Kent Premier League
22nd March 2008
Erith and Belvedere 1 Lordswood 1
The dream start nearly happened for Kevin Phillips in his first game in charge
since taking over from Shawn Mitchell as Lordswood battled away at Park View Road and came away
with a point but it could have been so much better.
On a unsettled day for weather Lordswood with the new boss taking charge for
the first time got the dream start when after 4 minutes they took the lead when Martin Difede
and Darren Marsden combined on the right side and Darren passed inside to Alan Backshell who
passed straight back to Darren who passed into the six yard area for Adam Douglas to ghost in
and score. In the 8th minute Rowan Arnott came to Lordswood’s rescue when he rushed off his
line to smother a Steve White shot from an acute angle. The luck went Lordswood way in the 15th
minute when a free kick into the area was headed goalwards beating Rowan but not Warren
Phillips who headed it against the bar and cleared, from this moment Lordswood controlled the
game and in the 19th minute Darren put Martin in and his shot was deflected for a corner via
the post. In the 23rd minute Adam Douglas passed inside to Luke Blanchard making his debut and
from 25 yards his shot went just over the bar. Another chance came in the 29th minute when
Darren running forward from the halfway line beating two defenders with great skill then passed
out to Adam Overton on the left wing and he cut in and his shot from 20 yards went just over
the bar. The last real chance of the half came in the 35th minute when Alan Backshell and
Martin combined leaving Martin on the left wing to cross low but it was deflected to Luke
Blanchard 12 yards out but his miscued shot went wide. Lordswood did not want the half time
whistle to blow as they were in control maybe with the conditions there way but they were still
in control.
The second half began with Belvedere having the lions share of possession and
putting Lordswood on the back foot and Lordswood having to make two changes within four minutes
as Ben Ashdown and Adam Overton were injured they had to shuffle the pack around but with
conditions in there favour they attacked the Lordswood goal with shots raining in all over the
place but nothing that troubled Rowan, Lordswood were now relying on breakaways but the dream
stopped in the 71st minute when Nathan Bell in the area turned and saw his shot loop over Rowan
and Ashley Dunkley on the far post stabbed home. In the 79th minute Luke Blanchard moving
forward slipped the ball wide to Mark Vernon whose first time shot went just over the bar. In
the 81st minute all the good work done was nearly gone when Sam Prett found himself in the area
on his own but his shot was easily saved by Rowan and in a frantic last few minutes both sides
tried to win the game without success but for Kevin in his first game in charge it is a great
start and everyone there would have seen a spirited performance from Lordswood.
Attendance 36
MAN OF THE MATCH - No ONE
1. R.ARNOTT
2. B.ASHDOWN (49)
3. A.BAGSHAW
4. D.MALONE
5. W.PHILLIPS
6. A.DOUGLAS
7. D.MARSDEN
8. L.BLANCHARD ( DEBUT)
9. M.DIFEDE (81)
10. A.BACKSHELL
11. A.OVERTON (53)
12. S.PHILLIPS (81, DEBUT)
14. M.VERNON (49)
15. G.HOLMAN (53)
16. D.MASON
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