Monthly Archives: December 2009

ALL GREEN GAMES ARE OFF THIS WEEKEND … SORRY BUT THE WEATHER HAS WON AGAIN

HOPE TO SEE EVERYBODY AT THE GROUND TODAY (from 1pm) AND SUNDAY  (from 11am) PLEASE RING IAN FOR HIS CLOSING TIMES

The Rams game at Fleet in Hampshire is off; Canterbury, Lordswood, Faversham, Hythe, Ashford all lose out to the snow and frozen pitches. In fact the only local match that appears to have survived is at Dover. But give them a ring before travelling just in case!

The Saturday first team game with Oakwood has been called off following tonight’s pitch inspection. Ian will open the bar at 1pm on Saturday and 11am on Sunday … all members and friends of the club are cordially invited to join us for a Christmas drink. As we publish, there is no news of the Saturday reserves game at Kennington or the Sunday firsts away match (Saturday morning inspection). Details as they arrive.

A message from the club’s President, Chris Dorsett, has been received wishing all the officers, players and supporters of Bromley Green FC a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Best wishes to Gary Mickelborough whose birthday is tomorrow (Saturday). Gary is in the Ramsgate squad playing away to Fleet where there is a pitch inspection at 9.30 in the morning.

The Bliby-v-Artois Kent Sunday Cup game is off but Artois hope to be in action in a rearranged WKSL Division One clash away to Gardeners Arms (10.30)

The snow has obviously put our games in jeopardy. Ian will be looking again later today and we will publish news as soon as we receive any. He will then give details of the bar opening times for a Christmas drink this weekend.

Paul Carter: ace cameraman

Football clubs, especially a family club such Bromley Green, are all about people. It is supporters that do much unseen work, who quietly go about their business,  that make all the difference, that add to the richness and diversity of our membership. We are lucky at the Green as we have two professional supporters that perhaps some of the lads don’t really know too well. You see them at games but you don’t really know them. One is our brilliant photographer Paul Carter whose son Darren joined us last season but is apparently having another one of his ‘gap’ years! I do hope Darren has another go at establishing himself full time soon as he has so much ability. Anyway, we are greatly indebted to Paul as his photos have made our website so much more interesting and attractive; and most players are so vain that they love seeing their own face on the world wide web.

Derek West: researching the history of the Green

A regular supporter this season has been our historian and researcher Derek West, a former player at Herne Bay FC and work colleague of Stan Donald and Ian Holloway years ago. We will be profiling Derek later in the season but for now he is quite happy to remind us that he only played one game in local football [for his works side Kent Paper Company] and scored the winner … against the Green!  Derek has spent many hours in the library and trawling through odd snippets of information to piece together our history. The real challenge is from 1930 to 1973 as records are patchy … we have some photos, some memorabilia etc but there are too many gaps. Over a period of time, Derek and myself will collate our information and gradually update ‘The Green Story so Far’ page. Of course, anybody reading this with any stories, photos, results, information pre-1973 is asked to contact Derek by clicking on Comment. So, the next time you see Paul and Derek at the ground (they will probably both be there Saturday if the game is on) remember what an important contribution they are making to the club.

Preview of  The Green-v-Oakwood by Dave Smith

On Saturday we take on bottom of the table Oakwood for our last game of 2009. Oakwood have had a difficult start to the season, but have recently shown signs of improvement, with a good 4-0 at Kennington and only losing 6-5 to Woodstock Park last week in the cup. So again we will have to perform at our best to get the 3 points we need to set us up for a real chance of pushing for promotion in 2010. Our home league form is a worry as we have only taken 3 points from the 3 games we have had, so the need to improve that is vital. The squad this week sees the return of previously suspended Ryan Smith, along with Mark Howells who was unavailable last week, dropping out are Joe Mifsud who serves a one week ban and Jason Thomas, who needs more minutes, despite doing well for me, he goes down to the reserves. Both squads I feel are very strong and I have my eye on a couple of the reserve players, with a view to getting them first team action after Christmas, that means no ones place is set in stone, as I expect the right attitude and commitment every week, we try to run as professionally as possible in conjunction with our normal lives, so certain standards are required and respect for the club and your fellow team mates is a key factor.

