Rochester United 2-1 Tooting Bec - We're still fighting for that title - we won't give up until it's mathematically impossible, that's for certain, insists Rochester United manager Michael Betts

Rochester United 2 – 1 Tooting Bec
Location	Rede Court Road, Strood, Rochester, Kent ME2 3TU
Kickoff	16/03/2026 19:45

ROCHESTER UNITED  2-1  TOOTING BEC
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League First Division
Monday 16 March 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Rede Court Road

ROCHESTER UNITED manager Michael Betts insists his side will not give up fighting for the Southern Counties East Football League First Division title until it’s mathematically impossible.

The Spartans’ claimed a 3-1 away win at AFC Greenwich Borough at the end of February and then stunned leaders SE Dons with a resilient 2-1 home win three days later and Betts admitted being held to a 3-3 draw down at Lydd Town, losing 4-0 at Sheppey Sports last Monday and suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Sporting Club Thamesmead at the weekend might have jeopardised their chances.

However, following a mainly lacklustre first half performance from Rochester United, they controlled the second half and striker Mack Reilly’s composed clinical finish gave him his 15^th goal of the season, before midfielder Daniel Lott doubled their advantage by pouncing on a loose ball inside the penalty area.

James Parsons’ side pulled a goal back through substitute attacker Sirak Negassi but the Chipstead-based outfit remain in tenth-place in the table with 31 points (seven wins, 10 draws and eight defeats) on the board.

The Spartans were without Lucas Payne, who is halfway through a four-match suspension and striker Luke Medley was ruled out through work commitments (a coach for Crystal Palace’s under 21s).

“Yes, I thought it was a positive performance after the last couple of disappointments, where we’ve not really hit our levels or our form really,” admitted Betts.

“I thought tonight we started off well and I think we controlled the game from start-to-finish, if I’m honest.

“I don’t think they caused us too many troubles. Yet again, a silly little error at the back let them in to get 2-1 but I thought we played some real good football tonight and I think we looked good.

“It was pleasing because Saturday’s disappointment – I didn’t think we played too bad on Saturday – we just wasn’t clicking but tonight, I think second half especially, I thought the football was fantastic and it could’ve been a few more goals but it was nice to get back on form and back on top again and get three points back in the bag.”

For a side to fall off the cliff while involved in a title race is very unusual and Betts was asked to reflect on their three-match winless streak, especially as they had five games in hand on the leaders, with SE Dons nine points clear after the two sides met on the third day of March.

“Listen, we always believed that we could beat Greenwich. We always believed that we can beat Dons.  Did we ride our luck in both games? A little bit, perhaps we did but at the end of the day we fought and we ground out the results,” recalled Betts.

“But I think going down to Lydd, perhaps we were a little bit too confident, a little bit too cocky. They were fighting for their lives and they gave us a good fright and we came down with a little bit of a bang and then all off a sudden we lost a little bit of confidence but tonight we definitely got that beck going into Saturday now, going into Halls.”

Tooting Bec started the game on the front foot and they missed a glorious chance to snatch the lead with four minutes and 44 seconds on the clock.

Last defender Jack Bray had his pocket picked by pressing nine-goal attacking midfielder Benjamin Robinson some 35-yards from goal and goalkeeper Luke Watkins made a big save, coming off his line and using his left thigh to prevent a goal in a one-v-one dual.

Betts was grateful to his 36-year-old stopper for pulling off a big save.

“They’re a good side, they’re always a hard side to break down Tooting Bec but they play some good football.  They never give up, they’re little fighters,” said Betts.

“Obviously, it’s a tough one for them, obviously playing Saturday (a 1-1 home draw against FC Elmstead), tonight and then Wednesday (Chessington & Hook United away, Surrey Premier Cup Second Round).  I suppose they did have a little bit of an eye, but we beat them earlier on in the season and I think tonight we showed again that we deserved the three points.

“Luke Watkins is massive for us. Jack’s messing around in silly areas of the pitch, when we tell him not to, but you’ll never stop it unfortunately – but what a fantastic save!

“I think if we go 1-0 down after Saturday’s result, we could’ve been up against it a little bit. The confidence would’ve drained out of us a little bit more but I think that save probably helped us spur us on a little bit to kick us into gear a little bit, so it was all good.”

