Select week
Sevenoaks & District Football League & Cup Round–Up (12/01/08)
The football programme on Saturday which included both League and Fisher Shield together with a Smiths Charity Premier Cup quarter-final replay was decimated due to heavy rainfall on Friday and overnight causing pitches to be waterlogged. Despite this there were a number of talking points both on and off the field of play.
Following a League Council Meeting on Tuesday evening (8th January) it was decided to suspend/not to allocate fixtures for Kingsdown Racers Reserves following severe indiscipline on the field of play culminating the previous Saturday when Mitchell Pritchard was dismissed for violent conduct whilst playing against Tonbridge Baptist Church. A tirade of expletives by the player and aimed at the referee ensued which was followed by threatening behaviour after the match.
The League has lost a number of senior referees over the last couple of years or so following such bouts of abusive behaviour and violence and this current decision by the League Council will sound out a warning to all Clubs, Officials and players that this loutish behaviour will under no circumstances be tolerated. It is the first time to the knowledge of this correspondent that a Club/team has either had or not been allocated fixtures, a freeze which will remain until at least the middle part of February. Officials of Kingsdown Racers will be ordered to attend the next League Council Meeting which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 5th February, 2008.
In the replayed Smiths Charity Premier Cup Final tie Halstead United Reserves defeated Eynsford Reserves 3-1. The tie was ordered to be replayed after it was found that Eynsford Reserves had played two ineligible players on the original date in November. Halstead United Reserves thus gained revenge for an earlier 3-2 reverse despite going down to a Nick Jones strike. The hosts rallied scoring through Dave Jones (2) and Peter Smith to send them through to a semi-final encounter away to Dunton Green.
Saturday saw the re-introduction of the Fisher Shield. The Competition was suspended last season due to a backlog of fixtures following one of the wettest winters for many years. Unfortunately, of the nine First Round ties five were postponed.
Two ties needed extra time and ironically three matches ended with an identical 5-4 scoreline. Otford United 3rd and St. George’s (Wrotham) produced a good feast with the latter going through to the next stage getting the odd goal in nine. On target for the victors were Tony Medhurst, Stan Moyce, Luke Blakeby, Tommy Jones along with Andrew Knight.
Potters FC raced into a 3-0 lead at half time against Ightham Reserves with goals by Sean Smart, Jack Wilson and Mark Beverley. The mid-Kent side fought back after the interval break to level the scores and force the tie into extra time. Smart and Beverley both added to Potters score line but with Ightham Reserves reducing the deficit a frantic finale ensued. Jason Elliott (2), Dan Palmer and Dave Owen netted for the losers.
Extra time was also needed in the tie between Westerham 4th and Tonbridge Baptist Church Reserves before the latter went through 5-4 to face a home match against Wilderpark Reserves in the Second Round.
Wilderpark Reserves recorded only the second success of the season recording a 4-2 success against Seal 4th at Raleys Field. The Park went in at the break leading by 4-0 with goals by the in-form Andy Garland, Ray Morris, Liam Tyrrell and veteran John Brett. The villagers rallied during the second half scoring twice but the Park stood firm and were worthy winners at the end.
