Mead miss out on top spot

Saturday 19 December 2009

Ryman League Division 1 North
lowestoft Town 2 Thamesmead Town 1
By Mead reporter Kevin White

Thamesmead lost the opportunity to top the Ryman League Division 1 North, losing to league leaders Lowestoft Town.

In freezing conditions, the 654 crowd witnessed one of only two games in the whole league and saw Mead take the lead on 54 minutes through striker Rikki Cable.

New Lowestoft signing, Joe Francis equallised with his first touch of the ball after coming off the bench on 57 minutes.

Matt Nolan was brought down in the penalty area by Junior Baker and stood up to convert the spot kick on 67 minutes.

Not impressed with the decision, Mead manager Keith McMahon was further incensed when Joel Greaves and James Campbell were felled in the Lowestoft area with no penalty awarded.

Matters were made worst with five minutes to go as the home side sealed the match when Greg Crane headed their third goal.

After the game, McMahon spoke to kentishfootball.co.uk, He said: “Lowestoft are a really good side. We were solid first half, we had a couple of really good chances, Rikki (Cable) up front was causing them problems for fun.

“To be fair, they had a couple of chances themselves but we could have come in at half-time maybe one or two goals to the good.

“We went 1-0 up through Rikki, a really good finish, then they brought on their new signing, Joe Francis, played for Corby Town in Conference North, who they signed this morning, he played on the left, good player, and he scored with his first touch and then it was all about the referee!

“He gave them an unbelievable penalty when just the crowd called for it and no-one else in the ground thought it was a penalty, then he turned down an absolutely stonewall penalty for us on Joel Greaves, then there was a push in the box on (my central defender) James Campbell, so we feel really aggrieved.

“We came here and we should have got a result. We were super! We really, really worked hard and feel the word cheated, which is quite hard, but we do.

“The referee’s performance was not good enough! There were two top-of-the-table sides today and an inadequate referee. I want to call him a Sunday morning one to be honest with you, but I don’t really want to. It was all about him! He couldn’t cope with the 700 fans!”

However, McMahon had praise for the hosts, "They’ve got a great crowd, a good set up, all about Lowestoft is really good and positive and you can’t knock them,” said McMahon.

“Every club in our league wants to strive to be something like Lowestoft.

“It doesn’t help when you set yourself a game plan out, we worked really hard, like we did against Concord and East Thurrock.

“We were superb, defended well, hit them on the break, played some great stuff.

“To feel, lets us say, to feel aggrieved in a ref’s performance has killed us. Otherwise, we deserved something in the game.

“Lowestoft wouldn’t disagree, they were full of compliments. It’s a hard pill to take. We all feel really gutted as we feel we could have got something from the game.”