Rochester United were lacking in quality during a lacklustre opening 25 minutes, as they appeared to be suffering from stage fright as they attempt to chase down Antonio Gonnella’s big-spending league leaders.

Both sides lacked width – playing with midfield diamonds – and Robinson went to pieces again (15:48) when Rochester gave the ball away while playing out from the back but the number 10 dragged his right-footed shot harmlessly wide of the left-hand post from 25-yards.

The Spartans’ attacking play was often slow and laboured – on a bobbly grass pitch – and high left-back Tom Loynes was looking to join in with attacks.

“It’s a little bit of a confidence thing. I think when that goal went in you could see the rise, the smiles on the faces from the boys,” explained Betts.

“We’ve had a little bit of a dip – I can’t put my finger on. We’ve all spoken about it. Obviously, we were all on a high after beating Greenwich and SE Dons and then we go to Lydd.  I don’t know, we just seemed half the side for some reason.

“We just seemed to be lacking a bit of confidence – I’m not too sure why – but look, we’ve scored the goal (tonight) and all off a sudden the football came back, the smiles on the faces came back and we’ve done a job tonight thankfully”

Reflecting on the change to a midfield diamond, Betts replied: “We just thought we’d try to link the play up a little bit more. We felt it on Saturday and definitely against Sheppey, the front two were a little bit isolated at times so we just put a little one (Akhazzan) in there just to try to link the midfield with the forward line and I think at times it worked.

“We played through the lines and there were some good third-man runs, there was some good football there.”

Three deep crosses from the left from Loynes and Lott (twice) failed to trouble the recalled visiting keeper Oliver Skibinski as Rochester United were not clicking in attack.

However, Rochester United missed a glorious chance to grab the lead, following their first of four corners, with 25 minutes and 58 seconds on the clock.

Luke Adams delivered a deep delivery in from the left with his right-boot and the ball sailed towards the back post where right-back William Currie hit the base of the right-hand post with a first time right-footed shot from a couple of yards.

“That’s sort of been the style of our Lydd game down there.  We were 3-1 up, it could’ve been more, game out of sight. Ill-discipline let them back in,” said Betts.

“Against Thamesmead on Saturday, we had our chances – even the Sheppey game last Monday, we had chances in the first 15-20 minutes, didn’t take them, made mistakes at the back and it cost us and then the confidence goes.

“So when it hits the post that early in the game, you start to think this is Deja vu of the last two of three games – but thankfully it wasn’t to be tonight.”

Rochester United produced a counter-attacking sweeping move, which forced Skibinski into making a fine diving save.

Adams – who did well at holding the ball up, while playing up front with Reilly – picked the pocket of Tooting Bec’s holding midfielder Jack Martin before the ball was worked out to the right to Liam Wilkins – who played on the right hand side of the midfield diamond.

Wilkins put in a great left-footed cross and Hicham Akhazzan – who played at the top of the diamond behind Reilly and Adams – sublimely brought the ball down before clipping a left-footed half-volley towards the right-corner and the visiting keeper dived to his left and clawed the ball out with his left-hand.

Betts said: “It was a good move, superb. Hicham’s phenomenal touch to bring it down, it was superb.  The way the ball zipped into him at waist height, to bring it down and control the way he did to get the shot off was fantastic but it was a good save from the keeper, unlucky really.”

Parsons side decided to opt for direct tactics during the final five or so minutes but they often lacked quality in the final third.

Rochester United got away with one (39:01) when Reilly dropped into his own half and attempted to drill a backwards diagonal pass towards Wilkins some 25-yards away but the ball went straight to Ethan Lampard, who lacked composure and drilled a woeful left-footed shot nowhere near the goal from 30-yards.

Recalled left-back Donte Degannes-Fidyk launched a long ball over the top of Spartans’ centre-half Bray to put Robinson through on goal but his right-footed chip sailed over the top of the far post (43:31).

“Yes they did (go direct). They sensed a little bit of blood but we held firm,” said Betts.

“To be fair for someone like Jack Bray and Tony Whitaker, when teams play long ball against us, we like that because it’s their bread and butter.

“Jack Bray has made a good living out of heading the ball and kicking the ball. It suits us when teams want to come and play long ball. It’s when teams want to get the ball down and try to play around us, it causes more trouble, so we were quite happy with that.”

