VCD Athletic 1-0 Bearsted - You kind of feel punished a little bit for having good cup runs so you've just got to deal with it and whatever's thrown at us, we'll tackle straight ahead, says title-chasing VCD Athletic joint-boss Ross Baker

VCD Athletic 1 – 0 Bearsted
Location	Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN
Kickoff	11/02/2025 19:45

VCD ATHLETIC  1-0  BEARSTED
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

VCD ATHLETIC joint-manager Ross Baker says his side will tackle what is thrown at us after snatching a last-gasp winner to return to second-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table.

Kevin Stevens’ Bearsted created the better chances during a tactical stalemate on a bitterly cold night in Crayford, but an own goal from goalkeeper Frankie Leonard five minutes and 51 seconds into stoppage time gave the home side the three points.

The Vickers’ have closed the gap on leaders Faversham Town to six points and have a couple of games in hand on Tommy Warrilow’s side, who do have a far greater superior goal-difference.

Bearsted, meanwhile, made four changes to the side that lost 2-0 at Fisher at the weekend, put in a vastly improved performance here tonight but were wasteful in front of goal and remain in the bottom three, three points clear of the relegation zone.

“Left it late, got to be honest, left it late,” admitted Baker, whose side have picked up 51 points (15 wins, six draws and two defeats) and remain unbeaten at home in the League this season.

“I thought we was alright tonight. I thought we done well. I mean, listen, take nothing away from Bearsted, they came here with a game plan to sit in and they did it for 90 plus minutes. I thought they were excellent from start to finish to be fair to them and they’re a good side.

“Like I said in my programme notes, they do not deserve to be in the bottom three, if I’m honest because I’ve got to a lot of time for Kevin and his boys.  They play lovely football and they’re a really disciplined side.

“They made it tough for us tonight and in the end we got what I thought we probably deserved.”

Bearsted boss Stevens sent out his coach Elyon Marshall-Katung for post-match media duties.

“Painfull! It was a frustrating game in terms of I thought we could’ve nicked something out of the game.  To concede in the 96h minute, to conceded at that point in the game at a set-piece, off the post and off our keeper, frustrating,” admitted Marshall-Katung.

“We’ve had four one-v-ones, no quality in the box. If we finish those and we score. I don’t recall them having a clear-cut chance in the game, a couple of half-chances where the ball has dropped in and around the box but that’s football. It’s unforgiving. It owes you nothing and sometimes you have to be better in the boxes.”

VCD Athletic bossed the possession of the ball but they produced crab football (backwards and sideways) and found Bearsted a well-organised outfit on a pristine grass playing surface.

Both were asked about the tactical stalemate nature of the contest.

Baker said: “Yes, it was. They’re a good side. They’re good at what they do.  We played them twice last season and they play real good football and they made it hard for us and they’ve done it again tonight.  They’ve got some good players now, they’re a good side.”

Marshall-Katung added: “It’s one of the first games where I feel like this season where you’ve had a tactical challenge. We set up slightly differently because how we’ve watched a few of their games and stuff like that. We knew what they needed to be able to hurt us, so we just nullified that.

“We put a plan in place to counter that and it worked quite well to be fair, creating four chances, should’ve scored but didn’t.

“All in all, I’m proud of the boys, they stuck to the task very, very well,. Not many times we do that in season where we’ve changed and had that tactical set-up but we did. We executed it well, unfortunately we lost in the dying minutes of the game.”

The first time that Bearsted put the ball into the VCD Athletic penalty area came with 14:44 on the clock and their first chance from their first of two corners.

Central midfielder Robbie Roberts swung the ball in from the left and centre-half Ryan Blake swept a left-footed volley towards the bottom left-hand corner, only for the ball to strike team-mate Dieko Falade on the line and slip past the foot of the post.

“I mean, we try to be as creative as we can from set-pieces. He’s made contact in there. It’s come off one of our players on the goal-line. You can’t make it up can you? Unfortunately, that’s football, on another day, that goes in,” said Marshall-Katung.

Baker added: “They did have a few chances first half but I’ll be honest with you, it’s not being disrespectful to them but I thought we were in control of the first half at least the first half, minimum.

“They had one or two better chances but I’ll be honest, their chances only came from our mistakes. If you look back at it, the ball would’ve broken down, maybe in the final third and they’ve hit us on the break but I don’t think Walks has had really much to do tonight, let’s be honest.”

