Rusthall 0-0 Hollands & Blair - I thought it was a very good defensive display from the whole team - but it's going to be tough to look beyond Fisher, Bearsted, Punjab and Rusthall for the play-offs, admits Hollands & Blair boss Darren Blackburn

Rusthall 0 – 0 Hollands & Blair
Location	Jockey Farm Stadium, Nellington Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8SH
Kickoff	30/03/2026 19:45

RUSTHALL  0-0  HOLLANDS & BLAIR
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Monday 30 March 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Jockey Farm Stadium

HOLLANDS & BLAIR manager Darren Blackburn admits it’s going to be tough for his side to be one of the four sides that qualifies for the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-offs next month after failing to impress during a drab low-quality stalemate at Rusthall.

The Gillingham based outfit would have jumped into the play-off zone had they claimed a victory at Jockey Farm Stadium but both sides had to settle for a point.

Rusthall squandered the best chance of the game when centre-half Robbie Bissett had a poor penalty comfortably saved by visiting goalkeeper, Daniel Ellis, 35.

Both sides made three changes apiece from their sides that claimed home victories on Saturday, with Rusthall beating Corinthian 3-0, while Hollands & Blair claimed a 1-0 win over Larkfield & New Hythe.

“I thought it was a very good defensive display from the whole team, not just the back line, from the whole team,” said Blackburn, the only side to prevent Rusthall scoring at home in the League this season.

“We always work hard from the front, a characteristic of my teams really. Ask a lot of the wingers, the forwards and the 10s out of possession.  Maybe at times, perhaps that’s why we perhaps don’t score the goals that we should and get the reward that we should.

“I thought as good as they are with the ball, I thought we matched them without it and I think that’s why we cancelled each other out.  We just couldn’t capitalise anything really going the other way, no real quality, final ball, little bits and pieces, things getting away from us but also I thought they defended very well, so two teams sort of cancelled each other out really.”

When asked whether he was happy with a point, Blackburn replied: “Yes, look Rusthall have been up and around play-offs all season and they’re in a Cup Final on Friday and good luck to them for that as well.

“We played Larkfield.  We’ve had two games in three days. We’ve managed to rotate three around today and get some fresh legs in there but some of the boys were dead on their feet tonight.  You could see that as well.

“We put in a real shift against Larkfield on Saturday and it was a tough gig. Obviously the extra day, if the game would’ve been tomorrow, maybe things a little bit more on it, a bit more in it in the legs for the lads but four points against two teams that have been in and around the play-offs or could finish in the play-offs potentially, I can’t really argue with that.”

Rusthall manager Jimmy Anderson added: “I thought it was two good sides up at the top of the table, I don’t know. I’m gutted that we didn’t get all three (points) tonight, if I’m being honest with you.

“But I felt like we had opportunities and yes it was a tight game. I’m gutted inside that we didn’t get the three but we’ve played two games in three days and kept two clean-sheets, so it’s good from that front.”

When asked what was missing from his side – one that failed to replicate their impressive performance against the title winners Whitstable Town last week, Anderson replied, “A goal! It was only ever going to be one goal in it. I felt like maybe a moment of magic or even a mistake but look I’m gutted we didn’t get three but I’m grateful that we got one.

“I’m glad we defended well on set-pieces. They’re very good at them but other than that, like I said, I’m slightly disappointed that we didn’t get three tonight.”

Rusthall produced a well-worked move and created their first of three shots on target, this one coming with nine minutes and six seconds on the clock.

Left-winger Joshua Reid cut into the middle before switching the ball out to attacking midfielder Jack Kirby out on the right.  He took a touch before putting over a great cross which was met by a free-header from 19-goal striker Charlie Clover, which was straight at Ellis, who comfortably beat the ball away with his left-hand.

“It’s hit him. I don’t think he’s saved it. It’s just hit him.  Either side it’s 1-0,” admitted Anderson.

“It was a great move from us. I thought tonight we started really well and we managed to find a lot of space because of the way they set up.  I watched how we played them away and they beat us 2-1. They’re a good side but they kind of allow you to play through the middle and we got joy from that tonight.”

