Rusthall 3-4 Corinthian - I put more pressure on myself than anything because I don't want this club to fail, says Rusthall boss Jimmy Anderson, who admits home form is 'terrible'

Rusthall 3 – 4 Corinthian
Location	Jockey Farm Stadium, Nellington Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8SH
Kickoff	10/09/2024 19:45

RUSTHALL  3-4  CORINTHIAN
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 10 September 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Jockey Farm Stadium

RUSTHALL manager Jimmy Anderson says he has put more pressure on himself because he doesn’t want this club to fail as their terrible home form continues as they embark on yet another relegation dog-fight.

This was Rusthall’s 199^th game in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division and the club have won 41 of them, while this was their 100^th game at home and they have only won 20, a win ratio of just 20 percent over five seasons and seven games this term.

Rusthall in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division:

2017-18   Played 38 - 7 Wins - 3 Home Wins in 19 - Final Position 19/20
2018-19   Played 38 - 5 Wins - 2 Home Wins in 19 - Final Position 19/20
2021-22   Played 38 - 7 Wins - 4 Home Wins in 19 - Final Position 18/20
2022-23   Played 38 - 16 Wins - 7 Home Wins in 19 - Final Position 6/20
2023-24   Played 40 - 5 Wins - 4 Home Wins in 20 - Final Position 19/21
2024-25   Played  7   - 1 Win -  0 Home Wins in 3 - Current Position 19/20 

Rusthall slumped a place to second-from-bottom in this ninth-tier division, having picked up five points (one win, two draws) from their seven games, while Corinthian climbed up five places into the top eight, having picked up 10 points (three wins, one draw) from their six league outings.

Only seven of Rusthall’s 16 man squad made it to Jockey Farm Stadium within an hour before kick-off and debutant Corinthian striker Henry Arnold scored twice inside the opening 14 minutes on a rain lashed night.

Rusthall pulled a goal back through left-wing-back Jack Lyons eleven minutes before the interval, before the home side came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half with centre-half Robbie Bissett heading home from a corner before striker Charlie Clover scored against his former club.

However, Rusthall’s advantage was wiped out after only 108 seconds when central midfielder Richie Atkins scored his first goal for Corinthian, before left-wing-back Alexander Jack Billings scored a sublime 35-yarder to win it.

Anderson handed former Merstham goalkeeper Endurance Johnson, 20, his debut and his first start of the season, since his departure from Isthmian League South East Division side Merstham.

Serine Sanneh was given compassionate leave to attend a funeral, while 24-year-old attacker Yassin Fares came off the bench following a spell out of the game and having an operation in Italy, while Jack Smith was playing his first game of the season having recovered from a knee injury.

Rusthall’s players have to start showing more commitment and professionalism instead of casually walking into the stadium late.  The home club can expect a League fine as the team-sheet was handed to referee Thomas Nicholls 11 minutes late at eleven minutes past seven.

Rusthall manager Anderson emerged from the home dressing room at 22:33 and faced the questions honestly after his side extended their winless run to seven games in all competitions.

“I thought it was a terrible game, obviously we’ve lost, they’ve won.  I feel like both teams have given each other chances,” said Anderson.

“I don’t know, we’re in a bit of a moment at the minute where we can’t buy a win and I didn’t think we played well at all. I don’t think we worked hard enough.”

Corinthian manager Michael Golding said: “Carnage, absolutely carnage!  Obviously, we’re pleased to come away with maximum points. It was important after Saturday (losing 1-0 at home to Holmesdale) to bounce back.

“Two-nil up, I thought we started really, really well.  They changed formation and we didn’t really deal with that.  I thought they were good on the ball, they’re not very good defensively and you can exploit them.

“We came out after half-time and gave away two terrible goals and fair credit to the boys, they’ve then come back and showed a little bit of character, a lot of character to them come back and win it.

“The goal from Jack (Billings) to win it is exactly what Jack does – it’s ridiculous – he’s that kind of player.”

Golding was asked about Rusthall’s 20 percent home win League ratio.

“I like it down here, the set-up is good. The pitch was in fantastic condition. The club deserve a lot of credit for that. It’s taken a lot of rain and the pitch is beautiful.

