Bearsted 4-1 Punjab United - There's some big-hitters above us but yes, you never know, we might be there, says play-off chasing Bearsted boss Kevin Stevens

Bearsted 4 – 1 Punjab United
Location	Otham Sports Ground, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG
Kickoff	06/01/2024 15:00

BEARSTED  4-1 PUNJAB UNITED
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 6 January 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Honey Lane

BEARSTED manager Kevin Stevens dedicated this win to Elyon Marshall-Katung and his family after the passing of his head coach’s father on New Years Eve.

The Bears officially joined the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division promotion race after some clinical second half finishing defeated their play-off chasing rivals at Honey Lane.

Right-winger Nathan Palmer opened the scoring with a 35-yarder to give Bearsted the lead, despite their Gravesend-based visitors’ being profligate in front of goal during the first half.

Four goals were then scored during the final 25 minutes of the game.

Palmer doubled Bearsted’s advantage on the counter-attack before central midfielder Joel Wakefield joined Palmer on five goals for the season to give the home side a clinical 3-0 lead.

Punjab United pulled a goal back through winger Cruis Byadzayo’s tenth goal of the season, before Bearsted striker Ollie Freeman beat the offside trap to emphatically score his 12^th goal of the season.

Glebe returned to the summit with 45 points on the board from their 23 (of 40) league games.

The play-off spots are held by Faversham Town (44 points from 23 games), Corinthian (42 points from 20 games), Deal Town (42 points from 19 games) and Erith Town (39 points from 22 games).

These other clubs also have intensions of grabbing a play-off place come the end of the season.

Whitstable Town (39 points from 23 games), Bearsted (37 points from 21 games), Snodland Town (35 points from 19 games), Punjab United (35 points from 21 games), Fisher (31 points from 21 games) and Lydd Town (30 points from 17 games).

Bearsted pair Phillip Headley and Daniel Melvin are both expected to return within the next couple of weeks, while Alfie Eldridge was an unused substitute after pulling his hamstring during the warm-up and Robbie Roberts is waiting to undergo a scan on his knee injury.

Punjab United trio Tunde Aderonmu (knee), Jayden Hussain (ACL) and Youssouf Bamba (knee) have been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Sam Bailey (ankle) was ruled out, while Jordan Campbell is expected to return to action in the next couple of weeks.

“I thought first-half, I’d say they probably edged it but second half we’ve gone and done what we’ve said they can do,” said Stevens.

“In the chat at half-time, we didn’t have to (have a go at them).  They knew they could go up two or three gears and I thought second half was really, really good.

“Punjab definitely had the better of the first half and second half we asked for a lot more quality, a lot more bodies in the box, a lot more combinations and they gave us that, so fair play to them.”

Punjab United boss Chipie Sian added: “We should’ve buried them first half. I thought we were the best team first half. We made one mistake but we had four or five clear-cut chances to put the game away and second half I thought we just gave them three mistakes.

“It is frustrating because we have been on a good run of form. Were they better than us today? No! We made three mistakes and we got caught so we deserved to get caught because we weren’t at the races.

“I go back to what I said to them at half-time, we should’ve been three-one up, four-one up – we had the chances!

“Listen, they’re going to be clinical if you give them the chances we gave them and that’s the most frustrating thing.  If you look at most of the game that people saw today, it was never a 4-1 game but then again fair play to them, they took their chances and we didn’t.”

Punjab United created the first opening of the scrappy opening exchanges when centre-half Stephen Ratcliff hit a speculative left-footed drive towards goal from 40-yards, which bounced into the midriff of Bearsted goalkeeper Frankie Leonard inside the opening six minutes.

But Punjab United were guilty of a glaring miss in the eleventh minute.

Andrew Dythe whipped in a cross from within the left-channel towards the back post where right-winger Wayne Bushell hooked his left-footed shot over the crossbar from a couple of yards out.

Sian said: “Two yards out and he’s got to finish! It’s rubbish! That’s all I can say, it's rubbish! We should’ve been 1-0 up and we would’ve been all over them.”

Stevens admitted: “That was one of the decent crosses they put across.  I looked around and said ‘they should be putting that in the back of the net,’ so we got away with that one there.”

However, Bearsted were gifted the lead, with 13 minutes and 10 seconds on the clock, with Punjab United losing possession while playing out from the back.

