Kentish Football 
Match Reports: Slade Green pick up SEVEN yellows and TWO reds in local derby
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CRAY WANDERERS 0-0 ASHFORD TOWN
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 11th October 2008
Jerry Dowlen reports from Hayes Lane
A WARM and sunny afternoon, an eagerly-awaited all-Kent clash between second placed Cray and seventh placed Ashford, the biggest home attendance of the season …
But oh, what a let-down, for Cray fans especially, as this game of few chances petered out into a disappointing goalless draw.
Yes, an off day for a strangely out-of-sorts Cray, but at least they held on to second place in the table, thanks to three late saves by Glen Knight.
Ashford made the sharper start, but Braithwaite poked wide from their best early chance. Sherwood twice broke clean through on goal from the left, but on the first occasion his shot was blocked by Steve Aris, and Mark Willy was alert to clear the danger the second time.
At the other end, it looked as though the Ashford defenders had been instructed to swiftly tackle and crowd out the Cray forwards whenever the ball came anywhere near goal.
Tyrone Sterling managed one good run inside from the left wing, going past three opponents in the 35th minute, but his final shot was deflected wide of the target.
Other than that, the Wands rarely showed any signs that they could break down the solid visiting defence.
Ashford continued to look more mobile in all parts of the pitch, and Cray found themselves conceding several free-kicks as they tried to wrestle some command of the game.
The first half ended with Seanla pounding a shot inches wide after the Wands had struggled to clear a high cross into the goalmouth from Browne on the right.
The second half brought some early indication that there might be more Cray traffic towards the Ashford goal.
Persistence by Tommy Whitnell enabled Cray to work an opening on the right, but Scott Kinch headed wide from Arron Day’s first-time cross.
Seanla went close with a header on 64 minutes as the visitors began to reassert themselves in the game.
Cray needed those late saves from Knight who prevented a free-kick being scrambled into his net in the 84th minute, and then held shots from Sherwood and Seanla when ominous gaps appeared in the hard-worked Cray defence.
Cray Wanderers: Knight, Day, Luckett, Chapman, Willy, Aris, Kinch (Wood 59), Morris, Dolby (Beveney 67), Whitnell, Sterling.
Subs: Atkins, Kempster, Lee.
SLADE GREEN 1-0 ERITH TOWN
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Saturday 11th October 2008
Martin Wiseman reports from The Small Glen
WHAT HAD been a pretty tedious low key, local derby scrap between arch rivals Slade Green and Erith Town, suddenly erupted into a dramatic denouement when in the 2nd minute of added time, NINE MAN Slade Green capitalised on some sloppy midfield play by Erith Town, and snatched an out of the blue goal, neatly put away by Lee Barnett, to claim all three points.
A listless first half came and went without either keeper being asked to make a save of any consequence.
Although in the fading moments of the half an Ashley Douglas free kick from deep out on the right did land on top of ‘The Green’ crossbar; while into stoppage time one was left to wonder why Erith were awarded a free kick, when an apparent blameless Sam May appeared to be pulled to the ground by Erith Town keeper Bradshaw, well inside the box, as the two tussled for possession?
Without ever threatening the visitors goal, territorially Green had dominated the first period, but after the break it was as if someone had slipped a ‘pick me up’ into Erith’s half time cuppa’s and they pressed Green into conceding three consecutive corners, from two of which home keeper Jimmy Simpson had to be at full stretch to tip or push away well delivered flag kicks.
With both sides’ front lines short on inches, the attacks were being comprehensively outmuscled by two resolute defences, and it took Ted Hart, from Erith Town’s midfield, to suggest a goal could perhaps be conjured up from the negative shambles, when his 30 yard rocket flew only inches adrift of Green’s angle on 72 minutes.
Sheer indiscipline saw Green receive SEVEN yellow cards, five of which arose needlessly for avoidable misdemeanours such as shirt tugging, swearing at the referee and kicking the ball away.
Four of these offences were apportioned between Paul Springiest and Sam Groombridge which meant the two Green players having to take an early bath – in Springett’s case as early as the 58th minute.
So, down to 9 men, this seemingly left Green with little to aim for but to hold out for a backs to the wall draw. But the late, late action was to turn this pessimistic ambition on its head.
The prospect of a break to the game’s tedium arrived on 78 minutes when no less than 4 substitutes were made – two by each team.
Pint-sized Columbian Juan Ramirez became the lone front man for depleted Green, earlier Erith sub, Tony Glover, put over a telling cross and showed potential as a possible provider of the long throw option; but it was super sub number 3, Lee Barnett – rested as a starter for the first time this season – who at the death was to prove the match winner.