“On the pitch, they’ve got some young technical players and some of their attacking play is very, very good but how much do they want to win games of football will be my question? Are they content with just passing it and looking pretty and doing all the right things but do they have enough nous to go and win it?

“I suppose when you’ve got young players, similar to ourselves, that’s always difficult but that’s my question.  You always feel with a Rusthall side that you can over-power them and you can catch them on the transition but I was unaware of the poor record if I’m honest.”

Reflecting on Rusthall’s home form, Anderson admitted: “It’s terrible. It’s terrible! We need to try to get a win, plain and simple, try and get a win.  I can’t honestly, I don’t know (why we can’t win at home).

“The surface here is brilliant and I don’t know what is happening. We can’t buy a win here for some mental reason, so hopefully we can change that soon.

“It’s been the story of our season so far. I can’t say that we should’ve won or we should’ve lost tonight. At the minute we’re not controlling games enough for my liking. The players I’ve got, they should be stamping their authority on the game a lot more.”

Rusthall created their first opening with six minutes and 56 seconds on the clock.

Bissett’s throw bounced over Jack Kirby’s head and Alexander Jack Billings intercepted the ball but Kirby did well to win the ball back, before hitting a cross into the box which was met by Clover’s header inside the six-yard box, which looped over the top left-hand corner.

Alexander Jack Billings threw the ball to Corinthian striker Mefose Esumobi, who cut inside and onto his right-foot but his 25-yarder was comfortably gathered by Johnson to prevent the ball finding the bottom left-hand corner.

“Mefose came from our under 23s. He turned up pre-season and we liked the look and he came and joined in with us after a session or two,” said Golding, who performs miracles putting a competitive side together every season, despite working without a playing budget.

“He’s scored five goals and got four assists in his first couple of games. He’s dried up a little bit but he’s back with an assist tonight.

“You can see what he offers.  He’s a big, strong lad. He’s only 19 years old and he’s got a hell of a lot to learn. He does some really, really good stuff. He does some stuff that he needs to improve on.

“The difficulty we have as soon as somebody starts scoring for Corinthian, it attracts attention and already people are sniffing around him but he’s turned down the first couple of approaches and hopefully he can buy into what we’re doing and he can improve and learn with us.  He’s got all of the characteristics and all the attributes to go and kick on and play at a good level.”

Anderson revealed the reasons behind handing Johnson his debut, a keeper who failed to impress despite playing one level higher last season.

“Serine (Sanneh) has gone to a funeral abroad, so we had to get somebody in. Endurance was playing for Merstham so he hasn’t been playing recently.

“I felt he did alright. I felt he made some good saves but ultimately as well I felt like he could potentially do better with some goals as well.

“The surface, the weather, there’s been a few, people might say a few hit and hopes and they’ve crept into corners.

“I think if I’m being honest both managers are disappointed with certain individuals and team performances tonight and I don’t think either team was that great.”

Corinthian grabbed the lead during the second phase of their first of four corners, with the goal coming with 11 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock.

Oscar Housego – who played behind strikers Esumobi and Arnold – swung the ball in with his right-foot from the right before the ball was cleared back to him.

Housego easily got the better off Smith, before Arnold easily cut inside two Rusthall players along the 18-yard line before cutting in and placing a left-footed shot across the diving Johnson to find the bottom left-hand corner with a clinical finish.

“Really composed finish. Harry’s just joined us (having left league leaders VCD Athletic).  He’s only had one training session, then he went away on holiday, so we had to wait to get it over the line but he was available tonight,” revealed Golding.

“I think he showed a little bit of class that he’s got.  The first finish was very, very good. Oscar’s vital with everything that we do.  You come away from home after a poor result on Saturday, you get yourself 1-0 up early on and hopefully that settles your nerves.

“I thought we actually started quite well and then we were fortunate enough to then kick on and get the second.”

Anderson added: “We lost possession, I think Tarik (Ibrahaim) lost it in the wrong area. One long ball, we know what they’re all about. They just got it and smashed it forward. They’ve got the two boys up front, who were quite lively, play on the shoulder and they’ve won it and scored.  I think it’s a nice finish in the bottom corner to be fair.”

