Sevenoaks Town 5-0 Canterbury City - We're trying to build a successful club, says Micky Hazard

SEVENOAKS TOWN  5-0  CANTERBURY CITY
The FA Carlsberg Vase First Qualifying Round
Saturday 7^th September 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

SEVENOAKS TOWN coach Micky Hazard says he is trying to preach the beautiful game to the youngsters’ at the club.

Sevenoaks Town recorded their largest victory in The FA Carlsberg Vase with a blistering 5-0 win over their Southern Counties East Football League rivals Canterbury City on Non-League Day.

Former Chatham Town striker Harry Smith, 18, grabbed the headlines with four goals, with Jermeel Jno-Baptise scoring the best goal of the game with a smashed right-footed hooked volley from ten-yards which flew into the top corner.

This proved to be Canterbury City’s highest defeat in their FA Vase history and the Herne-Bay based outfit also exited The FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round to Dorking Wanderers by the same sorry scoreline in their third game of the season.

“There was lots of very, very good things that came out of the performance, great football number one and great goals and fantastic really,” said Sunderland-born Hazard, 53, who helped Tottenham Hotspur win The FA Cup in 1982 and the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) two years’ later.

Hazard, who lives in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire and has been coaching the Kent clubs youth teams for three years added: “There’s still things we need to improve on and work on. We had a back four of under 18s, a goalkeeper of 20 today, which sort of says everything that we’re trying to do at this club – bring though our own and add one or two of them to give them confidence so there’s things and areas that we need to work on and improve on.

“Our long-term aim at the moment this time next season be a very, very good team but at the minute we’re looking very, very good in areas going forward and creating chances we’re looking great. 

“We’re not finishing as many as we should. I know we’ve got five today but we could have had a lot more and although we didn’t look like conceding a goal today, maybe during the season we’ve conceded a few silly goals so what we’re trying to do is cut out the silly mistakes with the youngsters, not give silly goals away because it puts you on the back foot, defend a little bit better and be a bit more clinical in their box and once we get those two areas right there’s no end to what we can achieve.”

Canterbury City player-manager Simon Pettit, 31, was clearly disappointed with his side’s FA Vase exit at the first hurdle.

“At 2-0 down first half we went for it second half, gung-ho a little bit trying to get one.  Second half we had most of the possession. We looked threatening.

“But that aside, we’ve let five goals in against a team in our league. I know it’s away from home, but it’s not good enough!

“I put in Roy Guiver (who I signed from Ashford United last week) just to put a bit of steel in defence today. He did alright, but it was more laziness from midfield. Runners came through midfield and we didn’t go with them.  Our attacking players thought they were just there to attack. 

“I don’t usually dig my players out – I never do – but I’ve got to dig them out for this. Just basic Kent League football. Any league football. You can’t have runners come through midfield. You can’t shrug your shoulders when they’ve gone past you. You’ve got to get back, goal side and dog it. 

“If you’re not fit enough get fit, do extra bits. I think we’re going to be doing that as well.”

Canterbury City can expect to receive a fine from The Football Association after they picked up six yellow cards from Barnehurst based referee Steve Perry.

“We were getting smashed up in the air in and around the box and the ref didn’t do much about it,” claimed Pettit.

“But I don’t like blaming refs. I was asking the ref what was going on and there were yellow cards for us and they were getting away with it every time. 

“I think the ref lost his way,” claimed Pettit, who added: ”I went through to the edge of the box two or three times to have a strike but couldn’t get a strike off because they’ve clipped my ankles and pushed me over. It’s a shooting opportunity but he’s not given one yellow card for them.

“I don’t think many of them were yellows. If they were yellows then they had just as many in their team.

“It wasn’t a consistent performance from the referee. He booked me for talking to him as well to ask why he’s given so many yellow cards and not given any yellow cards when I’m through one-on-one and he was giving other yellow cards to people in my team.

“It just wasn’t a consistent performance but it is a fine but not much I can do about that!”

Sevenoaks Town’s largest crowd of the season of 106 witnessed some of the best football played by the club at Greatness Park since their promotion into the Kent League in 2003.

It seems the summer wholesale changes of promoting Paul Lansdale from youth team manager to first team manager and club chairman has given the club a new lease of life.

And with the side having a high number of promising local young players, this has enticed local people to get behind their local club.

“I think our under 18’s had 106 for our final game of last season,” recalled Hazard.