Blackburn added: “Dan’s been really good for the last four or five games. To be fair a lot of the games where we’ve kept clean sheets, he hasn’t actually had much to do and the last two or three games against some of the opposition, you expect him to be busier and he’s made another couple of good saves today.”

Referee Stephen Hughes and his assistant John Quirke made a big call when recalled Rusthall goalkeeper Reece Hobbs picked the ball up from outside his penalty area and Mr Quirke waved his flag (15:03).

The two officials discussed the incident before referee Hughes pulled out a yellow card and Hollands & Blair winger Diekonifeoluwa Falade drilled his woeful left-footed free-kick high over the crossbar from 19-yards (17:28).

Blackburn was expecting the Margate loanee keeper to be having an early shower.

“I’m a little bit bemused by that if I’m brutally honest. It’s a red card offence mate, that’s my honest opinion,” said the Blair boss.

“I’ll tell you why, it’s because the goalkeeper takes it off the toe of my striker (Ibrahim Akanbi).  The fact there’s a defender covering is what bemuses me. They look for excuses not to give a red card and the excuse they gave, ‘there’s a defender’.

“Well, the defender is in line or just behind Ibby but Ibby is about to toe the ball past the keeper, who takes it off his foot, so he’s got to take the defender out of the equation at that stage.  Where he shouldn’t be handling the ball out of his area, Ibby’s gets the ball first and it’s a goalscoring opportunity, therefore a red card.

“I think it’s a simple decision and I’m not a referee, not done my referee’s badge. It’s a red card mate, it’s a red card and I don’t understand it.

“The ref’s gone and talked to the linesman. The ref had an observer tonight. It will be interesting to see what the observer’s opinion was because we get a lot of observers this season and yet we still get decisions like that!

“They didn’t rush it. The thing I liked about the referee, he didn’t rush the decision either way. I thought it was really good, he spoke to the linesman and they’ve come up with this thing ‘there’s a covering defender’ but that’s irrelevant. The covering defender is irrelevant, so he’s handled it outside of his box and stopped a goalscoring opportunity, therefore red card!”

Anderson replied: “Reece said ‘his feet were in the box, he didn’t move,’ but I don’t know.

“The lino obviously given it. He’s picked up a yellow card and I don’t know the rules (Laws), so if Darren’s saying ‘he can be sent off’, then I saw that George Goodwin, who gives away the penalty, could take a second yellow card but we didn’t get that one either, so I think the referee has done what he’s done and it is what it is.”

Anderson revealed that he gives his first-choice keeper Serine Sanneh his blessing to play in the Monday night Baller League in London because he is a non-contracted player at the ninth-tier club.

“Serine’s playing in the Baller League tonight so he couldn’t play, so Reece came in and done a really good job. 

“They’re not under contract so they get good money (£400) from doing it, so good luck to them. What I can see, it’s normally players who play at a higher level or ex pros so I appreciate it if you’re under contract and the terms and conditions in your contract you shouldn’t be playing in other things whilst you’re contracted to your club, so that’s a different situation but Serine isn’t contracted to us, so he’s more than welcome to play in it.

“We’ve had Yassin (Fares) play in Kings League out in Italy before. I just think it’s really good, we’ve got quality players so they get noticed.  Obviously (Bearsted goalkeeper) Frankie Leonard has played in it tonight, so fair play, it’s good.

“Thompson (Adeyemi) had a little knock from Saturday, so we didn’t want to risk it, so we rested him tonight. We’ve got a couple what are not available for the final, which is absolutely fine. We’ve got a squad that’s good enough to get the job done.”

The ball was like a hot potato on a windy Monday night and Hollands & Blair were offering very little in attack with their direct approach.

Kirby played a long ball along the bobbly grass pitch to release Reid, who charged down the left and fizzed in a low cross, which Ellis got down low to his left to fingertip the ball towards safety (37:27), but this game would have been last on Match of the Day.

Anderson said: “We didn’t have no one going front post, unfortunately. I think Reidy played well tonight. He had some bright sparks, some bright moments in him.

“You said what was missing tonight? It’s a goal and some of our play was really good and the final third, some decision making wasn’t quite right but defensively I don’t think they caused us any problems, other than set-pieces.”

