Chatham Town 1-0 Godalming Town - Miles hails his Lyons King - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Saturday 07th April 2007

CHATHAM TOWN 1-0 GODALMING TOWN
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 7^th April 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Maidstone Road

James Lyons scored his third - and most crucial - goal of the season as Chatham Town eased their relegation fears at Maidstone Road today.

The central midfielder, 20, scored the only goal of this relegation dog-fight as the Medway side moved five points clear of the drop zone with only four games left.

And with fellow Kentish strugglers Ashford Town winning 2-1 at Molesey, thanks to a brace from Steve Sodje and a penalty save from under-fire Jake Whincup, Godalming Town are now back in the bottom two and are destined for a return to the Combined Counties League.

Without their leading goalscorer, 12-goal Rob Denness, whose season ended last weekend having broken his collarbone, and Gavin Schulz, whose on loan from Ramsgate, Chatham were forced into playing Mark Brooks and Shane Suter as emergency strikers.

Drew Watkins’ injury-hit campaign ended weeks ago with his ankle ligament injury, and Chatham were still without Mike McKenna (broken wrist) and Danny White (groin).

But Chatham had the right blend of experienced players in John Whitehouse, Tom Binks, Danny Larkin, Steve Best and Darren Smith, amongst their determined kids.

Chatham knew they had to win this game to move five points clear of today’s opponents - thanks to a little help from www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

We presented under-pressure boss Phil Miles with a written piece of paper prior to the game with the league table, who Godalming have still got to play, and a gentle reminder that if they can beat league leaders Maidstone United, they can beat their relegation rivals.

And that, along with Miles’ own pre-match motivation speech, put his side in determined mood as they fought hard for every ball and won their individual battles on a rock hard pitch.

Today’s game was never going to be pretty – it was all about getting those vital three points.

And Chatham’s first attempt on goal, after eleven minutes, was greeted with news that Ashford Town had taken the lead at Molesey through Sodje’s opener.

Back here though, Smith’s chipped free-kick into the penalty box was met by a glancing header from Best, but his effort was never going to trouble Andy Parkinson in goal.

Chatham went closer in the 23^rd minute when Smith whipped in a right-footed cross from the left and this was met by Rob Goodger’s towering header but the former Herne Bay man cleared the crossbar.

But six minutes later the Medway side tested Parkinson.

Lyons played the ball to Smith and the former Tonbridge Angels’ midfielder unleashed an angled right-footed curler, which Parkinson did well to tip over the crossbar.

News that Whincup had thwarted Molesey from the penalty spot came as soon as Suter’s drilled left-footed shot from 35-yards was comfortably picked up by Parkinson after 41 minutes here.

Godalming, who had a total of four players booked by Maidstone Referee Mr Stuart Butler, also lost their player-manager, Roger Steer, inside stoppage time when he was asked to leave his technical area after disputing an offside decision.

With the Surrey side feeling the pressure, Chatham ended the half by playing some nice, slick passing football.

Smith’s shot across the goal-mouth took a wicked bounce off the rock hard pitch and the ball just evaded Suter who slid in at the foot of the far post.

Good news at the interval, however, as both Chatham and Ashford were both out of the drop zone with Godalming joining Corinthian-Casuals in the bottom two.

With 52 minutes gone here, news had filtered through that Whincup was beaten at the Herds Renault Stadium, and the pressure was back on both Kent sides.

And when Sodje scored Ashford’s second vital goal in Surrey, Chatham did exactly the same, scoring the only goal of the game here after 59 tense minutes.

Great play from Bradley King on the right-hand side, as he played the ball to Lyons some thirty-yards from goal.

Lyons brought the ball under control with his chest before bursting into the penalty area, where he beat two defenders, and from an acute angle he coolly rolled the ball past Parkinson.

Lyons had just scored the £100,000 goal – revenue his club will at least bank by staying in the Ryman League next season.

Substitute Tyran James, who had replaced Craig Govey (knee) after just eighteen minutes, unleashed a right-footed drive from 20-yards that floated past the far post via a defender.

At the other end, Jon Boswal’s right-footed half-volley curled past the far post.

Liam Grier thirty-yarder was comfortably dealt with by Whitehouse, who then saw Godalming’s skipper James Marriner blaze over with a left-footed shot from 20-yards as the visitors applied some desperate pressure late on.

