ian Ross, John Sparks.
Goals:
Booked: Gavin Ransley 31
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Attendance:
Referee: Mr Darren Blunden (Dartford)
Assistants: Mr Dave Harnett (Ramsgate) & Mr Mark Cheeseman (Faversham)
Fourth Official: Mr Jamie MacLeod (Welling)
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