Clinical Corinthian – with a well-oiled 5-2-1-2 formation - doubled their lead with only 13 minutes and 54 seconds on the clock.

Hugo Taylor – the fourth defender from left-to-right – clipped a long ball down the right from close to the half-way line to release Esumobi, who easily cut inside Rusthall centre-half Frank Griffin, before picking out an unmarked Arnold, who hit a left-footed drive, which deflected off Daniel Blunn and beat the hapless Johnson.

“Really good move down the right-hand side. We exploited the space, getting in behind their wing-backs, a good ball from young Hugo. Mefose really opened up and caused them a lot of problems and he had that little bit of quality to pick Henry out and Henry’s put it away,” said Golding.

“We even had an overload at the back post. Jack Billings had got to the back post.  Two-nil up away from home and it was a really positive start.”

Anderson added: “Exactly the same.  Charlie’s lost the ball in the final third. One long ball like you said and they’ve played on the shoulder and hit us with two goals over the top.

“I felt like there was so much time still left in the game and you can kind of tell neither team really grabbed the game. They didn’t have control of the game so I felt like there was always goals in it.”

Rusthall went close to pulling a goal back at the half-way point.

Bissett launched the ball out of defence before Clover cut inside right-wing-back Simon Walton before dinking the ball to striker Steadman Callender, who swept the ball out to Kalani Barton, the left-wing-back drilling a low angled drive past the foot of the post.

Corinthian captain Jamie Billings was penalised for handball and organised a high-line for Lyons to float the resulting free-kick into the Corinthian penalty area and Bissett steered his free-header harmlessly wide of the far post.

Rusthall gave themselves a lifeline by scoring their first goal of the night with 33 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock.

Frank Griffin – who plays as the central of three centre-halves – crossed the halfway line before sweeping the ball out to Lyons on the left.  He cut inside before rolling a right-footed shot against the base of the near-post, the ball trickling along the goal-line before nestling inside the opposite corner of the net.

“The conditions play a part as well and obviously when Jack scores and gets us back into the game, I felt like it was going to happen.  We could’ve done with it happening a little bit sooner so we can try to get another one before half-time,” said Anderson.

“Probably a hit and hope but it’s a great finish by Jack. I think Michael would probably say their keeper probably should do better and could do better.”

Golding admitted: “I thought Nathan should’ve done better.  It came from Jamie Billings’ put a cross into the box at the other end when Mefose’ not done well enough and Jack Lyons has come out with the ball.  On the next transition Frank Griffin run through the whole middle of the pitch unopposed and then they work it out to the right and they’ve come back across and then the goal goes in.

“They’ll say it was a well-worked goal and that’s what football is all about. I’d say it’s poor from our perspective in terms of we’ve been opened up, which is never nice to admit but I actually think the finish, Nathan, probably upon reflection should do more.”

Corinthian doubled up on Lyons and was tripped by Watson and Callender was denied an equaliser with 43:15 on the clock.

Griffin was due to take the free-kick on the corner of the penalty area but Callender pulled rank and whipped in a quality right-footed curling free-kick towards the top far corner, only for Nathan Boamah to stick out his right hand to flick the ball over his crossbar.

Anderson insists the five-goal Callender should be doing much better and wants more from his experienced SCEFL campaigner, who hasn’t hit the heights like he did for Erith Town in the past.

“Good save by their keeper, it was going in. It would’ve been good to have scored just before half-time and go in two-all,” said Anderson.

“He’s doing ok. He could do better, like all my players at the minute. He’s doing ok. He’s scored in both cups, so he hasn’t scored in the League yet. He’s scoring but we’d like him and every player in my team, we need more from him.”

Golding added: “Nathan’s moved his feet well and that’s what Nathan is capable off. He’s a young lad, he played the whole season last year, he’s up to 60 appearances for us for a 19-year-old, which is really, really good.

“Stead’s been around for years. I like Steads a lot as a player and Nathan’s moved his feet well and he’s dealt with that but that’s what he’s there to do.”

Both manager’s were asked their thoughts at the break, which included a downpour to make it a miserable Tuesday night out for the 117 fans.

Anderson said: “I said to them, I felt like we were more than capable of going on and winning the game. 