Tooting Bec right-back Jerry Antwi also launched two long throws into the Spartans penalty area in a sign of desperation before four-goal centre-half Sonny Harnett-Balkwill came up from the back and met Jack Martin’s right-wing corner with a header from the edge of the penalty area which sailed harmlessly wide of the left-upright, as a poor first half ended goal-less.

“I’ll be truthful. We didn’t say too much to be honest with you. We just went in there and said ‘keep going as you are and just keep pushing,’ revealed Betts.

“I always felt, we were the better side in the first half. I think we had the better chances and I think as the game grew, I just believed that tonight once we got that one goal we would go on.

“Look, there’s been rum(ours), people saying we’re falling apart and everything else – it’s not true!

“We’ve just got to keep in doing what we’re doing. We’re plodding on. I said to the boys at half-time ‘don’t panic!’ We’ve got 45 minutes, your chance will come and when it does we’ve got to take it and it came, it was a great finish and we went on.”

Rochester United came out with all guns blazing and put in a vastly-improved second half performance, creating their first opening after only 43 seconds.

Lott played in a low cross from the left-wing for Reilly, who drilled his right-footed angle drive past the near-post from 25-yards.

Betts demands more from his towering talisman at the business end of the season.

“Brilliant shot, brilliant and that’s what you get with Mack.  He can be a very frustrating player at times. We have words with him quite often about his work-rate at times but one thing you can’t say about him is that when he does get that chance in front of goal, nine times out of 10 he buries them and he puts them in the bottom corner.

“The one thing we’ve got to do now for the rest of the season now is try to get him in front of that goal and get him firing up, like he did at the end of last season, so fingers crossed.

“Tonight will give him another boost and hopefully (he will score) a couple more on Saturday.”

Rochester United produced a well-worked set-piece routine which saw them hit the woodwork for the second time (12:16).

The visiting goalkeeper lined up a four-man wall for Adams’ free-kick some 25-yards out on the angle.

Instead of putting the ball into the penalty area, Adams used his head and played the ball down the outside to the unmarked Jack Church (who played at the base of the diamond), who drilled in a low cross from within the right-channel towards the far post and Currie swept his first-time shot across the keeper and against the outside of the far post.

Betts said: “Brilliant! As a manager you like to see that because in training we always do, always finish off with like a 15-20 minute session of set-pieces and everything and tonight I think it showed the hard work. As you can see, it was definitely a training ground routine.

“Literally, they didn’t know what had happened. It was three or four passes, they didn’t even move. The goalkeeper didn’t move, the defenders didn’t move. It was bang, bang, bang and unfortunately just hit the wrong side of the post and went out but it would’ve been a cracking goal if it had gone in.”

Rochester United were knocking on the door and Adams launched his only long throw into the Tooting Bec penalty area, the ball was cleared out to Lott, who hooked his left-footed volley sailing over the crossbar from 20-yards.

Rochester United deserved their lead when it arrived with 20 minutes and 42 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a composed, clinical finish from their talisman.

Wilkins threaded the ball through several pairs of legs to play the ball in behind centre-half Daniel Farrow to put Reilly through on goal who held his composure by slotting his right-footed shot across Skibinski to find the bottom far corner in a one-v-one dual.

“That all come from pressure. I think they were trying to play at the back and we pressed, caught them off guard.  A good ball down the side and another great finish,” said Betts.

“Fifteen goals – but it could be more! As positive as it could be like last season, he’s had plenty of chances.  He had a little dip in form of late but hopefully the Mack Reilly, hopefully he’s going to come back in form just at the right time for us.”

A dominant Rochester United doubled their lead with 24 minutes and 20 seconds, with a lucky break in the Tooting Bec penalty area.

Akhazzan and Wilkins linked up in the build-up and the ball was worked to Lott, who swept his right-footed shot past the grounded goalkeeper to find the bottom near-corner to score his third goal of the campaign.

“Second goal was good. Yet again they lost the ball. We intercepted the ball, we picked up the ball in the midfield. Hicham intercepted and out to Wilks and Wilks’ slipped it down the line to Lottie and he’s put it into the bottom corner,” said Betts.

“I think we needed that goal. Although at 1-0 we were still cruising pretty well but the second goal gave us that little lift just to see the game off.

“I actually thought we might go on and perhaps score another three or four and unfortunately, we didn’t and we made the silly mistake that let them back in the game.

“But I still think on the night they really never really caused us too many problems if I’m honest – so I think we were comfortable.”

