Bearsted 2-2 Hollands & Blair - We have got so much more, we just seem to be plodding along in second or third gear at the moment and the players ain't quite performing to the levels that they can do, admits Bearsted boss Kevin Stevens

Bearsted 2 – 2 Hollands & Blair
Location	Otham Sports Ground, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG
Kickoff	14/03/2026 15:00

BEARSTED  2-2  HOLLANDS & BLAIR
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 14 March 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Honey Lane

FRUSTRATED Bearsted manager Kevin Stevens has challenged his players to perform like he knows they can if they are to maintain their place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-off places.

The Bears threw away two leads and have now drawn their last four league games but remain in fourth-place in the table with eight league games left.

Holding midfielder Jack Palmby gave Bearsted the lead with a sublime 30-yard half-volley following a set-piece before Hollands & Blair levelled through a top-corner finish from left-winger Diekonifeoluwa Falade just nine minutes later.

Bearsted regained the lead ten minutes into the second half through a header from right-back Sam Flisher but Hollands & Blair – who arrived at Honey Lane on a run of five straight wins, keeping four clean-sheets – restored parity for a second time through right-back Luke Exall sweeping in following a corner.

“I think it was a game between two sides who haven’t been beaten for a little while,” admitted Stevens, whose side extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

“It was a bit safe at times, a bit one-paced at times from our point of view, really disappointed. I think our players are capable of a lot, lot more. It’s probably been the story of late to be fair.

“Two points dropped, for me. In all due respect to Darren and Blair, they’ve been on a nice run lately but I don’t think they were great today and I know we’re capable of a lot more, which he’ll probably say they are as well – but I think it’s an opportunity missed, I think, with how they played. It’s definitely two points dropped.

“I just thought it was a bit of a flat game; it actually looked for me. Play-offs have changed the League (giving teams something to play for towards the end of the season) but it actually looked like a dead-rubber to me, which was very disappointing from our side.

“I’ve just said to the coaches, I thought we started really well. I thought we were in total control of the game, got a nice goal, a great striker by Jack (Palmby). You don’t see that very often. We got a great goal.  We were in total control until they scored and when they scored we just stopped doing what we was doing and lost a bit of control and the annoying thing is they didn’t really do anything different but actually they started to get on top, which is so frustrating from my point of view.”

Hollands & Blair manager Darren Blackburn added: “The result, I think, as much both teams would’ve wanted to win it, especially with how other results have gone today, probably even more so, sort of frustrating.

“But I think on reflection, chances, half-chances in and around the box, keeper saved bits and pieces, I think it was a bit of a boxing match. It ebbed and flowed one way and the other. Ten minutes for us, 10 minutes for them, so I think overall, you can’t be too disappointed.

“To go 1-0 down and 2-1 down, that’s disappointing, so good character, good character from the lads. We haven’t had to do that much in the last few weeks and when we did go behind earlier on in the season and the middle part of the season, we obviously would’ve lost that game, so to come out of it with a point against a really good Bearsted team who have been up there all season, really proud of our lads.

“We’ve been on a good run and people go ‘who takes the credit’?  Manager, players, staff, club, everyone does as far as I’m concerned because we had a chat about finances a few months back.

“There was a little bit of confusion at the beginning of the season, which we ironed out and we actually had a little bit more to play with than I thought we did, so we got over that.

“The club have supported me, the players, they always do the best they can. We don’t have a bottomless pit. We don’t have our own ground, so finances have got to be used carefully but the club have backed us and supported us and equally the boys have put the results on the pitch and hopefully returned the favour.”

Bearsted started the game on the front foot – often playing-out-from-the-back – but the Gillingham based visitors’ created the first opening inside the opening seven minutes.

Falade charged down the left – racing past Flisher – to reach the by-line before cutting the ball back for left-back Callum Flynn to put in a cross and striker Ibrahim Akanbi cracked his right-footed shot on the turn sailing just over the top of the far post.

“There were a few of them today mate in and around the box. I think we had two or three strikes, we didn’t quite get hold of properly, didn’t hit the target on a couple of them, didn’t make the keeper work enough.  They had a couple as well,” said Blackburn.