Left-back Dythe had his pocket picked by a pressing Palmer, who cut onto his right-foot and saw visiting goalkeeper Owen Bushell off his line and stroked a 35-yarder dink which dropped into the bottom far corner of an open goal.

“Nathan, funnily enough, had one against Erith Town, exactly the same thing, maybe another five-10 yards out and rushed it,” recalled Stevens, who was taking charge of his 414^th Bearsted game.

“I said to him, that’s what he’s about, those moments, those clever moments, so when he got that one today, I looked and saw where the keeper was and I thought he’s put this one in and he did and you expect Nathan to do that.”

It won’t be the only goal given away by a side playing-out-from-the-back this weekend and losing the ball in their defensive third.

Sian said: “Look, that was rubbish! We’re in the game, we’re taking it nice and easy. I told them you don’t mess around at the back with it and what do we do? We go and play one, two, three passes and he tries to take on the winger. Why? There’s no need for it. It should’ve gone down the line!

“We told them at the beginning of the game what their strengths were and we actually countered their strengths straight away.

“I don’t get our lot, I really don’t get it. There’s nothing I can say about it. It’s just stupidity, there you go, that’s the word for it, it’s stupidity!”

Punjab United’s right-back Chris Edwards stroked a right-footed free-kick arrowing over the crossbar from 35-yards, while aiming for the top left-hand corner, as both sides started this game in a cagey manner, often lacking in quality.

Bearsted struggled to create openings during the first half but Palmer did go close from distance on the half-hour mark.

A poor first touch from Punjab centre-half Stephen Ratcliff saw him give away a free-kick for a foul on Wakefield.

Holding midfielder Adam Turton drove his right-footed free-kick into the four-man wall and the ball rolled out to Palmer, who cut onto his right-foot to hit a 35-yard drive, which screamed just past the right-hand post.

Stevens said: “Turts has been one of our stand out fellas this year.  I think he’s one of the best two or three holding midfielders in the league.

“He’ll be the first to say it, I thought he was slightly off it today. I wouldn’t use the word ‘worst’ but I thought he was off it today for sure, especially with his deliveries.  That started it, started the bad deliveries and summed it up for the rest of the game, I think.”

Punjab United were to be denied by a flying save from Leonard in the 35^th minute.

Ratcliff hit a long ball which released Dythe down the left and he whipped in a quality delivery into the Bearsted box which was met first time by Wayne Bushell’s left-footed shot from 15-yards, which forced Leonard to fly to his right to push the ball towards safety.

Sian said: “It was a good save. I think he should save that anyway. It was straight at him to be honest.”

Stevens said: “Good from Frankie.  I’ve said before, he’s a young lad in goal at this level but he’s very good.  Good with his distribution, a good shot-stopper. I expect hm to save that if I’m honest but that’s his quality. You expect him to get it because he’s decent.”

Another Punjab United chance went begging, following a well-worked raid.

Nyadzayo swept the ball out to Edwards on the right, who played the ball down the line to winger Emmanuel Osei-Owusu, who delivered a deep cross towards the back post but Nyadzayo steered his header past the near-post from inside the six-yard box, much to Sian’s frustration.

“Even the cross we hit, Cruis has gone and headed it. Why?  Wayne (Bushell) is right behind him, open goal and he doesn’t call it. It is rubbish!

“Wayne is the perfect opportunity but I said why didn’t you call it? He goes ‘I had my head down’.  I hate that. It’s just stupidity because that is a goal all over.  You go in at one-all.”

A long kick from visiting goalkeeper Owen Bushell was allowed to bounce inside the Bearsted penalty area but Wayne Bushell’s free-header was straight at Leonard, who made a comfortable catch.

Stevens, who revealed he picked up his first yellow card of the season for using foul and abusive language on the stroke of half-time, was asked about his thoughts going into the interval.

“We said be patient, wait, be a bit more patient on the ball, wait for the right person to show up and don’t rush it and just stay in the game.

“We knew we had levels to go up and that’s not being disrespectful to Punjab.  I said that they’ll carry on doing the same things, which is effective, which is why they are where they are but I thought if we were patient and look after the ball a lot better, I thought we could go on and win the game.”

Sian revealed: “I had a go at them in a sense we didn’t punish them and that was my own thing about it. We need to punish them and we need to get up the pitch a little bit more.  Our back four was a staying on our line at the back so we tried to get them up a little bit.