However, Chatham should have wrapped up the game on the break with three minutes remaining.

Brooks sprinted past defender Mark Steer and rolled the ball to an unmarked Schulz but the Ram lost his composure and rolled his twenty-yard shot straight into Parkinson’s grateful arms.

With the Surrey side pushing men forward, Whitehouse was immense when called upon, plucking balls out of the air and ensuring that Chatham collected their ninth and most important win of their campaign so far.

Godalming are unlikely to collect at least six points from their last four games to maintain their Ryman League status, playing against Fleet Town (home), Kingstonian (away), Tooting & Mitcham United (away) and at home to Hastings United on the final day of the season.

But the pressure is lifted on Miles, who believes his side can still take points off Dartford (away on Easter Monday), Leatherhead (home), Horsham YMCA (away) and at home to Molesey on the final day.

“I just felt today we dominated most of the game but unfortunately the final third, we just wasn’t clinical enough,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after this vital win.

“I asked for a performance,” he added. “I felt today it was about which team wanted to win it more and although they battled really well, I just felt that we just showed we wanted it just a little bit more than them today.”

Miles praised Bradley King, just seventeen, for his excellent display.

“He’s a good player. He’s a young, up and coming right-back,” he said.

“We put him on a contract because we rate him highly and we think he’s going to be of the huge players for many years to come at the club – he was fantastic again today.”

And Miles was grateful for the motivational piece of paper that www.kentishfootball.co.uk gave him before this “six-pointer” showdown.

“Yes. I read it to them - I’ll give you the credit for that. Yes it helped. It gave us an idea on what we needed to do,” he said.

“But we know if we keep picking up points here and there, we’re going to be safe and them three points today has pushed us towards safety a little bit quicker than expected.”

Today’s win might ensure that Chatham will be playing Sittingbourne next season – rather than neighbouring Lordswood in the Kent League.

“No disrespect to the Kent League but we don’t want to be in the Kent League, said Miles.

“We need to be in this league because everyone at this club has worked so hard to get into the league and we don’t want to lose it.”

And Miles was full of praise for his Lyons heart, James.

“I’m pleased for Jim because it’s a tough position to get into centre midfield at this club because you’ve got Steve Best and Darren Smith,” he said.

“No-one questions Jim’s ability. He’s still only young, it’s only his second season involved in the first team on a regular basis but he’s maturing into a good player.

“He showed that today. He got the ball, done exactly what we asked of him and he took his goal fantastically!

“I’m really pleased for Jim but I’m pleased for everyone.

“It’s been a bit doom and gloom around the club not knowing what next season’s going to hold for you but hopefully that’s going to secure us a little bit.

“I know we’ve got other games to play and results can go against us but we’ve done ourselves a good favour today by winning.”

Miles feels one more win will cement their second season in the Ryman League Division One South.

Goalscoring hero Lyons added that his team-mates showed a “lot of desire” during this high-pressure clash.

“Needed it for the team, didn’t we?” he said. “A great team performance.

”We need to get as far away (from the relegation zone) as we can. I think we’re in a false position anyway from how we play but I think we showed it today.

“We showed a lot of heart and desire today.”

The only downside today was the poor crowd of just 123. People of Medway, support your local team!

Chatham Town: John Whitehouse, Tom Binks, Bradley King, Rob Goodger, Danny Larkin, Steve Best (Sam Groombridge 79), Darren Smith, Mark Brooks, Shane Suter, James Lyons, Craig Govey (Tyran James 18).
Subs: Sam Phillips, James Holder, Glen Winter-Nolan.

Booked: Shane Suter 81, Darren Smith 90

Goal: James Lyons 59

Godalming Town: Andy Parkinson, Matt Steer, Shaun Elliott, James Mariner, Martin Beard (Alex Penfold 87), Chris Boulter, Joe Chandiram, Liam Grier, Shaun Lydon, Jon Boswal, Richard Way (Ahmed Tchankou 74).
Subs: Glen Stanley, Roger Steer, Jamie Laister.

Booked: Richard Way 15, Matt Steer 28, Joe Chandiram 39, Shaun Elliott 81.

Sent off: Player-manager Roger Steer was sent off from the technical area 45.

Attendance: 123
Referee: Mr Stuart Butler (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Ronald Albert (Catford) & Mr Aji Ajobola (Abbey Wood)