Kentish Football

Soccer Shorts: Lordswood's Fagan cleared of alleged referee assault

Friday 23rd October 2009
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EBBSFLEET UNITED have signed former Gillingham midfielder Clint Easton.

The 32-year-old Essex-born player began his career in the mid-Nineties at Watford, where he played more than 80 times and moved to Norwich City in 2001 for £200,000. 

He enjoyed three seasons at Carrow Road, scoring a penalty in the Canaries division one play-off final, before signing for Wycombe Wanderers in 2004. He moved to Gillingham in 2006 and then spent two years at Hereford United before his release in April this year. 

The left-sided players can also play at full back, where he featured regularly while at Wycombe.

The Fleet have also registered ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Riley, a right back who appeared in the England Under 16 side before going on to feature in a number of games for Spurs' reserve side.

It follows on from the news that former Southend United striker, Jamie Lindie, 19, had his contract cancelled by the club by mutual consent.

Despite scoring with his first touch on his debut, Lindie made only three starts and three as a substitute during his time at Stonebridge Road.

WELLING UNITED pair, Andy Sambrook and Steve King, have both received a one-match ban for their dismissal’s in the Chelmsford City game last Saturday.

The two players will therefore miss the home game against Lewes.  Sambrook has also been given a misconduct charge for his reaction to the red card against Chelmsford, punishment has not been decided but the defender can challenge the decision.

Meanwhile, in other news from Park View Road, Lee Blackburn has been released by the club, for the second time.  Lee Clarke will return to the club following Saturday’s home game against Hampton & Richmond Borough following the end of his loan spell at Cambridge City.  He will be available for selection at Havant & Waterlooville on Monday night.

DAVID WILKINSON is back at Dover Athletic – and could start in goal for the big FA Cup clash with Eastleigh on Saturday, writes Justin Allen.

Wilkinson,  21, is well-known to Whites fans for two highly-successful loan spells at the club while he was on the books of Crystal Palace.

The keeper has struggled to settle at a club since his release by Eagles chief Neil Warnock in the summer.

He has had spells this season with Truro and Forest Green Rovers – but has decided to move back to the South East.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler cited John Whitehouse's long-term back injury and Lee Hook's recent loss of confidence for his decision to bring Wilko back to Crabble.

Speaking to www.doverathletic.com, Hessenthaler said: “David is a quality keeper and we needed to bring someone in to shake things up.

“John Whitehouse’s back injury is long-term and Lee Hook, who is also a good keeper, has suffered a little loss of confidence recently.

“So David knows the club, the players and is available. I’ve a tough decision to make at the weekend.”

Wilkinson has signed on a non-contract basis and is not currently cup-tied, which makes him a contender for the massive match against Eastleigh with a place in the FA Cup first-round proper at stake.

Hessenthaler said: “David’s training with Fulham at the moment and we’re delighted to get him back here.

“I just think Lee may need a rest. Keepers sometimes need to be taken out of the firing line – and that might happen to Lee, although no decision has been made about Saturday’s team yet.

“It’s all about working hard in training and your performances on the pitch. We then base our decisions on both. Having competition keeps everybody on their toes.

“We do have a good keeper in Ben Humphries, a young Academy lad, but he is a couple of years away from being ready. It would not be fair on the kid to chuck him in there yet.”


The Whites gaffer has massive injury problems going into Saturday and potentially could be missing NINE players.

Whitehouse and Craig Cloke are long-term absentees – and Matt Fish is still some way from returning.

Sammy Moore definitely misses out with severe foot bruising and Jon Wallis is suspended.

Frannie Collin may be fit enough to make the bench after a knee injury – but Jake Leberl, Dean Hill and Olly Schulz are all doubts.

Leberl has been suffering from flu this week and not been able to train, Schulz has been hampered by an ankle injury while Dean Hill is rated 50-50 following a calf strain.

But Hessenthaler does not want to hear any hard luck stories from his players – and whoever takes the field must go out and grab the chance to fire Whites into the glamour rounds of the FA Cup.

He said: “We’ve got to stick together and focus on beating Eastleigh. They are a very good side and their manager Iain Baird is a wily old fox, who played at the top level and knows the game inside out.

“Iain has developed a good team there. The lad Anthony Riviere in midfield gave us all kinds of trouble when we went down there earlier in the season – and Tom Jordan, Joe’s son, in defence gets his head on the end of a lot of balls.

