Lordswood 3-1 Shoreham - Honestly, I can’t believe the scoreline was only 3-1 – it should’ve been probably thirteen or fourteen-one on reflection of chances, says Lordswood boss Nicky Southall

Lordswood 3 – 1 Shoreham
Location	Martyn Grove, North Dane Way, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 8YE
Kickoff	17/08/2024 15:00

LORDSWOOD  3-1  SHOREHAM
The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 17 August 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from North Dane Way

LORDSWOOD manager Nicky Southall claims his side should have racked up a cricket score during their dominant FA Cup victory over a poor Shoreham side as the Medway outfit reached the First Qualifying Round for the first time since 2005.

Lordswood went into the tie sitting in sixth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having beaten Corinthian (2-1) and Fisher (4-1) before losing 2-1 away to ten-man Bearsted in midweek.

Michael Death’s side have lost to Peacehaven & Telscombe (0-2), Loxwood (1-3) and Crowborough Athletic (1-3) and picked up their first point of the season with a goal-less draw at home to Midhurst & Easebourne in midweek and arrived here sitting in the bottom three of the Southern Combination Premier.

Lordswood beat their relegated league rivals Erith & Belvedere 1-0 at the first hurdle of The FA Cup, while Shoreham claimed a 2-0 win at Peacehaven & Telscombe.

Profligate Lordswood created 17 decent goalscoring chances, squandering 11 of them by the time that Shoreham scored a freak own-goal on their behalf through centre-half Levi Martin in the 70^th minute, in temperatures of 23 degrees.

Striker Elliott Duncan came off the bench to bundle home a second goal before Shoreham scored a consolation goal when holding midfielder’s Tom Howard-Bold’s free-kick squirmed in courtesy of a blunder from recalled goalkeeper Lee Kidman.

But Lordswood ensured there was not to be a midweek replay when substitute Harry Fleming drilled in a late third.

“Honestly, I can’t believe the scoreline was only 3-1 – it should’ve been probably thirteen or fourteen-one on reflection of chances,” admitted Southall, 52.

“Their keeper, I know he’s made a mistake for the first goal. It had to be something like that to be fair. I’ve never seen a goal quite like it where the keeper’s tried to play out from the back and he’s just kicked it at his own player and it went into the net. Just sums up the craziness of this game at times.

“That sort of settled us and we started playing and got the ball wide and a bit more quality in the final third.”

Lordswood’s first chance arrived with three minutes and 47 seconds on the clock when right-back George Miles launched the first of four long throws into the Shoreham box.

The ball was cleared out to centre-half Danny Keyte, who lashed a first time drive high over the crossbar from 16-yards.

Jake Embery slipped the ball along the deck into striker Matthew Gething, who stroked a first-time left-footed drive from 20-yards, forcing Shoreham keeper Elliot Dailly into diving to his right to push the shot towards safety.

Callum Peck - who played behind the front three of Bradley Schafer (hole) and twin strike partners Gething and Jake Embery – fed Schafer before Peck dragged his right-footed shot past the left-hand post from 25-yards, a central position.

“We started really well. I can’t fault the boys,” said former Gillingham midfielder Southall, who has played at every level from the Premier League right down to the Isthmian League South East Division for Whitstable Town and is managing at this level for the first time.

“We played a diamond and their boys on the sidelines couldn’t work the shape out. We moved the ball, we rotated really well and we looked comfortable at the back and the chances kept coming!”

Shoreham – who were thrashed 5-0 at Crowborough Athletic on the final day of last season – weathered the early storm before Lordswood missed a glorious chance to take the lead in the 21^st minute.

Resilient centre-half William Currie swept a long ball forward from the half-way line by the right touch-line, the ball was knocked down in the box by Mobolaji Dawodu and the ball dropped for Schafer to smash his shot straight at spread-out goalkeeper Dailly.

“I said to Jake, I know you’re trying to blast it, I thought he’s trying to blast the ball into the net. He’s just has to have a little bit of quality and just place the ball in there,” explained Southall.

“I would rather see him that have composure and just roll the ball in the goal rather than looking good.”

Lordswood kept knocking on the door and missed another glaring chance, following their fourth of 14 corners.

Left-back Nico Cotton raised two arms before swinging in a left-footed delivery from the right towards the back post where Embery hooked the ball from within a crowd of players and Dawodu failed to apply the finishing touch close to the goal-line, allowing Dailly to beat the ball out to his right.

Referee Brian Taylor gave Shoreham an uncontested drop ball inside the Lordswood half and Howard-Bold pinged a long diagonal over to winger Harley Damario on the right.

The ineffective winger put the ball in towards the near post where impressive right-winger Muhammad Wilson rose to guide his header bouncing into Kidman’s gloves for a comfortable gather beside the post in the 34^th minute.

Southall said: “All the time you don’t take your chances, you always leave yourself to a sucker-punch.  Listen, football’s crazy, I’ve been in the game long enough. A shot, deflection, a crazy own goal like we’ve just seen from them, so we guarded against that and on a hot day, I think both teams it was a good Cup tie in the end. A good crowd as well and we look forward to playing (a friendly) against Gillingham (at home) on Tuesday (19:45).

