Match Reports

Sat 2nd Feb: Premier Division

This was an important game for both teams each languishing in the wrong half of the table and it was probably right to say that the visitors deserved the result mainly due to their more fluent passing game. In the opening stages honours were equal with chances falling to both sides, first when Stuart Brockman curled one wide and then when Phil Lewis had to stand tall in dealing with a Paul Lyons effort from 10 yards. The early exit of Cray skipper Tom Martin with a leg injury after 15 minutes did not help the home side's cause, as soon after came the opening goal when Matt Maxwell fed the ball to Brockman on the left to cross the perfect ball for Smith to tuck home from close range. Five minutes later it was two when Maxwell turned in a right wing corner at the near post from 5 yards out. Finding it difficult to really penetrate the Bearsted defence Cray's chances were limited and perhaps the best of which coming from a curling right wing corner delivered by Rob Bryant which goalkeeper Lewis had to be at his best to turn over from under the bar. That same player in fact worked tirelessly all afternoon, which saw him at the heart of most attacks in search of being able to level the game. The contest might have been wrapped up just before half time had Ricky Garrett not been equal to another effort by Maxwell taking the ball on and firing in from 12 yards.

As on other occasions this season the second half threw up yet another 'Comedy of Errors' for the Bears. This game unfortunately was no different, this time when Steve Benton was caught in possession on the edge of his own area, being disposed by Lyons to send in what seemed a pretty innocuous cross, which somehow found its' way under the body of Lewis before going into the net courtesy of the flaying boot of Scott McCloud. An immediate response was avoided due to Tom Jale who moved in quickly to deny Lee Fincham when in on goal, turning the ball away to safety for a corner. The gap was eventually increased on 60 minutes when a right wing cross ball from McCloud found Maxwell out on the left, to run on and score past Garrett with a curling shot from just outside of the penalty area. Soon after it was Lewis who had to be at his best turning the ball onto the bar following a neat header by Bryant from 12 yards. With Ola Israel also turning in a tireless display in pursuit of a goal all game, the match was finally sealed 10 minutes from time when a long ball from deep, somehow eluded defender Luke Hammond, before finding Brockman to stay cool to run on and score past the totally exposed Garrett.

Alan Hefferon - Bearsted FC

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