Reserves

9 April 2009

Ressies reach second final of season, after dramatic second leg.

Kent League Division 1/2 League Cup. - Thamesmead Town Res. 4 - Maidstone Utd Res. 3 - Thamesmead win 6 - 4 on aggregate.

 

The Reserves reached their second final of the season, in literally the hardest way possible, coming from 2 goals behind to overturn an extremely spirited Maidstone side.

 

Leading 2 - 1 from the 1st leg, apart from a bright first 10 minutes, it was Maidstone that had by far the better of the half. Great strikes by stones forward Keelan Mooney after 18 and 44, gave Maidstone a 2 - 0 lead at half time and 3 - 2 in the tie.

 

Mead again started brightly in the second half, but with Mooney completing his hat trick after 55 minutes the game looked to going away from the Reserves.

 

This was to change however, within the space of 10 minutes.

 

First a stunning Chris Borchescu free kick gave hope, then a Jack Hopkins penalty leveled the tie, before Danny Tarrent pounced to send the Mead bench wild to level the match and take the Reserves ahead in the tie. There was still 30 minutes to play though.

 

With going begging at each end, a somewhat clumsy challenge by Tarrent, a minute into stoppage time gave Maidstone the chance to take the match into extra time. Captain Woodward became "Captain Fantastic" as he kept the spot kick out, with the aid of the post.

 

The joy of this was soon to turn to adulation, as from the next breakaway the divisions leading scorer Dave Batt finished to send Reserves through, 4 - 3 winners on the night, 6 - on aggregate.

 

In the final the Reserves are to play Whitstable Town Reserves. This is to be played at Folkestone Invicta F.C. on 2nd May, 2009, 15.00 K.O. - The club will be running a coach to the game and anyone wishing to hitch a ride should contact a member of the Reserve Team Management. Note that there will be a charge for a seat to cover the cost of the coach.

 

The Reserves reaming fixtures are as follows :-

 

11/04/2009 - Sevenoaks Town - Away - League

14/04/2009 - Cray Wanderers - Home - League

18/04/2009 - Tooting & Mitcham - London Intermediate Cup Final - at Met Police F.C.

22/04/2009 - Maidstone United - Home - League

29/04/2009 - Dartford - Home - League

02/05/2009 - Whitstable Town - League Division 1/2 Cup Final - at Folkestone Invicta F.C.

06/05/2009 - Whitstable Town - League - Home

 

*Note that the dates of the league matches are subject to change*

Saturday 17 January 2009

It's the final Countdown (der der der der !!!!)

After Wednesday nights shocker the boys had the ideal opportunity to put things right and back on track in the re-arranged London Intermediate Cup Semi Final away to the current holders Metorogas. There were a few anxious faces around the changing room before Wayne Barrett named the starting XI, in came the Lee "Giraffe" Loveridge after injury and the recently resigned from Holmesdale pairing of David May (Mayo) and Steve Diamond (Dibbs) added a bit of experience to the young squad.

With only 5 minutes on the clock Metrogas took the lead, the returning from injury Danny Chapman got too tight to the winger who got to the by line, squared it across the six yard box for an easy tap in. This sparked us into life and the boys started to put a few tackles in and pass the ball around like we know they can. Many half chances were created during the rest of the first half with the best two of which falling to the impressive Ross Lover, who's shots unfortunately only had the cars in the car park worrying, not the Gas keeper. Our set pieces seemed to be causing all sorts of problems in the oppositions box but every time the ball dropped it seemed to fall to a Metrogas player to clear their lines.

With no changes at half time we stepped it up and began to control the game, with Sam O Keefe becoming more of an influence. On 55 minutes another dangerous ball in the box was met by a goal bound header, I've seen milk turn quicker but Dave Batt turned and volleyed the ball into the net only to see his ecstasy turn to agony when he saw the linesman's flag up for offside. Ten minutes later the deserved equaliser finally came, a long ball over their right full back tempted the keeper out of his area, with all the time in the world he decided to to pass the ball straight to Dibbs who from 25 yards out turned and finished well from an tight angle, game on. Both sides battled well in the last half hour and chances were few and far between. The over fussy officials didn't help much and the referee somehow found it necessary to show 8 yellow cards, but there wasn't one dirty tackle in the game.

Into extra time we went, on 97 minutes Mayo swung in an inviting left foot cross which Danny Tarrant met with a towering header to bury from 12 yards. On 112 minutes Mead took a 2 goal lead when Lover picked up the ball on the halfway line, surged forward and struck a 25 yard unstoppable shot which flew past the Gas keeper, game won you would have thought, but with 2 minutes left on the clock the referee's assistant who was at least 20 yards away from the incident somehow spotted a handball in our area, which the referee who was 5 yards away didn't see but still gave a penalty, which was tucked away nicely, 3-2. This is the way it stayed for the last few seconds and Thamesmead reached their first final under the new management team, which is on Saturday April 18th at Imber Court home of The Met Police.

Wednesday 14 January 2009

Mead sink to 2nd Defeat of The Season

With this being the boys first game for nearly 5 weeks everyone should have been raring to go, but unfortunately the impressive winning run was ended with a 1-0 defeat against Whitstable in the Kent Intermediate Cup. It was the worst performance of the season by a long way, no excuses, enough said.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Top of the Table here we come !!!

After sevaral postponements, Thamesmead moved impressively to the top of the table with a resounding win over Sevenoaks.

Top scorer Dave Batt and Chris Borchescu both grabbed a brace and Danny Tarrant finished off the rout in the final few minutes slotting home calmly from 10 yards out.

Saturday 29 November 2008

Mead march into the semis

A potential banana skin here for the reserves in the quarter final of the London Intermediate Cup away to Briden Ropes, with a few people cup tied and a couple being called up into the 1st team we were done to the bare bones in defensive areas. Bridon started the game very lively and were unlucky to not take the lead on 25 mins when their forward rounded Woodward only to have his shot cleared off the line. Chances after that few and far between, with keepers rarely troubled.

Mead started the second half a lot brighter and after 60 minutes the lead was taken, when a good move down the left resulted in Dave Batt teeing up Ross Lover, who to be fair couldn't really miss. The lead was doubled when the hosts goalkeeper allowed a tame Lover free kick to squirm under his body into the net. Then on 75 minutes a long swinging free kick was expertly headed back across goal and Chris Edwards slotted home for 2 yards. Bridon gambled & pushed more men forward to try to get back into the game but the Mead's defence stood strong & goalkeeper Adam Woodward pulled off a tremendous save to deny the home team a consolation goal.

A solid & professional performance resulted in Thamesmead progressing to the semi finals.