Sinking Feeling in a Cinque Port - Hythe Should Say So!

The importance of reading the small print - MoD Firing Range behind the stand

Hopperational details

Tracks prove that a herd of lino passed this way earlier Tuesday 28 December 2010 at Reachfields Stadium, Hythe Town 3 Lordswood 4 in the Kent Premier Division (step 5).  After my aborted trip to Kent yesterday (thanks to M25 congestion), it was great news that this fixture was confirmed as on (and communicated as such!) so early in the day.

This match in one sentence

Lowly Lordswood led 4-0 with 25 minutes to go and just about held on for an unexpected win as the mist closed in.

So what?

Hythe stay 4th but still have games in hand (after a good run in the FA Cup) to go joint top – if they win them, and they certainly will view today as three points lost too easily.  The club is very open about its promotion ambitions.  It is Lordswood’s first league victory over Hythe for many seasons and they move up three places.  Seven of their eleven points have been won away from home, and this is the first time this season that they have scored four goals in a league game.

Who caught the eye on the pitch?

Given the second-half conditions, identification of individuals was almost impossible!  Thanks to @hythetownfc on Twitter for the information about scorers. Stephan Elliott burst through the middle and chipped the keeper beautifully for the first goal.  Rob Denness headed the second before half-time.  Elliott’s second was a fumble by Kieron Mann but to be honest the goalmouth was in an awful state by that stage.  Denness also got a second goal and you sensed that Lordswood really could not believe they were leading 4-0. When Brendon Cass scored from a twice-taken penalty, and substitute Dan Cook made it 2-4 shortly afterwards, it was clear that Hythe still believed they could turn the game around in the 25 minutes or so still remaining.  As it happened, wave after wave of home attacks resulted in only one more goal by Kieran Byrne and the visitors defended stoutly for the last 15 minutes.  Young goalkeeper Ryan Burbridge punched crosses away several times and the centre-backs in particular put head, leg or body in the way of most things. Great stuff for the passing neutral, frustrating for the home fans, who usually turn up more than anyone else in this league.

This match had the same effect on my pulse rate as …

… Tim Bresnan’s dismissal of Ricky Ponting in Melbourne last night – congratulations to England on retaining the Ashes by securing the victory, literally as I write this.

A snippet from the programme

From manager Scott Porter: “The weather is frustrating but it is the same for everyone.  We tried to train on the Tuesday before Christmas as usual but had to give up because the pitch was waterlogged.  The 25 of us went down to the curry house and had a great night afterwards – the fact that so many turned up on such a cold night reflects the enthusiasm and hard work that everyone puts in.”

What I learned today

A total of 28 clubs have put themselves forward for a new step 6 league in Kent.

What Next?

I dare say there will be something for the weekend, weather permitting!