Aldington Sports Football Club

Aldington bowed out of the Bodkin Cup on Sunday losing 4-1 to holders Bromley Green at Waterside.
Although the scoreline is a convincing one,I was pleased with certain aspects of our performance considering that we were up against arguably the best side in the League.We were not really carved open as Green rarely got behind us mainly due to sweeper Lee Miles who played the role well and to Danny Rose who did a superb man to man marking job on Matt Collins.One thing we could not legislate for however was the quality finishing of Steve Harris who hit 2 piledrivers from outside of the box which we could do little about except maybe close him down a little quicker.The third goal shortly before half time was a killer for us and was unfortunately the result of another mistake although Lockyer’s finish was stunning in its execution.We had our moments in the first half especially when,at 0-0,Chris Howells’ excellent pass released Ryan Norman whose excellent deep cross was met at the far post by Kevin Ruane but the contact was minimal and Mannering saved easily.Norman was lively and caused moments of panic with his pace and trickery but overall we had a monumental task to get back into the game.
Therefore in the second half,a change was made both in personnel and tactics.Norman was given license to roam and Chris Linkins replaced debutant Dario Ferreira,who clearly lacking in match fitness,nevertheless showed some promising touches and should prove a useful asset.We gained immediate success and pulled a goal back when another surging run and cross from Norman was converted by Ryan Strand with an assured left foot finish.However as has happened so often this season we conceded almost immediately and any foothold we may have had in the game disappeared when Lockyer produced a cross from a seemingly impossible position and Harris completed his hat trick.To our credit we continued to battle and had our fair share of possession with Norman a constant threat and the introduction of sub Chris Cryer breathed fresh air into our performance.When Norman with another incisive run was halted by a wild lunge from Ryan Smith,referee Wilmer showed a red card.This signalled a spell of pressure from us and Williams shot narrowly wide before Cryer sliced a decent chance wide.Truth is however that with an extra man we failed to trouble keeper Mannering.Bromley Green had a penalty shout turned down in the closing stages and Lockyer’s frustration got the better of him resulting in a second red card for the Green.
Another defeat then but I have to remind myself how far we have come in the last 2 seasons.From what was basically a reserve team in div 3 we are now competing with the best in Ashford and as we have shown this season we are not a million miles away from the likes of Bromley Green,Market Hotel and Brewmaster.Good performances today from Lee Miles,Chris Howells,Andy McCombe,Ryan Norman and MOTM Danny Rose.Also great to see Ryan Strand on the scoresheet,hopefully he will now get the goals I know he is capable of.It doesnt get any easier,we now have a run of tough fixtures,Market Hotel,Bromley Green(cup)and Bromley Green (league)in the next 3 weeks.Lets be up for the challenge.One moan-when I have to change my line-up at the last minute due to late arrivals,it pisses me off!Big effort to arrive on time please.
TEAM
CRUST;MCCOMBE,MILES,WANSTALL(INSHAW 69),ROSE
FERREIRA(LINKINS 46)WILLIAMS,HOWELLS,NORMAN
RUANE(CRYER 68),STRAND
SUB;YEO
MOTM;ROSE
TEAM RATING;6
REF;S.WILMER(80)