“I felt we were well in the game. I felt there were going to be mistakes made in the second half from both teams but we needed to tighten it up and not lose possession in the areas we lost them in the first half and it’s going to be hard but you don’t want to lose them in your defensive line.

“But also we changed the formation three times tonight but the way we were trying to play, whenever we lose the ball we needed to get in behind it so I kind said keep playing, there’s loads of time and try to come out and have a right go at it.”

Golding added: “Keep it tight for 10 minutes! I think that’s all you need to know, try and keep it tight, take the sting out of the game. They’re going to come out, they finished the half really well to be fair to them.  Try to manage it a little bit.

“We know how they play, they’re going to be expansive and they’re going to leave gaps the more the game goes on and then can we pick them off.

“We were worried about Henry (Arnold’s) fitness, he’s just come back from holiday and only had one session with us and Mefose as well. Can we exploit these gaps as and when they come. Obviously it didn’t work because they didn’t listen to a word we said!”

Rusthall were more likely to score the next goal and they deserved their equaliser when it arrived just 252 seconds into the second half, following their fifth corner of the game.

Griffin swung in a quality delivery from the left with his right-foot and his former Tunbridge Wells team-mate, Bissett had the easiest task of burying his downward header into the back of the net from three-yards out.

“Look, it’s a great header and a great ball in but you need a little bit of luck,” added Anderson.

“It’s kind of the reaction what we were after and I felt just before half-time I feel like we were knocking on the door, shall we say, with the free-kick and playing in and around their box.

“I don’t know, I felt like it was coming anyway. If we came out with the right attitude.”

Golding added: “A good delivery into a good area but let’s be honest, he’s headed it in from a yard – it’s unacceptable!

“We either need to deal with it in terms of the jobs that we gave the players to go and do or Nathan, as a goalkeeper, needs to go and punch it or catch it or whatever he wants to do.

“From their perspective, I’ll be saying exactly the same. It’s a good ball into a good area and the player has attacked it. From our perspective having conceded it, it’s unacceptable. It’s a yard out, head height. It should never ever happen!”

The ineffective Rusthall central midfielder Tarik Ibrahim started to spring into life and swept a diagonal pass over to Clover, who stroked a left-footed drive which was comfortably saved by Boamah, low to his right.

Rusthall deserved to go 3-2 up with 10 minutes and 4 seconds on the clock, following a well-worked three-man sweeping move from left-to-right.

Smith played the ball in from the left, Lyons now in the middle swept the ball out to Clover, who cut inside and put Jamie Billings on his backside inside the penalty area before sweeping his left-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner to score his sixth goal of the season, having scored 19 goals for Corinthian last season.

Anderson said: “We worked it well and it was a good goal.  I’ve been friends with Charlie for years, so that’s why I brought him back. He’s scoring important goals for us and he’s doing really well and he’s going well, so long may it continue.”

Golding said: “That’s what Charlie does. He flits in and out of games. We had him last year and I’ve got a lot of time for Charlie. He’s a great lad but that’s what he does.  You give him chances in and around the box and that’s why they pay him the money they do, to take those chances.

“We’re a scrambled defence, we’re trying to get across and cover and Jamie’s had to try to dive in and block the first shot. Charlie’s shown that little bit of composure and as soon as it falls to Charlie in the box, that’s what he’s there to do.”

Rusthall far too often throw it away when in promising positions under Anderson - as Corinthian swiftly went up the other end and grabbed an equaliser just 108 seconds later.

Alexander Jack Billings flicked the ball on before Atkins played a one-two with Alexander Jack Billings just outside the corner of the Rusthall penalty area and Johnson was beaten at his near-post by Atkins’ low right-footed shot from 20-yards.

“Really good goal from us. You go 3-2 down, you’re a little bit potentially shell-shocked after half-time,” said Golding.

“Well-worked down the left-hand side, Richie’s done really well. He was with our under 18’s last year, he’s still eligible to play under 18 football and he’s come in and filled in the hole that Brandon Davey left when he moved on to Margate.

“He’s got a lot to learn but all of the kids have and even the older players have stuff to learn and he does a lot of stuff really well and things that we need to help him improve on but to get us back in the game so quickly, again their tails are up, they’ve come from 2-1 down to 3-2 up, probably in a way summed up the chaos of the game.”

