After the disappointment of last weeks fixture being postponed against Market Hotel, a date which we requested no game before the season started.
Would there have been any better time to play the current league champions Market Hotel? as it was suggested on other websites! Market Hotel's last game was a 5-2 defeat to Bromley Green, the team we had beaten 5-1 the previous week!
The same may happen to us in mid February when we have also asked, if it is possible for no fixture. It is however still possible other 'rival' clubs will interfere and make ridiculous statements on their own websites. Maybe its a sign of how far we have come, that they are more worried what we do as a club, rather than their own!
Our focus was now onto Bethersden and we had more or less had full strength squad, with the return some very talented players, I was able to name 4 players on the bench. The only player missing was Harry Goddard who was injured the day before, playing for Tenterden Town FC.
Billy Rice returned from injury and made his first team debut, Joe Spicer was back from his 7th holiday of the year and there wasnt any festivals for Matt Moore to attend!
We knew that this game against a strong Bethersden team was also going to be a tough fixture, they had started the season well very. Winning all of their 3 previous fixtures, boasting a 100% record, similar to ourselves.
We started the game in a fairly confident mood, playing good football and creating a few openings but without making that killer ball or the movement to open up the Bethersden defence.
Our first chance came after 22 minutes when Elliott McNeill had a free header from a Darren Warburton corner, in truth Elliott should have done better, it was simply a case of not realising how well he had done to lose his marker, he was in plenty of free space to head home but his header just missed the target.
After 25 Minutes, Bethersden played a straight ball over the top of the back 4 for their striker to race onto. It looked as though he would at least get his shot off at Billy Rice in the Hamstreet goal, but Darren Moody produced a great tackle when last man winning the ball for a corner kick...........................................................or so everyone watching thought, including the Bethersden management team and players.
Darren Whipps the ref, in everyones amazement pointed to the spot, and unbelievably issued 3 yellow cards in one incident. One to Darren Moody, one to Tommy Dawes and one to Joe Spicer who was running the line. Two of the yellows issued were for asking how it could possibly be a penalty and the other to Darren Moody for the tackle, which if Darren Whipps thought it was a foul why wasnt it a red card? A bizarre decision from the ref, who I was warned about before the game, as he had ruined the previous games he had refereed this season.
The penalty was expertly placed in the corner and we were 1 nil down, slightly against the run of play.
What followed from that goal was not good from our point of view, the frustration from conceding a goal that never should have been, effected our overall play and we never really recovered mentally, which wasnt helped by the ref, who continually made one shocking decision after the other.
I would be here all day writing this report if I mentioned everything Darren Whipps got wrong.
Two incident's that do stand out are. The first was shouting at Elliott McNeill and calling him an idiot, when Elliott responded by shouting back he was shown a yellow card!
A few years ago, a respect the officials campaign was introduced, which I am 100% behind, but until certain officials start to show the players the same repect they deserve, it will never work, it has to be equal from both sides.
The second incident was an offisde incident. John Ripley the Bethersden manager/linesman raised his flag for an offside infringement. There was a Bethersden player face down on the pitch in between the 6 yard area and goal line after he was injured by his own player from a free kick moments before, Darren Whipps had clearly seen this as he said, 'play on' its not a head injury. As the ball was then played back into the 18 yard box, John Ripley raised his flag! Whether it was a genuine mistake or not only John will know, but Darren Whipps blew his whislte and gave an offside free kick, even though there was Dan Regan (Bethersden GK) and the defender (lying on the ground) keeping everyone onside!
When questioned Darren Whipps replied, that the player was not on the pitch. When asked again he replied, half his body was on and half off, therefore he wasnt on the pitch!
Its my understanding that Darren Whipps is going for promotion, until he understands the basic rules of football and applies a bit of common sense, which he is failing to do currently, then he has no hope, having said that if it means he wont be referring any of our games again, I wish him well!
5 minutes before half and 10 minutes after half time Bethersden scored again, both goals very fortunate, but if you worked hard and are committed to the cause and do the ugly parts of football, you often find that you get the lucky breaks and things go your way, and Bethersden were certainly doing that.
Our day didnt get any better, when we had subsitute Joe Spicer sent off for a second yellow card after being on the field for 12 minutes.
Tommy Dawes did produce our only bright moment since the 22 minute with his 20 yard volley, crashing againt the bar.
In truth Bethersden deserved the 3 points and the clean sheet, and if they continue in this fine form, they will be a match for anyone and even if Darren Whipps had of got out of his bed on the right side and wasnt interested in being centre of attention, we wouldnt have won this game, as well simply didnt have the same desire and the 'will to win' that Bethersden clearly showed.
However disappointing it is to lose, I know that there is alot more to come from the squad, but we are going to have to work on a few things if we are going to have a serious go, this season.
All is not lost, just that advantage we had, now gone, but with the talent in the squad I am confident the boys will bounce back and go on a winning run which is now required.
