Deal Town 5 Thamesmead Town 5

Saturday 1 December, 2007

Kent Premier Division

Deal Town 5 Thamesmead Town 5

By new Mead reporter Steven Brown

On a wet windy day Thamesmead travelled down to Deal for this Kent League Fixture. We had overcome Deal 2-0 just a couple of weeks earlier in the League Cup scoring twice in the last 12 minutes of a hard fought game so we knew it would not be easy. Also, just the Saturday before, Deal had beaten VCD 3-2 away and so they would be keen to get our scalp as well as revenge for that home defeat.

Thamesmead started much the brighter team and had Deal on the back foot from the start, not allowing them any time or space on the ball. One good chance had already gone begging when Rikki Cable cut in from the left to score our first goal on 7 minutes. Rikki was proving unplayable on the greasy wet pitch and when he was fouled in the 10th minute he coolly dispatched the ball into the net, making the ball swerve right to left by about 4 yards. Mead continued to dominate and kept Deal under pressure which produced Rikki’s third goal on 25 minutes. Deal looked out of it, with their bench furious about a game plan not being followed, and despondent comments like “well, when they walk onto the pitch it’s down to them”.

Thamesmead took their foot off the pedal and Deal slowly came back into the game. They were now passing better and making runs as Thamesmead backed off. On 40 minutes they made their 1st chance on goal, which Pollard pulled wide, though he was claiming a penalty for a challenge from behind. With just 5 minutes to go the Thamesmead supporters were crying out for concentration and no silly mistakes, but they went unheard.

On 42, a harmless looking punt down the middle was met by the head of Lew Watts, who got more on it than he wanted, which resulted in the ball ballooning up and into the path of Pollard, who made no mistake this time. Such a poor goal to give away obviously deflated Mead who then started to dither and two minutes later, a harmless looking ball played out to Deal’s left wing was quickly controlled by Smith who hit a tremendous shot from 28.5 yards straight into the top right hand part of the goal, Conneally doing well to keep his hands out of the way. So at half time, Mead went in to the dressing room feeling flat and only 3-2 up.

The start of the second half was all Deal. Obviously buoyed up and looking for the equalizer, it didn’t take long in coming as a cross from the left was nicely tucked into the goal by the hapless Watts (og) to make it 3-3. Thamesmead looked in disarray now and were urgently trying to stem the flow of attacking football from Deal, but to no avail and on 58 minutes, after having a goal ruled out for off-side, Robinson put Deal into the lead 4-3.

It was Deal who now started to play at a slower tempo and this allowed for Mead to slowly get back into the game. James Brown had gone off with a tight hamstring which saw his replacement, Dawson, soon starting some good moves down the right hand side. Two good chances were wasted by Dimmock and Williams put wide a one-on-one with the keeper so even now Mead were on top again we could not find an equaliser.

With 10 minutes to go Marlon Button made his debut appearance for Thamesmead, to came on for Curtis Williams and the change soon bore fruit. Collecting the ball on the right wing, Button cut in and evaded two tackles before scuffing a shot/pass into the box. The ball eluded the central defender and hit the back of Pedro Knight’s foot to be deflected to Dimmock 8 yards out, 4-4. It doesn’t matter how they come, they all count!

Mead now felt the game was there for the taking and continued to push forward and on 86 minutes, a great crossed ball from Knight found Button again on the wing, who carefully threaded a pass through to Dimmock, but he struck to early and the ball went gently back to the keeper. From the save, he threw the ball out to his left and Deal attacked quickly down the right, Robinson, finding himself in space, hit a wicked shot at goal, just like Smiths in the first half, but this time Conneally was equal to it and managed to parry the ball, but only into the path of the on rushing Utterson, who made it 5-4.

To Mead’s credit they did not give up and pushed forward. Mulholland passed out to Cable, who Mead had been neglecting somewhat in the second half, who weaved his magic, leaving 3 defenders on their butts before hitting his 4th and yet another equalizer in this amazing match, so it ended 5-5. The small travelling band of supporters were drained of feelings, not knowing whether to laugh or cry or be happy with the one point.

Erith & Belvedere up next on Tuesday in the Kent League Cup. Anyone up for a 7-7 score line?

Next match at Bayliss Avenue

Thurs 17th July 2008

Pre-season friendly

Thamesmead Town

Vs Welling United XI

K.O. 7.45PM