Sunday, January 27, 2008 16:52
For once the weather didn’t interfere with the Kent League programme this weekend, with all the scheduled matches taking place, as did VCD Athletic’s FA Vase match with Needham Market which was postponed last week. The Kent League side took the game against their Ridgeon’s Premier League opponents into extra time, but with just seven minutes left and penalties looking likely to decide the outcome Nathan Szyszylyk put the visitors ahead. The much more pronouncable (but worth less at Scrabble) Ben Cranfield added a second four minutes later to send the 100 or so travelling fans in the crowd of 332 off on their long journey home happy.
With leaders VCD otherwise engaged neither second placed Beckenham nor Thamesmead in third took full advantage to close the gap, both being held to draws.
Beckenham were held 0-0 at Deal, while Thamesmead came back from two goals down to salvage a draw at home to Erith and Belvedere. After a goalless first half which saw only four real chances the visitors took the lead through a Sam Prett header with their first meaningful attack. Another header from substitute Matt Bedford extended the lead, before goals from two former Lilywhites, Bingi Grant and Rikki Cable, ensured a point for the title hopefuls.
At the bottom of the table Sporting Bengal continued with their mini-revival by beating fellow strugglers Holmesdale 4-2. The visitors took the lead on seven minutes through leading scorer Prince Pipin and extended it through Benjamin Schmitt to give Sporting a 2-0 advantage at the break. A Magnus own goal on the hour reduced the lead and Gareth Broome put the home side level ten minutes later, but two goals in the last three minutes through Jarjis and Pipin again sent the visitors back to East London with the points.
As well as moving Sporting up to 14th this result and our great win at Slade Green sees us climb to 13th, with Lordswood in 12th firmly in our sights after they were beaten 3-0 by Erith Town.
Heazlewood gave the Dockers the lead on 19 minutes and second half strikes from Grizzle and Mo Cho sealed the win
Hythe Town, who visit Salters Lane on Saturday, kept their outside chance of the title alive with a 2-0 win at home to Croydon in front of 138 spectators, the biggest crowd of the day in the League. The league's leading Scorer Buster Smissen gave them the lead five minutes before the break and Pat Kingswell wrapped up the points with six minutes to go.
The day’s other game saw Herne Bay come back from a 12th minute Andy Constable goal with a late strike by Dave Soutan to take a point with a 1-1 draw at home to Sevenoaks.
In Division 2 there were away wins for Ashford and Hythe, while we were beaten at home by a strong Tunbridge Wells team gaining their 11th win of the season. This kept Tunbridge Wells second but saw us drop two places to eighth.
Well, that’s it for another week. Next Saturday we entertain Hythe Town at the start of a tough month which sees all of the top four visit Salters Lane, while the Reserves make the trip in the opposite direction to take on Hythe Reserves.