Whyteleafe 0-4 Erith & Belvedere - I always knew it would go down to the wire, says Micky Collins

WHYTELEAFE 0-4 ERITH & BELVEDERE
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Thursday 25^th April 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Church Road

ERITH & BELVEDERE manager Micky Collins admits it will be a long summer if his side surrender their grasp on the Kent Hurlimann Football League title in their final two games.

The Deres remain two points clear of title-challengers VCD Athletic after both sides comfortably won their games tonight.

Vickers extended their record-breaking unbeaten run to sixteen games in all competitions after thrashing Beckenham Town 7-0 at Eden Park Avenue, whilst Erith & Belvedere eased to a comfortable 4-0 win at fourth-placed Whyteleafe, who did themselves no favours having skipper Dean Palmer sent-off for two bookable offences early in the second half, before the floodgates opened.

Man-of-the-match Kieron McCann eased the tension with a fine solo goal on the hour-mark, before central defender Drew Crush came up from the back to head home fifteen-minutes later.

Erith & Belvedere added two more goals inside stoppage time through substitute Paul Springett and striker Richmond Kissi, who netted his 20^th goal of the season.

“I’m pleased with the result. I wasn’t too pleased with the performance first half,” said Collins after his side’s 22^nd league win of the season.

“We got a bit tetchy and a bit nervous and we tried too hard to get a goal.  We’ve scored 102 goals in the league before tonight and we looked like we really wanted to push on to get the goal and tried too hard.

“I think once we relaxed second half and got the first one it was easy.”

This will be the most exciting title race since the 2005-2006 season when Maidstone United snatched the title away from Beckenham Town with a last-day victory at Sevenoaks Town, whilst Beckenham were held to a draw by Erith & Belvedere at Park View Road.

Gavin Rose, now manager of Dulwich Hamlet, can seek revenge on The Stones on Saturday when his side can claim the Ryman League Division One South title, leaving the Kent club to settle for home advantage in next week’s play-offs.

Erith & Belvedere goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw, who recorded a time of four hours and ten minutes in the London Marathon on Sunday, had a quiet night at Church Road, as Whyteleafe failed to register a single shot on target.

Erith & Belvedere, who went into the game unbeaten in their last six games, were denied the opening goal within the opening four minutes.

Right-winger, Orlando Smith picked the ball up before going on a 40-yard run with the ball before cutting inside and playing a low diagonal pass to McCann, who cut the ball back to skipper Jamie Wood and his right-footed angled drive from 18-yards was tipped around the post by the diving Dave Wilkinson.

Collins said: “I think if you look at it, Wilko’s a great keeper for them. He’s played pro football for Crystal Palace and he’s a great keeper and he pulled off five saves tonight that are absolutely top notch. Fair play to him.”

A free-kick from Erith & Belvedere’s left-back Sam Hasler sailed its way to McCann at the far post, who cracked a left-footed volley over the crossbar from the edge of the Whyteleafe penalty box.

Hasler then drove his left-footed free-kick narrowly past the foot of the right-hand post from 30-yards, before the game turned into a midfield battle.

With news filtering through that Tony Russell’s Vickers were already 4-0 up inside 22 minutes at Eden Park Avenue, this clearly had an effect of Collins’ men.

They twice had the ball in the back of the net after the half-an-hour mark, but eagle-eyed assistant referee Derek Peck raised his offside flag to deny Kissi and a frustrated Andy Constable.

McCann swung in a left-footed free-kick, which was headed away by a Whyteleafe defender and Smith blasted high right-footed volley high over the stand roof and into Church Road from 12-yards.

But Erith & Belvedere should have broken the stalemate two minutes before the break when Constable flicked on a long ball out of defence to release Kissi through on goal and the striker cracked a powerful right-footed drive from 18-yards, the ball narrowly sailing over the top of the near post.

When asked what he said during the half-time interval, Collins replied, “I just had a moan really!  I thought we were a bit nervous and a bit tetchy. There’s a lot at stake at the moment for us at the moment and that’s obvious. 

“I thought we played well on Monday night (beating Tunbridge Wells 2-0 at home) and should’ve relaxed and got into it but we didn’t.

“I just told them to calm down and be patient and the belief that we’ve got in there and the quality that we’ve got in the changing room eventually shone through.”

Erith & Belvedere started the second half as they did the first and were unlucky not to open the scoring after 69 seconds.

Smith laid the ball outside to right-back Allan Matthews, who played the ball back to Smith on the right who floated over a cross towards the near post and Constable’s brave diving header under pressure looped wide of the near post from six-yards.

Whyteleafe were reduced to ten-men in the 51^st minute when Palmer collected his second yellow card for his second offence on Deres’ central midfielder Sean Johnson.