VCD Athletic produced a trademark short corner from their second flag-kick when debutant left-back Callum Flynn played the ball short to central striker Francis Babalola, who played the ball back to Flynn, who put in a first time cross from the right and winger Nathaniel Olawole steered his near-post header over the crossbar in the 20^th minute.

Bearsted missed a glorious chance to smash the stalemate just 53 seconds later when targetman Connor French fed Eniola Hassan and the attacking midfielder put debutant left-winger Tristan Lock through on goal but Andy Walker rushed off his line and made himself big and made a vital block, the ball ricocheting off the former Snodland Town man and going behind for a goal-kick.

“I was off celebrating already, I thought he had scored but it was a good save from the keeper,” added Marshall-Katung.

“Yes, it was one of those moments where we’ve created something. We’ve been really creative and intricate, created a goalscoring opportunity but just haven’t really put it to bed.”

When asked about Lock’s debut, Marshall-Katung replied: “I thought he done really, really well. I was impressed with him. He grew into the game by every minute. He showed what he was about second half. He hasn’t played a lot of football recently but he done well in the last little bits before he came off with cramp.”

Baker added: “It was good movement. Listen, I’m a big fan of Connor French’s. I think he’s a fantastic centre-forward. His hold up play is second to none at this level and we knew when we saw him on the team-sheet, we knew it was going to be tough.

“He links the play well with his hold-up, he’s good. It was good movement from them. Listen, Walks done his job, that’s why he’s there.”

The home side spent most of the game playing the ball around their back four with Bearsted’s forward players not pressing holding midfielder Connor Dymond, who was pulling the strings inside the Vickers’ half.

Dymond played the ball into the feet of 12-goal attacking midfielder Bethel Gboda who fed winger Charlie Heatley, who played the ball back to Gboda, who drilled his right-footed shot screaming over the right-hand post from 25-yards.

When asked whether his defensive players were just passing it around the back for the sake of it, Baker replied: “I think we needed to go back probably a month and be a little bit more clinical. We just try to walk it in the net and try to cut teams open a little bit more, where I think we had a chat in there, we just need to pull the trigger a little bit more.

“We find ourselves in so much space sometimes and so many good opportunities. We feel we need to find that extra pass where I’d rather one of them just smash it in the back of the net, if I’m honest with you.”

Marshall-Katung revealed: “We’ve got a back line of wounded soldiers. Everyone in that back line is injured.

“We’ve got a striker (Darko) playing at right-back. We’ve got a centre-half (Blake) who shouldn’t be playing, injured. We’ve got a left-back (Lee) playing at centre-back and we’ve got a right-back playing at left-back (Agbudume), so it’s a makeshift back line.

“We’ve been hit with a lot of injuries, however, they stuck to the task well. These group of lads are really good. We want to win. We want to work hard. We’ve been hit with a lot of injuries this season, which has really hurt us in terms of our league position but we’ve got a really good team and a really good squad and they’re good enough to execute a tactical set-up.”

VCD Athletic centre-half Michael Fenn smashed the ball up field and Blake allowed the ball bounce whilst under pressure from Babalola and the ball was worked to Heatley, whose left-footed angled rolling shot was comfortably picked up by Leonard at his near-post.

Bearsted ditched their deck playing game and went route-one in the 36^th minute as Leonard cracked the ball up field with his left-boot and hit the ball into the right-channel and winger Falade fizzed in a low cross, which was cleared out to holding midfielder Jack Palmby, who lacked composure when left unmarked from 25-yards, his right-footed drive sailing over Walker’s crossbar.

VCD Athletic’s fourth corner was played short by Flynn along the by-line into Olawole before Flynn whipped in a first time cross from the right channel and Dymond found a pocket of space at the near-post to loop the ball which dropped down and was comfortably caught in Leonard’s midriff.

VCD Athletic have video evidence showing that one of the Hartpury University players elbowed Tom Carlse during the early stages of The FA Vase tie which has threatened to cut short the 30-year-old’s left-back career.

“Tom’s still in the hospital, he’s had to have an operation. I spoke to his mother and I spoke to his wife today and a few of the boys have spoken to Tom. He should be out in the next 10 days with a bit of luck so fingers crossed,” revealed Baker, who was asked about Carlse’s future football career and the injury sustained.

“Listen, we just want him back home with his family before any of that sort of conversation.  The most important thing he’s alright and he gets back to his wife and his children before we even talk about football.

“I’m not at liberty. He got a serious injury to his throat and his family have asked to just keep the details quiet, so I’ve got to respect their wishes with that.”

