Weekend news as it unfolds…

Poor stuff but it’s three points

Bromley Green 3 Mersham 1 sounds a comfortable scoreline but this was a struggle and not pretty to watch. For the home team, the points keep alive a crack at the title but from Mersham manager Trevor Strand there was realism: “We are in for a long hard season!” Joe Mifsud opened the scoring after Robbie Greenfield had hit a post but the villagers deservedly levelled through Rob Clark. Beginning to wake up, the Green went in front through Ryan Smith and the same player sealed the win when tapping home after his penalty kick had been parried by Craig Mannering. Ben Davies and Micky Doyle were the pick of Mersham and Andy Davis (pictured left) kept plugging away while the Green will just accept the three points and move on. The only other Premier fixture featured Bliby and Brewmaster with the home team coasting in 5-0. The Green Reserves maintained top spot in the second division and returned to winning ways, 3-1 at Lydd against Grasshoppers, with scores by Lee Bloxham (2) (pictured right) and Darryl Hagger. Ashley Webster was nominated man of the match by the Hoppers. Other news: Churchills beat Kennington on penalties after extra time brought a 4-4 stalemate in the Bodkin Cup while in Division Two Brewmaster Reserves beat Wye 3-1 and Charing and Fox Sunday settled for a 3-3 draw. In the Sheber Cup the Greens second string have been drawn away to Market Reserves while in the divisional cup quarter final we are away to Shadoxhurst. Former Bliby and Mersham midfielder Dave Webster has joined the Green full time, Ryan Norman (left) is back on Sundays, Craig Norman has quit and Ali Mehmet has come out of retirement quickly to take up the helm at Ruckinge.

Green win again with City second best

The  Green’s Saturday first team continue to improve with Canterbury City the latest scalps as a deflected shot by Mark Howells (pictured) deep into the second half was enough to book a place in round 3 of the Kent Inter-Regional Challenge Shield. It was no more than the home side deserved as, after a fairly even first period, the Green grabbed the initiative on the hour and were unlucky not to net through Rocky Hayles and Dan Cornell, who rapped  a post from the edge of the area. Former Green player Craig Southen should have put the visitors ahead at 0-0 but planted a weak point-blank header straight at Green keeper Craig Smith. The stopper earned his blank sheet though and substitute Howells popped up with the winner. Superb performances from skipper Glenn Mackett, Micky Doyle and Tom Poyner must have impressed a good-sized crowd despite the weather but this once again was a tremendous squad effort. Steve Brown is amongst the best referees around but considering the underfoot conditions perhaps the batch of bookings was not really necessary in a sporting encounter. Still the fines help to keep the old KCFA coffers healthy. In the next round due to be played on 28 November, the Green are hosts to Tonbridge Invicta who thrashed Snodland 6-2 this afternoon. Our neighbours Kennington picked up a useful point in Division One from a 3-3 draw at the University. The Green reserves had a wasted trip and laundry bill as there was no referee for their game away to Kennington Reserves in the Ashford Charity Trophy. Elsewhere, Ashford Town shared the spoils with Dulwich Hamlet (2-2), the visitors fourth draw on the trot;  while Gary Mickelborough (right) was at it again, making it five goals in the last six games, netting in the 48th minute to kickstart Ramsgate’s 2-0 win over a poor Walton Casuals in the Ryman Division One. For tomorrow morning, Rocky Hayles (left, sponsored by Keith Cornell Waste Paper), Danny Valler and Jack Ovenden are injured/unavailable as the firsts entertain Mersham and the seconds go to Lydd to face Grasshoppers.