Potters Bar Town 1-2 Whitstable Town - There's a bit of gold at the end of the rainbow - Southall

POTTERS BAR TOWN  1-2  WHITSTABLE TOWN
The FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round Replay
Monday 21^st October 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Parkfield

WHITSTABLE TOWN player-manager Nicky Southall praised his side’s character after they came from behind to grab victory away to Potters Bar Town to reach the Second Qualifying Round of The FA Carlsberg Trophy.

Potters Bar Town came away from The Belmont with a 2-2 draw on Saturday and they dominated the first half of tonight’s replay and deservedly went into half-time a goal up, courtesy of striker Josh Hutchinson’s fourth goal in the competition.

But Southall, 41, pulled off a tactical masterstroke as he substituted himself at the break and goals from striker Ashley Baverstock and right-back Joe Kane inside the opening seven minutes of the second half sealed victory and a trip around the Kent coast to Hythe Town in the penultimate qualifying round on 2 November.

“Obviously delighted to get through this round,” said Southall after the game.

“It’s a tough place to come on a Monday night. To play two games in three days is a big ask. We showed real character to come back from 1-0 down.”

Southall added: “First half we didn’t get going. We looked a little bit leggy and we had a few words at half-time and I thought at half-time we needed to get a bit more pace out wide and we seemed to do that and it changed the game for us and I’m delighted for young Sam Hallett.”

Southall, who played on the right-hand side of midfield, admitted it was tough going during the first half.

“The conditions were tricky, the wind was going that way and we handled the conditions better going that end (in the second half),” said Southall.

“We got two goals from it, well-worked goals, I’ve got to say. One a set-piece and one a good finish from Ashley Baverstock, who’s a fox in the box and that’s why I’ve brought him to the club. He gets a chance and he puts it in the back of the net.”

Whitstable Town were without seven players for this trip to Hertfordshire as John Guest (injured); Steve Hafner (suspended); Dan Keyte (work); Craig Maguire (injured); James Morrish (suspended); Craig Thompson (work) and Jordan Wells (suspended) were unable to feature.

Southall added: “Well, it just shows you what we’ve got in our squad! If that doesn’t give our squad belief that we can come to places like this and take a victory and nothing ever will.

“It just shows you what we’ve got in the squad and the under 21’s.  We have to bring them on steadily and slowly and hopefully they stay in the team. 

“That’s why I started myself. I didn’t want to start myself but I decided to have a bit of experience.  Listen, I’ve got faith in my players and I took myself off for a bit of youth and it paid off. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it don’t.”

Southall was pleased with his tactical masterstroke by saying: “You get judged on your substitutions and you get judged on other things as a manager don’t you? It’s the spotlight job isn’t it? You get criticised if it doesn’t (work) and you get applauded when it does so we’ll take this one and move on to the next game.”

Potters Bar Town – in the bottom six in the Calor (Southern) Division One Central with 12 points from 11 games – dominated proceedings during a one-sided first half against a Whitstable Town side also in the bottom six in the Ryman League Division One South with 13 points from 12 games.

The Scholars played with two wing-backs and Fabian Simms was impressive going forward down the right – as Josh Urquhart sitting in front of the two central defenders offered protection at the bottom of a midfield diamond when Simms bombed forward.

Potters Bar Town created the first chance of the game inside eight minutes when left wing-back Matt Clifford played the ball inside to Hutchinson, who took a touch before drilling a right-footed shot straight at Luke Watkins from 30-yards.

The Scholars won the corner count 10-6 and skipper Ben Bowditch took nine of their corners from either side and most of his corners were swung in towards the near post six-yards from goal.

His first corner kick followed this method where Wesley Beckles came up from the back to flick his effort narrowly wide of the near post.

Simms, who gave Whitstable Town left-back Adam Hooper a headache during the first half, created Potters Bar Town’s 23^rd minute opener.

Simms whipped in a cross from the right touchline and no-one picked up Hutchinson on the penalty spot, who looped his header into the top right-hand corner to score his fourth goal of the season – all coming in this competition.

Speaking about Simms, Southall said: “We identified him. He was probably their best player against us last week and he caused us a few problems. He put a decent ball in and I’ve got to say again another free header! We were standing off people and we don’t get chances with free headers in our box, but Joe Kane held his hand up at half-time and went and got the winner so obviously I’m delighted with that.”

Another good run down the right by Simms, who had the courage to do a couple of step-overs, saw the ball find Bowditch unmarked at the near post and he flicked his shot across goal and Watkins was relieved to see the ball flash just wide of the far post.

Simms whipped in another cross and Bowditch’s looping header was plucked out of the air by the Whitstable Town goalkeeper.

The visitors’ had to wait until the last minute of the half to create their only chance.

Kane burst forward and played winger Scott Heard on the overlap, who reached the by-line before whipping in a deep cross where the unmarked Baverstock powered his header wide of the near post from fifteen-yards.

Southall explained the reasons why he watched the second half alongside Jason Lillis in the technical area.

He said: “I just took myself off, obviously looking at my age, two games in three days, it’s a tough ask. I just felt we needed a bit more width on it and fresher legs with young kids.  Sam Hallet is quick anyway.  He came on and was terrific. His work-rate, he’s endeavour and he seemed to spark us into life.

“I’m really pleased for him. He’s bide his time, he’s a good player, a good prospect and I look forward to working with him.”

Whitstable Town came out for the second half appearing to be a different team and they grabbed a lifeline, four minutes and fifteen seconds into the second half.