Bearsted created their first opening, with seven minutes and 48 minutes on the clock.

A high Palmby played the ball along the deck to release winger James Bessey-Saldanha in behind Blair centre-half Charlie Weston but his right-footed angled drive was comfortably gathered by visiting goalkeeper Daniel Ellis.

“I expect James to maybe do a little bit better than that, maybe I’m being a bit picky.  I though Jack was really good for the first, until they scored. I thought we were really in control,” admitted Stevens.

Blackburn added: “They had a few chances as well, similar to us. Probably a few miss-hit shots, didn’t quite get them as sweet as they wanted to, apart from the first goal they hit, which was an absolute rocket! Yes, it was just that type of game mate first half really.”

Akanbi switched the play out to right-winger Emmanuel Oluwasemo, who easily cut inside makeshift Bearsted left-back Jarren Trespaderne before stroking his left-footed central drive, which was comfortably gathered by Bearsted keeper Frankie Leonard down on his knees in the centre of his goal.

“Jaz’s one of my old players. I had him at Hythe with us. He’s such a great lad, a great player,” said Blackburn.

“I know for a fact he won’t enjoy playing at left-back. We played him wing-back and in a couple of positions. He’s got a great left-foot on him. He’s a great lad, a brilliant character and I wouldn’t have though he’d enjoyed that today, so we did  try to get Manny and Ade (Murisiku Batula) when he came on today and get down the outside and make him defend, which is to try to take him out of his comfort zone.”

Stevens added: “It’s probably one of the openings in that (period) that they had until they did get the goal.

“Jaz can play anywhere on the pitch. He does a good job for the most part.

“I think we’re missing three centre-halves and three left-backs at the moment.  Defensively, we’ve got an awful lot missing, which is no excuse. Jaz was doing a job at left-back but the other three are guys who are pushing ahead to be ahead of the ones who have got to come back as well.”

Bearsted were without Phillip Headley (suspension), Daniel Keyte (illness), Conrad Lee (quad), Daniel Melvin (groin), James Nurden (wrist) and Luca Radojevic (foot).

There was controversy when Bearsted took a deserved lead, with 14 minutes and 49 seconds on the clock, with a hint of handball following the home side’s three of five corners.

Bessey-Saldanha floated the ball in from the right and a couple of players rose at the far post on the edge of the box and it appeared that the Bearsted player had knocked the ball down with his hand, as he rose with Emmanuel Oluwasemo – but referee Reece Cahalane awarded the goal.

However, the ball came out to Palmby, who smacked a sublime left-footed half-volley from 30-yards (on the angle) which sailed over the crowd of players and clipped the top of the crossbar before nestling sweetly into the back of the net.

Stevens said: “Really good finish.  If I’m honest, there’s been three shouts for handballs today, the players are telling me he had two definite handballs but I couldn’t see but I’ve got no comment on that – but just a good strike from Jack, I suppose.

“I was right in line with it. As soon as he hit it, it was in. Like I said to Billy (Jones, my assistant manager), it’s in and yes, it’s hit the back of the net!

Blackburn said: “I’ll speak about Jack’s strike first. Let’s cover Jack’s strike first. Absolutely phenomenal strike!

“I tried to sign Jack earlier on in the season, twice I think it was. In the summer and when he left Deal (Isthmian League South East Division) as well.

“I’m pleased to see that he’s ended back local and playing good football. He’s a good lad, good player, great strike.

“But and this is a big but, I don’t understand how the referee’s missed the handball?

“Manny competed with somebody on the edge of the box and they basically palmed it down. His hand is in a completely unnatural position and he’s palmed it down.

“I actually thought the ref went to blow his whistle. I actually generally thought he moved his hand up towards his mouth and I thought he’s seen it and he was going to give it.

“If he hasn’t seen it, that’s fine. It is what it is. But if he has seen it and not given that for me, that’s, that’s well, he’ll have to explain that. I’ll let him explain that one.

“It’s just that from our point of view it’s that slightly contentious sort of decision. If the lad smashes it in the field at the back, it doesn’t affect anything. Unfortunately, he doesn’t, sods law he sticks it in the top bins!”