Akhazzan fed Adams, who did well to hold the ball up on the edge of the Tooting Bec penalty area but goalscoring has been a problem for Adams as he has failed to score a goal this season and his weak shot rolled into the gloves of the visiting keeper.

Tooting Bec produced a well-worked goal to pull a goal back with 33:00 on the clock.

Captain Martin drilled a ball from inside the Rochester half into the right-channel where substitute striker Kai Udondem got in behind a nowhere to be seen Loynes, put over a quality cross towards the back post where fellow substitute wideman Negassi got in behind to volley his left-footed shot across Watkins to find the bottom left-hand (far) corner.

“We’ve just got to stop these silly mistakes. We did it against Sheppey – their first goal – we did it for the second goal against Thamesmead on Saturday and yet again tonight,” revealed Betts.

“We keep giving teams a chance to believe that they can get something from us. We’ve got to kill teams off a little bit better.

“I can’t comment on the goal because I didn’t see it! At the time I was getting the two forwards (Nkwocha and Obasa) ready to bring on as substitutes.  I turned round and they scored so no comment on the goal. I didn’t really see what happened unfortunately.”

Loynes launched a long ball into the Tooting Bec penalty area, the ball was cleared out to Adams, who smashed his volley straight down Skibinski’s throat from 18-yards.

“We know Luke’s a striker, unfortunately, losing Paynie, Paynie’s a big loss for us, so it’s trying to work out who to put in the hole.

“But we thought with Luke’s experience perhaps he was the man but tonight I thought Jack Church was man-of-the-match by a country mile.  I thought he was the best player on the pitch.

“Luke going forward is phenomenal. He holds the ball up, he’s big, he’s strong. He’s every defender’s worst nightmare.

“The thinking of it was just to change him and Paynie a little bit because when people come and play us everyone looks at Paynie and they double up on him.  It was just more of a case if we get Paynie a little bit further up the pitch is sort of takes the opposition further away from our goal a little bit.

“Perhaps it hasn’t worked as well as we thought it would but you’ve got to try those things and during the course of the season, it’s hard to stick to everything because of players’ fitness and players availability, so you try new things.

“We’ll probably hold our hands up and probably say it didn’t quite work how we wanted it but if you don’t try, you don’t succeed, do you?”

Tooting Bec didn’t create any more chances as Rochester United ran the clock down with game management but they did create a couple of chances inside stoppage time.

Substitute Luis Dos Santos swung in the home side’s fourth and final corner, in from the right, and the unmarked Bobby Parker, right-footed hooked shot was held on the line by Skibinski, smothering the ball low to his right.

Betts threw on Fred Obasa as his final change (43-44-51:56) and Obasa proved why he is no longer operating in the ninth-tier with a woeful attempt at goal (48:16) at the end of a counter-attack.

Adams and Reilly were by now sitting on the bench and watched their replacements link up on the halfway line as Kelechi Nknocha, Obasa and Parker linked up well.

However, Obasa’s finish was poor – drilling it first time over the crossbar from 16-yards and Betts is not impressed with his striker’s output.

“Fred’s a very frustrating player at the minute and Fred will tell you that himself,” admitted Betts.

“Fred on his day, he’s played at good levels of football. He’s a good player. Unfortunately, he’s come to us, he’s not had much, he’s been out of football a while. He’s lacking a bit of confidence and lacking a bit of fitness but look we put faith in Fred.

“We know Fred can do it at the higher levels. It’s just getting Fred in to that level again, what we can.

“I think he will be the first one to tell you, he’s been disappointing at times for us, when he’s come on but listen we know what we’re going to get with Fred.

“We know if we can get Fred right, Fred will be a danger. He’s quick, he’s strong. He knows where the back of the net is. It’s just getting him back to the levels he was.

“Unfortunately, when you don’t play for a while and you’re out for quite a few months here and there you lose your form and you lose your fitness and it kills any player.

“So we’ve just got to work Fred back now and try to get him to a level where we’re coming to the critical part of the season where he can become valuable for us.”

Rochester United return to Rede Court Road on Saturday to lock horns with ‘bogey side’ Halls Athletic.  The Dartford-based outfit sit in eleventh-place on 29 points (nine wins, two draws and 15 defeats).