“Other than that, carry on playing the way you’re playing because we’ll score goals. But you can’t make more mistakes because that’s why I was upset about that first goal. It just knocked us off our stride for 10 minutes, when we were on top of the game.”

Punjab United created the first chance of the second half inside the opening eight minutes.

Edwards launched a long throw in from the right, the ball was cleared away and fell nicely for Lea Dawson, who unleashed a first time drive flashing just past the foot of the right-hand post from 25-yards.

“It’s another chance, that’s the story of the game really,” admitted Sian, who conducted his post-match interview just a couple of minutes after the final whistle, while seated on the away subs bench.

Punjab United squandered a glorious chance to deservedly level proceedings with 16:10 on the clock.

Turton had his pocket picked on the half-way line by a pressing Punjab United’s holding midfielder Jack Hopkins, who ran down the heart of the pitch before feeding Osei-Owusu, whose fine through ball put Nyadzayo in on goal but he lacked composure and sliced his shot well wide of the right-hand post when he only had keeper Leonard to beat.

“I’m laughing now but it’s another great chance,” admitted Sian.

“You think he’s one on one there. He’s actually open in front of the goal and he tries to place it. It’s just rubbish. That should be buried, put your power behind it. He’s one-v-one with the keeper!

“Manny done everything right. He done excellent. He’s squared it at the right time, opened it up. This is the thing, our lot didn’t do their bit today, our front line didn’t do their bit. It’s as simple as that.”

Stevens added: “Go back to two things, Turts was off it slightly today, wouldn’t normally do that and yet again just a bad decision and that’s how teams in this league get their goals from us sometimes, which is frustrating at times.”

The miss proved vital as Bearsted hit Punjab United on the counter-attack, doubling their lead with 19 minutes and 39 seconds on the clock, as Wayne Bushell’s throw-in in a dangerous position at the other end of the pitch broke down.

The numbers were programmed into the Bearsted substitute board as Stevens was about to make a double substitution but both players sat down on the bench and had to wait a little longer before playing their part in the game.

Palmer’s first time pass released Freeman down the right. Two Punjab United defenders failed to close the Bearsted number nine down, who put it on the plate for Palmer, who produced a quality right-footed finish to sweep his shot across the keeper to find the far corner from 18-yards.

“It is exactly what we work on, combinations, breaking quickly,” revealed Stevens.

“Nathan’s got that in his locker. We played the combinations and it worked well there so yes, really pleased with that because we’re not scoring enough goals and just recently we’ve worked a bit more on the last third.

“We’ve worked hard on the last third because our goal scoring is pretty low in the league so we’ve been working on that so that’s pleasing.”

Sian added: “I’m so upset with that because it was our throw-on. We didn’t set it properly, we didn’t talk properly, they’re just standing there waiting.

“We have had no one counter us like that, yet we stand there, we take the throw, we’re not even ready and we counter and Steve (Ratcliff) dived in, I don’t get it.

“The throw is on the edge of their box. How can we get countered from there? It's another big mistake, that’s a massive mistake from us because we didn’t really allow that and I said to Wayne why did you take the throw when we’re not ready?”

The Bears next chance brought their third-goal and Stevens was delighted that their sweeping move that they worked on the training ground paid off, with 28 minutes and 18 seconds on the clock.

Debutant holding midfielder Jack Palmby fed Wakefield, who played the ball into the box for winger William Johnson-Cole, who put the ball on the plate for Wakefield, who swept his first time left-footed shot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from six-yards.

“You stand there as a manager and you love goals like that, especially when we’ve been putting a lot of work in those sort of finishes and build up’s,” said Stevens, who also handed former Sittingbourne centre-half Casey Nolan-Samuels his debut.

“We tried to get Jack Palmby, probably two months ago. I spoke to (Whitstable Town manager) Marcel Nimani about him so I knew he wasn’t getting game time. Marcel wanted to keep him because he’s a decent player and a good lad, so he went out on loan to (Isthmian League South East Division strugglers) Erith & Belvedere and they’re losing every week, so I just thought we’ll try our luck again.

“One of my coaches tried him again this week and he’s decided to come over, which I think at this time of the season is a fantastic signing, absolutely fantastic.”

Sian added: “I think that came from Steve (Ratcliff) diving in on their forward and he just turned, played it, played it, played it. Steve, you don’t dive in there. He knows that and he has put his hand up but you’ve just killed us at 3-0.  We were still in the game.”