“What we’re hoping is we’ll double that and triple that and quadruple that because when the word gets out about the quality of football that we’re playing and the young team that we’ve got playing and a local team that we’ve got coming through the system this is the place where maybe your son whose playing for Sevenoaks for the under 7s now one day might become a first team player in the future and that’s also what we’re trying to bring to the town and hopefully the response from the locals will be to come out and support the team and the boys because it’s a credit to this club for what we’re trying to do.

“We’re trying to build a successful club based on our own grown talent.”

Sevenoaks Town – who thrashed Simon Halsey’s Lordswood 4-0 at Martyn Grove last weekend which was their only win before today – opened the scoring with their first chance with eight minutes and 45 seconds on the clock.

Tony Hazard played the ball inside to Jamie Davies who played the ball outside to right-back James Wortley, who floated in a cross into the penalty area and giant Smith glanced his header across debutant goalkeeper Marc Beresford and into the top far corner.

Hazard said of his four-goal hero Smith: “Listen, I’m not one of these guys who says as a centre forward you get four you’re brilliant, I’m not.

“He’s a very good player, but he’s playing in a team that creates chances. I said to him at half-time ‘you must enjoy playing in this team because they create chances’ and he’s had other chances to score as well. 

“If you look at the chances that we missed the scoreline could have doubled. There’s some easy chances, but this team creates lots, lots and lots of chances. We’ve got great movement, great passing ability, great vision and awareness and as a centre forward it must be a joy to behold because when you hit that box it must be lovely to know that’s where the balls coming.  That’s what Harry does. All credit to him. He took his goals great.  He hits the box, which is what I want. I asked him to get in the box in the pre-match talk because when the balls coming in the box I want you there and that’s where he was and he got his rewards.  Four goals. Brilliant!

Reflecting the opener, Hazard added: “Absolutely great goal. When I’m scoring goals, I’m not looking for, of course, I’ll take tap-ins or miss-hits and whatever, but I’m looking for good, flowing football too.

“All our goals today, the first one was a sort of single of that play, great passing, great movement, great timing of movement, late movement, great quality into the box and then a great finish!

“It epitomised everything that we’re trying to preach to our youngsters. It was just a great goal. Full stop.”

Pettit gave his take on the opening goal and also praised four-goal hero Smith.

He said: “Very good goal actually. He’s a good player, he’s a handful, he’s what six foot two or six foot three, a big handful.

“He gave Guiver a bit of a torrid time today. Other times Guiver saves us two or three times. We let them have too many crosses from deep. That was the midfield not working hard enough as well. Balls were coming from midfield and from the back too easily. I said switch on from the back. We’re reacting after the ball has been knocked out to the right-back or left back and then turning round so we weren’t reacting quickly enough.”

Sevenoaks Town skipper Nick Chrysathou – man-of-the-match for his inspirational driving performance from the middle of the park – played a through ball inside the box to release Jno-Baptise through on goal and his right-footed shot was blocked by the former Ramsgate keeper as he advanced at his near post.

Canterbury’s first shot at goal arrived in the 12^th minute when striker Matt Adams hit a speculative right-footed drive from 35-yards, which bounced past the far post.

Sevenoaks Town’s football was a delight to watch and they carved open another chance when left-back Sam Manktelow went up to join in with an attack and played the ball inside to Chrysathou who played the ball back to Manktelow who stroked a left-footed drive which forced Beresford into making a comfortable save to his left.

Pettit was fouled by Kyle Farrar on the edge of the Sevenoaks Town penalty area but Gareth Cornhill sent his right-footed free-kick high over the bar from 28-yards.

Sevenoaks Town’s central defender Jordan Broome clipped the ball out of defence to release Smith down the right and the lone target-man dragged his right-footed shot across goal and past the far post.

Sevenoaks Town squandered an excellent chance to double their lead halfway through the first half.

Jno-Baptise cracked a diagonal pass with his right-foot from inside his own half out to impressive right-winger Davies, who drove his cross into the penalty area and Baptise made ground to reach the penalty area to hook his first time right-footed shot towards goal and Beresford made a fine diving save to his left and used a strong left hand to push around the post.

“Marc Beresford has come over from Ramsgate’s reserves and he’s done alright. I know he’s let in five but he’s saved a couple of worldies and really couldn’t do much about the goals at one end.

“He’s come in and done alright. He’s commanding, he’s done well. He couldn’t do much about the goals.”