Erith & Belvedere coach Grant Watts was also asked to leave the technical area by referee Steve Perry.

Collins claimed: “The one in the first half was a straight red card for me. He’s grabbed our player by the throat and threw him to the floor – it’s a straight red!  He’s let him off on a yellow and then the second one, he’s come across Sean Johnson and smacked him around the face. It’s another straight red but he’s given him a second yellow.”

Collins added: “I still thought it was difficult.  It was a tough game even though we had the chances.  It was a tough game until we got our noses in front.”

Hasler whipped in the resulting free-kick and McCann should have done better when he was left unmarked at the far post but glanced his header straight at Wilkinson from six-yards.

The Deres comfortably reached the right by-line on many occasions but Wilkinson produced a fantastic triple save in the 53^rd minute.

Smith cut the ball back from the line and Constable’s initial shot was blocked by the keeper, who then blocked Kissi’s follow-up and then pushed the striker’s rebound around the post and out for a corner.

Wood swept the ball out to McCann, who cut inside before unleashing a powerfully hit right-footed drive from 25-yards, which forced Wilkinson into making another fine save, diving to his right to block, before McCann blasted over the rebound.

But the former Crystal Palace stopper could do nothing about McCann’s fine solo goal on the hour-mark.

McCann picked the ball up in midfield and charged forward towards the centre of the penalty area before cutting across two defenders before sweeping a low left-footed shot across the goalkeeper to roll the ball into the bottom far corner from 20-yards.

Collins said: “I thought Kieron played well. It was a great goal. He was probably trying a bit too hard and could’ve got rid of the ball a little bit earlier, he got caught in midfield.

“The pitch was really fiery, really bobbly an I don’t think we got to grips with it that quick and then second half we sort of nailed the conditions a little bit better.

“The longer it goes even though they were down to ten-men, when you’re 0-0 and teams have defended really well at times, you just have to get the breakthrough and when you get that breakthrough and you’re up and running and that was it.  It was obvious once we scored and we relaxed we were in the ascendancy.”

That quality strike lifted the nerves from the players in red and white quartered shirts, but they squandered an excellent chance to double their lead halfway through the half.

Hasler’s free-kick from close to the half-way line sailed over the Whyteleafe defence and substitute Adam Burchell (the ex-Margate striker) timed his run to perfection but sent his free-header over from two-yards.

“To be fair Burch has come back from a broken leg and we never expected him to play this season so it’s a bonus to us that’ he’s back early.

“He’s always in the right place at the right time. He just has to get his eye in back in front of goal and get his confidence back but the kids a quality, quality player.”

Whyteleafe should have done better when they were presented with a free-kick 35-yards from goal but Bentley Graham ballooned his right-footed free-kick against the roof of the stand.

It’s very rare for any away side to dominate an entire game and Bradshaw could have done with the rest after pounding the streets of London at the weekend.

“Jack’s done amazing on Sunday, he’s run the Marathon in memory of his mum and he’s raised a lot of money and we’re so proud of him,” said Collins.

“We’re so lucky that we’ve got a great reserve keeper, Scott Chalmers-Stevens, who is a great friend of mine and he’s helped us out when we’ve needed the cover and we’ve utilised him and Jack’s come back in today.”

Wilkinson thwarted Erith & Belvedere again when he stuck out his outstretched arm to tip over Burchell’s right-footed angled drive from 20-yards, after Wood cut the ball to his team-mate.

But there was no question that Erith & Belvedere deserved their second goal with only fifteen minutes left.

McCann swung in a left-footed free-kick from 45-yards which was met by central defender Crush, whose looping header from 12-yards went over the keeper and dropped into the bottom far corner for his ninth goal of the season.

It was a typically executed Erith & Belvedere goal.

“That’s what we do – put the ball into the box,” added Collins.

“Crush has got his head on it and it’s gone into the top corner and their keeper has got no chance.

“That was it then. We knew the three points would come to us and we relaxed even more and it really could’ve been a big score.”

Collins added: “When you score well over 100 goals you expect them to come from different sources. If you only had two players coring that it’ll be a hell of a season for those two players.  We always spread it around and everyone that’s come in has done the business and that’s what it’s about.”

The Kent side continued to press for further goals and Hasler went on an amazing 60-yard run but screwed his shot wide of the far post from the edge of the box

Whyteleafe’s supporters had to wait until the 84^th minute before their side created a decent goalscoring chance.

Omar Folkes clipped a right-footed free-kick into the penalty area from 25-yards and fellow wide-midfielder Ollie Thornton glanced his header wide of the far post from 10-yards.

Burchell missed another sitter when he blasted a half-volley over from 10-yards after Hasler put another free-kick into the penalty area.