Edwards swung in a free-kick into the Bearsted box but substitute targetman Alfie Bloomfield looped his header over the crossbar from penalty spot distance.

Sian deployed an attacking formation with four men up front with Nyadzayo (left), substitute pair Bloomfield and Paul Vines (central) and Osei-Owusu (right).

Sian explained why his side threw caution to the wind.

“We had nothing else to go for. You’ve got to go for it, you can’t just sit back and say it will be 2-1, 3-0.  I just went for it, why not? Let’s go for it.  It actually worked for a while for long periods but we didn’t get the quality in the box. Our quality was poor today, which was disappointing. Our crosses were poor, our tackles were poor and the mistakes.”

The tactic paid off as Punjab United got on the scoresheet with 32 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Osei-Owusu played a low ball in from the right to play in Nyadzayo, who held his composure to skip past the advancing Leonard and slot his shot towards the bottom far corner, despite Leonard getting back and diving in an attempt to try to claw the ball off his goal-line.

Sian said: “I think we got on top then. We played three passes and we broke them.  We done that in the first 25-30 minutes, we played three or four passes around them and we should’ve scored goals but we got a good goal there. We should’ve countered a bit more.”

Stevens added: “A little bit disappointed with that one.  Casey was shielding the ball from their player and I think maybe Frankie – he’s been good all season – but I think maybe there he should’ve been a little bit more decisive and then they don’t score a goal.  The annoying thing is, I think, that’s a gift to any opposition, a little bit disappointing on that one.”

Palmby played a 10-yard pass inside to Palmer in a central position and his right-footed drive from 30-yards was heading towards the bottom left-hand corner, before Owen Bushell dived to his right and smothered the shot and gathered at the second attempt.

“To be fair, having got the two (goals), when he shaped up to strike that, I thought he’s probably going to get it (the hat-trick), but a good strike and a good save by the keeper,” added Stevens.

Bearsted scored their 33^rd league goal of the season with 37 minutes and 20 seconds on the clock.

Turton’s through ball split open Punjab United substitute left-back Hudson Scudder and Ratcliff and put through Freeman (who was played onside by Edwards) and the Bearsted talisman held his never to emphatically drill his right-footed shot into the right-hand corner.

“That’s what Ollie’s about. He’ll frustrate you at times with being offside three times in a game but he’s playing of the shoulder and that happens sometimes but listen, Ollie will work hard, work his absolute socks off and when he does get a chance, he does put them away,” said Stevens.

“A few people level did tell us it was onside. I don’t know. They said the right-back was playing him on. It was a great finish by Ollie. He’s always making those runs.”

Sian was aggrieved that senior assistant referee Mitchell Bush kept his offside flag down.

Sian claimed: “It was rubbish, absolutely rubbish! He was way offside. We could see that from here, he was offside. It was absolutely rubbish!

“But what can I say about that? I can’t argue with them because he can then change his mind and said someone else was keeping them on. First he was on the 2 (Edwards), then he was on about the four (Jack Barry).  Everyone’s up. He was in front of everyone, how can that be? I don’t understand it, I don’t understand.”

Bearsted almost grabbed a stoppage time fifth goal with another well-worked move.

Substitute winger Jordan Tingley easily cut inside Scudder and Ratcliff to cut into the penalty area down the right before fellow substitute Alfie Craig cut the ball back for Freeman, who’s weak left-footed shot on the turn at the near-post was comfortably gathered by the Punjab United goalie at his near-post.

“I thought he had that one actually,” added Stevens, who has brought in new faces, including Nolan-Samuels, Palmby and Jacob Kalonda (Sutton Athletic).

“One of the reasons bringing Jack Palmby and one or two others in, in the last week or so, is we can get a stronger bench.

“Having someone like Jordan Tingley, who’s been playing full-back for us in the last six or seven games but he’s actually a winger and he’s very good out there as well and you expect him if he gets one-v-one with the full-back, he’ll beat them. It was a great ball and just unlucky not to finish it.”

Bearsted welcome Lydd Town to Honey Lane on Tuesday night (19:30), having beaten them away from home on Saturday 2 December.

“We beat Lydd down at their place a few weeks ago 2-1. They’re decent, very good, got Step Three players so they’ve got some good players so I expect it to be difficult as last time,” said Stevens.

“If we play like we did second half (today), I think we’re a match for anyone.”