Anderson admitted: “Like I said, I felt like it was a terrible goal.  Two of my players have slipped. He’s done well, he’s shifted it, he’s stayed on his feet and tucked it in the near post.

“Maybe it’s a bit too close for Endurance to save, I don’t know.  The two players should they slip? I don’t know. Are they wearing the right footwear? I can question that, I don’t know. I don’t know if they did.

“It’s just a poor goal. We’ve worked so hard to be 2-0 down and take 3-2 to them and be 3-3. It was a killer blow to be honest with you.”

Corinthian sealed the deal as early as 17:53 on the clock, with contender for Goal of the Season.

Esumobi slipped over some 35-yards from goal but still managed to slide the ball some 10-yards over to Alexander Jack Billings on the left, who cut inside and curled a sublime right-footed curler into the top far corner of the goal from 35-yards.

“I think it came from a Nathan goal-kick that Jack’s won the flick on and then Mefose’s set it back to Jack.  We’ve seen Jack do that time and time again.  He did it against Punjab two weeks ago when we drew one-all,” said Golding.

“He’s a fantastic player, he really is. He probably goes a little bit unnoticed. He’s obviously been at Corinthain forever. I think if he was another player at another club, then he’ll be playing a lot higher up the pyramid but it’s an unbelievable finish and it just turns the tide.

“You’re standing on the sideline and you’re frustrated, angry and disappointed with the defending that’s going on and the fact that you did have control over the game and then you’ve lost control over the game and then you score twice and six minutes like that and you get yourselves ahead and are we going to be good enough to hold on and hopefully go on and you’re in control of the game again.”

Anderson added: “I’ve been at Corinthian. I know Jack. I know he’s capable of doing things like that. He’s caught Endurance out. It’s a great finish in the far corner.

“Do I think they deserved to win? No. Do I think we deserved to win, probably not.”

Johnson made a morale-boosting two-handed diving save to his right to ensure Jamie Billings didn’t score with a right-footed free-kick from 30-yards with 17 minutes remaining.

“It was a good save, possibly going wide but Jamie’s hit it well. He’s scored a number of free-kicks last year but with Jamie and Oscar over free-kicks, we always fancy we’ve got good quality to test the goalkeeper but fair play to him, it was a good save, strong hands,” said Golding.

Anderson added: “It was going wide anyway from my angle. It was going wide but he gets a good hand to it.”

Johnson back peddled to tip over a cross-shot from Corinthian’s substitute right-wing-back Lorenzo Duncan, before an unmarked Alexander Jack Billings struck the outside of the top of the right-hand post in the 80^th minute after Housego’s corner from the left was cleared out to him.

“It skipped through to him. He just couldn’t sort his feet out quick enough and kind of lost the angle,” said Golding.

“You’re 4-3 up with however long left to go and you’re left-hand sided player is then shooting from the right-hand-side of the box, which probably is not worth discussing why that’s happened.”

Anderson threw centre-half Blunn to join Fares and Callender up front (47:39) but despite pushing plenty of bodies forward in search for a stoppage time leveller, Rusthall lacked the quality needed to beat Boamah for a fourth time, as Corinthian’s back five were resilient during the extra eight minutes.

“There was a lot of stoppage time! As much as I’m disappointed going 3-2 down and conceding the goals that we did, I thought the boys showed good resilience at the end and they showed good character,” said Golding.

“In terms of us coming away from home and to score four good quality goals and take the three points back with us, is what we want.

“I said all of last year to anyone who would listen to me, I didn’t really know what we were and where we were going to be and we’re probably not the same sort of Corinthian side we were last year.

“I thought we were a little bit more dominant and a little bit more stronger last year and I think the League’s tougher in terms of the top end.

“I think there’s better quality teams but we’ll always do what we always do. We’ll plug away and keep working with the younger players, we’ll try to blend them with the older players that we’ve got and we’ll see what we can do.”

Corinthian travel to Isthmian League South East Division side Ashford United on Saturday, aiming to pull off an upset to reach The FA Cup Third Qualifying Round for the very first time.

Anderson, meanwhile, takes his side to unbeaten fourth-placed Faversham Town on Saturday.