But Erith & Belvedere scored their third goal with 47:18 on the clock when Wood played a precise defensive splitting through ball in between Whyteleafe’s two central defenders (Cedric Abraham and Bentley Graham) for Springett to latch onto and the substitute kept his composure to slot home with his right-foot.

Collins said: “Great run! Third-man running.  Sometimes it just kills people. Fair play to Burchy, he’s left it, it could’ve been offside and Geordie’s gone through and to be fair to him that’s a very composed finish and he’s put the geezer on his backside and scored it.”

And it was four just 66 seconds later when McCann played a low centre across the face of goal from the right and Kissi was lurking at the far post to lash his shot into the top left-hand corner from close range.

Collins added: “Again, they ran out of legs at the end and we managed to break in behind again. We must’ve got in 10-12 times in that position and this time we pulled it back to Kissi and he’s done what he’s done all season and put it away.

“It’s a great season for Richmond. We’ve got 20 (goals) with him, Andy (Constable’s) got 29 and you go through and there’s a lot of people on double figures.

“There’s certain times during the season we haven’t defended properly and has made it go down to the wire.”

VCD Athletic welcome Corinthian to Oakwood on Saturday, before ending their campaign at Lordswood next Tuesday.

Erith & Belvedere travel to Lordswood on Saturday, before completing their league campaign at home to Greenwich Borough next Tuesday.

Collins said: “Yes, listen, we can slip up anywhere.  We can slip up and that could happen but fortunately we haven’t. We’ve come away, it’s another clean sheet which I’m really pleased with that and we’ve got another three points.”

Looking forward to playing Jason Lillis’ side on Saturday, Collins said: “We have to win. It will be a tough game. Jason organises his sides.  We haven’t had the best of form down there over the last couple of seasons. It’s going to be a really, really tough game for us. It could go either way on the day. It’s just who turns up and wants it the most.  They won’t want us to go and win the league and obviously we have to go and win.

“I think a few teams can have a say in the title, but there’s only two teams that can have a massive say in it and that’s us and VCD! If VCD win there last two games and we slip up they’ll win it. If we win both our games we win it. It’s as simple as that.”

Reflecting on VCD’s 7-0 win at Beckenham Town tonight, Collins said: “They must’ve gone there and put one hell of a performance because we played Beckenham last week and it was 3-2 and they could’ve won the game. Tonight VCD have come out and played absolutely fantastic!

“I’d love to have won it at Christmas but that’s not happened. All credit to VCD. They’ve gone on a fantastic run. It’s absolutely amazing.  We’ve said it, if we slip up and they go on and win it they deserve to because you don’t go on runs like that. If they do come up second then it’s certainly not for the want of trying. They’ve had a fantastic run and that’s credit to them.

“We said it, whoever wins the Kent League will be deserved winners. 

“It’s not good for the ticker but it’s good for the Kent League. When you consider that the league title is going down to the wire, which I’m sure it will go to the last day and we’ve got a team (Tunbridge Wells) representing us in a FA Vase Final, which is fantastic for the Kent League.

“It will be a long, long summer if we don’t finish this off. It will be a long summer for me reflecting on what we could have done and what we should have done.

“I always knew it would go down to the wire. As I said on Tuesday night it will be decided. Either they win the league or we’ll win the league. It’s as simple as that.

“If we don’t go and do it we’ll be disappointed.  We just have to win two more games now.  We’ve brought it down to as close as we can.

“It’s been a long time since an Erith & Belvedere side has took it to the last two games of the season to win a title.

“The one thing we want to guarantee is promotion, that’s the one thing that I wanted to do. It’s my third season and we wanted to get the club to the next tier up. Hopefully we’ve made big strides towards that tonight.”

Whyteleafe:  Dave Wilkinson, Lou Clark, Rob Smith (Lee Glanville 65), Jay Massey, Cedric Abraham, Bentley Graham, Bradley Wilson, Dean Palmer, Omar Folkes, Ollie Thornton, Ryan Bailey.
Subs:  Danny Day, Ryan Maxwell

Booked: Dean Palmer 17

Sent Off: Dean Palmer 51

Erith & Belvedere: Jack Bradshaw, Allan Matthews, Sam Hasler, Jamie Wood, Richard Davies, Drew Crush, Orlando Smith, Sean Johnson (Paul Springett 80), Andy Constable (Adam Burchell 64), Richmond Kissi, Kieron McCann.
Subs: George Benner, John Wilfort, Inderjeet Aujla

Goals: Kieron McCann 60, Drew Crush 75, Paul Springett 90, Richmond Kissi 90

Booked:  Andy Constable 45, Kieron McCann 88

Sent Off:  Grant Watts 52 (coaching staff)

Attendance: 80
Referee: Mr Steve Perry (Sittingbourne)
Assistants: Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells) & Mr Derek Peck (Bexleyheath)