Hollands & Blair restored parity, however, with 23 minutes and 30 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a former Bearsted player.

Holding midfielder George Goodwin easily cut inside Joshua Wisson on a penetrating run down the heart of the pitch before slipping the ball inside to Falade, who took a touch before emphatically drilling his left-footed shot into the top left-hand corner.

Blackburn said: “Again, another phenomenal strike, great build-up and a phenomenal strike from D.

“He scored a good goal down here when we played them in the Cup as well, similar I think in fact. It’s just a shame that wasn’t to put us 1-0 up. It really deserved to be the goal, a good move and a good finish that deserved to be the one that put us one ahead really.”

Stevens admitted: “I think that’s the third game that Dieko has scored against us. Obviously, he was here last season. He’s good player Dieko and he’s obviously coming back to play against us and he’s got a point to prove.  Yes, we know exactly what he’s going to do. We spoke about it beforehand and we let him do it, which is really frustrating.”

Flisher launched the second of his four long throws into the Hollands & Blair penalty area and Wisson found a pocket of space at the near post to flick his header towards the roof of the net – but Ellis was in the right place at his near post to comfortably raise his hands tip the ball over his crossbar (30:49).

“The big throws are coming in. Ours isn’t overly long but we try to work something from it sometimes, not all the time but it was a good flick. You ain’t going to beat Dan Ellis with a ball just under the crossbar, admitted Stevens.

Blackburn added: “This is part of the game. We’re all grown-ups. It’s apart of the game now. I’m not going to sit here and say long throws this, long throws that.

“If I had someone with a long throw in my ranks, we’ll be using it because it’s important. Set-pieces are a massive part of the game. Every level shows that, I think, if you look at the stats, so if any team that doesn’t want to use that and put balls into the opposition box and work an element of percentages as well as everything else, then more fool them.

“So credit to Bearsted, they used it well. They didn’t use it all the time to be fair. Some teams we’ve played against have thrown it in from the half-way line, so I thought it was used in the right way and credit to them for doing it.”

The fiat first half was lacking in quality with Blackburn often shouting out tactical instructions to his players and they created one final chance of the half.

Central midfielder Reece Gillies was told to ‘overhit’ a free-kick by Blackburn, drilling a free-kick from the half-way line towards the edge of the box where Goodwin laid the ball off for versatile centre-half Matthew Gething to drill his first time right-footed drive sailing over the crossbar from 18-yards.

With Kent enjoying a rare Saturday match day under welcomed sunshine, both managers were asked their thoughts during the interval – although a handful of rain drops did fall from the sky whilst the 10 subs warned up.

Stevens admitted he wanted so much more from his players.

“Just a bit frustrating. We controlled the game up until they scored. We let them get back in the game and we have got so much more. 

“We just seem to be plodding along in second, third gear at the moment with another three gears to go through but if you don’t go through those gears, you’re going to struggle against any team, let alone one that’s undefeated and been climbing the table rather rapidly.

“It’s just a frustration from us that the players ain’t quite performing to the levels that they can do. But, the but is, we keep saying, it’s got to come from them because they’re such a good team, so hopefully it can come at the right times in the last eight games.”

Blackburn revealed he’s not a very good weather forecaster!

“We had the breeze against us first half. It was a fairly stiff sort of breeze and we thought we’d have that and the sun in their face second half.  Unfortunately, it sort of clouded over a little bit and the breeze dropped so it changed direction.  We try to think about these things. You can’t get everything right all of the time.”

And now back to the football, the Blair boss added: “Fair play to the boys in that first half. They defended well from the front, like we always try to do. It’s how we set our teams up. It’s what I asked them to do and it’s just a case of I knew we’d create chances against them.

“It was just whether or not we could keep them out. The trouble is they’ve got such attacking threat and good rotation and movement in the middle of the park and some experienced players as well. Look at the players on the team-sheet, there’s some great players in there. I was pleased with the first half.”

Hollands & Blair missed a glorious chance to take the lead with only 37 seconds on the clock.

The 10-goal Kane Rowland – who played behind Akanbi before being withdrawn with a bruised calf – played Akanbi in behind Bearsted centre-half Ryan Blake -  but the striker dragged his right-footed shot across Leonard and past the far post.

