Thamesmead Town 1-0 Tilbury - This is our most successful season, says Keith McMahon

THAMESMEAD TOWN 1-0  TILBURY
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 6^th April 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says he wants to carry their winning momentum into the play-offs at the end of the season.

The Mead need one more win to seal their place in the Ryman League Division One North play-offs after striker Stuart Zanone scored his 40th goal of the season (20 of them for Kent League side Rochester United) to grind out a battling victory in the Bayliss Avenue sunshine.

Zanone becomes the first Kent footballer to reach 40 goals this season. The others gunning for the Kentish Football Golden Boot (there is no actual award) are Ryan Golding (39 goals, 25 for Sittingbourne, 14 for Crockenhill), Ricky Freeman (36 goals for Hollands & Blair) and Phoenix Sports striker, Dan Parish, who has netted 35 goals.

The win which could put eighth-placed Tilbury out of the play-off picture – although they can still finish the season on 77 points – extends Thamesmead Town’s unbeaten run to six games and enhances the club’s impressive home record of sixteen wins and three defeats in nineteen league games after today.

McMahon’s men remain in third-place in the table on 79 points from 37 games, five points behind second-placed Maldon & Tiptree and eleven behind table-toppers Grays Athletic.

“At this time of the year, it’s all about results really. We didn’t play at our best today,” admitted McMahon, who celebrates his 40th birthday today.

“I thought we defended very well.  Tilbury are not a bad side to be fair to them.  Yes, they started much the better for the first 10-15 minutes and I think we scored against the run of play.

“Then I think we looked a lot more dangerous going forward in the first half then they did.

“I don’t think my goalkeeper has made one single save all game so I’m not that bothered that they’ve had half chances, but I’m pleased really with another clean sheet.”

McMahon added: “Listen, we’ve had a lot of games, some tired legs and things like that and it’s just about keeping momentum, winning games and grinding results out.

“I thought we battled really well today.  Danny Kerrigan (slight cartilage tear) and Lea Dawson (groin) shouldn’t have played and we put them through it to get them through the game.  We done well so I’m pleased with that.”

Thamesmead Town created an opening inside the first five minutes when Jay Porter whipped a free-kick deep into the Tilbury box and the ball was flicked on to Zanone, whose hooked drive deflected wide for a corner from 12-yards.

But Tilbury were to quickly gain the upper hand, with left-back Macally Joynes roaming forward at every opportunity, and despite enjoying plenty of possession they lacked the quality up front to create clear cut chances.

Tilbury’s lone striker Danny Francis, a former Dominican Republic international, had an excellent chance to score his seventeenth-goal of the season after eleven minutes.

Skipper Jack Carlile played the ball inside to Joynes, who whipped in a cross from the left and three green shirted defenders failed to clear the ball in the middle and Francis stabbed a good chance wide of the left-hand post from ten-yards.

Five minutes later, Thamesmead Town right-back Jack Hopkins was given time and space by Joynes to float over a cross but winger Baff Addae rose to glance his header towards goal from 15-yards, which was caught by visiting keeper James Marrable.

Tilbury should have done better following their first corner of the game. 

Sam Cutler, 22, formerly of Welling United and Dover Athletic, swung the ball in from the left and his midfield partner Ben Crooks rose on the edge of the six-yard box to plant his header over.

A throw-in from Tilbury right-back Ryan Blackman saw Carlile cut in from the right and stroke a low cross into the box for Francis to turn and crack his left-footed drive over the bar from fifteen-yards.

Thamesmead Town appeared to be sluggish, but when they scored the winning goal, half-way through the first half, it was totally against the run of play.

Hopkins threw the ball into the box and Dawson flicked the ball on and Rob Carter poked the ball across the face of goal for the unmarked Zanone to lash his right-footed drive past the keeper and into the back of the net.

McMahon said: “Carts just got his toe to it and Stuart put it away well to be honest. It bounced up quite well and that’s his 20 goal for us for the season.

“He’s done well. Stuart’s got a lot more in his locker. I think he’s learning still. His runs off the ball in the last few weeks have been a lot better. We’ve been working on that with him.  He needs to sort out when he’s back to goal a little bit, but otherwise he’s the full package. He can finish but as you’ve seen he’s had another couple of chances that he could’ve extended the lead but we didn’t.”

Tilbury squandered a decent chance to equalise three minutes before the break when Tom Wraight played the ball into the box and the ball got stuck underneath Danny Kerrigan’s feet and the Thamesmead central midfielder failed to clear but Cutler stroked his shot into the side netting from six-yards.

The last kick of the first half saw Tilbury keeper Marrable make a save from a free-kick.

Left-back Porter, 18, who was playing his fifth game following his work-experience move from Dartford’s Academy, stroked his left-footed free-kick towards the near corner from 28-yards, which saw Marrable take a step to his left to catch the ball before the ball dipped into the corner.

McMahon said: “Jay’s come in from Dartford and he’s been a little revelation really. We’ve lost Ashley Probets for the (season) and the beginning of next year (season) with a cruciate knee ligament injury and he’s been a massive miss.