When asked about Flynn’s arrival to Oakwood, Baker said: “He went to Croydon. He was at Fisher last year and we spoke to him in the summer, obviously things didn’t work out.

“With Tom Carlse having a real bad injury in the Vase, we’ve had to get another one (left-back) in and Callum answered the call. He’s come in, listen, I thought he done alright tonight, first game without having a session.”

Bearsted created the final chance of the half when Falade intercepted a pass inside the Vickers’ half before left-back Dennis Agbudume played a pass inside to Hassan, whose low right-footed angled drive from 25-yards was comfortably saved by Walker.

“I mean, it’s one of those moments in the game, right, to do the right things. Opportunity comes along, you’ve got to have a go, right,” added Marshall-Katung.

Baker added: “They had a few long-range shots but they didn’t really trouble us in behind our back three or back four at times.  It was comfortable. The way that we play, you’re always going to give up a chance from time-to-time and Walks done his job, that’s what he’s three for.”

Both were asked their thoughts at the interval.

Baker said: “Just keep doing what we’re doing. Keep doing it, keep moving the ball quicky, keep moving them about, eventually we will get a chance and we will have to take it. 

“We got it in the 95^th minute, whatever it was. It’s come off.  The boys’ have done a job that’s asked for them and win the three points.”

Marshall-Katung added: “It was just more of the same really, so we had a tactical set-up. What we wanted to do in the game so we tweaked it in the early minutes of the second half and then we changed it back again, so we just wanted to test the waters and see what was out there.

“We just said to them ‘more of the same, keep doing the right things’ and we stuck to the task really well. We wanted a little bit more ruthlessness in the oppositions box.”

VCD Athletic centre-half Dexter Peter, 28, showed just why he should be playing at least two levels higher than the ninth-tier with another composed performance.  Fenn was his defensive partner as Ben Fitchett was serving the second of his two-match suspension.

Bearsted striker Nathan Light – who replaced French in the 25^th minute after French tweaked his left-calf – slipped the ball through to the impressive Hassan and Peter showed a burst of pace to get in front of Hassan and slammed the gate shut as Walker collected the ball.

Marshall-Katung revealed: “Having a player with that experience (in French) and to lose hm so early on in the game does hurt you, but we’ve got a good squad. We’ve got a lot of players out injured but some of the boys coming through in the team, Nathan Light is what, just 20-21 years old coming through into the team – I thought he done well.”

Reflecting on Peter’s impressive performance, Baker replied: “Listen, he’s here until the end of the season and whatever happens then, happens then but listen he’s a fantastic acquisition to the club and he was like a Rolls Royce tonight. I don’t think he broke sweat – he was good.”

The Bears went route-one in the 51^st minute when Leonard’s left-footed kick sailed over Peter’s head and Falade took a touch before cutting onto his left-foot and flashing a 25-yard drive across Walker and past the far post.

“You say route one, Everything we do, we do with purpose and intent. There was a purpose behind it,” explained Marshall-Katung.

“We’re just not comfortable playing short passes, we set up deliberately to exploit that because we know what they were trying to achieve – and we got an opportunity out of it.”

With former Bearsted striker, the 17-goal Ollie Freeman away, Babalola played the central role and he was given a chance to score in the 56^th minute, before he was forced off with a hamstring injury.

Agbudume headed the ball clear and Babalola latched onto the ball, took a touch before stroking a left-footed drive from 25-yards towards goal, forcing Leonard to dive to his left to push the ball behind for a corner.

Baker said: “I thought that was in to be fair, I thought that was the breakthrough. He was unlucky Babs, he was unlucky with that.

“Listen, Frankie’s a good shot-stopper, he’s good at his job.  Their gaffer has probably said the same thing, that it’s his job to keep clean-sheets.

“Babs has slightly pulled his hamstring, so it was precautionary. Listen, we’ve got good players on the bench to come in.  Listen, Babs is a loss and we’re going to have him in tomorrow night and make sure we asses him and hopefully we can use him again on Saturday.”

Marshall-Katung added: “Frankie has been under close scrutiny from ourselves really this season. I think he’s dipped slightly below his standards but for the last two or three games I think he’s stepping back up and his living up to his potential currently.

“I thought he kept us in the game at that moment with a brilliant save from distance  - but he still had a job do and he done it well.”

Babalola played a one-two with central midfielder Lee Bird before his left footed shot was beaten away by Leonard, low to his left before Bearsted swiftly broke and created an opening just 12 seconds later.

