Sevenoaks Town 3-2 Hythe Town - We turned up with the wrong attitude, admits Porter

Both sides had a penalty saved in what turned out to be an exciting five-goal thriller, with nippy Sevenoaks striker Marcus Elliott taking centre stage, as his pace gave Hythe’s big centre halves problems all night.

Hythe took an early lead as striker Mo Takaloo took his goalscoring tally to five since his move from Ryman Premier League strugglers Margate.

But after Duwayne Morris saw his penalty saved by veteran Hythe goalkeeper Paul Hyde, the goalkeeper was rooted to the spot as long-range shots from Matt Foreman, a recent signing from Crowborough Athletic, and former Maidstone United star Errison Ahwan, put the hosts on the front foot before the break.

Sevenoaks completely dominated the second half, although midfielder Lee Winfield squandered a 66^th minute chance to level for Hythe, as his spot-kick was saved by Jamie Williams, before Elliott punished poor defending to give Sevenoaks a deserved 3-1 lead.

Hythe striker Michael Smissen came off the bench to head home his eighth of an injury blighted campaign to make the score line more respectable for the out-played league leaders.

Hythe Town started well and should have broken the deadlock inside the opening five minutes when Ben Sly and Takaloo exchanged passes before Sly slipped the ball to striker Dave Cook, although his right-footed half-volley bounced agonisingly against the foot of the far post.

But Sevenoaks were not going to lie down and die and strong central midfielder Steve Evans cracked an angled right-footed drive, which brought a low comfortable save from Hyde at his near post.

A right-flank corner from Sly was then met by the unmarked Roy Guiver, but the central defender saw his header fly past the post.

It took eleven minutes for Hythe to break the deadlock, and their strong travelling contingent believed their side would go on to win the game.

Winfield floated in a free-kick from the left and this wasn’t dealt with by the Sevenoaks’ defence and Takaloo pounced from inside the six-yard box to steer the ball past Williams at the near post.

Hyde hotly disputed the 16^th minute penalty that was awarded against him for a foul on the electrifying Elliott, but made amends when he dived low to his right to turn Morris’ left-footed penalty around the post.

But Hyde was going to be left rooted to the spot twice, as spirited Sevenoaks went into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Firstly, with twenty minutes on the clock, Foreman lifted a stunning left-footed free-kick over the wall and into the top left-hand corner from 25-yards to bring Sevenoaks level.

But before Sevenoaks took the lead, they had goalkeeper Williams to thank for making a stunning save to prevent Jason Brazier’s powerful header from finding the back of the net, from yet another Winfield free-kick.

Hythe were stunned, however, when Sevenoaks took the lead after 44 minutes when Ahwan cracked an unstoppable right-footed deflected drive from 30-yards, which wrong-footed Hyde to fly into the back of the net.

Despite Porter trying to inspire the stunned league leaders during the interval, those words fell on deaf ears, as Sevenoaks appeared to be the side that are gunning for promotion into the Ryman League on their explosive display after the break.

And had they taken their second half chances then they would have completed an even more remarkable victory.

Steve Evans, who was pulling the strings in midfield, will be having nightmares about his glaring 57^th minute miss.

A ball was played over the top of the Hythe defence for Elliott to latch onto, but his progress was halted by Hyde, who had rushed out of his penalty area. The ball fell into Evans’ path, but the midfielder could only look on in horror as the ball crashed down past the near post of an open goal.

That howler, however, almost cost his side as Hythe were awarded a 66^th minute penalty after Sly was adjudged to have been fouled on the right-hand side of the penalty area.

But Williams dived to his left to keep out Winfield’s right-footed spot kick and immediately pounced on the ball on the goal-line beside his left-hand post.

Sevenoaks missed yet another chance with fourteen minutes left when Toby Webb released Michael Cook down the left and the full-back’s cross found Freeman unmarked at the near post but he somehow headed wide of the post from eight-yards.

But Sevenoaks finally took one of their chances, two minutes later, to give them a deserved two-goal advantage.