Squad: C.Smith, T.Poyner, T.Head, M.Hadlum, M.Doyle, A.Mercer, R.Greenfield, L.Milton, G.Mackett, L.Hayles, D.Cornell, R.Strand, M.Howells, R.Smith

Players to meet at 1.00pm at the ground for a 2.00pm kick off

With snow forecast, it is fingers crossed as far as the weather is concerned. The Green’s Kent Cup game away to Star United takes priority on Sunday but the option of playing away to Appledore in the Ashford Charity Trophy is being kept open until the last possible moment in case the Kingswood pitch has not recovered from last week’s torrential downpour. Ryan Smith returns to the squad after a one week suspension but Joe Misfud (ban) and Paul Allan (holiday) are absentees.  There is no game for the Sunday Reserves this week while Saturday’s first team home fixture with Oakwood gives us the chance to make a statement for the New Year and Dave Smith and Trevor Strand believe we can push for a promotion spot in the second half of the season. Skipper Glenn Mackett hopes to be fit for the Green who are reaping the rewards for keeping a stable squad. For Ian Mace and Trent Thomas there is a quick chance to put last week’s debacle behind them when the seconds make the short trip to Kennington for the Charity Trophy tie. My thanks to all those who turned out in the cold last night for the Forum … it is a healthy thing to have these get-togethers where everyone can have their say without any chips on shoulders. We are all passionate about football and frank discussions have never done us any harm in the past. Regulars at training and Tuesday clubnight will not be surprised that within a few hours people that hadn’t bothered to turn up [one even made out he "didn't know it was on"] were telling me what we should be doing! I won’t say who they are – I am sure you can make calculated guesses anyway. Put up or shut up I say. Congratulations to Ian Holloway and Matt Wedge who shared the competition prize for their witty captions. There will be a Players Christmas Special Competition uploaded next week with a big prize on offer.

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Chris Dorsett’s mother at the weekend. The club sends its heartfelt condolences to our President and his family.

Happy birthday to Ryan Smith, 20 today (Monday)

Sunday night final round-up

All Kent Sunday Premier Cup ties fell victim to the weather and will presumably be re-scheduled for next Sunday. In the Kent Junior Cup a Simon Bourne opener proved to be just consolation for Brewmaster Reserves who went down 5-1 to Maidstone Leaguers Excel. Although Kennington Reserves just missed out 3-2 against Barming Youth, there was better news in the Kent Junior Trophy with three local sides through to the next stage. Ashford Victoria duly overcame Mersham Reserves 4-1, Marsh Athletic won 4-1 at Whitfield while Newchurch emerged 4-3 victors at Stonecross Phoenix where the Cross missed a last minute spot kick. The local Division One derby between Churchills and Ashford Dynamo ended 3-2 in favour of the pub lads while in the Division One Cup the holders Lydd won a thriller against Galacticos. The sides were locked at 0-0 before goals in extra time from Ricky Bingham and John Williams saw the Lydders into the last four.  

Reece Hagger clears a Wye attack in today's clash at the Swan Ground

A wasted journey for the Sunday firsts in the Kent Sunday Premier Cup with the weather once again emerging as the winner at sodden Kingswood. It is expected that the fixture will be rescheduled for next Sunday. The seconds took maximum points from the table-topper at the Swan Ground thanks to a hard-earned 6-2 victory over Wye. After a poor twenty minutes in which they went 2-0 behind through scores by Sam Bishop and Luke Cain, the Green gradually took control and at the end could have  netted a bagful. Lee Bloxham grabbed a hat trick against his former side with the other goals coming from Ryan Fitzgerald,

Lee Bloxham gave a fine display capped by a hat trick

 Kenny Hallett and Ashley Webster. The defence grew in confidence as the game wore on with man of the match Reece Hagger, Ryan Holloway and Shaun Curry giving good accounts of themselves; 

Shaun Curry who had to come off with yet another hamstring pull

although Curry seems likely to miss next week’s fixture with a recurrence of a hamstring injury. Below, our official cameraman Paul Carter has captured Ryan Fitzgerald’s vital score when we were trailing. Match report to follow from Phil Wedge.  