Blackburn admitted: “I don’t think that was going in mate. I don’t think it was going in. I think it’s a cross-shot and Dan’s just made sure it didn’t bobble in the bottom corner.”

Rusthall left-back Jesse Hammond threw the ball into the box from within the left-channel, Kirby knocked the ball down and Clover drilled his right-footed volley high over the crossbar from the angle as half-time approached.

Anderson said: “What was said was that you’ve got to be patient against a side like this. They didn’t press us, so they sit in and obviously when they get the ball, they try to be quite direct and play counter-attacking, so I said just be patient.

“I said one goal will be in this game and it will only be one goal. I didn’t see us winning two or three-nil.

“I felt like we were on top at half-time in a sense of the possession and getting into the final third and areas. I didn’t feel like they were creating much at all but that was said at half-time.

“I personally felt like because they’re behind us because we’re in the play-offs and they’re trying to get in the play-offs, I felt like they had to come at us a little bit more but they didn’t. They sat in. I felt like I had a really good bench tonight in a sense to change the game.”

Blackburn added: “Just the way of dealing with their overlapping runs really, instead of sort of going in, pressing in and getting caught out of possession.

“It was just stay in our shape, wingers need to tuck in a little bit and stay patient and try to win the ball and try to be effective in transitions, which we weren’t really tonight because we just didn’t have that quality.

“We couldn’t get the ball out of feet when we ran with it. It kept sticking under their feet, which frustrates because we got in some good opportunities and good positions and couldn’t capitalise.”

It was pretty obvious that this game had nil-nil written all over it, as both defences were on top with Bissett and Daniel Blunn outstanding for Rusthall, the same goes for Matthew Gethin and Charlie Weston at the other end of the pitch.

It came as no surprise when both Anderson and Blackburn hooked both of their wingers as Reid and Reuel Powell-Downey offered very little threat, and Muhammed Cham and Falade were also very poor for Blair, who didn’t show any evidence that they will grab a place in the play-offs next month.

Blackburn admitted: “We just couldn’t really get going. Credit to them, they’ve got a really good back four. They’ve got two pacey full-backs and two quality centre-halves, two of the better ones in the League in my opinion.

“You expect to not get many chances. In actual fact I thought when we played them at home, I thought they were off the boil a little bit, which is probably why we won (2-1, 7 February) at home and tonight they were on it.  I think they (Bissett/Blunn) headed everything, a bit like we did. Both teams defended well.

“I asked a lot of my wingers sort of defensively and offensively, so they’re always going to probably tire out.

“Mo (Cham) picked up a yellow card through his industry and his work-rate and Dieko (Falade) put in a massive shift playing centre-forward on Saturday and was superb and he’s carrying a couple of niggles. He got off late from work tonight as well so to get some minutes in him was good and obviously Mo and I’ve got two other quality wingers on the bench anyway.”

When asked about hooking his wingers tonight, Anderson replied: “It was because I’ve got Victor (Aiye), Yassin (Fares), Deji (Owoeye), I’ve got options on the bench. It was just a fact you need people like that. They create that moment of magic and yes when they came on the boys did have moments but we just couldn’t get that goal.”

The disappointed crowd of 173 were crying out for some goal-mouth action and Rusthall had their big moment when Kirby drove down the right and cut the ball back for Reid, whose first touch was awful and he was sent to the ground by George Goodwin’s tackle and the referee pointed to the spot (19:04).

Ellis got his large frame down to his right to push away Bissett’s poor left-footed penalty, just left of centre (20:03), summing up the poor quality on show here tonight.

“Rob’s scored his last four (penalties) but it was just a poor penalty but I don’t even think it’s a great save by Dan, unfortunately I can’t praise him for that but it was poor. It was poor and Rob knows that,” said Anderson.

“That maybe is our moment to win the game and we probably need to be a little bit more ruthless with that penalty but look it’s fine.  Rob has come up with the goods previously and I’m sure he will do ‘til the end of the season because he’s our captain.

“He was phenomenal at the back tonight, honestly winning every header against their people there. The number 10 (Akanbi) is a strong boy and the nine (Kane Rowland) plays off him.

“I’m not blaming Rob that we didn’t get the three (points), obviously that’s the moment what could change the game. It was still a tight game and there was enough time to play after that.”