Barnett’s chance came two minutes beyond the allotted 90, when Erith’s Adam Young was caught loitering on the ball. Home skipper, Luke May, pounced onto Young’s ball and Barrnett did the rest.
Slade Green: Simpson, Groombridge, Ozresberoglu, Springett, Long, Cunningham, Westerman (Glover), L.May, Freeman (Barnett), S.May (Ramirez), L.Woodyard.
Subs: A.Woodyard, Hargreaves.
Erith Town: Bradshaw, Kallon (Kearley), CRaig, Hart, Heyrettin, Hanlon, Allen (Benbow), Douglas, Cassius (Potts), Grizzle, Young.
Subs: Agu, Gallagher.
LEATHERHEAD 3-2 FOLKESTONE INVICTA
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 11th October 2008
Richard Murrill reports from Fetcham Grove
FOLKESTONE INVICTA were beaten 3-2 away to Leatherhead on a sunny Saturday afternoon after trailing 3-0 before late goals from Jimmy Jackson and James Dryden put a bit more respectability on the final scoreline.
But this was another disappointing defeat for the Folkestone side after their midweek FA Trophy exit at Chatham Town.
Playing their first game under caretaker manager Mickey Stephens, the home side gave their new boss a perfect start with goals from strikers Tommy Hutchings (2) and Will Jenkins.
Goals in the final ten minutes from Jackson and Dryden then threatened the save the day for Invicta on their first ever visit to Fetcham Grove.
Invicta went into the game with Nick Humphrey back in place of Craig Wilkins, although the latter was soon called into the action after an early injury to captain Llee Gledhill.
But it was Leatherhead who opened the scoring as early was the seventh minute when top goalscorer Hutchings latched onto a Tony Cuff ball over the middle of the defence and went round Charlie Mitten to plant the ball into the net after the goalkeeper had got a hand to his initial lob.
Aaron Cole-Bolt hit a low shot at Mitten from the edge of the penalty area in the 20th minute when Cuff squared the ball across and Hutchings shot wide when he tried his luck from distance six minutes later.
At the other end, Dryden shot just wide of the far post from the left hand side of the penalty area when Wilkins flicked the ball on with Invicta’s best chance thus far in the 28th minute.
Big centre forward Jenkins headed over from a Hutchings cross from the left on the half hour mark and little Jason Henry headed against the outside of the post when Hutchings sent over the home side’s only corner of the game after 35 minutes.
Dryden shot over in the 39th minute following a move involving Wilkins and James Corbett, while home debutant goalkeeper Andy Layzell kept out a Dryden snapshot three minutes later following an exchange of passes with Corbett when centre half Matt Bourne played the ball forward.
Another Dryden shot was then kept out by Layzell during first half stoppage time.
Cuff shot at Mitten at the start of the second half when Hutchings broke forward following an Invicta free kick at the other end.
And the Tanners increased their lead in the 53rd minute when Hutchings volleyed in at the far post after Cole-Bolt broke down the right hand side of the penalty area and picked him out.
The ball had broken to Cole-Bolt after a saving tackle from Humphrey to deny Jenkins when the striker raced through the middle as a Henry through ball evaded defender Bourne.
Henry could not get enough power on his 63rd minute header in the middle when Hutchings played the ball across from the left.
It was proving to be a frustrating afternoon for Invicta and defender Liam Friend was booked for bringing down Henry in the 64th minute. Dryden and James Everitt both joined him in referee Colin Lymer’s notebook for dissent as a ‘foul’ on Everitt had gone unpunished seconds earlier.
A 68th minute Jackson shot was saved by Layzell and a Dryden shot was headed off the line for a corner by a home defender when Mark Green played the ball back in.
A 72nd minute James Everitt corner was then headed onto his own crossbar and out for another corner by a Leatherhead defender.
But Jenkins stroked the ball in to make it 3-0 in the 78th minute when he exchanged passes with Henry on the right after substitute Mark Elston had emerged with the ball after a strong challenge on Humphrey.
Jackson pulled a goal back in the 81st minute with his third goal in four matches when his free kick from the right hand edge of the penalty went in off the crossbar.
It was 3-2 in the 90th minute when Dryden forced the ball over the line when he got to the rebound just before Micheal Everitt after the substitute had hit the post following another Jackson free kick which led to a goal mouth scramble.
Substitute Elston shot wide at the other end.
But Invicta were chasing an unlikely equaliser and goalkeeper Mitten came forward to get a touch on a stoppage time Jackson corner on the right.
Invicta’s Humphrey was also booked for a dissent.