Matt Wedge: a miserable Saturday and a happy Sunday

Bits and pieces: Dan Allen will have to wait for his Mersham debut as their game was called off on Thursday while for the Green reserves, Aaron Neil is expected to return to the fold. Both Chris Cloke and Jason Thomas have told me they are not in managers’ plans for tomorrow and I hope on Tuesday there is clarification of how effective communication is between all concerned. Put simply, I am not alone in thinking that we have leaked enough good young players in recent weeks without any more going  through the exit door. On Saturdays, brothers Kevan and Ryan Strand are transferring over and we extend a warm welcome. Lee Gilham is back in tentative training while Chris Holmes is off crutches and realistically will have to set the start of next season as his comeback target date. John Lockett is still hopeful of a return to the action in the New Year. News from Bliby is that striker Paul Burt has departed and rejoined John Ripley and company at title aspirants Bethersden. Off the field, there is no sit down meal at the Green this Yuletide but we will be having a Christmas drink at the ground next Saturday and Sunday… more details this Tuesday when I hope everybody will make the effort to attend the ground [remember there is no training] and the bar will open from 7pm with the Forum starting at 8pm. So all those who spend their life telling me how things should be run and that they know better than the committee and managers - here is your chance to say it in the proper setting. Thanks DH.

Tonight’s main headlines centre on a superb 3-0 success down the Avenue for the Green’s first team in Division One as New Romney’s recent good run was brought to an abrupt end. Adapting much better to the sticky conditions, the Ashford boys collected the three points they craved with scores from Robbie Greenfield, Matt Hadlum and Linton ‘Rocky’ Hayles. With no further injuries and no bookings, this was a satisfying day on the patch of our old rivals and we now focus on the Oakwood clash at the Swan Ground next week. Match report from the manager to follow. Staplehurst and Larkfield & New Hythe shared the spoils from a 1-1 draw while Kennington’s home game with Sheerness East and the University clash with AFC Sheppey were both postponed - presumably as a result of the underfoot conditions.

At the Swan Ground it has to be said the Green Reserves were abysmal and a 4-0 defeat to lowly Borden Village Reserves really tells its own story. Two brilliant saves by Chris Cloke kept our goal intact in the first half hour but we had chances to build up a decent lead. If we had netted once early on, the feeling is that a comfortable home win would have been on the cards but as so often happens if you don’t take advantage of opportunities and capitalise on dominating the play, you pay in the end. And so it was with the Green thwarted by a string of magnificent stops by the Borden keeper (top class stopper, what on earth is he doing in a reserve side?!) A penalty, not sure what it was for, gave Borden a surprise lead and it all went belly-up from that moment. Ryan Holloway had a reasonable outing but we have to be honest: some players can’t even take a proper throw-in and at this level that is simply unacceptable. Yes, the referee left much to be desired and this wasn’t a game that warranted a total of eight cautions [including the dismissal of Green substitute Matt Wedge] but arguably it was painful passing that provided the main reason for the home team’s downfall. The bottom of the table game between Oakwood Reserves and Kennington Reserves ended in a 2-2 draw while New Romney seconds gained a useful point away to Larkfield & New Hythe Reserves thanks to a 1-1 draw.

Our local sides in the Ryman all fared well except for Ashford Town who remain rooted to the foot of the table following a 2-0 loss at mid-table Leatherhead. Green boy Gary Mickelborough further enhanced his reputation with two goals for Ramsgate in their 3-0 home success over Eastbourne Town while Folkestone stay top after winning 1-0 against Walton & Hersham in front of the day’s highest crowd (345) at Cheriton Road. But the outstanding result of the day surely goes to Whitstable who pulled off a sensational single goal triumph at title chasing Godalming. Rocky’s old club, Chipstead, gained what could prove to be a crucial three points by virtue of their 2-1 win away to Horsham YMCA.