“We had a couple of chances from players today. Ibby’s had a couple of bits and pieces,” said Blackburn.

“I back him. I’ve seen him in warm-ups, I’ve seen him in games and what he does. He’s not been with us that long but I know what he’s capable of doing.  In and around the box, there’s probably not many better.

“He’ll probably be a little bit disappointed that he got a couple into his feet that it just didn’t quite fall for him.  He’s a great lad and he’s been brilliant for us since he’s come in.”

Stevens added: “After the chat at half-time that we’ve got to be a bit more on the front foot, 37 seconds in, I’m not going to repeat what I said in the technical area but not good enough from us, not good enough from us!”

Bearsted produced a well-worked sweeping move, including Palmby and Nathan Light, who played in Flisher, who swept his first time shot across the keeper and past the top of the far post.

“Nice move.  Do you know what, it’s probably our best move of the whole of the second half, I would’ve thought.  Yes, I’d like Flish to have taken it on a little bit further before taking his shot,” added Stevens, whose players were not hitting their usual impressive style of football here today.

Gillies’ left-footed delivery was of a high standard and Gething came up from the back to flick his header looping across the keeper and just over the crossbar (7:10).

Bearsted regained the lead from a similar situation, with nine minutes and 16 seconds on the clock.

Hollands & Blair left-back Flynn fouled Samuel Stace down the right and Wisson whipped in a quality delivery with his right-foot into the corridor of uncertainty and Flisher found space to bury his header across Ellis into the far corner.

“We said to Wizzo about just putting it in the space and see if one of our players attacks it,” said Stevens.

“We’ve been working on it quite a bit, a couple of weeks ago.  Yes, just one of those balls you put in the area between the keeper and the defenders and you see who’s going to attack it or who’s going to defend it better and we attacked it really well, a good goal.”

Blackburn added: “Disappointed with that one, if I’m brutally honest. That’s not like us at all. It’s a great ball in from Wisso and a great header and run from Sam but I felt like we had a couple of players that were marking space rather than marking the players themselves and it just allowed him to get the run on them.

“These are the small details that when you switch off or when you’re not quite there and you’re half a yard away from your players and you get punished.”

This was a very disappointing game between two sides challenging for the play-offs and Bearsted striker, the 21-goal, Jake Embery and the man behind him, Light, offered very little in attack and it was no surprise when the pair didn’t last the whole 90 minutes.

Hollands & Blair’s right-winger, Oluwasemo let this game pass him by too and offered no threat against Bearsted’s makeshift left-back Trespaderne.

Goodwin, meanwhile, played the ball out to Falade, who put in a low cross from within the left channel towards the near-post where Rowland’s left-footed shot on the turn was held by Leonard, low to his right at his near-post.

Bearsted centre-half Blake gave the ball away to Akanbi in the final third and Rowland drilled a low right-footed drive towards goal from 22-yards, which was gathered comfortably by Leonard, low to his right (15:38).

Blackburn said: “We had a little spell. I’m not sure whether that’s after we gone two up top? We changed, we went to a 3-5-2, He’s got a great strike, a good connection and great hands by the keeper and a good save by the keeper and he held it well.”

Stevens admitted he should have taken Blake out of the firing line.

“We’re playing some defenders, who I should’ve rotated out by now. Ryan’s been playing an awful lot of games. He’s one who definitely should’ve been rotated out and just rested for a week but he’s had to dig in and carry on when you’ve only got two centre-halves available.

“Our defending at times got a little bit lazy but a lot of them have been playing a lot of games of football of late.”

Bessey-Saldanha – who put in a disappointing performance on the wing – delivered the home side’s final corner, the ball was cleared out to Flisher, who cracked a right-footed rasping drive over the crowded penalty area towards the roof of the net from 25-yards, which was comfortably plucked out of the air by Ellis, with two hands above his head.

Hollands & Blair grabbed the equaliser with 26 minutes and 55 seconds on the clock, following their third of five corners.

Gillies swung the ball in from the left, the ball fell kindly to Exall lurking at the far post within the six-yard box and he swept his left-footed shot into the bottom near corner.