Webb delivered a corner from the left and this wasn’t dealt with by a shaky Hythe defence and lurking at the far post was man-of-the-match Elliott, who drilled his shot past the static defence and into the bottom near corner.

Smissen, still not match fit, gave Hythe some respectability when he glanced his injury time header across Williams to find the bottom far corner, but the defeat angered Porter, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“We just weren’t at the races,” he admitted. “Sevenoaks had more energy, were quicker to the ball, stronger. They had effort and were first to everything - we were a bit of the pace.”

Porter admitted Winfield’s penalty miss was the turning point in the game.

He said: “It might have changed the game, we might have gone on and won if we got it back to two all - but if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games.”

He also criticised his players for their poor attitude before and during the game, as he felt all they needed to do was to turn up to win.

"I think a few of the players, we told them at half-time, turned up with the wrong attitude and then the attitude never changed,” bemoaned Porter.

“Just because we’re top of the league and playing a team down the bottom, you’re not going to get it all your own way.

“I keep telling them week in, week out that teams, when you’re top of the league, are going to add an extra 20-30% and try to beat a top tea, because they’ve got nothing to play for.

“Beating a team that’s top of the league has made their season really.”

For Sevenoaks Town boss Simon Jones, however, tonight’s impressive victory has sealed back-to-back wins, having defeated struggling Lordswood 5-1 at the weekend.

“Well, I think we put in an excellent performance,” Jones told www.kentishfootball.co.uk  afterwards.

“I don’t think we gave them anytime on the ball, I think the right team won tonight, definitely, on the performances, on the chances.

“Hythe are a good side but I think we were the better side.”

Jones was expecting Hythe to score goals against his side, saying, “The type of football they play, they are always going to put teams under pressure at the back. They got two goals against us and that’s credit to them.

“They’ve got great attackers, they took their chances, but I think we made a few more, but two goals for them was probably a fair result.”

Jones, coming to the end of his first season in charge at Greatness Park, was full of praise for Elliott tonight.

“He never game them a chance to play at the back at all,” said Jones. “He worked hard, he’s a thousand mile an hour guy and he’s on a bit of a run now, that’s four goals in three or four games now.”

But Jones was delighted to have beaten the league leaders, who didn’t fancy a Tuesday night out at Greatness Park.

“I couldn’t ask for any more, we got it spot on,” he beamed. “We played a slightly different formation to try and counteract Hythe’s way of playing and it worked for us.”

On the subject of strikers, Porter believes Smissen will return to full fitness, but admitted he needs more game time.

“He’s always going to score you goals and hopefully we can get him back a lot more fitter than what he already is now towards the end of the season,” he said.

“He gets you a goal whenever he comes on. He’s still struggling, he’s only got half-an-hour in him but hopefully (during the) next two or three games he’ll do 45 minutes and push on for an hour in the next five games.

“It’s just a matter of time for Buster.”

Sevenoaks Town: Jamie Williams, Michael Cook, Benji Agana, Jon Lord, Adrian Griffiths, Errison Ahwan, Steve Evans, Duwayne Morris (Ed Willoughby 67), Marcus Elliott, Matt Foreman (Darrell Queeley 89), Toby Webb.
Subs: Chris Walker, Makan Fofana, Steffan Gueu.

Goals: Matt Foreman 20, Errison Ahwan 44, Marcus Elliott 78

Hythe Town: Paul Hyde, Tom Adlington, Mark Bond, Pat Kingwell, Roy Guiver, Dale Skelton, Dave Cook (Gary Mickleborough 39), Ben Sly, Jason Brazier (Michael Smissen 72), Mo Takaloo, Lee Winfield.
Subs: Liam Whiting, John Walker, John Sparks.

Goals: Mo Takaloo 11, Michael Smissen 90

Booked: Tom Adlington 45

Attendance: 81
Referee: Mr Martin Peck (West Malling)
Assistants: Mr P Yates & Mr B Cox