Canterbury City’s left-back James Gregory – who was humiliated by Davies’ blistering pace throughout the game – swung in a corner from the right which was headed away and a frustrated Adams sent his speculative overhead kick sailing wide of the right-hand post from eight-yards.

Broome then clipped another ball up field and the dominant Chrysathou stuck out a long right leg to stab the ball to Davies who raced forward before crossing another ball into the box and Farrar’s left-footed shot was blocked by Beresford, low to his left, to prevent the ball finding the bottom near corner.

Pettit admitted afterwards that Shaun Brown should have scored his fourth goal of the season in the 32^nd minute.

Adams threated an intelligent ball through the middle of Sevenoaks Town’s central defenders (Broome and Jack Miles) to release Brown but he lost composure when he only had goalkeeper Charlie Mann to beat and stroked his right-footed shot across the keeper and wide of the left-hand post.

Pettit said: “Very good chance and he should have done more with it! Brownie’s been scoring this season and he should have done better with it really!”

Hazard admitted his teenage defence are capable of conceding.

He said: “I felt we looked solid, without dominating. When you’re eighteen the first thing you have to come to terms with is you’re playing against men and men are not scared. They’re physical and strong and they’re clever. You have to be as strong as them, you have to compete as well as them and be clever than them.

“I felt the youngsters’ are improving. We’ve been a bit reactive rather than pro-active today. I felt we got in between reactive and pro-active. We’re not quite pro-active yet where we’re reading the situation and anticipating. We’re still waiting a little and reacting to it where as I want them to read the situation, anticipate it and being at the right place at the right time so we’re getting there. There’s areas of big improvement but there’s still lots to do.”

Canterbury City should have been dead and buried when another excellent Sevenoaks Town chance went begging in the 35^th minute.

Chrysathou and Farrer linked up well in midfield and the ball was played out to Davies, who released Wortley on the overlap and he whipped in an excellent cross towards the near post and Smith’s free-header agonisingly bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and a saving block by Canterbury’s right-back Anthony Woodyard ensured Jno-Baptise’s follow-up shot looped over the crossbar.

Canterbury City’s long-ball game was not troubling Sevenoaks Town’s teenage defence, but a long throw into the box by central midfielder Pettit was met by a glancing header at the near post by debutant Roy Guiver, which was caught at the near post by Mann.

A clever free-kick by Chrysathou was played into Farrar’s feet, who turned his marker before stroking his left-footed shot just wide of the far post from 25-yards.

Sevenoaks Town’s dominance finally told when they deservedly doubled their lead three minutes before the break.

Yet another right-wing cross from the diminutive Davies was knocked down by Chrysathou and Smith placed his first-time left-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Hazard said: “Absolute brilliant goal!  Again, fantastic build-up. There was lots of players involved, got the movement down the right, clipped back into Nick, a little knock down to Harry, back of the net.

“Again, it’s everything that we’re trying to preach. We’re trying to preach the beautiful game and some people say you can’t do it at a lower level. Maybe you can’t? Maybe you won’t win things but at the end of the day when these boys’ gain their experience in a year or two time, experience of playing and fighting at this level and knowing the quality of play that their capable of playing, who knows what we can achieve?”

Pettit said: “We’ve been hit on the break and they turn round and just broke and they got an easy goal. It was a good finish. 

“People just didn’t go with runners’. Lazy defending to me. It’s so hard to score a goal in this level that you need to put in your 10, 15 and 20-yard runs in to stop a goal. It’s a lot easier to stop a goal than it is to score a goal at this level and we just didn’t do that. It’s just lazy, lazy defending!”

Canterbury City created the last chance of the first half when Gregory floated a left-footed free-kick towards the far post and Guiver’s towering header dropped down into Mann’s gloves, who saved low to his left and did well to keep hold of the ball.

Former Ramsgate midfielder Pettit added: “They had 25 minutes in the first half and we’ve had the same and that’s just the ball up in the air.  I said keep plugging away, keep doing what you’re doing and keep hold of the ball and the chance will come.

“Second half we had plenty of pressure on their goal, plenty. We needed a goal to go in. We needed something to go in. Someone to create something and it didn’t.

“I know we signed him at the start of the season, Mo Takaloo is coming back to us (following his release from Whitstable Town last Wednesday) so when things are bouncing in and around he’s the sort of player who will smash one in.”

Pettit decided to haul off right-back Woodyard at the interval and brought on Danny Atkins, who was a long throw specialist.