When asked about Bearsted making the inaugural play-offs, Stevens replied: “Massive win, massive win.  You never know. I think we’ve got a young squad. We have some key players, if they get injured, can hurt us but it’s a decent squad, who I think and I know all of the coaches agree with me, on our day we can match anybody so yes, if we keep playing like we did in the second half then yes, you never know. We might be there. 

“There’s some big-hitters above us but we’re decent.  We’ve beaten one or two of them already so we’ll see where it takes us.

“I’m going to stick with I want to be in the top 10 for the first time and then we’ll see where we are but we are in a nice position, which is lovely because normally at this time of the year we’re looking at sort of fifteenth or sixteenth and we need to go on a little run just to get away from danger, so it’s a nice feeling (to be seventh tonight).”

Stevens added: “I just want to say a big shout-out to my head coach Elyon, who’s come today and thank god the boys gave him a great result. His dad passed away on New Years Eve so obviously thinking off his family and it’s great that Elyon came today and could get a nice little cheerful day from the boys so our thoughts are with you.  He said in the dressing room to the boys how much that win meant and his dad loved football so that’s for Elyon’s dad and family today.”

Sian looks forward to welcoming league leaders Glebe to the Elite Venue next Saturday (15:00) and insists Punjab United are not out of the play-off race after picking up their fourth league defeat of the season.

Glebe were 3-0 winners at home to Hollands & Blair and knocked managerless Faversham Town off the summit after caretaker manager Matthew Newman’s side were held to a 2-2 draw at home to fourteenth-placed side Tunbridge Wells.

“Listen, there’s a long way to go yet. Bearsted might be celebrating, let them celebrate, who cares. There’s a long way to go yet. We’re in the first game in January. We’ve got another 19 games,” said Sian.

“But now it’s about response.  We’ve got Glebe on Saturday, which is going to be tough.  We’ve got Welling Town on Tuesday (16 January), two home games and then we play Whitstable and then Maidstone (in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Finals), so it’s a big, big month.

“We’re good at home. We’re unbeaten at home. Listen, it’s a great achievement to be unbeaten at home.  We’re in January now.  We’ve had five home draws, those five draws we were winning every single game.  You think about it, if we’d have won three of those five we’d be top of the league, that’s how close, that’s how critical it is.

“Success will be top five, top five.  We gave them a target to hit and I still believe this group of players can get there (play-offs).

“Do I believe we can get there? Yes! Why not. You’ve got to believe in something don’t you.  People have got to believe in their teams. I believe in our team. I believe I’ve got a good group of players. We’ve got a good management team with us.

“Look, Bearsted have taken over us by two points now but it is what it is. You’ve got to get one with it.  They have got to make it harder. Are we out of the play-offs? Of course, we’re not!

“Four points is nothing. Someone get two loses, someone gets two wins, you’re in the play-offs.

“Next week, Glebe is going to be tough. They’re doing really well and I know they’ll come strong. Listen, we’ll be ready, we’ll be ready and I hope that these boys will respond and if they don’t respond, then I’ll be fuming!”

Sian confirmed that Michael Aziya has been released, while De Niro Pinto has been sent out to tenth-tier side Bridon Ropes, now managed by Lee Roots.

Bearsted: Frankie Leonard, Marvin Okundalaiye (Dennis Agbudume 73), Callum McCarthy, Adam Turton, Ryan Blake, Casey Nolan-Samuels, William Johnson-Cole, Joel Wakefield (Alfie Craig 89), Ollie Freeman, Eniola Hassan (Jack Palmby 73), Nathan Palmer (Jordan Tingley 84).
Sub: Alfie Eldridge

Goals: Nathan Palmer 14, 65, Joel Wakefield 74, Ollie Freeman 83

Booked: Ollie Freeman 44, Kevin Stevens 45 (manager)

Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Chris Edwards, Andrew Dythe (Alfie Bloomfield 55), Jack Hopkins (Arun Suman 72), Stephen Ratcliff, Jack Barry, Emmanuel Osei-Owusu, Lea Dawson, Cruis Nyadzayo, Callum Stringer (Paul Vines 55), Wayne Bushell (Hudson Scudder 72).
Sub: Ashley Probets

Goal: Cruis Nyadzayo 77

Booked: Jack Barry 12, Stephen Ratcliff 88

Attendance: 83
Referee: Mr Stephen Hughes
Assistants: Mr Mitchell Bush & Mr Samsul Hadi
Observer: Mr Brian Smith