Messages from Steve Mailey:
(1) Training on Tuesdays will from now on start at 6.30pm
(2) There will be a Managers Meeting on Tuesday 1 September commencing at 8.15pm immediately after training
This afternoon’s action…
The Saturday firsts went out of the Weald of Kent Charity Cup with visitors Tenterden nicking a 1-0 win…Dave Smith’s report to follow later.
Ali Mehmet reports on today’s friendly at Aldington
Aldington 3 – Bromley Green Res 2
We arrived at Aldington for our final friendly in a relaxed mood, almost too relaxed. I looked into the players eyes and didn’t see the hunger that had been there in the previous games.
With players such as Sid Beale, Keith Shaba and Joe Mifsud missing, we knew we would have to be at our best to win today’s game.
The first half was fairly even with Mark Hazell and Chris Gillam at the centre of everything positive.
Darryl Hagger was having by far the best game I have seen him play since I have been at the club. Sadly Darryl had to leave the field of play midway through the first half with his recurring groin injury. With Darryl’s departure we lost our shape to a certain degree.
We went one down when being caught out trying to play too much football at the back rather than just clearing our lines, the tricky Alex Williams poked home from close range. We were having the lion’s share of possession and Paul Miles (Aldington goalkeeper) was by far the busier ‘keeper of the two.
We equalised with a smartly taken finish from Dan Allen after some fine build up play involving Matt Wedge and Darryl Hagger.
Matt Wedge was unfortunate to have a goal ruled out for offside when against the run of play, Aldington took the lead when a defensive mix up allowed big Aldington Striker Aran Slann to slide into the open goal.
Despite the defensive errors which proved to be costly, Shawn Dadd and Reece Hagger were immense at the back.
A third goal quickly followed and virtually straight from the kick off we scored our second. Once again powerful striker Dan Allen scored with a rocket of a volley from the edge of the area.
It was a good opportunity to look at other players such as Mark Floyd, Ryan Holloway and newcomer Dan Reynolds
Hopefully this is the one below par performance we were due.
The serious stuff starts next week. Bring it on!!
My MoM: Reece Hagger & Shawn Dadd
Team: C Cloke/A Williams/R Hagger/S Dadd/D Reynolds/P Barron/M Hazell/C Gillam/D Hagger/M Wedge/D Allen/R Holloway/M Floyd/J Hurst/M Dalby
