Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Boro game crucial for City
SCEFL round-up
Canterbury City manager Ben Smith believes his side can get back into the promotion race with a win over Crowborough Athletic next week.
Smith’s side drew at leaders Sevenoaks Town after coming back from two goals down.
He feels his side were unlucky not to get all three points after a penalty from Dave Pilcher and a goal from Jamie Maxted got them back level.
Smith said: “We were dominant in the second half. Before the game we would have taken the point but the boys were
‘Momentum is massive in football. We’ve just got to make sure we are taking points off the top teams’
disappointed afterwards. I said if we can take something from the next two games we will be back in the promotion race. If we lose to Crowborough, it would be too big a gap to make up.
“Momentum is a massive thing in football. We have just got to make sure we are taking points off the top teams.”
Sevenoaks took the lead in the 11th minute when Rory Hill fired home from 35 yards to catch Jack Delo off guard.
Billy Bennett doubled the home side’s lead in the 18th minute when his scuffed shot hit the bar and went in.
The home side were dominating and when City did get forward they were merely feeding off scraps and over-hit long balls into the channels. A corner routine produced nothing more than an easy save for Bridle-card, which was their best chance.
Canterbury got themselves back in it five minutes into the second half when Rob Lawrence was hauled down in the box and Pilcher slotted home the penalty.
City continued to drive forward as Martin forced a corner following a break while Marsden was just inches away from finding Pilcher in the box with a cross.
They got their goal in the 77th minute when a move was finished by Maxted to earn his side a point.
Canterbury face SC Thamesmead at home in the Kent Reliance Senior Trophy, quarter-final on Saturday and then host Crowborough on Wednesday.
Their draw with Sevenoaks leaves them 10th on 31 points.
Whitstable Town closed the gap on leaders Sevenoaks to just four points after their 2-0 win against fellow promotion-chasers Croydon.
Town took an early lead when Ricky Freeman shot past Croydon goalkeeper Alex Hewitt in the fourth minute.
Croydon attacks were well dealt with by the Whitstable defence and Dan Eason in the home goal had little to do in the first half.
Town nearly added a second through Tom Bryant when he met Josh Burchall’s corner but couldn’t get the ball on target.
It did not take long for the home side to double their advantage after half-time.
Debutant Ronnie Dolan was brought down in the box in the 53rd minute and Danny Williams converted.
Croydon substitute Raekwon BaileyAllen forced Eason into making saves, one from a long-range effort and then another was turned round the post.
But Whitstable looked comfortable, with victory putting them fourth.
They are away to Erith Town in the Kent Reliance Senior Trophy on Saturday before hosting Rochester United in the league on Tuesday.