Blackburn added: “I thought a couple of decisions. I can’t sit here and say I don’t think it was a penalty. I think it’s a harsh one. I think he’s took a bit of a baggy touch, it’s actually gone behind him. It’s a poor touch and George is tracking back and he’s put the breaks on because his touch has gone.  He’s going to take a touch and try to get a block in and there’s nowhere for George to go.

“I don’t know if you watch it back. We don’t have the beauty of Match of the Day. I’m sure it’s one of these ones they call it these days ‘a coming together in the box.’

“The penalty, I’m really surprised by Robbie Bissett because he’s got a wand of a left foot and luckily for us. I think it would’ve been harsh on us if we had lost that tonight.”

Hollands & Blair had their big moment to snatch an unlikely victory when Hobbs lined up a three-man wall for Reece Gillies’ free-kick, which the central midfielder drilled right-footed into the wall and the ball bounced comfortably into Hobbs’ gloves, stepping forward (32:43).

Gillies hit a right-footed chip towards goal from 35-yards, which sailed over the crossbar of an empty goal (32:59), which was the only time that Blackburn’s side looked like scoring.

“Yes, that was on. I was right behind that. That was on. He’s just overhit it and unfortunately, if that’s on target, it goes in because the keeper’s not getting anywhere near it, so he’s just hit it over the bar a couple of yards. Just one of those things,” added Blackburn.

Anderson said: “We defended so well tonight. I didn’t think they caused us much of a problem. It was only set-pieces and a few scrambles around the box but other than that I was really happy with the way we played tonight.”

Two substitutes combined for Rusthall’s final chance of the game (33:27) when left-winger Yassin Fares hit a long diagonal over the top of Weston’s head for 23-goal striker Louie Clarke, who clipped a left-footed half-volley straight at Ellis, who made a comfortable save.

“Their combination has got me loads of goals before in the past and long may it continue,” said Anderson.

“Like I said, it was just that moment. We just need that moment to get over the line but look, we’ll take a point. Like them, we’ve played two days in three days, both of us have got four points.

“I’m gutted that we haven’t got the three. I’m absolutely gutted. Do I think we done enough though to get the three? No because you need that bit of luck, that bit of magic, obviously the penalty miss is a big disappointment but I’m happy we didn’t lose, so yes, take the point, you move on.”

Blackburn said: “Yet again, good positioning by Dan, good defending by us. We had bodies in and around it.

“We had a few chances from our set-pieces. I think two or three corners, we caused carnage in their box and we should’ve, on another day, you’ve got someone there to just toe one into an empty net.  They must’ve cleared two off the line from our set-pieces, so frustrating night but I think nil-nil, I think a draw was a fair result, in my opinion.”

Hollands & Blair - who won the corner-count by five-to-four - saw Gillies swing the ball in from the left with his right-foot and Weston emerged from within a crowd of players to send his bullet header over the crossbar but it was pretty desperate stuff and the final whistle couldn’t come quickly enough!

Jamie Coyle’s Whitstable Town (77 points from 31 games) celebrated winning the League title with a 2-2 draw here last Tuesday night.

Fisher (55 points from 30 of 36 games), Bearsted (55 points from 32 games), Larkfield & New Hythe (50 points from 31 games) and Rusthall (50 points – 14 wins, eight draws and eight defeats) sit in the play-off zone tonight.

Hollands & Blair have climbed up one place into sixth (48 points – 15 wins, three draws and 14 points), with Punjab United (47 points from 30 games), Phoenix Sports (46 points from 31 games), Sutton Athletic (46 points from 31 games), Erith & Belvedere (43 points from 32 games), Snodland Town (43 points from 30 games) and Tunbridge Wells (40 points from 29 games) all in the race.

Both managers were asked their thoughts on the promotion race.

Blackburn said: “It’s going to be tough! It’s going to be tough to look beyond Fisher, Bearsted, I think Punjab and Rusthall. It’s tough to look beyond those sort of four teams at the minute because a couple of teams have got games in hand and we’ve not managed to turn those around.

“We’ve got to be happy with our work since Christmas. I can’t be disappointed at this stage. If you would’ve said a couple of weeks ago or three months ago we’d take four points off two teams that have been in and around the play-offs all season and one who is in a Cup Final on Friday, we would’ve bit people’s hands off for that, so I think we’ve got to be really proud and positive of what we’ve done.

“We’ve still got 12 points to play for. I know it’s against tough opposition as well but we’ve proved over the last three months, we can beat anyone on our day and we probably need four wins to sort of be amongst it come the end of the season.”

“Snodland get a big crowd down there, so that will be nice (to go there on Easter Monday), so looking forward to it.”

Versatile centre-half Daniel Carrington returns from his holiday on Thursday and has been drafted in from Herne Bay on dual-registration terms.

Hollands & Blair complete their campaign against Snodland Town (away, Monday 6 April), Kennington (home, 11 April), Whitstable Town (away, 14 April) and Erith & Belvedere (home, 25 April).

“If we get nine points out of 12 and it wasn’t enough (for a play-off place), I can’t ask for any more of the players. I think that’s what we’ve got to be aiming for minimum, bare minimum but like I said, it will take 12 from 12 and that’s going to be a massive ask but the boys are up for it, I’m up for it, so we’ll give it our all for the last four games and we’ll see where it takes us.”

Rusthall’s attention now turns to the Challenge Cup Final against Kevin Stevens’ Bearsted on Good Friday (13:00 at Cray Wanderers’ Flamingo Park).

“It’s a different distraction. It’s going to be a great day. Whoever’s coming and supporting Rusthall, make sure you wear your colours of green and white, so we know who you are, be loud and proud. This is history in us making the final but we want to go there and we’re going to try our best to win it,” said Anderson.

“It’s going to be a great day for both clubs. Two good sides. Bearsted are having a good season, we’re having a good season so it should be a really good game, two sides what like to play football and hopefully we’ll have a lot of fans and we’re going there as strong as we possibly can.”

When asked about the play-off race, Anderson, who has games against Tunbridge Wells (away, 6 April), Chislehurst Glebe (away, 11 April), Stansfeld (home, 14 April), Bearsted (home, 18 April), Snodland Town (away, 21 April) and Holmesdale (away, 25 April), replied: “Nothing really changed tonight. All it is, is, we’ve got another point. They have another point. We have two games in hand. Games in hand don’t really mean nothing unless you pick up points.

“I think it will go right to the last couple of games. I think Bearsted are in it. I think Fisher are in it but Fisher have a really tough run of games. They’re playing some good sides and to be honest with you we have a really tough run.

“I know manager’s say it but it just goes to show how strong this League is. I feel like every game is so hard. You can play Hythe and Stansfeld, they’re down there struggling but there’s no easy games.

“That’s why there’s probably, I don’t know, eight or nine of us all challenging for the play-offs. There’s so many teams that can get into the play-offs, so it’s going to be tough but it’s what we want.

“Like I said to you at the start of the season, I’ve been crystal clear. I want to do one better from what I did last season. We finished sixth last season. I’d love to finish fifth or above, so hopefully we can get it done.”

Rusthall: Reece Hobbs, Rahman Kareem, Jesse Hammond, Frank Griffin, Robbie Bissett, Daniel Blunn, Joshua Reid (Yassin Fares 71), Jeffrey Njuguna, Charlie Clover (Louie Clarke 76), Jack Kirby (Ayodeji Owoeye 89), Reuel Powell-Downey (Victor Aiye 71).
Sub: Louis Anderson

Booked: Reece Hobbs 17, Reuel Powell-Downey 67

Hollands & Blair: Daniel Ellis, Simon Kabamba, Callum Flynn, George Goodwin, Charlie Weston, Matthew Gething, Diekonifeoluwa Falade (Murisiku Batula 73), Reece Gillies, Ibrahim Akanbi, Kane Rowland, Muhammed Cham (Emmanuel Oluwasemo 84).
Subs: Luke Exall, Bobby Dunn, Kristian Wigg

Booked: George Goodwin 41, Muhammed Cham 61, Reece Gillies 90

Attendance: 173
Referee: Mr Stephen Hughes
Assistants: Mr Henry Newman & Mr John Quirke
Observer: Mr Peter Lindsey