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West Kent Sunday League Report – Sunday 12th March 2017
Another of the season's issues was decided on Sunday when Gardener's
Arms achieved the win they needed to seal the Division Two title.
Pembury Sunday will claim runner's up honours. The Division One title is
the only one left to decide and the equation is simple. Simla must win
their final game at Dormansland Rockets on 26th March to claim their
sixth title in the past eight seasons.
Division One
Simla took the successful final step towards that showdown with a good 5-2 win at Insulators.
Simla started the game well, Insulators stood off without competing and
were soon looking at a very bad day. Within a short time, the home side
were three down after the impressive start for Simla, who scored two
quick goals from Ian Parsons
and Clayton Cooper. Simla went further ahead after being awarded a
penalty which was scored by David Blundell.
A bizarre own goal followed, with Simla cruising. They gave away a
simple goal when a straight forward
pass back (guilty party was not named!) bobbled in front of the
keeper's foot and rolled
into the goal. That got Insulators back in the match and there was
immediate improvement, although it was still 3-1 to Simla at half time.
In the second half the home side were in the game and were unlucky not
to score twice in the first ten minutes. Then Tom Bridger scored a fine
goal to make 2-3. After that there were several chances for Insulators,
which were missed and a strong appeal for a penalty which wasn't given.
As Insulators pressed, Simla, who needed to win for a shot at the title,
added two late goals to get the win. These were second goals for both
Parsons and Blundell.
Said Insulators boss Andy Stanley "if only Insulators could get all
their players turning up every week!!!" From the Simla standpoint,
secretary Geoff Mills said that it was a good win in the end for Simla,
but Insulators certainly made it very interesting.
In the morning's other game, Armada recovered from last week's cup semi-final defeat to beat Goudhurst United
3-1. Tom Vivian scored twice, Dean Stockdale the other. Credit to
Goudhurst, who are seeing out the season and not throwing in the towel
early as do many others have done. Their scorer was Tyler Charles.
| Pos |
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Artois United |
14 |
10 |
1 |
3 |
62 |
25 |
37 |
31 |
| 2 |
Simla # |
13 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
45 |
21 |
24 |
30 |
| 3 |
Tonbridge Origin |
13 |
9 |
1 |
3 |
52 |
27 |
25 |
28 |
| 4 |
Insulators |
13 |
7 |
1 |
5 |
49 |
26 |
23 |
22 |
| 5 |
Armada |
13 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
25 |
29 |
-4 |
17 |
| 6 |
TW Foresters |
12 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
28 |
45 |
-17 |
13 |
| 7 |
Dormansland Rockets |
9 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
21 |
42 |
-21 |
3 |
| 8 |
Goudhurst United + |
13 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
13 |
80 |
-67 |
3 |
Division Two
The all-important game was at Woodside Rec, where Pembury Sunday had to avoid defeat in their game with Gardener's Arms
to give them a chance of the trophy. It was not to be. However despite
dominating the first half, Gardeners Arms found themselves one nil down
at the break. Pembury scorer unknown. However, the visitors
continued to press for the vital points. Goals from Ant Goodwin and John
Sinclair turned the game around and sealed the victory and the Division
Two title.
SE Spitfires continued their mini revival with a 2-0 home win against Langton Green.
Top scorer Sean Ludlum added one to his tally, the second was scored by
Shaquille Simpson. Useless fact - only twice all season
have Spitfires scored more than twice in one game! In terms of goals per
League and Cup game, for and against, their numbers are currently the
lowest in the division and equal with Division One Armada. It's 4.19
goals per game, I reckon a tie for the lowest in the league..