Lock unlocked the Vickers’ defence with a ball in behind and gave Light his big moment but he stabbed his left-footed volley across the advancing Walker from 18-yards, the ball trickling past the foot of the far post and both players required treatment.

“I think that’s an execution thing. He’s a young boy, he’s come from the 23’s, he’s stepped in for Frenchie. On another day he takes that on his right-foot, finishes it. On the day, he takes it left-footed, which spins the ball up and unfortunately, we lose a chance but yes, he’ll learn from that. He’ll get better and he will score goals at this level because he’s a good player,” said Marshall-Katung.

Baker said: “I thought it was a foul on Walks. They’ve hit us on the break. The way we do play, from time to time, we do get hit on the break, that’s how it is and we’re willing to take that chance because we’re confident that we’re going to go and score at the other end.”

VCD Athletic increased their intensity from the 85^th minute and coach Martin McCarthy ditched his Pep Guardiola boring tactics and decided to go more direct and with it came the home side’s best chances of the game.

Fenn received the ball just inside the Bearsted half and put a deep diagonal over Jesse Darko’s head and substitute left-winger Connor Kelly swept his left-footed half-volley across Leonard and past the far post.

The board for seven minutes was raised – referee Jordan Rant ensured this game lasted for 102:63 in total – and Bearsted’s two centre-halves Blake and Conrad Lee failed to pick up their man on the penalty spot.

Fenn launched another direct ball into the penalty area and Olawole (who was playing as a number nine after Babalola’s withdrawal) jumped up and his free header sailed across the diving keeper and just past the far post.

Baker said: “I thought Connor Kelly’s one, I thought he should’ve done better. I thought that was in.  We were all celebrating because in training he does it week-in-week-out, so when it fell to him, you kind of think that was the one. I think he should’ve done better and I’m sure if he was in here now, he’d say he should’ve scored.

“Nathan’s one, I thought he was unlucky with the header. He’s fantastic in the air Nathan, he probably leaps the highest in this football club honestly, the way he heads the ball, he should be a centre-half – he was unlucky with it.”

Marshall-Katung added: “They changed their shape slightly, so they wanted to get into the wide areas and flood the box so with it being so deep and late in the game, they’re going to get a few chances.  Things might drop for them.

“I would ask my team to do the same thing, late in the game, get the ball in the box, tired legs, they did that and they got a set-piece out of it, which obviously the goal came from but I don’t think any of their open play really was a threat to our goal.”

VCD Athletic kept knocking on the door and they grabbed the winner with 50:51 on the clock, following their eighth and final corner of the game, as Agbudume lost his man at the near-post.

Kelly swung the ball in with quality from the right and Dymond found a pocket of space at the near post to bury his header from six-yards.  The ball pinged against the right-hand post, bounced off a grounded Leonard and crossed the line into the bottom right-hand corner to go down as an own-goal.

Baker said: “No, it was Connor Dymond’s goal all day long – he’s told me it waws his best header, no.

“Listen, it was a good ball by Connor Kelly. Connor Dymond’s done his job attacking the ball at a set-piece and to be fair I don’t care if it rolls off the keeper and bounces off three or four defenders as long as it goes over the line. I don’t care who gets it!

“I thought it was what we deserved, if I’m honest. I thought we were more than good enough for the three points tonight. The only thing is we’ve left it until the 95^th minute when we should’ve really been out of sight after probably an hour, but that’s football.”

Marshall-Katung was impressed with Agbudume’s performance up until that decisive point.

He said: “It’s a moment where one of our players has switched off.  Up until that point, I thought he was, apart from Jack Palmby, he was probably second in line for man-of-the-match. I thought he had a brilliant game. He’s just had a moment there where his leggy, he’s another one who’s injured. He’s playing with a lot of injuries currently but he switched off there.

“They got in and it just sums up our luck really. It comes off our keeper’s foot and goes in the back of the net – it’s football.”

When asked what was missing from his side – that should have claimed at least a point, Marshall-Katung replied: “killer instinct, I think, in the final third. To have four one-on-ones in the game and not put hem away and then lose the game, it hurts.

“We’re going to pick them up as the week goes along. They nearly executed the game plan really well but football doesn’t owe us anything, so we have to wipe our mouths and go again and get ready for a semi-final on Saturday.”

Punjab United beat Corinthian 3-0 while Whitstable Town beat Snodland Town 3-1 in tonight’s other games.

Faversham Town (57 points from 25 of 38 games) are at the summit, while the four play-off places are still held by VCD Athletic (51 points from 23 games), Fisher (50 points from 28 games), Punjab United (47 points from 27 games) and Larkfield & New Hythe (43 points from 28 games).

