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Dave Smith and Steve Mailey reflect on terrific wins
Green beat Brews 4-0 with goals from Ashley Webster (2), Ryan Smith and a Glenn Mackett wonder goal
Left: All smiles as the Green go top of the table with their solid performance against the Brews capped by a wonder goal from Mackett. Ash, Merc and Terry join the the celebrations.
Green Reserves win 7-2 at Hopes Grove with Kenny Hallett bagging four and Chris Cloke saving a spot kick. Also on target Darryl Hagger, Lee Bloxham and Richard Floyd.
Other results: Premier: Highfield 1 Troggs 0, Bethersden 1 Mersham 0, Bliby 1 Market 2; Division Two: Appledore 4 Shadoxhurst 1, Fox Sunday 6 Wye 4
Green firsts win / reserves lose at City/ wins for Romney, Kennington and Lydd/Mickelborough scores but Rams lose at home … please scroll down for regular updates…
Mackett makes all the difference
Bromley Green 4 AFC Sheppey 2
After last week’s depressing exit from the Weald of Kent Charity Cup, going behind to a sloppy goal was not the ideal way to open our league account at the Swan Ground on Saturday. The return of Glenn Mackett from a toe injury however made all the difference and the captain drilled home a leveller to lift the tempo before Linton Hayles (pictured in clear ecstacy with Merc) was rewarded for his industry with a tap-in just before the interval. Craig Norman (pictured celebrating), enjoying arguably his best
game for a long while, rose superbly to head home the third and Mark Howells capped another terrific display with a cool finish. The Islanders battled with 10 men for the final quarter and at just 3-2 down still represented a threat; but in all honesty they didn’t live up to their billing. But the Green gained what they wanted – maximum points – and hopefully now the confidence will continue to grow. Full report from the manager below.
A GOOD START by Dave Smith
Saturday we entertained AFC Sheppey in our first league game of the season in division one east. A good performance saw us come out worthy winners 4-2. We played some good football and the effort the team put in was very pleasing, especially after last weeks poor display against Tenterden.
We started well and seemed in control, but were rocked when from a poorly defended corner Sheppey took the lead, this was always going to be a danger as Sheppey were a very big side with plenty of aerial threat. To everyone’s credit we responded well and skipper Glenn Mackett fired us level in the 30th min. We now were playing well and our fitness levels were giving Sheppey plenty of work to do. A minute before half time Linton Hayles slotted in our second after the visiting keeper spilled Mark Howells drive.
The second half started with us in control and in the 55th min Craig Norman’s header was superbly saved, but from the resulting corner he again headed the ball but this time it smashed into the net, which was well deserved for all his hard work during the game. We should now have cruised home but Sheppey kept plugging away with their aerial threat and pulled a goal back in the 75min, when we never dealt with a long throw and were punished. Sheppey were then reduced to 10 men, but still we were getting edgy, until Mark Howells sprung the offside trap to finish well, again for a well deserved goal for all his effort in the game. This ended the scoring and a deserved victory for a good all round team display.
An encouraging start to the season, with plenty to be pleased about and real sense that we could if we continue to play our football like we can, we could have a real chance of being one of the frontrunners this season.
Team: C.Smith. B.Davies. M.Davies. M.Doyle. M.Hadlum. R.Smith. G.Mackett. A.Mercer. M.Howells. L.Hayles. C.Norman
Subs: C.Howells(A.Mercer)J.Mifsud(C.Norman)A.Webster(L.Hayles)
Booked: J.Mifsud
Man of the match: G.Mackett, led by example, excellent
For tomorrow’s reserve game at Hopes Grove, manager Phil Wedge will be without Ryan Holloway (injured) and Paul Robinson (work). More details as they arrive.
Canterbury City 7 Bromley Green Res 1 report from Ali Mehmet
This result was certainly a “Welcome to the Kent County League” result for me personally. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The positives to be taken from this result was to see the hurt felt by the players, their pride had been dented and are determined to make amends next week.
We arrived at Bridge, Canterbury missing influential figures such as Mark Hazel, Chris Gillam and Joe Mifsud. Three signings were made on the day to complete the squad so we knew we were in for a tough fixture. We were caught cold going 2-0 within the first eight minutes and were forever chasing the game beyond that point. Darryl Hagger reduced the arrears with an absolute screamer of a volley from the edge of the area to make it 2-1 at the interval.
