Sunday, November 25, 2007 9:35
The Kent Senior Trophy dominated the Kent League scene this week, with only two Premier League games taking place.
At Reachfields Hythe recorded the highest home win of the season so far as they thrashed Erith and Belvedere 8-1, with Hythe players scoring all nine goals. The game was goal-less for nearly half an hour until Jimmy Gregory put the home side one up. Sam Marsh put through his own goal on 42 minutes, but Mike 'Buster' Smissen had restored the home side's advantage before the break. Ben Luckham added a third shortly after the restart, but the floodgates opened in the last thirteen minutes as Smissen added three more to take his tally to four in the match, and Roy Godden, on as a sub for Luckham added the eighth in injury time.
The other match saw Sporting Bengal pull a further point away from us at the bottom of the League with a 2-2 draw at home to Holmesdale. Chris Hatt put the visitors in front on 16 minutes only for Nathan Nizamul to equalise on the hour. Gareth Broome restored the lead on 80 minutes, but it was short-lived as Stephen Forbes equalised five minutes later to secure the poiint.
In the Kent Senior Trophy there was one all Kent County League match, and last year's beaten finalists Bearsted were dumped out 6-4 at home by our old adversaries Stansfeld O&B Club. The other County League side still in the competition was our friends at Milton Athletic, but they were beaten 2-1 by Sevenoaks after taking the lead to end their interest for this season.
The biggest winning margin was the 5-0 drubbing handed out by Herne Bay to Tunbridge Wells. The scorers for Bay were Simon Brown, Martin Chandler from the penalty spot, Ben Brown, Rhys Lawson and Christian Miles.
Bay will meet Thamesmead in the next round after the Mead won 1-0 at Lordswood thanks to a 45th minute goal by James Brown. Greenwich were also big scorers, notching up a 5-2 win at Slade Green. Former Town player Bingi Grant scored another two for the visitors, Badhur Mohammed also bagged a brace and Ashley Baines hit the fifth. Rafael Akala and Sam May were the Green scorers.
League leaders Beckenham were victorious in probably the top game of the day at Erith. Billy Edwards put the home side in front midway through the first half, but Jason Thomson equalised just after the restart. With both side pressing hard for the winner it was Joe Healy who scored for the Becks with just eight minutes remaining to set up a quarter final tie at Salters Lane.
In the other game VCD were surprsingly beaten at home by a strong Deal team, the final score being 2-3. Two Dave Bathgate penalties gave the visitors an early lead but the Vickers fought back with goals from Mark Greatorex and a penalty of their own converted by Ashley Probetts. With the game looking destined for extra time Mark Pollard hit the winner with just two minutes remaining to send them to Deal in the quarter final.
In Division 2 Ashford lost for the first time at home, 2-3 against Hythe, while Tunbridge Wells have gone level on points with Dover at the top with a 3-1 win at home to Lordswood. Faversham have moved up to sixth after beating bottom side Croydon 3-1.
Well, that's it for another week. Both senior sides are on their travels on Tuesday as the First Team travel to Erith and Belvedere while the Reserves make the shorter journey to Chatham. Next Saturday Croydon return to Salters Lane, this time for a League encounter.