“Make no mistake, if we play like we did against Basingstoke on Tuesday, then our name is not going to be in the hat for the next round.”

A place in the first round could potentially pit the Whites against the likes of Leeds, Charlton, Southampton or even a mouth-watering all-Kent derby with Hessie’s old-boys Gillingham.

Also victory on Saturday will earn the Whites £12,500 in prize-money from the FA.


 
Chairman Jim Parmenter said: “The FA Cup has always been a competition we’ve taken seriously. The prize-money is obviously something to go for – along with the potential TV revenue if we were to get televised in a match against a League club.

“Of course, the club, which has already risen its profile in recent seasons, can take it to an even higher level if we were to enjoy a good run in the competition.”

Hessenthaler reached the quarter-final when he was with Gillingham – and the buzz and excitement of the cup has always been dear to his heart.

He said: “The lads who play on Saturday have a great chance to get this club into the spotlight. The club has come a very long way in the last couple of years. We were in Ryman One South just over a year ago – now we’re second in the Blue Square South, challenging for a place in the Premier.

“Had someone told me at the start of the season we’d be second in the table in October and in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, I’d have snapped their arm off. We’ve done brilliantly.

“We need to all take stock of what has been achieved here in a short space of time. I am delighted with how things have gone this season.

“If we get a play-off place at the end of the season, that will be a massive achievement for Dover Athletic.

“Of course, we all want to be more greedy and try to win the title. It’s important to have that ambition – and we’re hungry at this club.”

The chairman has also expressed his delight with how things are developing off-the-pitch.

The new Centre Spot clubhouse, funded by the chairman and his wife Sally, is now beginning to attract plenty of custom.

He said: “We’re getting booked up with weddings and functions – and word seems to now be out that the Centre Spot is an outstanding venue.



“It was always our intention to make the venue work. We know how vital it is for the future of this club. The extra revenue streams are so important for the club growing.”

Hess, meanwhile, admits that Whites need to improve both up front and in defence if they are to be considered serious title challengers this season.

He said: “I got asked a lot of questions this week by the local press about why I played three at the back against Basingstoke and went more attack-minded. It almost suggested that we may have got the system wrong.

“Let me tell you that Darren Hare and I are quick to hold up our hands if we get it wrong. But we didn’t on Tuesday.

“We could have played any formation against Basingstoke and lost on that performance.

“You cannot legislate for defenders not defending properly, keepers not coming for crosses and strikers not taking their chances.

“We were poor in both boxes – and the lads have held their hands up to that. We need to improve but I think considering the injury problems we’ve had I am delighted to be second. The lads deserve credit for that.”

ASHFORD TOWN are delighted to announce the re-signing of goalkeeper Seb Barton in time for tomorrow’s Ryman League Division One South clash at home to Dulwich Hamlet.

The permanent signing comes at a perfect time as Steve Lovell’s men look to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Worthing in the week. Barton spent a successful period at the club last season and played a major part in the club’s 15 game unbeaten run.

BECKENHAM TOWN manager Jason Huntley has added an experienced head ahead of tomorrow’s Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup First Round First Leg tie at vastly-improved, Sporting Bengal United.

Huntley has been counting the walking wounded this week as the congested fixture schedule of the past fortnight has clearly taken its toll.

Definitely out of contention for the trip to the Mile End Stadium are central defenders Danny Gorman, James Holder and Terry Khan, along with midfielders George Belchamber, Matt Howard and Danny Lawson.

It's difficult if not impossible to see how Huntley can cover a list of absentees of those proportions. As a result, this has forced him to into signing experienced defender ex Erith & Belvedere John Farley this week. Farley will go straight into the side on Saturday.

The only relief for Huntley is that there is more than enough time until Becks important Carlsberg F.A. Vase game against Carterton for the squad to fully recover.

LORDSWOOD player Jerry Fagan was cleared of all allegations of assaulting an official on Wednesday night at a hearing at the Kent FA. 

The alleged incident occurred during Lordswood’s home match against Fisher FC on Saturday 26th September, in which Fagan was red carded following two poorly timed tackles. 

Fagan was accused of kneeing the referee as the official approached him following the second tackle and was shown a straight red card, although it was likely he would have been shown a second yellow for the tackle and been sent off anyway.