This was the start of a five minute spell from the Sussex side with Currie going into the notepad after catching Wilson and Howard-Bold drilled a right-footed free-kick towards the top right-hand corner from 35-yards, which was comfortably caught by Kidman above his head.

Joshua Gould swung in a left-footed corner from the right and Martin came up from the back and sent his towering header over the crossbar, leaving his head in his hands in despair.

Cotton floated in the home side’s sixth-corner in stoppage time and Gething towered over Shoreham centre-half Billy Green and the ball flew over the top of the left-hand post.

Lordswood were guilty of lacking quality when it needed, leaving Southall a frustrated figure.

He said: “I said at half-time, we’ve got to up the quality in front of goal.  We’ve got to win the game 12 or 13, the amount of chances we had but we’ve got to give them credit, they’ve travelled a long way as well, they stuck in it.

“I felt we played really well, just had to up the quality, move the ball, the ball speed was key I think.  On a hot day you’ve got to move that ball across the pitch by moving the ball quick. Team’s can’t get across the pitch and block passing lanes and if you do that all of a sudden we can get that ball into the 10 and get on the front foot moving forwards.”

Lordswood also started the second half on the front foot and a poor backwards pass from Gould was played straight to an unmarked Peck, who unleashed a left-footed drive crashing against the left-hand post from 10-yards inside the opening four minutes.

Southall said: “Again, I can’t fault it.  Everything but the ball going in the back of the net for whatever reason, it was just going to be one of those games where the first goal was going to be like the one scored – a mistake or a freak.

“We’ll be doing a lot of finishing in the next few weeks in training.”

Gething – who linked up well with his attacking team-mates – played a fine through ball which split open Martin and right-back Howell to put Shafer through on goal but Dailly rushed off his line and bravely smothered the ball at the feet of the former Hythe Town man.

Martin committed a foul and Peck floated a free-kick into Shoreham’s penalty area and Dawodu steered his header over the crossbar.

Cotton swung in Lordswood’s tenth corner of the game in the 62^nd minute and Dawodu threw his head at the ball to plant his header over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.

Schafer was guilty of committing miss of the season with 20:14 on the clock, as Lordswood missed their 11^th chance of the game.

The vocal Kidman launched a clearance up field, the ball was flicked on by Gething on the half-way line close to the left touchline and this released Cotton, who easily cut inside Shoreham right-back Howell and put it on a plate for Schafer at the back post, who slid in to poke his right-footed shot past the base of the right-hand post from a couple of yards.

“Again, it was harder to miss than to put the ball in the net,” admitted Southall.

“You just think ‘oh my god, not another one, how many more?!’ and you’re just sitting there waiting for something to pop down at the other end.”

When asked what was going through his mind at the time, Southall replied: “I didn’t want to talk to the players! There was a water break then and the players came over and I said ‘I don’t want to talk to them.”

Assistant manager Ross Wiles and coach Sam Wilson gave the team instructions, confirmed Southall.

“I was in a mood because I just couldn’t believe the number of chances we were squandering.  You don’t get a fraction of those chances generally and to miss the amount of chances that we’ve missed in front of goal – I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”

Shoreham gifted Lordswood the lead, with 24 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock, without the Kent side touching the ball.

Goalkeeper Dailly drilled a right-footed goal-kick, the ball hit the back of Martin outside the box and bounced into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

Southall said: “It’s a freak isn’t it, you can’t compensate (for a goal like that).  Their manager could be sitting there ‘wow, I’ve never seen anything like it’.

“I’ve been involved in football for 35 years and I’ve never seen a goal like that, so it’s a first for me.  Listen, we’ll take it. We’ll take any goal at this present time.”

The breakthrough made Lordswood relax and ease the pressure and they played with much more freedom for the rest of the game.

Southall said: “It did relax us, once we got that goal we showed that little but more belief and quality. I think it knocked the stuffing out of them as well, but we went on and got a fully deserved victory.  I would’ve been very disappointed if it went to a replay or we even lost it, put it that way.”

Schafer dragged his low shot across the keeper and past the far post just 149 seconds after the own goal.

Southall threw on striker Duncan in the 75^th minute and he was also wasteful inside the six-yard box from set-pieces.

Peck swung in the home side’s 11^th corner of the game, from the left and Duncan steered his header across the goalkeeper and past the far post with his first touch of the game.

Lordswood produced a well-worked move (42:06) when Fleming fed Gething, who played Duncan in behind but his right-footed shot was blocked by the outstretched right-leg of the Shoreham goalkeeper.

Southall said: “Listen, we’ve got really good options up top.  I think the three that we’ve got, (Matthew) Gething is obviously proven at this level.  Jake (Embery) is proven at the level above.  Elliott (Duncan) proven at this level, so there’s good options.

“Elliott has been a bit patient. It’s not easy when you’re coming off the bench because I am loyal to players and a system. I’m just really pleased that he’s come on and scored.”

Lordswood finally doubled their lead with 43 minutes and 18 seconds on the clock, with a well-worked move.

