West Kent Sunday League News Report – 6th September 2020
Way
back on 15th March I speculated that it might be many months before I
could write a news report on Sunday football. And so it came to pass. But
here we are, back again, after almost six months of inactivity. Let's hope
that the handling of the very unusual situation we now face allows us to
play football in a safe and sensible manner.
[No league tables this week. I will post the first after next Sunday's games.]
First up on the day's agenda were four cup ties carried over from the season that was stopped in March.
WKSFL Intermediate Cup
There were two matches played in the WKSFL Intermediate Cup. TW
Ridgewaye and Charcott contested a first round tie, the original match
having been declared void by the WKSFL. Charcott emerged as
winners, goals from Jay Pring and Luke French putting them through in a
2-0 win that will see them visit St John's Yard next Sunday in a second
round (Quarter-final) tie. Jamie Kelly was the clean sheet goalkeeper-
In a second round tie, AFC Valour overcame Ticehurst Village Club 3-1 at
East Peckham Rec. Two goals from Steve Ednie and one from Johnny
Connors saw them through. They will meet Dormansland Rockets in a
semi-final during October. (Remember that these cup ties are carried
over from last season. Dormansland Rockets, now a First Division club)
received a bye into the semi-finals following the summer-time
resignation of Biggin Hill FC.)
WKSFL Junior Cup
This Cup was well behind schedule because of rain affected pitches when
the season was brought to a halt. With the resignations of two teams in
the meantime, it was decided to revamp completely and start from scratch
with two groups with each team playing the others once.
Paddock Wood will be firm favourites with their strong side, that was
playing so well in the time before. They started Group 2 as they no
doubt mean to carry on with a 7-0 thumping of TW Ridgewaye
Reserves. Simon Hammond opened the scoring followed up with an Alex
Emery quick fire hat-trick. James McGregor added another in the first
half for a 5-0 lead at the break. Adam french scored a brace in
the second half to complete the scoring for Paddock Wood. The other two
teams in the group are Ticehurst Village Club, who will meet Paddock
Wood next Sunday and Brenchley.
Group 1 will consist of only three teams. Insulators Reserves hosted
Yalding & Laddingford at the Memorial Ground with the end result
being a narrow 3-2 win for the visitors.
This game was certainly case of not capitalising on first half dominance
as Yalding come from behind to take the win. A very youthful Insulators
team played some excellent football in the first half, playing out from
the back and pinning Yalding in their half for most of it. Insulators
deservedly took the lead through Jake Freeman, but with just the one
goal to show for their dominance it always felt like it was going to be a
tight second half
Yalding came out with real intent in the second half and won an early
penalty which was converted by Grant Allen and their high press was
turning the game in their favour
It wasn't long before they scored an excellent second goal through James
Faulkner before a third was added by Dave Williams. With
Insulators 3 -1 down after dominating in then first half it seemed
surreal. But, Insulators are famous for never giving up and when Harry
Mascall scuffed a shot into the net to make the score 3-2, it set up a
tense final eight minutes.There was time for Khris Weedon to have a goal
ruled out for offside by the ref after the linesman's flag had stayed
down and for Yalding's goalkeeper to produce a great save to deny
Insulators a draw. Special shout out to Toby Gandell who had an
excellent game at the back and a deserving Man of the Match
With such a young side, some inconsistencies are to be expected but the
signs are there for a very good season ahead for Insulators Reserves.
Their make or break game in the Cup will be against Goudhurst United.
Goudhurst meet Yalding next Sunday.
Division One
This got under way with three matches. Armada lost 3-2 at home to Artois
United for whom Lucas Murrain was credited with a hat-trick. Armada's
view was that the first was an own goal. Armada's goals came from Ethan
McCreight and Dylan Smart.
Dormansland Rockets got off to a good start with a 2-1 win over Green
Lane. There was a penalty converted by Jamie Ashley and the second was
by Danny Brazenell. Mike Jessop was the Lane's scorer.
There was a hat-trick for Simla's Steve Smith in their 4-2 win at home
to Insulators. It was a very evenly contested first st half with the
home side taking a fortuitous 1-0 lead with a shot off the post hitting
the 'keeper and going in. Insulators levelled with a flowing move
starting from a goal kick that was headed on by Adam James to Tommy
Bridger who chipped it over the 'keeper. Then came a penalty to
Insulators, dispatched by Kane Ramsell, after Martin Page- Mitchell was
fouled by the keeper. 2-1 to Insulators at half time
Soon after the break it was 2-2, a penalty awarded to Simla following a
handball converted by Smith. Simla then went down to ten men after their
'keeper was sent off for a foul. They simply upped their game and
brought on another extremely strong player. Simla went ahead with twenty
minutes left and rounded off the 4-2 win with a late goal. Ian Parsons was
the the other Simla goalscorer.
Division Two
Just the two games played here. It was a close game at Woodside between
Pembury Sunday and Goudhurst United with the home team finishing 3-2
winners. Matt Rice-Tucker, Scott Moran and Tom Price were their scorers.
David Denton scored both for Goudhurst.
Newcomers to the League Nomads (based near Edenbridge) started well,
winning 4-2 against St John's yard at the Hilbert. It was a wake up call
for the Yard, who found themselves one down after only 1 minute and
fifteen seconds, with a second coming very soon after. Rachid Boumara
pulled one back before half-time. Two more goals from Nomads early in
the second half, with Rhys White completing his hat-trick put the game
out of reach for the Yard. But they managed a late consolation near the
end after going down to ten men, the much travelled Harry Hickmott
finding the net. The men at the Yard reckon Nomads will be the team to
beat this season.
Division Three
Brenchley began the new season with a visit from Speldhurst Rangers.
Speldhurst took a strong squad of fifteen away to Brenchley and
immediately asserted their authority on the game. But, Brenchley took
the lead due to a lack of communication at the back of the Speldhurst
defence which left David Hartfield able to fire in off the post.
Speldhurst still took the game to Brenchley but continued wasting
chances. Shortly after Brenchley added another. Connor Williams being
the scorer, to send them into half time 2-0 ahead. Brenchley scored a
third due to another defensive mix up resulting in Baldwin keeping up
his traditions in being lobbed, this time by the home side's Rich
Bridger. James Hughes pulled one back for Rangers late on, but too late.
Two of the League's new teams met at Sedlescombe. Dunton Green made the
long trip down the A21 but had to go home 3-1 losers. Two goals by Alvin
Scott and one by Rhys Daniels saw the hosts to victory. Rory Ward replied for the Green.
And two more new sides, technically anyway, met at Goldsmith's in
Crowborough when AFC Borough entertained Tonbridge United. The outcome
was a 4-1 win for the Borough with four different goalscorers, Connor
Bowesman, Luke Leppard (who has been among the top scorers for various
clubs over the years), Jake Lorimer and Tom Pelling. Luke Collett hit
United's only goal.
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