Whyteleafe 4 Hythe Town 3

Bostik League South East

Saturday 15th December 2018

Hythe left it too late to stage a comeback in atrocious weather conditions as they went down 4-3 at Whyteleafe on Saturday afternoon.

As the rain poured down throughout the game, the Cannons were blown away in the first half. Whyteleafe carved through the Hythe defence causing regular problems as firstly the ever-dangerous Marvin Armstrong pulled an early shot wide. Hythe’s first opening came on eleven minutes as Kieron Campbell sent a dangerous cross that was missed by Charlie Webster and Zak Ansah as it went across the penalty area. However, it was the hosts who were to take the lead on 13 minutes as Matthew O’Donoghue broke through the Hythe defence and slotted the ball home.

Hythe did have an opportunity to bring the scores level as a Nigel Neita cross was cleared by the defence to Chris Kinnear who lifted the ball over the bar. However, it was the hosts who were tormenting the Hythe back four as after 24 minutes Lauris Chin fed the ball out to Harvey Bland who was in the clear and ran in to place the ball in the far corner of the net. Three minutes later it got even worse for the Cannons as Chin worked his way through to finish easily to make it 3-0. 

Hythe were now “all at sea” as Whyteleafe looked for their fourth. On the half hour Chin played the ball into Valentino Carpene but he looped the ball into the arms of Hythe debutant goalkeeper Henry Newcombe. The keeper did well to block Carpene in another attack as the threats kept coming. Ansah did have an effort at the other end as he sent a free kick from the edge of the area well wide of the post. Newcombe had to be at his best as he smothered an attempt from Armstrong. However, against the run of play, Hythe were given a life-line deep into first half injury time as a Campbell cross was headed by Kinnear against the underside of the bar dropping down over the line to get a goal back.

The start of the second half was delayed as an injury to one of the assistant referees meant there was an urgent search for a replacement. Eventually our own Barry Vincer offered to run the line and the second period started fifteen minutes late. The second period began with Whyteleafe on the attack as a corner from Bradley Wilson was met by Jamie McGeorghegan but Newcombe did well to save. Kinnear had the first attempt of the half for the Cannons as blasted wide and then on 59 minutes things got worse for Hythe as Whyteleafe extended their lead. Hythe lost the ball and O’Donaghue pounced and went through to slam the ball home and put the game out of the reach of the visitors.

This seemed to spark a reaction from Hythe who upped the gears and began to look dangerous. On 68 minutes Campbell sent in a corner from the left-hand side that was met by the head of substitute Junior Aikhionbare who converted at the near post to make it 2-4. Hythe were now looking the more likely as Aikhionbare burst in from the left and forced Whyteleafe keeper Todd McCarthy to save well and then Ansah sent in a shot that drifted wide. However, there were still some threats from the hosts as Armstrong found himself in the clear but he poked the ball wide and then Newcombe saved well from Joshua Malcolm.

Deep into injury time Zak Ansah got another goal back as he fired in across the goal and into the far corner. With the ball going through the side netting it was not clear that he had scored but the goal was awarded but it was “too little too late” for the Cannons who must now look at addressing the defensive frailties before they visit Herne Bay next Saturday.  

Team: Harry Newcombe, Salvyn Kisitu, Aziz Lyoubi, Chris Kinnear, Nathan Daly, Mitchell Dickenson, Nigel Neita (Jack Sammoutis 62 mins), Zach Fagan (Junior Aikhionbare 45 mins), Zak Ansah, Charlie Webster, Keiron Campbell.

Scorers: Whyteleafe - Matthew O'Donoghue 13 & 59 mins, Harvey Bland 24 mins, Lauris Chin 27 mins. Hythe Town - Chris Kinnear 45 mins, Junior Aikhionbare 68 mins, Zak Ansah 90 mins

Attendance: 123. 

Hythe Town have signed former Gillingham goalkeeper Henry Newcombe from Margate. The 21 year old came through the Gillingham Youth set up before being awarded his first professional contract in 2016.  

He then moved onto Wycombe Wanderers. He had a successful spell on loan at Canvey Island before joining Margate at the start of this season. He has also had a loan period at Chatham Town.

Henry goes straight into the squad for the game at Whyteleafe. 

Hythe Town 1 Greenwich Borough 2

Bostik League South East

Tuesday 11^th December 2018

Lowly Greenwich Borough provided an uncomfortable shock to Hythe Town as they came from behind to deservedly win 2-1 at Reachfields on Tuesday evening.

Things did start brightly for Hythe as they produced the first attack of the game after just two minutes as Nathan Daly headed wide from a Kieron Campbell free-kick. Almost immediately at the other end Teshuane Tyreece Walters worked his way into a shooting position and sent his attempt wide. The hosts continued to look dangerous as Junior Aikhionbare forced Greenwich keeper Thomas McGill to push the ball around the post from a shot on the left-hand side.

Chances were coming at both ends as Laurent Mendy got onto a loose ball as the Hythe defence failed to clear but his final attempt was deflected wide. From the resultant corner Reece Cave forced a save from point blank range by Hythe keeper, Ryan Nicholls and then Nicholls smothered a shot from distance from Reece Deakin.  As the half progressed it was Hythe who began to take control of the game. Campbell had a shot come cross that drifted just over the bar and then he laid the ball off to Zak Ansah who lifted the ball over the bar.

On 29 minutes Hythe took a deserved lead as Mitchell Dickenson sent in a long ball to Zak Ansah who neatly fed Charlie Webster who swept the ball past McGill into the corner of the net. This was the start of Hythe brightest period of the game as Webster was involved again as he played the ball in to Akhionbare who headed into the arms of McGill and then with five minutes to go until the break Campbell crossed from the left to Ansah who scooped his effort over the bar. One chance for the visitors on the stroke of half time saw Cave shoot straight at Nicholls.

Greenwich up the gears in the second half and took the initiative as five minutes in Kayne Roberts forced Nicholls to push the ball around the post. At the other end Webster fed the ball to Ansah but he was denied by the outstretched foot of McGill. However, then came the four minutes that turned the game around.  Firstly, on the hour, Connor sent in a cross from the left  into the penalty area. The ball was met by Mendy who passed onto Ryan King-Elliott whose shot went into the bottom far corner of the net. Then Greenwich completed their deserved come back as Tyreece-Walters delivered a free-kick from the right into Tyreece Owen who fed Mendy who finished neatly.

Hythe did look for the equaliser but were unable to breakdown the resolute Greenwich defence and actually the visitors could have extended their lead on 83 minutes as Owen headed over from a Roberts cross. Owen was able to clear an Ansah looping header and then in the dying minutes Webster played the ball into Dickenson but his effort went straight at McGill and Greenwich held onto to their three well earned points.

Hythe, who have now lost the last two home league games, must regroup before Saturday’s vital league game at Whyteleafe.

Team: Ryan Nicholls, Salvyn Kisitu, Aziz Lyoubi, Zach Fagan, Nathan Daly, Mitchell Dickenson, Charlie Webster, Nigel Neita (Chris Kinnear 64 mins), Zak Ansah, Junior Aikhionbare (Jack Sammoutis 45 mins), Kieron Campbell.  

Scorers: Hythe Town - Charlie Webster 29 mins. Greenwich Borough – Ryan Elliott-King 60 mins, Laurent Mendy 64 mins.

Attendance: 130