Canterbury City were awarded a free-kick a couple of yards outside of the penalty area, which Gregory stroked his left-footed kick around the wall and the ball bobbled off the poor playing surface and Mann initially spilt the ball before gathering the ball at the second attempt as bodies came rushing in after only 85 seconds.

Sevenoaks Town’s first chance of the second half saw Chrysathou play a free-kick into Tony Hazard, who played the ball inside to Miles who played the ball into Jno-Baptise’s feet, who skipped past a challenge before drilling his right-footed shot on the turn, which flashed just wide of the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Sevenoaks Town hit Canterbury City on the break and Farrar played the ball out to Davies who whipped in another excellent cross from the right which Smith sent his right-footed hooked volley sailing just wide of the near post from eight-yards.

Atkins hurled a trademark long throw towards the near post and Pettit admitted afterwards he should have hit the target with his header which sailed over the bar as the Sevenoaks keeper flung himself towards the ball.

Hazard added: “I felt for the first 20 minutes of the second half we stopped doing what we were doing in the first half and our captain (Chrysathou) took hold of the game and ran the game for us. He got us passing again, short passes, quick passes and movement.”

Canterbury City started to play better around the hour-mark and Atkins stroked his right-footed free-kick around the wall from 28-yards and Mann did well to hold onto the ball after dropping to his knees.

Reflecting on his side’s free-kicks around the Sevenoaks box, Pettit admitted: “I don’t think they were too good! We practiced them in training. I thought they were a bit tame. You need to hit them a bit harder. I’d rather see them go over the bar than something so tame. It was like a back-pass back to the goalkeeper.”

Gregory then swung in a free-kick towards the far post where Ben Gorham rose to head the ball back across goal and Ryan Moore sent his bullet header sailing wide of the far post.

Gorham then played a long ball out of defence to release winger Moore down the right and his cross was hooked wide by substitute Steven Baines.

But Canterbury City’s best chance to claw themselves back into the game came with 20 minutes remaining when Baines – who finished the game as captain after Cornhill was substituted – should have taken a lifeline.

A long kick from keeper Beresford sailed over Wortley’s head and the ball was picked up by Carl Munday. The left-winger cut inside and floated over a perfect cross to an unmarked Baines, who sent his diving header sailing over the bar from 12-yards.

Pettit admitted Baines had to take that chance to keep their FA Vase hopes alive.

He said: “He should have scored! That is the decider! That’s the difference in getting a goal and getting back in the game – or not!

“I think that was a clear cut header. There was no one really round him and he’s hit it over the bar!”

Sevenoaks Town nearly extended their lead only 63 seconds after that miss when substitute James Coppins released Jno-Baptise through on goal and his right-footed dinked shot produced a fine block from Beresford, whose heroics prevented double figures.

Sevenoaks Town put the game beyond Canterbury City’s reach with a world-class strike with twelve minutes left.

Tony Hazard and Chrysathou linked up well and Davies whipped in another excellent cross from the right which sailed towards the far post and Smith cushioned his header back across goal and Jno-Baptise smashed a right-footed volley across Beresford into the top far corner from ten-yards.

It was a strike that Hazard would have produced in the top flight of English football during his playing days.

“It was an incredible strike,” he hailed.  “We worked on finishing on Thursday evening and he’s finishing was amazing on Thursday. In actual fact he should have had four today. He had a lot easier chances than the one he scored but it was a phenomenal goal!

“You won’t see a better goal anywhere!  The build-up, the eventual play and then the final finish – it would have graced the Premier League – it was that good!

“I want to see that more often. It’s not good enough to do that once every blue moon.  I want that more often!”

Pettit added: “That’s the one that killed the game to be honest. It was a competition up to then and he’s done a worldy so there’s not much you can say about that.

“He won’t score that again this season, I don’t think. The guy’s a good player. He’ll score goals this season, he’s a decent player. He can probably go up the next level because he was a good player. He was an absolute handful.”

Jno-Baptise turned provider when he cut into the penalty area before clipping the ball towards the far post and substitute Toby Lansdale hooked his volley against the right-hand post from eight-yards with Beresford rooted to the spot.

Smith, who had sidestepped his marker, bent his right-footed shot towards the bottom far corner and Beresford pulled off another excellent save to make the fine block and Davies’ follow-up drive deflected narrowly wide of the far post.

Canterbury City capitulated inside injury time when they shipped in two further goals.

Pettit explained why that was the case.