Whitstable Town (24 games), Corinthian (25), Rusthall (23) and Erith & Belvedere (26) are all waiting to pounce, having all picked up 37 points.

The bottom seven sides are Sutton Athletic (27 points from 20 games), Hollands & Blair (26 points from 27 games), Stansfeld (26 points from 26 games), Snodland Town (24 points from 25 games) and Bearsted (23 points – seven wins, two draws and 13 defeats).

Lordswood (20 points from 24 games) and Lydd Town (13 points from 24 games) remain in the relegation zone.

Bearsted welcome Larkfield & New Hythe to Honey Lane on Saturday to contest the Kent Senior Trophy Semi-Final, with the winners playing Stansfeld or Whitstable Town in the showpiece Final.

“Look at the last time we played Larkfield, we were all over the place. We’re still a little bit out now but we’re a little bit more structured and organised, so we’ll be ready for it,” insisted Marshall-Katung.

“Every player wants to play in a cup final, so I think it will be an interesting game. We know how they set-up now. They like to go a little bit more direct. We know how to deal with it and we just have to make sure we turn up on the day, put our best foot forward and see how it shapes up.”

When asked about their league position, the alarm bells are not ringing for Stevens nor Marshall-Katung.

“I’m one of those, the league position doesn’t lie but also the league position doesn’t tell the full story,” said Marshall-Katung.

“It doesn’t lie in terms of we’re there for a reason but some of the reasons why we are there are out of our control. We’ve not been able to put out the same back line all season consistently. We’ve got loads of injuries, players missing, it’s really hurt us.

“It’s been a dis-jointed season really, not one that we hoped for, after finishing seventh last season, so we just have to go again, it’s football, ups and downs. You can’t get too high or too low.

“We’ve got a lot of games in hand, by the way, a lot of games in hand and we’ll see where we end up at the end of the season. I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom. It’s not going to be a relegation battle, in my opinion.”

Lordswood visit Oakwood on Saturday on a run of 10 games without a win and the games are coming thick and fast for title-chasing VCD Athletic.

Baker said: “I don’t look at it (the league table). I don’t, honestly. I’m only worried about what we do. I don’t check how Faversham have got on, how Fisher, or anyone. All we care about is how we get on and what we’re going to do on a Saturday and that’s it. At this stage of the season, that’s all we’re interested in.

“Look, I’ll be honest, I’ve not seen too much of Lordswood this season. We have got a report to read from Saturday but we deal with that tomorrow. We get tonight out of the way, we’ll check on the walking wounded and then we’ll prep for Saturday.”

When asked how his side will cope with the fixture backlog, Baker replied: “Hard. If I’m honest with you. It’s tough. It is tough because you’ve got to remember that these boys have all got families and jobs so it’s hard, especially midweek games. It’s brutal to get these boys here on time and you’ve got to take your hat off to them for getting here on time tonight and being professional about what they do.

“You kind of feel punished a little bit for having good cup runs but that’s how the League are, so you’ve got to deal with it. Whatever’s thrown at us, we’ll tackle straight ahead.”

Central midfielder Zak Bryon, meanwhile, has left the club and has signed for Faversham Town.

Baker replied: “He went. It’s up to him if he wants to leave the football club and go to another one. I wish him all the very best. He’s know me and Danny Joy a very long time. We’re friends with his family and he goes with my blessing.”

VCD Athletic: Andy Walker, Harry Lawrence, Callum Flynn (George Whitelock 84), Connor Dymond, Dexter Peter, Michael Fenn, Charlie Heatley (Connor Kelly 70), Lee Bird, Francis Babalola (Richard Jimoh 71), Bethel Gboda, Nathaniel Olawole (Siji Akinlusi 90).
Sub: Toby Waller

Goal: Frankie Leonard (own goal) 90

Booked: Nathaniel Olawole 60

Bearsted: Frankie Leonard, Jesse Darko, Dennis Agbudume, Jack Palmby, Ryan Blake, Conrad Lee, Tristan Lock (Samuel Stace 84), Robbie Roberts, Connor French (Nathan Light 25), Eniola Hassan (James Nurden 90), Dieko Falade (Billy Lewins 90).
Sub: Sam Sharp

Booked: Conrad Lee 47, Ryan Blake 63, Nathan Light 90

Attendance: 116
Referee: Mr Jordan Rant
Assistants: Mr Martin Bullock & Mr Daniel Wyatt