Chris Smith cut a low cross in from the right where and unmarked Baverstock swept a first time right-footed shot across keeper Ed Thompson into the far corner.

It was the striker’s sixth goal of the season, three for his former club Woodstock Sports and repaid Southall’s faith shown in him after he came in for working Craig Thompson.

Southall said: “He’s a fox in the box when things land in the box.  I think on Saturday at home I think he would have finished a couple of chances that we had late on because he just tends to drift when the balls in the box and when he does get a chance he sticks it away and that’s the quality you see about him.

“We had a few choice words (at half-time) but you have to. I don’t like going in at half-time and start going crazy with players. I want to reward them. Sometimes you have to throw your toys out of the pram so to speak and see if it inspires them.”

Whitstable Town turned the game on its head by scoring the winner just 145 seconds later.

Heard swung in a corner from the left and Kane planted a powerful header into the right-hand corner of the Potters Bar Town net for his second goal for the club following his move from Lillis’ former club Lordswood.

Southall was especially pleased with the goal.

“He attacked it well,” he said.  “It was a great delivery, I’ve got to say from Scott and he attacked the ball really well.  He wanted that ball more than anybody on the pitch and that’s why he got the goal.

“I’m really delighted for Joe. He’s scored two in two now, for a right-back it’s good. He had a tough start to the season. He missed a lot of pre-season with his ankle injury and he’s just starting to get back to full fitness.”

Potters Bar Town keeper Thompson was forced into diving to his left to parry away Heard’s right-footed angled drive during Whitstable Town’s best spell of the match.

Dan Millard played the ball in behind the Whitstable defence to Brad Wadkins, whose initial centre was blocked, before Watkins ensured the ball was touched behind for a Potters Bar corner.

Whitstable Town squandered a decent chance to put the game to bed when Baverstock’s long throw from the right and headed over the bar by Laurence Harvey – who was excellent at the heart of the Whitstable Town defence.

“I thought Laurence Harvey and Dan Wells were absolutely fantastic second half, really stood up to the plate and stood up to be counted for us,” said Southall.

“They made some absolute fantastic headers and that’s what you’ve got to do at times. You need to re-group and get your centre halves to be dominant and I thought Laurence Harvey was that and some today. I thought he was amazing.”

A chipped ball into the Whitstable Town penalty box by Millard was latched onto by Beckles but Harvey made a saving block and the ball dropped narrowly wide of the right hand post.

Whitstable Town should have wrapped the game up with nine minutes remaining when Heard’s corner from the left sailed out to the unmarked Joe Lester and the substitute was denied by Thompson diving to his left to claw the ball away and the ball was knocked back into the box and left-back Adam Hooper drilled his shot across goal and agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

Southall said: “If it’s on his left foot, he sticks it away, but it’s on his wrong foot and he just dragged it wide.  If that goes in, it finishes the game for them.  All the time it’s 2-1, it gives them a little bit of hope and we defended strong second half.”

Potters Bar Town pressed for a late equaliser but highly-rated Watkins dived to his left and held on to the ball to deny Millard scoring with a low left-footed curler from 30-yards.

And a knock down by substitute Daniel Ailey was hooked towards goal by fellow substitute Tom Laxton but Watkins made a comfortable catch.

Southall added: “They’re going to (throw the kitchen sink at us).  They want to try and get into the next round. We threw the kitchen sink at them in the last game but it never happened for us.”

Southall was full of praise for Tottenham-based referee Mr Dave Bushell, who enhanced his good reputation with another fine performance.

He said: “It was better tempered today. I thought the referee had a good game. The referee on Saturday spoilt the game. I felt the officials done really well (tonight) and I can’t grumble. I wish Potters Bar all the best in their league this season.”

Whitstable Town have scooped £5,200 in prize money after beating both Sittingbourne and Potters Bar Town in this season’s FA Trophy run.

Southall said: “It helps. It always helps for a club like ours.  It’s disappointing for Potters Bar – we’ve got Hythe away, which is a good local derby again.”

Whitstable Town travel to Tooting & Mitcham United on Saturday, before hosting Horsham at The Belmont on 29 October, before they travel to Reachfields Stadium to play a Hythe Town side that have only been victorious at home in cup ties this season.

“We’ve already been down there this season and we drew one-all and we felt that we should have come out on top in that game but we all know about each other,” said Southall.

“We know it’s going to be tough and we all know exactly how Hythe Town play. We’ve got inside information with Craig Thompson with us. It’s a game of football and there’s a rich reward at the end of the table. There’s a bit of gold at the end of the rainbow I suppose.”

Potters Bar Town: Ed Thompson, Fabian Simms, Matt Clifford, Josh Urquhart, Wesley Beckles, Jack Friend (Jimmy Martin 77), Dan Millard, Ben Bowditch, Brad Wadkins (Daniel Ailey 66), Josh Hutchinson (Tom Laxton 85), Cole Penny.
Subs: Lewis Impleton, Dan Green

Goal: Josh Hutchinson 23

Whitstable Town: Luke Watkins, Joe Kane, Adam Hooper, Peter Huggens, Laurence Harvey, Daniel Wells, Nicky Southall (Sam Hallett 46), Jack Simon (Billy Cobb 82), Ashley Baverstock, Charlie Smith (Joe Lester 68), Scott Heard.
Subs: Dylan Richards, Oliver Brown

Goals:  Ashley Baverstock 50, Joe Kane 52

Attendance: 94
Referee: Mr Dave Bushell (Tottenham, London N17)
Assistants: Andy Loe (St Albans, Hertfordshire) & Mr Calum Chittenden (St Albans, Hertfordshire)