“I went to watch Jay play for Dartford’s Academy.  Tony (Burman, the Dartford manager) said he was available and he’s done well.  I think that’s his fifth game for us and he’s been excellent in all of them. 

“I said to him about taking corners and free-kicks and he said he’s never taken a corner or free-kick and that was his first and he’s hit a decent delivery to be honest.  The keeper’s got across and saved it but I think 2-0 at half-time would’ve flattered us a little bit too much – but we would’ve took it!”

McMahon added: “I don’t think he’ll play for us on Tuesday at Ware because he’s got a massive game for Dartford’s Academy on Monday when they can win the league so we’ll work with Tony on that one.

“A club like ours you’ve got to go and look at players like that because we can’t afford to get some big names but he’s come in and done really well.”

When asked what he wanted during the second half from his side, McMahon replied: “Basically we needed to get a little bit closer. The two full-backs needed to get a little bit tighter and we just needed to press and keep our shape.  I just thought we’d get in the game if we pressed the ball a bit more.  I thought we had to up the pace a little bit better, try and keep hold of the ball and just defend really.”

Tilbury created their first chance of the second half 90 seconds in when midfielder Chris Christou produced a fine pass to play in Francis, but goalkeeper Robert Budd rushed off his line to make a fine block.

McMahon said: “I’m trying to remember it to be honest. It was straight at him!

“Tozer and Donners defended really well.  Danny (Francis) has been about. Back to goal I thought he was pretty dangerous. I don’t think in behind us he was  great.  He’s quite a strong lad, but I’d expect Rob to save that nine times out of ten.”

Thamesmead’s opening second half chance saw Sean Roberts bring the ball under his control before hitting a left-footed shot on the turn from 25-yards, which flashed wide of the left-hand post, with many red shirted defenders swarming around him.

A better chance arrived when Hopkins threw the ball into Carter, who cut the ball back to Hopkins, who swung the ball out to the unmarked Zanone at the far post but the striker planted his header across goal and past the far post from ten-yards.

Tilbury went agonisingly close to deservedly equalising in the 65^th minute.

The hard-working Francis was fouled by James Donovan down the inside left-channel and Joynes whipped in an excellent free-kick with his right-foot, which was met by a towering glancing header from Rimmel Daniel, which sailed beyond Budd and clipped the outside of the far post.

The loose ball was picked up by Tilbury substitute Aaron Matthews, who drilled a ball back in across goal and Daniel was adjudged to be in an offside position when he stabbed the ball into the bottom near corner from close range.

McMahon said: “That was their proper chance. Donners dived in a little bit and we gave a silly free-kick away.  They got a decent delivery in to the box and they got on the end of it and it has clipped the outside of the post so we rode our luck but that was the only heart in the mouth situation they could’ve scored from.  Looking at clear cut chances I think we’ve had the better.”

Tilbury left-winger Daniel was inches away from equalising, when he bent his low right-footed shot around the foot of the far post from 18-yards.

Tilbury maintained their pressure but Donovan and Lewis Tozer were resilient at the heart of the Thamesmead defence.

A ball over the top of the Tilbury defence from Hopkins was knocked down by Carter and Dawson cracked a dipping right-footed volley from 30-yards which brought a comfortable low catch from Marrable.

McMahon added: “Again, 50-50 chance. You’d expect their keeper to make it.  I thought Lea was outstanding but he was touch and go ten minutes before kick-off today. I wasn’t going to play him but I thought he dominated the middle of midfield today and he looked really strong and he’s hit a decent volley, but again comfortable for the keeper.”

A hooked angled drive from Francis bounced into Budd’s gloves, before Tilbury should have done better with twelve minutes to go.

Substitute Joe Nightingill teed up Francis, whose right-footed drive from 12-yards was hit straight at Budd, who beat the ball down before gathering at the second attempt.

Thamesmead Town created two excellent chances to increase their lead in the final ten minutes.

Rob Gillman, who signed from Whitstable Town earlier in the season, was ten yards from the half-way line but instead of clipping the ball forward he opted to pass the ball back towards his goalkeeper, but Carter read the defender’s thinking and latched onto the ball to sprint forward but he drove his right-footed shot narrowly past the foot of the near post – Gillman raising his hand to his team-mates to apologise.

“Should’ve finished. We’re clear through on goal,” said McMahon.

“The defender’s made a mistake, we’ve pressurised them into making a mistake and he’s clean through. I think he’s gone through a little bit too quick and it’s bobbled up and the keeper’s come out and done quite well to be honest with you. He’s spread himself, but we should’ve finished the game there and then.”

Thamesmead Town took the sting out of the game towards the end and former Erith Town striker Tyrus Gordon-Young went agonisingly close to wrapping up a flattering 2-0 victory inside stoppage time.

Hopkins clipped the ball over the top and a mistake from Ben Crooks sent the substitute on his way before he lashed his right-footed shot against the underside of the crossbar.