Dawodu played the ball into Fleming, who played a reverse pass out to substitute left-back Robert Myles, who whipped in a low cross towards the back post for Duncan to bundle the ball over the line, via the base of the far post, from a couple of yards out. Literally, the same blade of grass where Schafer missed earlier on.

“A good cross from Rob, got down that left-hand side, again good options at full-backs. We’ve got Nico (Cotton), who played well, and we’ve got Rob. It was a great cross, a bit of quality that we’re looking for. We got the goal at the back stick. I’m really pleased with it,” said Southall.

Shoreham didn’t create much in open play and they pulled a goal back from a set-piece 49 seconds into stoppage time (49:19 and 51:44, two water breaks, four goals and nine substitutions).

Captain Howard-Bold stroked a right-footed free-kick over the wall from 30-yards and Kidman should have gathered the ball as he dived low to his left.  However, he allowed the ball to go underneath him and nestle inside the bottom far corner.

“We got sloppy from a free-kick.  I told the goalkeeper he’s got to do better. He said he slipped and it went underneath his gloves but he’s ruined it for himself because it was a clean-sheet for him and goalkeeper’s want clean-sheets,” said Southall.

“We changed the goalkeeper because Leighton Fanshawe was cup-tied and Aaron Lee-Wharton’s broken his finger so Lee came in and deputised really well. All his handling and his kicking was good but we just let ourselves down with the set-piece.

“it’s just a straight shot over the wall in the middle of the goal and he has to do better with it. He knows that and I’ve told him that and he’s put his hands up.”

Lordswood notched their third goal – following their 17^th chance – with 46:58 on the clock.

Gething laid the ball back to an unpressed Fleming, who drilled a first time right-footed drive screaming into the left-hand corner from 30-yards.

“Goal of the game, it was goal of the game, move of the game, best bit of quality of the game,” said Southall.

“He’s got that in abundance. I brought Harry in, we had a trial game pre-season and he came in and scored a hat-trick in a trial game.

“Do you know what, he’s got a bit of quality about him. His pass selection is really good. It was a great strike and probably goal of the season so far for us.”

This is only the third time in Lordswood’s history that they have reached The FA Cup First Qualifying Round, previously losing 4-0 at Windsor & Eton (2001) and losing 2-1 here to AFC Totton back in 2005.

“It’s good. No I didn’t know that, thank you for saying that,” said Southall, when told about the club’s FA Cup history.

“The FA Cup means everything doesn’t it.  Prize money (£2,569 for two FA Cup wins) its status. It’s good for players, it’s good for confidence.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get to two Quarter-Finals and I always love The FA Cup.

“When I was a kid I always wanted to win The FA Cup, when you’re playing on a schoolyard or when you’re playing on the park with your mates.

“I’ve had an unbelievable association with The FA Cup.  The goals I’ve scored and the appearances I’ve made. I’m lucky enough to do well in The FA Cup and I love it and to get through to the next round and see where we go with that and get a decent draw and get a decent crowd here, we look forward to it.”

Lordswood continue with their cup exploits when they travel to Chessington to play lower-league Banstead Athletic in The FA Vase First Qualifying Round next Saturday 24 August (15:00).

Banstead Athletic are in the bottom four of the Southern Combination League Premier Division table, having picked up one point from their opening four games.

The A’s lost 2-0 away to Mile Oak today in the tenth tier.

“We’ve got to go now and look forward to The FA Vase at the weekend against Banstead away, which won’t be easy.  They play at Chessington now, so we’re on our travels at the weekend and we’ve got to try to get through to the next round,” said Southall.

“It’s always good having cup runs. It’s good for confidence and it’s good for morale. It’s good for getting headlines in papers, so it’s all positive tonight.

“It won’t be easy. I don’t think they’ve had the best start but we’ve got to go there, we’ve got to earn the right to win the game and earn the right to play and hopefully our quality will come out on top.

“Luke Carey joined in training on Thursday, so we’ll see how he goes.  Hopefully he might be ok for the Gillingham game on Tuesday night.”

Lordswood: Lee Kidman, George Miles (Bradley Jeffrey 86), Nico Cotton (Robert Myles 87), Jarred Trespaderne, William Currie, Danny Keyte, Callum Peck (Harry Fleming 82), Mobolaji Dawodu, Matthew Gething, Jake Embery, Bradley Schafer (Elliott Duncan 75).
Subs: Quadri Green, Jacob Strouts

Goals: Levi Martin 70 (own goal), Elliott Duncan 89, Harry Fleming 90

Booked: William Currie 38

Shoreham: Elliot Dailly, Max Howell (Mayckol Sabino 76), Belal Ouachan, Tom Howard-Bold, Levi Martin, Billy Green, Muhammad Wilson (Aiden Eckworth-Jones 89), Jack Nicholls (Samory Dougnaglo 77), Alfie Mitchell (Dylan Douglas 77), Joshua Gould, Harley Damario (Luke O’Neill 84).
Sub: Charlie Hatch

Goal: Tom Howard-Bold 90

Booked: Alfie Mitchell 16, Joshua Gould 54, Harley Damario 77, Billy Green 78

Attendance: 98
Referee: Mr Brian Taylor
Assistants: Mr Piotr Zachwieja & Mr Billy Stevens