Betts said: “Well, Halls are a bit of my bogey side. I’ve been here nearly four years now and I’ve never beaten Halls. I think someone told me the other day, we’ve never scored a goal, we don’t score goals against them either, so they’re a bit of a bogey side for us.

“It’s not one of the ones we’re looking forward to but I think after tonight  the boys faces in there, we’ve got that confidence back, so hopefully we’ll go into it and pick up another win and finally break that duck of beating them.”

SE Dons are at the summit with 64 points (20 wins, four draws and two defeats) and have eight games remaining.

Rochester United are in second-place tonight with 59 points (19 wins, two draws and four defeats) and have nine games left.

AFC Greenwich Borough have slipped into third-place with 56 points (18 wins, two draws and three defeats) and have 11 games left, starting with a visit from sixth-placed FC Elmstead at Oakley Road on Tuesday night.

Croydon (49 points from 27 games) and Lordswood (44 points from 24 games) are also in the play-off zone.

“Listen, it’s going to be hard. There is only nine games left. I think there is going to be a few twists and turns here and there,” said Betts.

“I think maybe the last two or three games have maybe handed it to the other two (SE Dons and AFC Greenwich Borough) a little bit – but look, we’ll never give up, until it’s mathematically impossible for us to win it, we won’t give up – but I think the other two have got the better position now.

“I think the loss on Monday and the loss on Saturday sort of dented our chances a little bit because the games are going to come thick and fast.  We’ve got to go to Banstead on a Tuesday and Chessington on a Wednesday, so we’re going to be playing two or three times a week.

“I think it might come down to the fact it might jeopardise us a little bit but listen we’re going into every game trying to win it and at the end of the day if we’re there at the end of the season and we’re still fighting for that title, we won’t give up that’s for certain!”

Betts’s side play Halls, Elmstead, Lewisham before their make-or-break showdowns with SE Dons (at Chatham Town, on Easter Monday 6 April, 13:00) and here against Reece Parara’s AFC Greenwich Borough on 11 April.

“Tomorrow night SE Dons have got Lordswood, which is another tough game at Lordswood because Lordswood are flying at the minute. A new gaffer’s gone in there and done a great job, so that’s not going to be an easy game for Dons.

“Greenwich have got Elmstead. Elmstead are another funny side, they get some great results and they sort of dip off a little bit – but that’s never an easy game.

“There’s a lot of twists and turns I think. We’ve got a few, going to Banstead and Chessington. Obviously, we’ve all still got to play each other, as well, which is a big one.  We’ve got Dons on Bank Holiday Monday and then Greenwich.

“I don’t think anyone would like to say who’s going to win it this year. There’s going to be a lot more twists and turns, let’s put it that way.”

When asked whether chairman Matt Hume is putting him under any pressure to win promotion at the end of his first season in charge, Betts replied: “No. We’ve had no pressure from the start of the season. We’re not one of the biggest budget teams in the League in comparison to some.

“Look, Matt just wants the club to do well. It’s our first year in management. It’s our first year coming off from Matt’s team. Obviously, we’ve added and improved it this year so no, obviously the club would love to go up. The club want to go up but there’s no real pressure on me. 

“At the end of the day, it’s just keep doing what we’re doing and what will be, will be at the end of the day, thankfully.”

Rochester United: Luke Watkins, William Currie (Connor Cheek 87), Tom Loynes, Jack Church, Tony Whitaker, Jack Bray, Daniel Lott, Hicham Akhazzan (Luis Dos Santos 83), Mack Reilly (Fred Obasa 90), Luke Adams (Kelechi Nkwocha 85), Liam Wilkins (Bobby Parker 76).

Goals: Mack Reilly 66, Daniel Lott 70

Tooting Bec: Oliver Skibinski, Jerry Antwi, Donte Degannes-Fidyk, Jack Martin, Sonny Harnett-Balkwill, Daniel Farrow, Anthony Ogbanufe (Nathan Freckleton 63), Buruk Tedros (Davy Olito 82), Harly Baker (Kai Udondem 63), Benjamin Robinson (Sirak Negassi 76), Ethan Lampard (James Parsons 63).

Goal: Sirak Negassi 79

Booked: Buruk Tedros 54, Jerry Antwi 74

Attendance: 92
Referee: Mr Benjamin Lepper
Assistants: Mr Joseph Murray & Mr Kenechukwu Aghastili
Observer: Mr Nolan Wilde