“Tyrus has bundled his way through, big and strong and I think he hit it too well and crashed the underside of the crossbar. 

“We’ve had a couple of good chances. They were throwing everything at us. They were going long, which teams play into our hands when they start doing that and start pumping it down our end. We win everything. I was pretty pleased. Some of us were a little bit naive but we could’ve finished the game off a little bit earlier.”

It was to be Thamesmead Town’s seventeenth clean sheet in 52 games in all competitions this season.

“Second one on the spin! Our defence is pretty strong and that’s the main foundation what our club’s been about for the last three years and we just have to build on it,” said McMahon.

“We’re dangerous at set-plays and now we’ve got some forwards that score goals. If you look at our record they can’t stop scoring. It’s always difficult to score against us. We’re quite an organised side.  We don’t give too many chances away. We marshalled that defence very well.”

There were ugly scenes at the final whistle when Nightingill had to be pulled away by his team-mates after exchanging bitter words with Thamesmead’s players, mainly Tozer.

McMahon said: “Some silly comments from a couple of lads, not their manager, saying that ‘we’re rubbish and how are we third?’

“They’re mostly frustrated to be fair.  They’ve played a lot of games and we’ve beat them twice and a couple of people on their bench was maybe saying a few silly things and it spread.  Their player that came on was a bit disappointed to be left on the bench and it got a bit silly. 

“They didn’t take it well.  It’s different if they had chance after chance and my goalkeeper was making save after save but they had a lot of ball but they didn’t have anything major.

“I’ve always said we’ve lost more games over the years than we’ve won and to be a good winner you’ve got to accept defeat and we took it graciously when you lose and when you win you take it gracefully as well.”

McMahon told Tilbury, who were in his position at the end of last season, to give his side credit.

He said: “League table’s done lie. You have to ground out and beat us! We’re bit and strong and we’re a tough side to beat. If you haven’t got a plan B or you can’t do nothing special…

“We’re not a side that’s blessed with loads of flair, individual players, we’re a side that all work together as a team – we did that today.

“You’ve got to score properly against us. You can’t come down here and play like Barcelona and get a result, you’re going to come unstuck because we won’t let you!  You’ve got to be able to mix it with us and that’s what pleased me today.  We didn’t get out bullied and we stood up and win our battles.”

McMahon revealed that he will not risk Dawson or Kerrigan for their trip to Ware on Tuesday night, but insisted they will not ease of the gas in their last five league games.

“We’re not a club who can do that,” said McMahon.  “We’ve just got to try and win.  I think it’s important to keep the momentum going.

“I’ve watched Grays twice recently and they’ve not played well and they’ve won. It’s the same for every top team at this time of the season.  Teams make it difficult because they’ve got nothing to play for and they haven’t got the commitment and the games sort of a nothing game like what Monday (against Chatham Town) was.

“You just got to keep going. We’re a club that roll on momentum and we have to try to win every game. I don’t think the players have got the brains to sit there and don’t want to win. We’re a winning side. We want to win everything.  I think we’ll go for it.

“We’ll have to look at anyone with any knocks, we’ll be sensible in that way. There’s no way we’re going to hold because I don’t think you can stop and start in three weeks’ time.  You can’t stop, start, stop, start, so we’ll keep going.”

When asked whether he’d like to finish as runners-up or in third place, McMahon replied: “I’d take either! If we finish second it’ll be unbelievable but to be in the play-offs for a club like ours we’ve always said it will be like a dream. It’s massive, so to finish second especially being 20-odd points behind Maldon & Tipree at Christmas it would be great.

“All we can do is just keep picking points up and see what happens.  The play-offs are over two games. You could lose the first and it’s all over, but we’ll still take it as the most successful season this club has ever had.  We’ve done well in the cups and if we get there (the Ryman Premier League) who knows? We’ll have to worry. I’ve already had people ask me what would you do next year? We’re not even thinking about it. I wouldn’t know. We’d have to see how we go!”

Thamesmead Town: Robert Budd, Jack Hopkins, Jay Porter, Danny Kerrigan, Lewis Tozer, James Donovan, Sean Roberts, Lea Dawson, Stuart Zanone, Rob Carter (Tyrus Gordon-Young 83), Baff Addae (Chris Edwards 75).
Subs: Charlie McCarthy, Cory Walters-Wright, Richard Stevens

Goal: Stuart Zanone 22

Tilbury: James Marrable, Ryan Blackman, McCally Joynes, Ben Crooks, Rob Gillman, Joe Christou, Rimmel Daniel (Joe Nightingill 75), Jack Carlile, Danny Francis, Sam Cutler (Gary Henty 55), Tom Wraight (Aaron Matthews 46).
Subs: Paul Joynes, Mark Edwards

Attendance: 41
Referee: Mr Neil Wallace (Crawley, West Sussex)
Assistants: Mr John Balcombe (Basingstoke, Hampshire) & Mr Ryan O’Sullivan (Croydon, Surrey)