Former Lordswood chairman John O’Halloran spoke with the officials after the game and it seemed something wasn’t quite right as only the referee himself appeared to have witnessed the incident. 

A statement issued by the Medway club said, “Fagan protested his innocence to the Lordswood committee and strenuously denied kneeing the referee, he stated that the referee had come running up to him following the second bad tackle and had slipped and consequently fell into him. 

“Fagan explained that he held his arms out and merely stood his ground to ensure that both he and the official didn’t end up in a heap on the ground.

“The Lordswood committee decided that due to a lack of evidence and witnesses to the contrary, that Fagan would be backed and that the accusations would be fought at the hearing.

“Fagan was accompanied by both O’Halloran and Lordswood coach, Martin Telford. All three were commended on how they presented themselves and the case to the FA. The case was not proven and was thrown out. 

“While the case was pending, Lordswood did not play Fagan in subsequent games and this has been taken into account by the Kent FA and as such it has been agreed that Fagan has served his punishment for his sending off and is now available for selection this Saturday.”

Lordswood travel to Deal Town tomorrow in the second leg of the Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup, looking to claw back just a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

SEVENOAKS TOWN defender Lee Demaertelaere was able to rejoin his team-mates at Champion Hill after being knocked out in a first half collision early in the 1-0 win against Fisher in the Bulmers Cider Kent League Premier Division win on Tuesday night. 

He returned to the ground shortly before the end of the game.

The former Tonbridge Angels reserve team defender suffered a blow on the temple, and needed treatment for several minutes, before being carried off and taken to Kings College Hospital in nearby Denmark Hill. 

Simon Jones’ side are at home to Erith & Belvedere on Saturday in the only league game of the weekend.
The reserves are without a game. They lost 3-0 against Welling Academy in a friendly at Greatness Park last Saturday.


ON THE eve of Tunbridge Wells’ League Cup Second Leg match against Hythe Town at Reachfields, a flu-ridden Martin Larkin - unsurprisingly lighter on words as a result - finds himself preparing a side that will look to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the First Leg at Culverden.

“The boys trained well on Tuesday at Esporta,” he told www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk. “It’s a shame - the penalty that Hythe scored last Saturday for their third goal has given them a bit of a cushion. It’s a shame because it was never a penalty. We trained last night with purpose though, and we’ve put a game plan together. I can assure supporters planning on going that we’ll travel over there and have a real go at them.

“There’s no point going to Hythe and trying for a 0-0, we have to score goals, so we will set the team up accordingly."

Larkin will be buoyed by some good news ahead of Saturday’s encounter welcoming individuals back from suspension and injury - although he has seen one member of the squad opt to move on to play more first team football elsewhere.

“We’ve got Matt Newman and Andy McMath back from suspension now, which is great news. Perry Spackman is also close to returning to full training and Benji Agana is fully fit now - so in several departments, it’s back to normal service for The Wells,” he revealed.

“Although Luke Wallond has opted to move on, hopefully we can now keep everyone fit and available, and just maybe we can actually put our strongest 11 out for the first time this year!”

The prospect of fielding a strongest eleven would indeed be welcome, particularly if that extends into the coming weeks to allow a little league lift. 

Currently sitting fourth from bottom in the Kent League table, The Wells look as though they are struggling - but with various sides on different numbers of games around them, the current position could quickly change dramatically with a run of form.

“We may look like we are struggling, but we have only been beaten twice in the league, and we are still the only team to have taken points off Faversham in the league this year,” Larkin remarked. 

“We have three huge games coming up after this one at Hythe over three consecutive weeks in the form of Deal (home), Fisher (home) and Sevenoaks (away). Those are games that will certainly shape our season. To keep as close to a fully fit squad for those would be a massive boost.”

Those three games, of course, would lead The Wells up to the ten-game (one-third of the season) milestone - a point that Larkin still believes will give a more accurate idea of everybody’s true credentials. 

Nevertheless, there are some sides in the league who already offer a good reflection of where you stand in the greater scheme.

“Hythe really showed us the way on Saturday, and it drove home that building a side to compete at the top of this league is not a quick fix. It is going to be a three-, maybe four-year project for us to be able to challenge in a way that they and Faversham should be this season.

“We are all very positive,” he concludes, “and we are really looking forward to those three big games with a fully fit squad to choose from!”








 

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