SPOT-KICK AGONY FOR ALDINGTON
A fourth unsuccessful penalty of the season at a crucial moment cost Aldington dear in this topsy turvey Charity Cup tie against old rivals Brewmaster.
The High Halden outfit secured victory with a battling second half comeback after finding themselves 2 goals down after 25 minutes in a complete reversal of our earlier league encounter at Hopes Grove.
The visitors made a high tempo start to the game pushing forward with Plumridge and Squires Quinn looking dangerous and a powerful shot struck the Aldington crossbar after 5 minutes.Then,minutes later,Clark found himself one on one with Steve Crust but the stalwart stopper saved bravely at the striker’s feet.After the initial onslaught the home team settled and scored with their first attempt.Grant Moffat’s throw in was flicked on first by Dan Rose and secondly by Alex Williams before dropping at the feet of Chris Linkins who hit a thunderous effort from fully 30 yards which flew into the top corner.Aldington were now doing some pressing of their own with the dangerous Ryan Norman prominent on the left and the central midfield pair of Lee Miles and Chris Howells getting to grips with things.It was Howells who manufactured the second goal with a lovely lofted pass to Williams whose attempted cross flew into the far corner past Houston.From Linkins’ corners we were causing some panic in the Brews 6 yard box and could have added to the lead when both Andy McCombe and Lee Miles had shots blocked.Brewmaster were also threatening on the break and on one such occasion the ball was moved swiftly from their own half to Squires-Quinn whose cross was converted by Plumridge making a great run into the 6 yard box.
The turning point came on 38 minutes when a superb ball from Norman picked out Williams’ run into the area.After touching the ball past keeper Houston the Brews net minder brought him down unceremoniously and referee Wood gave the penalty without hesitation.After 3 misses this season,it was Chris Howells who took responsibility this time but his well placed kick was saved by Houston who some might say was lucky to be on the pitch.
The second half started with both sides continuing to attack and the game was pretty even.Brewmaster were defending heroically as time and time again,as if their lives depended on it,they threw themselves at goal bound efforts from Matt Wanstall,Linkins and Williams.We lost both full backs and had to make major reshuffles which seemed to unsettle us but we continued to press and were denied what looked a penalty when Rose stretching those long legs looked to have nicked the ball away from the defender only to be upended as he was about to shoot.
Sub Ryan Strand and Norman combined well and the former fired over after excellent work from the wing man.Although a tight game we were restricting our opponents to few goalscoring opportunities but the tide turned in the visitors favour with an uncharacteristic error from Crust.Receiving a back pass from Miles the normally unflappable keeper unneccesarily hurried his clearance and the ball skewed directly to Lightfoot on the edge of the box who took the chance brilliantly but from our point of view,another avoidable goal which seems to be a feature of our season.
The Brews were now sensing a victory and they sealed it with two late finishes of high quality.Firstly,former Aldington player Chris Gillam jinked his way into the box and around Crust for the third and minutes later Clark sidestepped the defender before chipping the ball into the far corner.We continued to put pressure on the Brews back four but once again they showed great determination to keep the ball out to see out the game and earn a semi final with Bromley Green.
From my point of view,although a great improvement on last weeks display,the outcome was the same.We are simply too easy to score against and that is a problem I have to address.We have now scored 37 goals and conceded the same so far.Its a collective problem and only through greater concentration can we overcome it.As I always say ,we have shown that we can compete with teams in this division if we could cut down on silly mistakes we can get the points we need to survive,I’m sure of that.
TEAM
CRUST;MOFFAT(STRAND 62),MCCOMBE,WANSTALL,YEO(CRYER 46)
LINKINS,HOWELLS(RUANE 72),MILES,NORMAN
WILLIAMS,ROSE
SUB(NOT USED);FERREIRA
SCORERS;LINKINS (19) WILLIAMS(24)
MOTM;WILLIAMS
REF;C.WOOD
TEAM RATING;6

STREET WALK IT
A second successive league defeat which keeps Aldington firmly in the bottom three
One uncommitted performance I can maybe accept(Market) two is pushing it(Kennington) but this was one inept performance too many for my liking.Hamstreet strolled it and didnt have to work hard for any of their goals even though they evidently wanted it more.
Hamstreet took the lead after 45 seconds when a mix up in defence left Dawes with the simplest of tasks to open the scoring.After 10 minutes we then had our only decent spell in the whole game when for 10 minutes we put pressure on the visitors defence only to find the Street keeper Coombes on top form making a great double save,firstly beating away Ruane’s fierce drive then recovering to save the follow up from Williams.Then when Ruane’s through ball put Strand clear,the keeper brilliantly tipped away the diminutive striker’s effort.Shortly after a superb left wing cross from Inshaw only needed the faintest of touches but Linkins was unable to provide it.
That was pretty much that from us as an attacking force and when Dawes made it two by breezing past two non-existent challenges before hitting a shot which deflected off McCombe and over Crust,it was as it turned out game over.
Second half saw us barely troubling the visitors apart from one shot from Strand which Coombes turned away and Hamstreet sealed the win with the unmarked Warburton poking the ball under Crust.In truth but for some shocking finishing from Hamstreet the score could have been much worse for us.I’ve never seen us throw in the towel so early on in a game and we now have a fight ,and I mean a real fight,on our hands to stop this season becoming a very disappointing one.January is going to be a crucial month and I hope we have the stomach for it.I believe that we can recover but its going to need a bigger effort than has been shown in our last 2 league games.Expect big changes for our vital Charity Cup quarter final against Brewmaster who will be all out for revenge for the 2 league defeats we have inflicted on them so far.
TEAM
CRUST;MOFFAT,MCCOMBE(WANSTALL76),MILES;
ROSE,WILLIAMS,HOWELLS,LINKINS,INSHAW
RUANE,STRAND
SUB(NU);YEO
MOTM;CRUST
REF;T.PEPPER(71)