“Luke’s been good. He scored a great one in midweek as well (a 2-0 win at Tunbridge Wells, who played their first League game at Culverden Stadium since Bearsted’s visit on 1 November).

“It’s something that we work on attacking those positions, the quality of the ball in the box. We’ve got players who can put in some good corners into some good areas and it’s become a bit of the modern game really mate, those balls whipped in now a little bit flat about seven to eight foot high and players getting across people to try to glance headers in.  It’s becoming a bit of a common trend.”

Bearsted have now drawn 10 games in all competitions since 15 November.

Stevens added: “Another draw. I think we’ve lost two games in the last 18 (since 15 November) but any other time that would be great, losing two games in 18.  I’m not sure how many we’ve drawn?  But we’ve drawn a lot of them, a lot of them from a lot of winning positions.  Again today, we’re in the lead twice, so a little bit disappointing.”

Hollands & Blair – who had changed their formation to 3-5-2 – were the more likely team to score and Bearsted have to buck their ideas up if they are to join Fisher in the play-offs at the end of the season.

Goodwin hooked the ball into substitute Bobby Dunn, who reversed pass found substitute winger Muhammed Cham, who cut into the box and his left-footed cross/shot was pushed away towards safety by Leonard, diving to his left.

Blackburn said: “I said to Mo when he went on, he’s been really patient. He’s a great lad. He’s got a great attitude, he’s probably spent more minutes on the bench than what he would’ve liked to have done but obviously when you’re playing well and you’re winning and the boys out there are doing well, it’s hard sometimes to get (him into the team).

“Some of the games have been in the balance as well, so as a manager you try to make your subs at the right time and I felt today at 2-1 down it was time to go for it a little bit and once we went two-all, I was comfortable with our shape of 3-5-2 that we changed to, so why not carry on and try to get the win?

“If somebody said to me three months ago ‘you’ll get a point away to Bearsted’, I would’ve taken it!  The teams that we’re now competing against is phenomenal effort from the lads. I can’t be disappointed, I won’t be disappointed with anything these boys turn out because I’m so proud of them.  I’m proud of what they’ve done and the togetherness the club has sown over a difficult month, especially last month and playing wise a few difficult months before Christmas but we’ve all stuck at it and we’re getting our just rewards now.”

Leonard lined up a four-man wall and stepped to his right to comfortably catch Dunn’s floated left-footed free-kick from 35-yards inside stoppage time.

Both sides are away from home for their next League outings with Stevens taking his side to fourteenth-placed Kennington.

“We played Kennington up here earlier on in the season. If they had their shooting boots on, I think we would’ve lost quite heavily actually. They outplayed us on the day. It was probably one of our worst performances of the season,” admitted Stevens.

“We’re on 3G (at Homelands Stadium, Ashford), which suits us, obviously, it will suit them but if you want to be in the play-offs, you’ve got to go away on a Wednesday night and win at Kennington, so hopefully the boys will put in a good performance.”

Blackburn, meanwhile, takes his side to Bexleyheath to take on Phoenix Sports next Saturday, a side that appear to be entering the play-off race for the first time.

Jake Goodman’s side are in tenth-place following their 2-1 win over third-placed Larkfield & New Hythe today.

Blackburn said: “I think it’s much like this one. They had a stumble and a stutter at the beginning part of the season, a bit like we did. They brought in a new manager (Goodman).

“They’ve been getting positive results but all we need to do, we’ve played a lot of teams this season, I don’t think there are any bad teams in our League. People might argue a difference but I certainly can’t remember any easy games that we’ve had, even (bottom side) Stansfeld the other week. I know they’ve not had the greatest of season and results and that was another tough game.

“But it’s about us and we’ll keep it about us and not worry about the opposition but the good thing is, I’ve told the boys that we’re playing teams in and around us, as a run-in and we can affect our own destiny and that’s what it’s about.

“Seven games to go, 21 points to play for, so let’s see what happens. Let’s see what happens. We’ll just keep the run going, stay positive, stay professional, stay disciplined, stay organised and all the things that have helped us get to where we are now and we won’t get too excited because we know at the start of the season we knew we were in a privileged position within this League in and amongst some really good teams and we’ll just keep competing and keep fighting.

