Press Reports

By

Bill Baldwin

Gravesend Football League Press Officer
Text Box: League Cup ‘A’ The League Cup got under way and in the ‘A’ section, Craggs Farm Reserves won their first match of the season by beating N.K. Aces 4-2 in an entertaining game at Thong Lane. Craggs went into the interval with a 1-0 lead thanks to Gary Watkins and a Tony Love brace made it 3-0 early in the second half before Ace got back into the game with a Bobby Kyla goal and a superb Jamie Hoyle volley from the edge of the area. Love then completed his hat-trick to put the game beyond the home side and Craggs Farm Reserves progressed to the last 16. League Cup ‘B’ AZ 82 entertained Meopham Reserves at Hall Place and cruised to a 5-0 victory. Ranjit Bhachu and Tony Rossi had the home side 2-0 up by the 25th minute and Dean Boniface added a third just before half-time after good work from Matt Lacey. Tom McGhee-Lusty scored with a screamer from 20 yards before Ryan Green crowned a man of the match performance with a fifth goal for AZ. Meopham Reserves never gave up and tested AZ keeper Dean Proctor on several occasions. Fleetway Printers' impressive start to the season continued when they progressed to round two by beating F.C. Stone 8-3. Darren Simms opened the scoring for Fleetway as early as the fifth minute and although Stone equalised soon afterwards, Simms went on to complete his hat-trick before the break. This was a hat-trick of hat-tricks and he has now scored 13 times in three weeks. Further goals from Darren Dell and Simon Collins completed the scoring for the Printers before the break. Collins got two more in the second half to complete his hat-trick and Brett Blake-Morris weighed in with a single. Stone never gave up and scored three times through Chris Rains (2) and John Reffell. Premier Division AFC Welsh Tavern (Sat) scored four in each half in beating Guru Nanak Reserves 8-0 at Kings Farm. Dan Thomas led the way with a hat-trick and was assisted by Ky Hall-Shelton (2), Jack Wilson, Anthony Summers and Martin Hergest as Welsh ran riot. Viewpoint turned on the style against Swan Valley at the AEI-Henley sports ground by winning 9-1. Their goals came at regular intervals from Dave Goodwin (5), Paul Jackson (2), Damien Blowers and a Gary Martin missile from 10 yards inside his own half, the ball flying past the Swan keeper into the top corner. To their credit, Swan kept going and George Huffer scored their consolation. Division One The teams in third and fourth place, Stone Club &Institute and Meopham, had an entertaining 2-2 draw at Stone Rec. Hosts Stone started the better, but it was Meopham who opened the scoring with a Jez Aves goal. Mark Buggs had Stone back on level terms before half-time, although Meopham regained the lead early in the second period through Harry Ring. Stone got a deserved equaliser with a cracking goal for the edge of the area from Stuart Onyett and the home side felt they could have gone on to win but for the fine form of the Meopham keeper. Viewpoint Reserves beat Bean 3-1 to stay top. Viewpoint second string's goals came from Steve Coyne, Nathan Taylor and Sean Harris. Bean pushed the leaders all the way and scored through Aaron Tuitt. Woodlands Athletic are in second place on the same points as the leaders with a game in hand after beating Peacock Celtic 4-2 at home. Neil Marshall opened the scoring for Woodlands when he headed in his brother Keith's cross. Dan Ingram scored direct from a corner and Will Lynch's 25-yard volley added a third. Marshall scored his second to complete the scoring for the home side, but the sporting Peacock team kept plugging away and got their reward with goals from Tim Edwins and Steven Aldridge. Division Two Leaders Ash Green recovered from their defeat last week with a comfortable 3-0 win over Oakfield. Goals from Luke Vigurs, Rob Bradbury and James Donegan secured the three points to stay top. Newcomers to the League Fleetdown United ‘B ‘acquitted themselves well against one of the favourites in this division, Earl Grey, at Kings Farm. In a close game Earl Grey won 3-2 with strikes from Chris Smith, Ian Tredway and veteran Gary Aldous, making it a goal a game for the last three matches. A young Fleetdown side pushed their opponents all the way and the win keeps Earl in second place. It has been quite a week for Real Man of Kent. They were presented with a fair play award from the Kent County FA on Tuesday and on Saturday gained their first victory for more a year when they won at Joydens Wood. Mark Blowers and Carl Morson shared a brace apiece, while the home team's reply came from Danny Craig and a Daniel Radford (2). Real Man of Kent are a credit to the Gravesend Football League and thoroughly deserve their award as they embrace the League's motto which is: "For when the Great Scorer writes against your name, He’ll write, not that you won or lost, but how you played the game." Meanwhile, there is good news for clubs and everyone connected with the Gravesend League as Bill Baldwin is recovering well form his heart surgery and will resume taking results and writing the press reports this weekend.