| Pos |
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Gardener's Arms (C)
|
15 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
55 |
13 |
42 |
39 |
| 2 |
Pembury Sunday |
15 |
11 |
2 |
2 |
52 |
12 |
40 |
35 |
| 3 |
Paddock Wood + |
14 |
6 |
1 |
7 |
29 |
42 |
-13 |
22 |
| 4 |
Green Lane |
13 |
6 |
3 |
4 |
34 |
25 |
9 |
21 |
| 5 |
SE Spitfires |
14 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
22 |
33 |
-11 |
17 |
| 6 |
Brenchley |
16 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
29 |
46 |
-17 |
17 |
| 7 |
Hawkenbury Sunday |
15 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
27 |
37 |
-10 |
12 |
| 8 |
Cassidy's Phoenix # |
15 |
4 |
3 |
8 |
26 |
41 |
-15 |
12 |
| 9 |
Langton Green |
15 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
33 |
58 |
-25 |
12 |
Division Three
Bricklayer's Arms, already crowned champions, probably relaxed a bit and lost 5-1 at home to Rusthall Club Athletic,
or perhaps they didn't want to give anything away before the Junior Cup
semi-final between the two teams on 2nd April. The Club's Ben Johnson
picked up his third hat-trick of the season, to which were added strikes
from George Webzell and Carl Wilson. The Brick's reply came from Ollie
Hyland. The Club will be involved in the crucial game next Sunday when
they play again at Goldsmith's, this time against Crowborough Town. Town
need to win to claim the runner's up awards and no doubt had their
spies watching from the adjacent pitch while they were warming up nicely
in the Spring Cup.
| Pos |
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Bricklayers Arms (C) |
15 |
12 |
0 |
3 |
59 |
24 |
35 |
36 |
| 2 |
Green St Blues |
16 |
11 |
1 |
4 |
38 |
25 |
13 |
34 |
| 3 |
Crowborough Town |
15 |
10 |
1 |
4 |
46 |
29 |
17 |
31 |
| 4 |
Tonbridge Invicta |
16 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
54 |
33 |
21 |
26 |
| 5 |
Rusthall Club Athletic |
13 |
7 |
2 |
4 |
45 |
25 |
20 |
23 |
| 6 |
St John's Yard |
16 |
6 |
1 |
9 |
30 |
59 |
-29 |
19 |
| 7 |
Paddock Wood Reserves |
15 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
22 |
44 |
-22 |
16 |
| 8 |
Ticehurst Village |
16 |
4 |
2 |
10 |
34 |
48 |
-14 |
14 |
| 9 |
Speldhurst Rangers |
16 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
25 |
66 |
-41 |
2 |
Division Four
It was always a big ask that FC Grinstead could win by a massive margin to grab the title at the last gasp, but they would not have expected to lose at home to Tonbridge Origin Reserves.
Origin had though won five of their previous seven games, so were on a
bit of run. Origin went home after a 3-1 win in which Will Ashendern
scored twice and Steve Whitear the other. Grinstead's top scorer Connor
Tobin did hit the back of the net for them, but it must have been a
disappointing final game. They now have time off to re-group before
their Junior Cup semi-final match against Crowborough Town.
TW Ridgewaye and Tonbridge United
had a 4-4 draw in their final league match. When the two met in the
reverse fixture back in November, it was 2-1 to United and since then
United had lost nine in a row. Again, credit to them for playing on when
others would have given up. And also to Ridgewaye, who have had a hard
season with some heavy defeats, but have improved recently.
Ridgewaye's scorers were Ben Adams (2), Scott Beasley and John Higgins.
United's marksmen were Alex Underdown, Michael Dunn from the penalty
spot, Reece Dangerfield and Steve Causon. Ridgewaye should arrange to
play the Tonbridge teams every week! Of the six games against them, that
loss to United was the only one.
