On This Day – 5th May
On This Day – 5th May – 2018
SCEFL Premier Division
Tunbridge Wells 0-1 Whitstable Town
A wonderful goal by Ricky Freeman won the SCEFL Challenge Cup for Whitstable Town on a very warm afternoon at Longmead Stadium in front of 749 spectators.
The victory rounded off an almost perfect season for Scott Porter and his team, having already won the Kent Senior Trophy and achieved promotion by finishing runners up in the league.
The great support for both finalists, Tunbridge Wells and Whitstable, together with many other football fans and officials from across the county, created a good atmosphere in the ground.
The game itself had few moments of excitement however and the defences were generally in control. Whitstable had the better of the chances, with a Freeman shot hitting the post early in the first half and Danny Williams also heading against the post in the second. Cameron Hall denied Chris Saunders with his chest and Dan Eason tipped a long range effort from Jon Pilbeam over the bar, but neither goalkeeper had many other saves to make.
Hall had no chance with the spectacular volley by Freeman that eventually decided the contest in the 66th minute, after a clearance had reached him about 25 yards from goal.
The Whitstable defence made sure that there was to be no way back for Tunbridge Wells, despite them getting into promising positions on a couple of occasions, so the cup is back at the Belmont for the first time since its Kent League equivalent was won in 1980.
Tunbridge Wells
Cameron Hall, Alexx Kendall, Greg Skinner, Drew Crush, Perry Spackman (c), Tommy Lawrence (Franco Mici 82), Jon Pilbeam, Jonathan Shea, Jarred Trespaderne (Josh Biddlecombe 63), Jack Harris, Josh Stanford.
Subs (unused): Jake Hampson, Ollie Cooke, Alfie Hall.
Yellow cards: Jarred Trespaderne 28, Drew Crush 90+1.
Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, John Walker, Josh Burchell, Stuart West, Teddy Nelson, Tom Bryant, Chris Saunders (Louis Sprosen 72), James Morrish (c) (Charlie Smith 76), Ricky Freeman, Danny Williams (Shaun Welford 80), Macauley Murray.
Subs (unused): Craig Cloke, Dean Ruddy.
Goal: Ricky Freeman 66
Yellow cards: Stuart West 45, Tom Bryant 77, Louis Sprosen 81, Ricky Freeman 90+1.
Attendance: 749
Referee: Valentine Anekwe
Assistants: Jerry Annandale & Steve Roots
Fourth Official: Matt Pollington
On This Day – 5th May – 2018
SCEFL First Division
Kent Football United 1-3 Erith & Belvedere
Erith & Belvedere beat Kent Football United 3-1 on this day in 2018 to help them towards a 4th placed finish in the First Division.
Dominic Odusanya, Arlie Desanges and Nathan Palmer all scored for the Deres while Marcus Cassius replied for the 9th placed hosts.