Rusthall will slump to the foot of the table should Hollands & Blair (four points from seven) avoid a defeat at Lydd Town (six points from six) on Wednesday night.

Rusthall finished five points clear of the relegation zone last season, finishing third-from-bottom with 23 points (five wins, eight draws) from 40 league games.

“We had a good pre-season and we started off really well and since then I feel like not confidence but I’ve got a good group in there and they’re all here for the right reason,” explained Anderson.

“We don’t have a bigger budget than last season. The budget is what it is. It didn’t go up. We don’t have an investor. The money what’s generated from the club, i.e. from fans or whatever, or what’s made, is my budget.

“All the players are here are here because they enjoy the club, they’ve been here before and love the club or they’ve played for me and enjoyed playing for me.

“We gelled really well in pre-season, we had a good pre-season and since the season started we’ve kind of just, I don’t know, lost it a little bit.  Confidence is probably a little bit low but it’s a good group in there, they just need to roll their sleeves up and get back to work.”

Anderson must freshen up his squad and bring in better players who can perform in this level week-in-week-out and turning up on time would be a good start!

When asked about bringing Fares back to the club, Anderson replied: “He was injured so he had to go to Italy to have an operation. He’s now back in the country and the reason why I brought him back is because he’s a great little player. He trusts me.

“We need to put an arm around him. Like tonight, he showed the others of his quality but then he’s nervous because he hasn’t played the whole year and he’s going to take time.

“I had three players tonight, my brother Louis, who missed last season pretty much with a knee injury. Smudger my captain, who missed the whole of last season and started his first game with a knee injury and Yassin has come back.

“I’m delighted to have them back. They’re all three quality players and when they’re fully fit it will make us a lot stronger.”

When asked how he will turn things around, Anderson replied: “By winning games, I suppose. That’s the be all and end of it. I’ve been here long enough. It’s hard. It’s enjoyable as well. It’s a long old season.

“The fans have been fantastic for all the time I’ve been here. They’ve really supported the team, they’re really supportive to me and we’re nothing without the fans.

“As a club there’s a lot of people behind the scenes that do a lot of work for this club. The fans are massive, massive for this club, so thank you very much.”

When asked whether he is under pressure, Anderson replied: “With what? Yes and No. I have more pressure at work.  There is pressure because I care about the club. This club means a lot to me.  I wouldn’t be here this long if it didn’t.

“I get on really well with the people here so there’s pressure but I put more pressure on myself than anything because I don’t want this club to fail.”

Looking ahead to the visit to play Tommy Warrilow’s fourth-placed (four wins, two draws, no defeats) Faversham Town at the weekend, Anderson said: “Everyone’s got different pressure. Look, we might go there and they might under-estimate us.  We might get that little bit of luck and it might go our way, you never know.

“They’re the favourites. When we went there last season, we upset them a little bit and we played alright (2-2 draw, 23 March), so hopefully we do something like that again. I look forward to going back there on Saturday.”

Rusthall: Endurance Johnson, Kalani Barton (Louis Anderson 64), Jack Lyons (Jeffrey Mjuguna 84), Frank Griffin, Robbie Bissett, Daniel Blunn, Jack Smith (Martin Youngah 71), Tarik Ibrahim (Yassin Fares 76), Charlie Clover, Steadman Callender, Jack Kirby.
Sub: Frank Little

Goals: Jack Lyons 34, Robbie Bissett 50, Charlie Clover 56

Booked: Martin Youngah 90

Corinthian: Nathan Boamah, Simon Walton (Lorenzo Duncan 63), Alexander Jack Billings, Kamron Holmes-Lewis (Gurpreet Benning 75), Jamie Billings, Hugo Taylor, Frederick Aikon (Malachy Turner 86), Richie Atkins, Mefose Esumobi (Khayrie Harris 88), Henry Arnold (Harjeevan Benning 60), Oscar Housego.

Goals: Henry Arnold 12, 14, Richie Atkins 57, Alexander Jack Billings 63

Booked: Kamron Holmes-Lewis 40, Richie Atkins 69, Khayrie Harris 90

Attendance: 117
Referee: Mr Thomas Nicholls
Assistants: Mr Graham Smart & Mr Steven Page