“Normally by now there’s some teams that have pulled away but I think it’s credit to the strength-in-depth in this League and the coaching, the managing, the players, the ability to go and get results when probably you’re not expected to.

“We’re in a good run of form. We’ve got a bit of momentum going into the play-offs. I did this with Hythe (with Steven Watt) a few years’ ago when I was there. It’s important to have momentum going into the last half-a-dozen games of the season.

“All you want to be, you just want to be in and around it. You just want to be in contention, that’s all we want to be and what will be will be.”

With champions-elect Whitstable Town on course of winning promotion back into the Isthmian League South East Division (70 points from 28 of 36 games), there’s 10 clubs that are vying for those four play-off spots.

Fisher (52 points from 28 games), Larkfield & New Hythe (47 points from 29 games), Bearsted (46 points – 12 wins, 10 draws and six defeats) and Rusthall (45 points from 25 games) are in the play-off zone tonight.

However, Hollands & Blair (44 points – 14 wins, two draws and 13 defeats), Erith & Belvedere (43 points from 31 games), Sutton Athletic (43 points from 29 games), Punjab United (41 points from 27 games), Phoenix Sports (40 points from 28 games) and Snodland Town (40 points from 28 games) cannot be ruled out either.

Stevens, whose side lock horns with Rusthall in the Challenge Cup Final on Good Friday, 3 April (13:00 at Cray Wanderers’ Flamingo Park) wants more from his side before then.

“We probably have got to win five, maybe five or six of the eight (League games).  I mean, it would be the lowest points ever, the way it’s going at the moment.

“It’s a pretty easy four games leading up to the Final, no, listen, it’s a tough four games. We’re going to have to be better than what we were today.

“Rusthall in the Final – we beat them up here a while back 2-1 but they’re a really good side, so we’ve got five tough games coming up and we’ve got to perform.

“Hopefully we’ll get bodies back, we can rotate a little bit and keep people fresh (for the Final).

“As much as we’ve been good in the last two and a half games, we had a poor first half against Greenwich Borough on Tuesday night (a 4-3 away win in the Challenge Cup Semi-Final) but as much as we’ve been good, this performance probably mirrors a lot of our performances this year.

“We’ve not been terrible but it’s just not good enough!  Against decent sides in this League, you’ve got to perform to your potential to win games of football and we haven’t done it a lot and we keep  going but we are where we are and that’s what we keep saying to them.

“We also keep saying to them, we’re actually a lot better than that. We’re there (fourth) without actually playing that great for a lot of the season, so we’re hoping that this team, which is very good and we’ve got some very, very good players and competition in every area, we’re hoping this team will click into gear and go out and win games of football as comfortably as we think they should but we’re playing some good teams coming up too. If we’re not on it, we’ll lose games of football.”

Bearsted: Frankie Leonard, Sam Flisher, Jarred Trespaderne (Richard Jimoh 90), Jack Palmby, Ryan Blake, Sonny Jackson, James Bessey-Saldanha, Joshua Wisson (Aiden Clark 64), Jake Embery (Ashton Mitford 78), Nathan Light (Jordan Ababio 64), Samuel Stace (Anthony Adesite 78).

Goals: Jack Palmby 15, Sam Flisher 55

Booked: Nathan Light 47, Jack Palmby 64, Max MacDonald (coach) 74, Frankie Leonard 90

Hollands & Blair: Daniel Ellis, Luke Exall, Callum Flynn (Drew Briffitt 70), George Goodwin, Charlie Weston, Matthew Gething, Diekonifeoluwa Falade, Reece Gillies (Muhammed Cham 70), Ibrahim Akanbi, Kane Rowland (Bobby Dunn 70), Emmanuel Oluwasemo (Murisiku Batula 70).
Sub: Joshua Brooker

Goals: Diekonifeoluwa Falade 24, Luke Exall 72

Booked: Callum Flynn 54, Reece Gillies 83, Bobby Dunn 90

Attendance: 113
Referee: Mr Reece Cahalane
Assistants: Mr Steven Page & Mr Sheridon Grant
Observer: Mr Geoffrey Stanborough