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NEWS >>>>>>
28th October 2006 By JAMES BROWN FAVERSHAM
Adam Hewitson
celebrated his return to the first team with a 40th-minute penalty
and Andy Martin sealed a third successive Group B victory with
his seventh goal of the season. Yet the players
were a picture of dejection as they trudged towards the dressing
rooms and the coaching staff were not exactly full of the joys of
spring either. Indeed, assistant
manager Peter Holder looked like a condemned man as he trooped off -
and in many ways he was. For Terry Cordice
was not about to let anyone forget how he came on as a 75th-minute
substitute to "waste a bit of time" only to steal the show
with a sensational third goal. Yes, Town boss
Cordice really is that unbearable when it comes to post-match
analysis of his own performance. No wonder most of the players
were in their cars and heading for home by the time he hit the
showers. Former Dover
Atheltic midfielder Cordice - the man who keeps telling people that
at 43, his time has gone - must have scored a fair few goals in
a nomadic career that stretches back to the early 1980s. And make no
mistake, the players will have a job trying to erase this one from
their own memories if their manager has anything to do with it. Sadly for the
long-suffering Town boys, the goal was a damn fine one too with
Cordice accepting a quick free-kick from the impressive Steve Aslett
before firing a right-foot shot against the far post and into the
opposite corner from just inside the box. Needless to say,
Cordice - who still plays Sunday football - scoffed at the cheeky
suggestion that the strike was, in fact, an attempted cross. He said: "Get
out of it, I scored two like that last week. I knew as soon as it
left my foot that it was in - don't you worry about that. I play up
front Sundays so I knew what I was doing. "In all
seriousness, I am a last resort for us. We had a few problems before
the game today with lads out with the flu and what not and that's
why I named myself as a sub. "I only went
on to waste a bit of time but there you go, I've scored a cracker. I
know that, the lads know that - and if they don't then you can be
sure I'll be telling them." Town were well
worth what turned out to be a comfortable win against decidedly
average opponents but Sevenoaks had their chances and played with
only 10 men for 50 minutes. Perry Spackman was
given his marching orders for the foul on Martin that set up
Hewitson's opener from the spot. The home bench and
the few Sevenoaks fans in a paltry crowd of just 46 were incensed
when skipper Spackman saw red but he was the last man and that gave
the referee no option. Hewitson made no mistake from 12 yards and a new-look Town side - showing five changes from the nightmare 3-2 defeat to Sporting Bengal seven days previously - had their reward for a much-improved opening half.
SPOT
KICK.....Adam Hewitson's penalty kick flies in Tony Diment
replaced hand injury victim Tim Holmes in goal and Brad Maguire came
in at left back for Michael Seager who dropped to the bench
after taking a knock. Hewitson, who is
fit again after illness, replaced the suspended Julian Beal in
midfield, with Stuart Smith coming in for flu-hit Graham Taylor up
front while Kris Parker's groin problems gave Martin the chance to
reclaim his place in attack. Cordice also had to
plan without skipper James Holder (shoulder) as well as midfielders
Aaron Scanlon (flu) and Dave Hockley (knee). These were hardly
the changes Cordice promised in the wake of the Yet Sevenoaks could
and should have taken the lead after 15 minutes when Matt Fagan's
diagonal ball put Michael Cook clear of the defence but he fired
over. Hewitson gave Town
their first chance with a fantastic ball into the path of Martin
whose right-foot shot brought the best out of goalkeeper Lee Friend. Richard Gamble was
caught flat-footed just before the half hour which allowed Mike
Bishop to threaten with a header then James Dalton sent a shot wide
of Diment's right post. The unsuspecting
Martin then thwarted a Town attack when Junior Farrell's shot struck
him on the back as he struggled to regain his footing after crashing
to the ground trying to meet Maguire's left-wing cross. Farrell was just
inches away from finding Martin in a more orthodox fashion five
minutes later when he scampered down the right in pursuit of another
good ball from Hewitson but his cross was just too high. Sevenoaks were
cursing their hard luck when a Bishop shot took a deflection and
smacked against the post and bounced straight back to the grateful
Diment. Then Dalton let fly
with a right-footer from 25 yards that bent just wide of the left
upright before Spackman's foul and subsequent dismissal allowed Hewitson
to make the breakthrough. The industrious
Mark Smith - so often Town's unsung hero - created the opening by
winning the ball in midfield and delivering a cracking ball into
Martin and it was a clear penalty when Spackman sent him
tumbling. Sadly for him and
Sevenoaks, rules are rules and the home side were reduced to 10 men
for a second half that Town dominated. Stand-in skipper
Wes Hammond, who took a knock in the first half, was replaced by
Seager for the second half with the versatile Maguire moving in to
the centre of defence. The armband passed to Smith and he wore it well in what must rank as his best performance in a Town shirt.
SUITS YOU
SIR.....Second half skipper Mark Smith He was in the thick
of the action just three minutes in with a super ball out to Aslett
on the right flank. The tall midfielder made ground before
drilling a firm cross to the back stick where Hewitson's header was
well saved by Friend. Seager looked to
have wasted a good opportunity on 65 minutes when his weak left-wing
cross looked certain to be cleared but Ryan Haskins succeeded only
in gifting the ball to Martin who hit an early shot beyond Friend
and into the corner for 2-0. Town made it three
thanks to that man Cordice who confirmed his side's superiority with
a fantastic finish just 10 minutes from time. Battling Sevenoaks
still had time for another decent chance with Bishop volleying over
when clean through. Town welcome
Sevenoaks to
PLEASED AS
PUNCH.....TC savours the moment after scoring Town's third Seconds thoughts, I
doubt it. Town's Top Man:
Mark Smith - great display as the holding midfielder - and the
armband suited him well Ratings
(out of 10): Tony Diment 7, Wayne "Junior" Farrell 8,
Bradley Maguire 7, Wes Hammond 7, Richard Gamble 7, Gary Stock 7,
Adam Hewitson 8, Steve Aslett 8, Andy Martin 8, Stuart Smith 7, Mark
Smith 8. Substitutions: Michael Seager (for
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