“We put Roy Guiver up front for the last 20 minutes just to try and win some headers and just get you some scrappy goals really, but nothing went our way at all today.  He won a couple of headers but nothing dropped. It’s just one of those, you go for it, go gung-ho.  You don’t get a second chance in the FA Vase so we thought we’d chuck it up and see what we could do last fifteen minutes and try and nick one. You’re not going to get three goals in that time!”

Davies floated in another cross towards the far post and the unmarked Smith sent his towering header into the roof of the net with 45:10 on the second half clock.

Hazard said: “Jamie did well, did very, very well. Again Harry, like we said, get in the box and he arrived in the box. He arrives in the box on both occasions and stick it in the back of the net.” 

Smith scored his fourth goal and his seventh goal of the season with 47:22 on the second half clock.

Substitute Ricky Hazard released Jno-Baptise through on goal and his shot was blocked by Canterbury’s keeper.  The ball was collected by Davies who clipped the ball towards the far post and the unmarked Smith sent his downward diving header bouncing into the empty net.

Hazard added: “Two mirror images. It came about because of quick passing and quick build up, little interlink play and it created the space for Jamie wide and he rolled him in and he’s picked out Harry, whose got in the box and then got on the end of good play so credit to Harry and credit to the boys for some great football.”

Pettit added: “Last two goals we let in was just us going forward and going gung-ho and leaving three at the back. There’s no difference in losing two or three nil or five-nil.

“First season is a bit of a learning curve for me but again we go for it in the cups. If you’re 2-0 down and you’ve got 20 or 30 minutes to go what do you do? Do you sit and take a 2-0 or do you go for it? I’ve played in games before when you’re 2-0 down and you go for it and you win 3-2 or get a replay. To me 2-0 or 5-0 doesn’t make a difference to me!”

Whilst most people would give Smith the man-of-the-match award, Chrysathou would win the vote for such a dominant performance in the middle of the park.

Hazard said: “I don’t think it’s debatable, four goals, no-one’s going to dispute that. There was lots of good performances, lots but you’re never going to take it away from a four-goal man.”

But he added: “Nick was brilliant. Nick was outstanding today so he would be in the running for it.

“Jamie Daives, the right-winger, will be in the running. There was a lot of good performances today but you’re not going to give it to a four goal man?

“Have you given it to Nick? I probably would!  I thought he influenced the game more than anyone else and he did do some very good things but it’s easy to give it to the four-goal man. He would get man-of-the-match but Nick was outstanding.”

Canterbury City went into this game sitting in ninth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League table with two wins from their opening five games. They were three places higher than Sevenoaks Town, who have one win from their opening four league outings.

Pettit took this heavy defeat badly and threatened to make changes to his side if they don’t buck up their ideas.

He said: “Even these lot today, these are the teams we should be challenging for and should be beating! If you’re not beating teams like this then go off, to another team if you don’t mind mediocrity. I can’t have it! I couldn’t have it as a player. I want to win things as a manager and I won’t accept it! 

“If you’re not good enough or you haven’t got the application or you haven’t got the mental capacity to play at this level then hard feelings, walk off and I’ll get somebody else in.”

Sevenoaks Town: Charlie Mann, James Wortley, Jack Miles, Jordan Broome, Sam Manktelow (James Coppins 63), Jamie Davies, Nick Chrysathou, Tony Hazard (Toby Lansdale 81), Jermeel Jno-Baptise, Kyle Farrar (Ricky Hazard 68), Harry Smith.
Subs: Joffie Shea, David Green

Goals: Harry Smith 9, 43, 90, 90 Jermeel Jno-Baptise 78

Booked: Jamie Davies 34, Harry Smith 61, Nick Chrysathou 77

Canterbury City: Marc Beresford, Anthony Woodyard (Danny Atkins 46), James Gregory, Gareth Cornhill (Nick Bagley 82), Roy Guiver, Ben Gorham, Carl Munday, Shaun Brown (Steven Baines 53), Matt Adams, Simon Pettit, Ryan Moore.
Subs: Dan Smith, Brett Mills

Booked: Roy Guiver 29, Shaun Brown 31, Carl Munday 55, Simon Pettit 66, Steven Baines 73, Danny Atkins 75

Attendance: 106
Referee: Mr Steve Perry (Barnehurst)
Assistants: Mr Guy Marley (Bexleyheath) & Mr Kevin Howard (Catford, London SE6)