Slayer FC 7 – 2 Herne Bay Harriers
J Delo
J Kennett
J Atkinson
W Greenham
A Lees
S Hetterley (2)

Today saw our final pre-season warm up game before the league starts next week and despite being August, we had the same autumnal conditions with another strong wind, this time blowing directly down the pitch toward the road end.

With Slayer kicking into the wind at the start of the game, it’s fair to say that it was pretty scrappy in the early stages with neither team managing to master the ball or the conditions.

The best of Slayer’s play in the opening minutes came down the right with Matt Betts playing in a more familiar role down that side where he frequently found himself in space. The combination with John, celebrating his birthday today, worked well and Matt swung in a number of decent crosses before, on 12 minutes, the visiting keeper fumbled one and as it slipped through his gloves it hit Jack on the head and went in.

Although Slayer had been more threatening in the lead up to the goal, the lucky goal helped spur the home team into more possession and on 20 minutes, Sean Hetterley, busy around the area, laid the ball back to Joe who hit a powerful long range effort that went in off the under side of the cross bar.

Then as Slayer were cruising and moving the ball around nicely, a pass back to the keeper ended in the home team conceding a goal. As Tharps juggled with the ball the Bay striker harried him, made some contact (ball and player) and came away with it and rolled the ball in to the unguarded net. Tharpy lay on the ground needing some treatment before the game got back under way. By this time Mike Groom, back from his annual charity game in Newcastle the previous week, was on the pitch and making his mark on the game. On 30 minutes he raced through from the half way line showing great strength in out-muscling his defender and squared the ball to Will who chipped in the area for John to fire in with his left foot.

That meant Slayer went in to the break with a two goal cushion that became three just 13 minutes into the second half. Jack laid the ball beautifully out to Will who pulled out slightly to the left and finished back across the keeper with his left foot.

With the home keeper nursing the effects of the night before though, Slayer were always vulnerable to conceding. And so it proved mid-way through the second half when Tharpy dived to gather an innocuous looking free kick from the edge of the area. However, he fumbled, the ball slipped out of his gloves and the visiting striker back heeled home making it 4-2.

Slayer though, boasting a very talented front line, were not finished. Mike hit a good shot from the edge of the area that the keeper got to but Anthony, alive to the situation ghosted in and poked the ball home virtually on the goal line.
Sean then weighed in with a brace in the final twenty minutes of the game – the first a very slick turn after a ball in from Felly before tucking it past the on-rushing keeper. Will, who’d been combining well with Anthony all game, then bagged his second assist with a cross to Sean who finished neatly.

There were a number of other chances that came and went with opportunities enough to perhaps have reached double figures but Slayer can be happy with their overall performance. There were passages of play that were fluid and the passing was slick and accurate. Joe seemed to make himself time and space in the middle to do a few drag backs and tricks in what one spectator called ‘Joe-boating’. But today was an opportunity for each player to get another 70 minutes or so game time ahead of the season opener next Saturday when we have a tough fixture in Division 1 against a much strengthened Dormans outfit. In Division 2 we have league newcomers (but familiar opposition) Whitstable Vets at their ground in Bridge. It’s actually quite a short league format with 11 games so we need complete focus from the kick off till the end of the game every game. The squad is already strong and we’ll strengthen again when the cricket season comes to an end, and Stacy turns 34.

Here is how we lined up at the start:

James Tharp

M Betts M Banks I Banks B Bowman

J Delo J Kennett S Munday

J Atkinson S Hetterley A Lees

Starting from the bench: M Groom, S Smith, W Greenham, R Fell
Result: Slayer FC 7 – 2 Herne Bay Harriers
Man-of-the-match: Player's vote: A Lees
Man-of-the-match: Opposition vote: -
Referee: Peter Layne (70)

Next fixtures (all 10:30am KO unless stated)
5 September: Slayer v Dormans (Sandwich Tech)
5 September: Whitstable v Slayer Res (at Bridge)
12 September: Slayer v Ramsgate (Sandwich Tech)
12 September: Smart Flooring v Slayer Res (Manston KO 11am)