Transport and traffic problems meant that the supporters’ coach did not arrive back at Stripes until 10pm. Not the best of days.
Leatherhead: Layzell, Holmes, Palmer, Hendry, Cartledge, Cole-Bolt (Jones 84), Henry (Williams 90), Robinson, Hutchings (Elston 74), Jenkins, Cuff.
Subs: Cant, Dean.
Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, Gledhill (Wilkins 20), Green, Friend, Bourne, J. Everitt, Lindsey (M. Everitt 60 ), Corbett, Dryden, Humphrey, Jackson.
Subs: Dix, Swallow.
Attendance: 180
ERITH & BELVEDERE 3-2 CROYDON
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Saturday 11th October 2008
Thomas Hawes reports from Park View Road
TWO Sam Prett penalties in the final ten minutes at Park View Road saw Erith & Belvedere snatch all three points against Croydon as they resumed league action after a five-week break.
Although Croydon were the better side in the opening quarter of an hour, it was the Deres who created the first chance of the match after a flowing move on five minutes.
The move, involving Nick Smith, Prett and Joby Thorogood, resulted in Smith bringing the ball down with his chest, only to clear the crossbar from 12-yards out with a half-volley.
Croydon left-winger Ray Freeman caused the Deres all sorts of problems throughout the match and he forced Matt Bromby into making a fine save on 10 minutes, whilst Lewis Wood went close from the resultant corner-kick.
Erith took the lead though after a quarter of an hour. This time it was Prett who chipped the ball through to Smith. Smith was one-on-one with Croydon keeper Tim Roberts, but unselfishly laid a square ball to Thorogood, who tapped the ball into the empty net.
On 38 minutes, Croydon right-winger Wesley Hines was allowed to run to the edge of the Deres penalty area before shooting half a yard wide.
At the other end, Nick Smith was bearing down on goal once again, but he kicked the ball too far in front of him and Roberts was able to deal with the problem. A minute later, Matt Bedford drove the ball across the Croydon six-yard line. Smith stuck his leg out, but he just couldn’t get enough on the ball to divert it goalwards.
Croydon though were awarded a penalty on 42 minutes as former-Dere Steve White was brought down by former-Croydon player and now Deres defender Chris Hill. Bronek Dabrowa stepped up to take the spot-kick and converted it to make it 1-1 at the interval.
Croydon started the second half excellently and on another day may have scored three or four goals in the opening quarter of an hour. Fortunately for Erith, the Trams only managed to score one goal. Lewis Wood had scored twice for Beckenham against the Deres last month and he got his name on the scoresheet as he turned past Michael Adcock before smashing the ball into the top corner from all of 25 yards.
A minute later, White was through on goal, but saw his shot saved by the legs of the onrushing Bromby. And on 50 minutes Bromby also had to make a save from Wood. And amazingly Bromby made his third save in the space of three minutes when he saved Wesley Hines’s effort.
On 61 minutes, Wood saw his shot cleared off the goal-line after he had poked the ball past Bromby.
Erith & Belvedere managed to gain some control over the game as the half wore on, although Wood squandered yet another chance for Croydon on 77 minutes. A minute later though the Deres were awarded a penalty and an unlikely chance to get something out of the game.
Substitute John Farley dinked the ball over the Croydon defence for Prett to run on to. Prett drove into the box and, under pressure from two Croydon defenders stumbled to the ground.
Referee Mr Stephen Roots showed no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot to the disgust of the Croydon players and management.
There was a three minute gap between the penalty being awarded and from when it was finally taken – in that time two of the Croydon management team were sent to the stands whilst Bronek Dabrowa and Lewis Wood were also booked.
Prett showed his experience as he coped with the three minute break and dispatched the penalty to level the score.
The Deres took control of the game and were awarded a second penalty on 84 minutes. After some good interchange on the left hand side, John Gallagher burst into the penalty area and was tripped by Trams captain Dave Waters.
Prett stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake second time around as the Deres went 3-2 up with five minutes to play.
Croydon threatened to grab what probably would have been a deserved equaliser with a late corner kick, but Erith held on for all three points.
The win lifts the Deres up to seventh place with 12 points from their first five Kent Premier League outings.
The Deres face two difficult away trips next week as they travel to Oakwood to play VCD Athletic on Tuesday before heading to Reachfields to play Hythe Town on Saturday.
Erith & Belvedere: Bromby, Bedford, Penny (Farley 57), Lott, Adcock, Hill, Thorogood, Budak (Radbourne 77), Prett, Smith, Gallagher.
Sub: Bryant
Attendance: 56
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd