Sevenoaks Town 3-0 Cray Valley (Paper Mills) - I don't think we're safe but we've put ourselves in a very, very good position, says Sevenoaks Town boss Harry Hudson

Sevenoaks Town 3 – 0 Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
Location	Greatness Park, Mill Lane, Seal Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5BX
Kickoff	09/04/2022 15:00

SEVENOAKS TOWN  3-0  CRAY VALLEY (PAPER MILLS)
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 9 April 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

SEVENOAKS TOWN manager Harry Hudson says his side have put themselves in a very, very good position of maintaining their Isthmian League South East Division status after thrashing play-off chasing Cray Valley (Paper Mills).

Hudson has been in charge for only seven games and during that time Sevenoaks Town have won five, drawn one and lost the once and have eased their relegation fears by climbing into fourteenth-place in the table with 39 points on the board.

The Oaks are six points clear of third-from-bottom side Lancing and nine clear of Phoenix Sports and Whitstable Town going into their final three games, after a hat-trick from striker Yahaya Bamba made it four wins on the spin.

Hastings United sealed the title with a 1-1 draw at Faversham Town today and go into the final three league games of the season 10 points clear of Ashford United, who are joined in the play-off places by Cray Valley (65 points), Haywards Heath Town (65) and Herne Bay (61).

Steve Lovell’s first game in charge of Ramsgate ended in a 1-0 defeat to Haywards Heath Town and slipped out of the play-off zone and are now two points adrift of Ben Smith’s Herne Bay, 1-0 winners over Chichester City.

“I felt like the boys executed the game plan perfectly.  I felt we had control of the game, even though they had the ball, which was exactly what I asked for and I think on chances created, I don’t think the scoreline flatters us,” said Hudson.

“I’m really, really pleased for the boys.  They’ve put in so much hard work and graft and I can’t praise them enough.

“It’s been a challenging time. I’ve never done a relegation battle before and a lot of people doubted me when we came across.  It’s all well and good the staff having a game plan and trying to put it in practice but the players are the only ones who can execute it and they’ve just been phenomenal since we’ve come in and showed so many different ways of winning football matches.”

Cray Valley manager Kevin Watson cut a pissed off figure during the post-match interview and didn’t want to discuss the key moments of the match.

“They thoroughly deserved to win the game, we didn’t,” said Watson.

“When I say we, I’m including everybody who can impact the game on our side and that obviously includes myself.  I wasn’t good enough today, the manager, we weren’t as a management team and the players’ weren’t.

“I can’t remember – let me use my terms wisely – a poorer performance from our team. I just can’t remember one in terms of our approach to the game really and some of the quality and the desire and application and willingness to do the things that have brought us success.”

When asked whether he thought complacency had crept into his players given the two side’s league positions, Watson replied: “It’s difficult to put a term on it isn’t it? You could use complacency, desire, arrogance, there’s lots of things.  We just wasn’t good enough from everybody today and unfortunately if you’re not good enough then you get punished as we have today.

“They done what they do in their structure and the way of playing very well today and what we do and our philosophy and our ethos and all the things that we try to instil, we didn’t do it anywhere near our capabilities or expectations.”

Cray Valley played out from the back and were patient ahead of their first chance of the game, created after only three minutes and 32 seconds into the at Greatness Park.

Right-back Paul Semakula demanded the ball from Anthony Edgar before he played the ball back to centre-half Cem Tumkaya, who launched a long ball over the top of Matthew Weaire to play in 22-goal striker Marcel Barrington but his left-footed half-volley from 17-yards brought a comfortable save from Tyler McCarthy, diving low to his left to hold.

Watson said: “We had a couple of chances today, even if those chances go in and we still perform over the course of the game, I always say results can sort of mask performances sometimes and today it didn’t.

“We had some chances. We didn’t finish our chances but it was more than that. It was deeper than that today, so we need to reflect as individuals and collectively and we must improve on that.  The application, without a shadow of a doubt, that’s a given and we must improve and then we have to turn that into performances where we get results.”

Hudson added: “That was a chance, it was a straight ball down the middle when we had two running against the nine but he got the wrong side of us and it was thankfully comfortable for Tyler at the end.  That was probably the only time when we switched off a little bit.”

Both teams lost a man each quite early to injury with Cray Valley losing their holding midfielder Matthew Attenborough-Warren to a back injury, while Sevenoaks Town striker Freddie Parker was forced off with literally a pain up his backside.

Bamba’s pace was causing the Millers’ defence a headache and centre-halves Tumkaya and Alex Brefo were in the referee’s notepad after fouling the Sevenoaks Town number 11.

Edgar committed a foul to bring down Bamba and Kyle de Silva’s resulting whipped 20-yard free-kick flashed just over the crossbar as the Sevenoaks Town winger was aiming for the top near corner.

Visiting goalkeeper Liam Northwood, meanwhile, suffered a shaky afternoon in goal – spending most of the season on the bench for Sheppey United, top of the table one level beneath this one  - and should have done better with the first two goals.

Sevenoaks Town deserved their lead when it arrived with 18 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock.

Ryan Palmer hit a long ball down the line to release Parker down the right and his first shot was blocked by a sliding Brefo inside the penalty area. 

Parker held his composure to set up Bamba, who swept his right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from 10-yards but Northwood should have done better and kept the ball out while diving to his left.

Hudson said: “It was a good finish from Yahaya to be fair.  We spoke a lot about being compact and counter-attack against them and I felt like we did that very well today.

“I thought they were very expansive in possession and they give you opportunities when you win it to try and go and hurt them and I thought we did that. 

“The fact that both of their centre-halves were on bookings in the first half just shows how much we were a problem and a threat for them in the forward areas.  It was a part of the game plan and the goal was a perfect example of that.”

Watson replied: “I’m not going to go through all of the moments in the game because there were so many moments in the game where I could talk about the goals but it was much bigger than that over the course of the 95 minutes.

“There’s moments that didn’t lead to goals that we’re not acceptable and all round performances.  I know you’re asking about specific moments in the game but they’re weren’t the defining factors in today, it was much more than that.”

Halfway through the half, Cray Valley substitute holding midfielder Jack Sammoutis floated in a corner from the right towards the far post where left-back Nathan Green rose to steer his header past the near-post.

Bamba was sent crashing to the ground by Tumkaya and Palmer stroked a right-footed free-kick towards the top near corner from 30-yards, which was gathered at the second attempt by Northwood.

The impressive Bamba drew a free-kick from Brefo and De Silva played a short free-kick into Bamba, who whipped in a cross towards the near post which was flicked first-time by centre-half Weaire and was comfortably gathered by Northwood.

Palmer was keen to hit a long ball down the line and Brefo’s poor clearance was chipped towards goal by Sam Johnson from 30-yards, which was gathered at the second attempt by an unconvincing Northwood.

“It was bright from Sammy.  When it left his foot I thought it had a chance.  To be fair to the goalie he back-peddled quickly and well,” added Hudson.

Cray Valley created am opening in the 39^th minute when Tumkaya clipped a long ball down the right channel for Ade Adeyemo, who held the ball up on the by-line before playing a reverse pass into winger Denzel Gayle, who took a touch before slicing his left-footed shot across McCarthy and past the far post from 15-yards.

Cray Valley then enjoyed a good spell of possession and Gayle and Adeyemo linked up well inside the final third before Barrington cut inside and then onto his right-foot and his shot was deflected off a pressing Michael Aziaya and was comfortably gathered by an untroubled McCarthy.

Cray Valley went even closer on the stroke of half time when Barrington and Gayle linked up before Edgar shaped to curl his left-footed shot around the foot of the far post from 22-yards.

However, some shoddy goalkeeping from Northwood gifted Sevenoaks Town a deserved second goal, three minutes and 11 seconds into injury-time.

Northwood attempted to kick the ball out to Semakula but the ball was intercepted by substitute left-winger Bradley Ryan, who easily reached the by-line and his low cross was cut out by Tumkaya inside the box.

However, Reece Gillies recycled the ball back into the box and Bamba’s step-overs confused the keeper and the striker easily swept his left-footed shot past the diving keeper into the bottom right-hand corner from 12-yards.

The Millers were without first-choice goalkeeper Chris Lewington who was nursing a groin injury.

Hudson said: “When you get Bamba 1-v-1, he’s such a problem, he’s very hard to stop and very hard to see which was he’s going.

“The better chance was when it was pulled back to Samuel in the phase before. If he had a tighter touch and got his shot away.  I thought that was the better chance but full credit to him. It was a really, really important time to score.

“I was thinking if we can go in 1-0 at half-time and to get the second at that point was really critical. It starts from the pressing structure, it starts from Bradley Ryan doing really well to regain the ball off the right-back, part of the game plan really.”

Hudson admitted Northwood could have done better with both goals.

“I don’t know much about goalkeepers. We knew that they didn’t have their first-choice goalie in today and Northwood played against us for Sheppey in a cup this year and was really good but I thought he looked nervous today.  You wouldn’t say they were screamers into the bottom corner by any stretch but they found their way in and for us that’s all we care about.”

When asked about Northwood’s performance, Watson did have this to say.

“Difficult for Liam, isn’t it?  He’s not with us full-time, he’s dual-registered from Sheppey. He’s doing us a favour by coming in and playing a part in a real high stakes time of the season.

“Look, there’s absolutely no blame or anything towards Liam. There’s part of Liam’s game today where he’ll think he could’ve done better but every player on the pitch and myself as well, should’ve done better today.”

And on the timing of the goal, Watson admitted: “It’s never a good time to concede a second before half-time and it gives you a mountain to climb.

“We looked desperate really, I would say. It’s quite a good description of our play, just individuals rather than a collective team performance that we demand.”

Cray Valley brought on Francis Babalola at the interval for Gayle, who picked up a knock and they were gifted the ball by some sloppy Sevenoaks defending.

Palmer’s intended square pass towards Aziaya was intercepted by Edgar, who took a touch before drilling a right-footed shot past the left-hand post from 30-yards.

Referee Alexander Kyriacou had to point to the spot when Semakula sent Bamba crashing to the deck with a rugby tackle just inside the penalty area.

Bamba stepped up and stroked his right-footed penalty clinically into the bottom right-hand corner, sending Northwood the wrong way, to notch his seventh goal for the club this season, his hat-trick coming with eight minutes and 51 seconds on the clock.

Hudson said: “We said (at half-time) the next goal is massive in the game and if we got it we said they would capitulate.  They didn’t capitulate to be fair to them at all but once we got the third after half-time, I thought we were winning very comfortably.

“Yahaya missed one as well against Whitehawk so we weren’t sure he’d take it but fair play to Bamba he wanted it, he took it and he scored it and that’s his hat-trick.

“Bamba’s fast, the amount of work he got through today, without being able to eat or drink since sunrise is incredible and he’s gone from strength-to-strength and he came into us as a right-back.  I saw some athletic potential in him in a forward area and he’s getting better and better.

“I’m sure he’ll enjoy it when the sun sets today. I’m sure he’ll enjoy his food and drink that’s for sure.”

Watson added: “I’m too far away from it. I’ve just spoken to the ref. I said to him ‘I don’t think he had a great game’, not just from our perspective, probably from theirs as well.  I just asked him to reflect on it. I didn’t have a great game as a manager, my players’ didn’t. Just need to be honest so I don’t know.

“I wouldn’t be an official, would you? It’s a tough job isn’t it and just as players and managers don’t perform well every week, it would be wrong to expect officials to.”

Sevenoaks Town appeared content to sit on their three-goal lead and let Cray Valley have possession of the ball for the rest of the game.

The home side showed more desire and commitment and were well-marshalled by the excellent centre-half Corey Holder.

Hudson said: “Corey is phenomenally good and the whole back four when we’re defending in the situation we are today, from number one to 11, plus all of the subs that came on, it’s so, so important everybody buys into the defensive organisation and they deserve their clean-sheet today.”

Palmer caught Barrington within the left-channel and Sammoutis’ free-kick was headed clear at the near post and the ball came out to Edgar, who cut in and his left-footed angled drive from 15-yards was held by McCarthy at his near post.

The 24-year-old made an even better save for his home-town club just 46 seconds later.

Palmer opened the gate with a sloppy back-pass which went straight to Barrington, who strode forward before smashing a right-footed drive towards the bottom corner, forcing McCarthy to spread himself and use his legs to make the save.

Watson said: “We did have possession because part of their tactic was to let us have possession in certain areas. We didn’t do enough with it. We wasn’t useful with it so we had a couple of chances, a couple of shots from distance.  The shot was ok. Talking about individual moments isn’t probably appropriate.”

Hudson said: “It was one of those things. Palmer was outstanding today.  I thought he was exceptional but he’s made a little error there, making the wrong pass, basically passing it to the centre-forward and that’s when you need to rely on your goalie to get you out of trouble and Tyler made the save, which is big because at that point of the game there’s still a good 30 minutes left and you never know.

“It wasn’t a chance they created, it was a chance we gave them and credit to Tyler to come and make that save.”

With Sevenoaks Town working a lot harder than their opponents, Cray Valley couldn’t find any quality to score a late consolation.

Edgar played a one-two with Adeyemo and took a touch onto his right-foot before cracking a 35-yard drive towards the top far corner, his shot only just clearing the Sevenoaks Town crossbar.

Edgar played a short pass inside to Sammoutis, who swept a first-time drive towards the bottom far corner from 25-yards but McCarthy wasn’t troubled.

Sevenoaks Town travel to Hythe Town – 2-0 winners at Whitehawk today – next Saturday, before completing their campaign at home to Sittingbourne (Monday 18 April) and a trip to champions Hastings United on the final day of the season.

“I haven’t done the maths, I’m not sure,” replied Hudson when asked whether he thought today’s win has staved off the threat of relegation.

“I think today was a free hit for us. We didn’t expect to get any points from today in our planning but I would’ve said coming into the game we needed four more points.

“We’ve got a massive game away to Hythe next week which is huge and then we play Sittingbourne at home and our home form is absolutely exceptional and then we go away to Hastings on the last game of the season and we don’t want to be going there needing something because there’s going to be a party.

“I don’t think we’re safe but we’ve put ourselves in a very, very good position.

“I think somebody said to me we’re the most inform team in the league, which is a bit crazy really. It’s the players with how they’ve adapted and approached it.  They deserve all of the plaudits because it’s just phenomenal how they’ve shown so much adaptability and hard work and graft and credit to them.

“The form we’re in it’s like title-winning form, which if you told me that seven games ago, I would’ve been amazed at.

“I didn’t necessarily expect Hythe to beat Whitehawk today but it’s going to be a very, very tough game.  Both teams are going to be fighting for their lives to stay in the league so it’s going to be tough, no doubt about that. It’s a really, really difficult place to go so we’ll prepare for that and we’ll give it a really good go to get another three points.”

Hythe Town are a place and a point behind Sevenoaks Town going into the Reachfields Stadium clash next week.

If Sevenoaks Town can keep Hudson at Greatness Park, expect his side to be challenging for promotion in 2022-23.

“We want to take as much momentum into next season as we can and hopefully we secure our status, which will be lovely. It’s not a case of us switching off because we want to win as many games as we can.

“Once we confirm our status, we can start looking forwards next year but the most important thing for us is securing our status and finishing as high up the table as we can.”

Cray Valley, meanwhile, welcome Burgess Hill Town next Saturday, before a trip to VCD Athletic on Easter Monday before hosting Faversham Town on 23 April.

Watson sounded like a man with a whole load of problems on his shoulders and concerned that his side could miss out on a play-off place all together.

“We need to digest it, think about it. I need to dwell on it as I probably will all week.  We’ll train in the week to try to get our preparation right and go into next week.

“I hate the term ‘in our hands,’ but it kind of is in our hands. If we win the three games we stay in the play-offs don’t we?  If we don’t, then we may not. I don’t want to rely on other results but we can only impact on the games that we’re involved in.

“Burgess Hill will be another tough game, similar to today. All the games are quite difficult aren’t they, unless you have that real level of consistency.

“It’s interesting. We knew it was a tough league so we need to re-group and try to improve things and try to get the results required to get in the play-offs and see where that leaves us.

“At this moment in time we just have to get in to the play-offs. Are we in the play-offs? No, until something’s mathematically done, you can’t make any assumptions can you?”

Sevenoaks Town: Tyler McCarthy, Ryan Palmer, Charles Banya, Michael Aziaya (Jeff Duah-Kessie 75), Matthew Weaire, Corey Holder, Sam Johnson, Reece Gillies, Freddie Parker (Bradley Ryan 36), Yahaya Bamba (Frankie Sawyer 67), Kyle De Silva.
Subs: Omari Hibbert, Tolulope Jonah

Goals: Yahaya Bamba 19, 45, 54 (penalty)

Booked: Michael Aziaya 43

Cray Valley (Paper Mills): Liam Northwood, Paul Semakula, Nathan Green, Matthew Attenborough-Warren (Jack Sammoutis 13), Alex Brefo, Cem Tumkaya, Ade Adeyemo, Anthony Edgar, Marcel Barrington, Hassan Ibrahiym (Raheem Sterling-Parker 64), Denzel Gayle (Francis Babalola 46).
Subs: Chris Lewington, Nathaniel Blanks

Booked: Cem Tumkaya 24, Alex Brefo 27, Kevin Watson (manager) 79

Attendance: 256
Referee: Mr Alexander Kyriacou
Assistants: Mr Dele Sotimirin & Mr Alphie Ibrahim