Slack marking and individual errors proved costly and the final two goals conceded were definitely 100% clearly offside with the referee refusing to acknowledge the referee’s assistants flag. It would be churlish of me not to mention the standard of the officiating today. In all of my years in football, it would be hard to recollect a performance as poor and as biased as this one. His performance was so poor and although the blame for the result can not be placed solely at his feet, the numerous, bizarre, strange, confusing to the unexplainable decisions baffled us all and the players desire to battle drained as every single decision went against Bromley Green.
In the changing room after the game I said my piece, reminding the players we have a long season ahead and regardless of the score, it was 3 points dropped, no more, no less. As a united squad, we win together, we lose together. No pointing fingers, no placing blame. We will regroup and come back stronger, that is guaranteed!!
Sunday First Team Report from Steve Mailey
Man of the Match Perk leads impressive new back line
Bromley Green 4 - 0 Brewmaster
As opening days go, I can’t have too many complaints. The rebuilding during the summer meant that a couple of players who chose to simply not turn up didn’t damage us too much. A strong, young squad with ability and a passion to achieve suggests my job will be very difficult when it comes to selection.
Brews arrived with plenty of experience at this level, and I warned our lads to expect a stern test – and we got one for the majority of this encounter. ![e1%20094[1]](http://bromleygreen.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/e1200941.jpg?w=500 "e1%20094[1]")
Both sides saw plenty of the ball in the first half. Although we were taking control gradually, we were a little wasteful in the final third. At the other end, another new look back line put in a solid showing, with Perk (pictured) the highlight again. Mackett and R Smith began to dominate the middle – a partnership with promise – and young Jack Ovenden, one of six debutants, began to find great positions in attack and caused the visitors problems. I expect Jack to feature a lot this season!
Out wide, Mercer put in a quality shift, taking up good positions and showing his versatile side by switching flanks when asked. Webster worked really hard all game and was rewarded with our opening goal after closing down the keeper then slotting home to give us the lead at half time.
The second half saw the introduction of Rocky up top, and his strength and movement proved a handful for the visitors. The lively Mercer was dragged down in the area – R Smith stepped up to make it 2-0 as we then looked to be in control. The football at times was impressive and it’s good to see young players express themselves – although as a team, we will learn not to be too keen to commit numbers forward at the risk of getting caught! Skipper Mackett, who put in a quality captains display, gave us all something to talk about as he turned on the edge of the area and dispatched a superb strike into the top corner to secure the points. We weren’t quite finished, as Webster again gambled on the keeper and snatched his second and our fourth.
So overall, I’m very pleased, with only minor things to correct on this showing. With quality waiting to come in and the squad learning about each other all the time, the various types of challenge that await us in this league can be faced with greater confidence, purely because of the options now available. Man of the match will go to Terry Perk for a commanding display in the heart of defence, but my thanks go to all for the effort given today.
C Smith / N Cheesman / M Hadlum / T Perk / D Valler / A Mercer / G Mackett / R Smith / R Fitzgerald (P Allan) / A Webster / J Ovenden (L Hayles)
Our neighbouring County League sides all did well on Saturday with New Romney winning 1-0 at APM, Kennington 3-2 away to Oakwood and Lydd beating MALGO 4-1 in Division Two. Gary Mickelborough put Ramsgate in front after nine minutes of their Ryman League game against Burgess Hill but the visitors left Southwood with a 3-1 win.
Good luck to all four teams this weekend. It is fair to say that the first round of league fixtures has thrown up a set of extremely difficult hurdles to overcome. Indeed Sunday manager Steve Mailey is wary that “…Brewmaster could well prove to be our hardest game”. Last season the fixture was again the league opener with the Green coming back from 4-1 down to earn a point from a 5-5 draw. Over the years the clubs have built up a friendly mutual respect … one thing is guaranteed: Green-v-Brews encounters are never boring! Previews are below but there is one piece of good news with Darryl Hagger announced fit to play away to Canterbury Reserves this afternoon.
The club sends birthday wishes to Sara (Saturday 5th September) and Micky Davies (Thursday 3 September) 
There are three changes from the squad from last week, with Lee Milton banned for one week, Tom Poyner on holiday for a week and Andy Wood away with work commitments. Into the squad come reliable Ben Davies, Joe Mifsud (left), who has been impressive in training and skipper Glen Mackett returns from injury, which is a massive boost.
