Pitchero

Beckenham Town

Crowborough Athletic

H Ottaway (21', 31')

Full time

T Phipp (48'), S Crabb (60'), R Treleaven (75')

ke 20 syys 19:45 - Southern Counties East Football League - Premier Division Attendance 132

Report

Highlights

Selection

League round up

CROWS DOWN THE BECKS FOR THE POINTS.

By Malcolm Boyes

Three second half goals by the Crows prove enough to get the points at Eden Park Avenue.

Great second half fight-back.
Goals from Phipp, Crabb and substitute Treleaven in the second half, see the Crows come from 2-0 down at half time to win 3-2 by the time the final whistle blew after 90+4 minutes.
The match started at a tremendous pace from both sides and never really settled down throughout the whole game, helped I'm sure by the tremendous playing surface at Eden Park Avenue.
The first sniff of a chance went to the Crows in the 8th minute, some neat interpassing between Connolly and Attwood inside the area finally ended up with l'Anson diving at the feet of Connolly and gathering the ball. The striker then had another chance three minutes later but his attempted lod was not quite high enough the Becks stopper gathered easily.
The away side were coming under some constant pressure as the match progressed which resulted in a couple of quick-fire bookings, Connolly and Turner being the recipients although, in truth, the match was never a dirty affair and there was plenty of football on show.
In the 21st minute the deadlock was broken, some weak tackling on the edge of the Crow area, saw the ball break to Ottaway who put it in the net, 1-0 to the home side. That gave the home side a lift and they started to have greater possession which led to them being 2-0 up in the 31st minute.
The Crows didn't challenge for an aerial ball in the centre-circle and the Becks player was able to nod the ball forward, it eventually reached Ottaway who was able to put the ball away for his second of the evening.
For the rest of the half Becks had the greater possession and control of the ball with the Crows only really having a Phipp shot that went wide, a yellow card for Attwood and a curling shot from Crabb that went inches over from the edge of the box. Therefore, as the players went off there was a lot for the Crows to ponder on as to how they were to get back into this game.
When the teams emerged from the dressing rooms one noticeable absentee for the Crows was Henry Muggeridge who was replaced by Sam Carrington as the second half commenced. Muggeridge was ill apparently and could not carry on.
If the Crows were to get anything from the match they needed to get an early goal and right on cue Phipp buried a direct free kick from 25 yards out in the 48th minute to make it 2-1. l'Anson might feel he should have done better in the Becks goal as he got a hand to the ball but that didn't matter one iota to the travelling fans.
It then became obvious that the visitors had upped their game for this half and even though the game carried on at the same high tempo as the first, the Crows were intent on controlling the game and were putting the home side under greater pressure.
Benner, the Becks skipper, picked up a yellow card in the 56th minute as the pressure began to tell on the home defence and in the 60th minute it became 2-2, Crabb beating the goalie to a cross field ball and finishing well from a narrow angle.
As the game went on both teams made changes with Treleaven replacing Connolly for the Crows in the 69th minute. It was Treleaven who put the Crows 3-2 up only 6 minutes after coming on following great work between Unwin and Attwood saw the former get to the bye line before squaring the ball across to the scorer.
Both sides had chances as the final whistle was fast approaching but there was no further goals score however, there was a rather odd event when Ellis received a yellow card despite the fact that a free kick had been signalled by the assistant to the visitors but the referee decided it was against him and awarded the kick to the Becks.
So the game ended 3-2 to the Crows and for the second game running the second 45 was better than the first and in truth the Crows have not put in a solid 90 minute display this season so far. That situation needs to be addressed but when it is, we'll give a few teams a real going over.
After the match the usual Man of the Match "committee" met and the award went to Connor Pring who looked to be positive in the first 45 at all times and became more effective in the second 45 when he was able to get the ball more and drive the team forward.

Assist

Lewis Unwin

Star Player

Connor Pring