City slump to another defeat

CRAY VALLEY PM CANTERBURY CITY

CANTERBURY played only their second Kent Hurlimann League match since mid-December but suffered their fifth defeat in six games with a 5-0 reverse at Cray Valley PM.

Almost immediately the hosts attacked and only good defending from Chris Elliot and keeper Kieron Mann kept them from scoring in the opening few minutes.

Justin Ascheri fired over at the other end after 13 minutes but within a minute, the hosts took a lead through ex-City man Tunde Aderonmu they would never relinquish.

City withstood some intense pressure and several corners, with Jake Gess producing a goal-saving tackle in the box at one point but it was 2-0 on 23 minutes when a corner found its way to Luke Tanner to turn home.

He made it 3-0 three minutes later, tucking home the rebound after Mann had saved Aderonmu’s shot. Substitute Guy Connolly, on for Alex Nelson, fired over before the break while Steve Baines drove wide and Glenn Johnson rolled his shot wide with only keeper Craig Bailey to beat.

Matt Knuckey missed an open goal at the other end before the turnaround and after the break, Tanner should have converted a Knuckey pass but shot over.

Mann denied Tanner and Knuckey before Ryan Sawyer headed in a corner on 64 minutes to make it 4-0.

George Mitchell’s header drew the only real save of the game from Bailey before the fifth arrived on 82 minutes when a Sains block fell to Michael Brown to complete the scoring via a deflection.

City boss Simon Austin said: “It’s difficult to put positives on a 5-0 loss but we deserved something, even if it was just a goal. It makes Saturday’s home game against Fisher massive.” City: Mann, Andrews, Elliott, Baines, Sains, Mitchell (Baker), Ascheri, Gess, Johnson, Nelson (Connolly), Staunton (Harris). Subs not used; Coshall, Austin. Attendance: 56.