| Pos |
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
TW Foresters Reserves (C) # |
16 |
13 |
0 |
3 |
78 |
29 |
49 |
36 |
| 2 |
FC Grinstead |
16 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
57 |
32 |
25 |
33 |
| 3 |
FC Hayward |
15 |
9 |
2 |
4 |
52 |
32 |
20 |
29 |
| 4 |
Insulators Reserves + |
15 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
41 |
45 |
-4 |
24 |
| 5 |
AFC Six in One |
15 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
70 |
54 |
16 |
23 |
| 6 |
Tonbridge Origin Reserves |
15 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
44 |
43 |
1 |
22 |
| 7 |
Tonbridge Casuals |
16 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
31 |
55 |
-24 |
14 |
| 8 |
TW Youth (Ridgewaye) |
16 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
47 |
80 |
-33 |
12 |
| 9 |
Tonbridge United |
16 |
1 |
2 |
13 |
13 |
63 |
-50 |
5 |
Spring Cup - Senior section
Gradually getting under way. Artois United, having completed their league programme, entertained Tonbridge Origin
in a Group 1 match. United came out on top 2-1, scorers being Josh
Marshall and Stafford Browne. Origin's goal came from the Division's top
scorer Myles Lowden.
Paddock Wood did not fulfill their Group 2 fixture with Green Lane, who have been awarded three points. Group 3 is yet to start.
| Group 1
| Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | | Artois United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | Insulators | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Gardener's Arms | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Tonbridge Origin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
|
Group 2
| Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | | Goudhurst Utd | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | | Green Lane | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | | Armada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Simla | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Paddock Wood | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
|
|
Spring Cup - Junior Section
In Group 1, Crowbrough Town warmed up nicely for next week's important game with a 7-2 home win against Insulators Reserves.
Town's Mike Noble was pleased that after a six week break they actually played a game on Sunday.
The visitors, starting with ten and with just a bare eleven players at
best, gave Crowborough a real test for the first forty-five minutes.
Town went ahead with a goal by Andy Pollard after just twelve minutes,
and added a second, a penalty by Matt Pickett five minutes later. By
half time Insulators were up to full strength and had pulled one back
through Reece Beecroft to make it 2 - 1.
Town came out of the interval fast and early second half goals mirrored
those in the first half, with Darren Nicol scoring twelve minutes after
the re-start, and then grabbing his second five minutes later, with a
most amazing volley from twenty-five yards that flew into the far corner
of the net, just clearing the angle of post and bar, leaving the keeper
no chance. However, the visitors still came back and midway through the
half they made it 4 - 2, this time Marc Scott was the scorer.
This seemed to shake Town and making full use of the roll-on, roll-off,
substitutions rule they proceeded to put some good football together. To
be fair to Insulators it was their lack of substitutes against the
fresh legs of their opponents that eventually led to more Town goals.
Matt Pickett completed his hat-trick, Dan Pollard grabbing a the final
goal. Scoring is a rare event for him, it was only his fourth goal in
164 games for the club.
Mike Noble adds - just a final comment on the Match Official. Today's
'man in black' Jack Greener - one of the League's younger refs - gave an
excellent display.
In Group 2, eight different names were on the report as Paddock Wood Reserves demolished FC Hayward
9-2 at Goldsmith's. Phil Abbott lead the way with two, the rest
of the long list with one each reads : Paul Smith, James Hall, Alex
Bristow, Callum Lawlor, Russell Breden, Callum Genery and, to add insult
to injury, an own goal.
The Group 3 game was a second win for St John's Yard at Tonbridge Casuals by
a 3-2 score St John's Yard have now won their last four games in League
and Spring Cup, somewhat of a contrast to earlier form. The Yard
totally dominated the game for the first twenty minutes, only for
Casuals to break away and take the lead through Adam West. That's how it
stayed until half time. Josh Lincoln equalised for the Yard a minute
after the restart, Dan Hunter then put them ahead. Back came Casuals,
Paul Edwards levelling the scores with a penalty. The final word went to
Stuart Hodges, scoring his first and the Yard's winner also from the
spot.
Group 1
| Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Crowborough Town | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| TW Foresters Reserves | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Tonbridge Invicta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| Insulators Reserves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 0 |
Group 2
| Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Paddock Wood Reserves | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Green Street Blues | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tonbridge Origin Reserves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FC Hayward | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 0 |
Group 3
| Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| St John's Yard | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| TW Ridgewaye | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Ticehurst Village Club | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| Tonbridge Casuals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 0 |
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