Still all to play for.
With both the Crows and Ashford United winning their respective games, they remain locked together at the summit of the SCEFL Premier Division on 89 points with one game to go each. However, the Nuts & Bolts are in first position due to their superior goal difference and therefore, remain favourites for the title. However, whilst it is still mathematically possible for the Crows to overhaul their rivals, they will not give up and go in to their next fixture away at Hollands & Blair, full of optimism.
Beckenham Town started the match on the front foot and for the first 10 minutes or so had control of the game and held sway in the possession stakes, holding on to the ball far better than the Crows when they had the ball occasionally. Town hit the bar in the 8th minute when a shot from Jalloh was deflected on to the bar and out for a corner. Jalloh then had another go in the 12th minute, this time Ellis pulled off a good save by knocking the ball out for another corner.
Around the 15 minute mark the Crows started to get their act together and their first real effort saw the ball cannon off a post from a Treleaven shot in the 17th minute. The Crows then had a couple of corners before Attwood had shot go just wide of the mark in the 19th minute.
The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute when a long throw from Treleaven saw Turner fouled in the penalty area and the referee had no option to award a penalty to the Crows. After a discussion between Treleaven, Muggeridge and Attwood, it fell to the latter to take the spot kick and it became 1-0 although some spectators couldn't bear to watch due to our record this season from 12 yards out. Town number 8, Ferguson, picked up a yellow card at this point, something that was to prove costly later on in the game.
The rest of the half was more even, although the Town will feel it should have been 1-1 in the 26th minute but Jalloh wasted a great opportunity when unmarked he fired the ball over the bar from only 10 yards out. Only a minute later Warren picked up the Becks second yellow card of the afternoon, not sure why but the card was shown by referee Wager.
In the 28th minute the Crows had to make a substitution, Carey having to go off with an injury and Carrington coming on as his replacement, playing in an unfamiliar role of a midfielder but a role he fulfilled well throughout the rest of the match.
Town will also feel that perhaps they should have equalised in the 30th minute where they had two great chances, one after the other, Ellis making a good save for the first effort but making a brilliant save from the rebound from Ferguson, putting the ball round the post for a corner.
The sides then traded efforts before Prall made a good save from Attwood at the expense of a corner. As the half drew to a close the Crows got on top and finished the stronger side, Treleaven, Muggeridge and Attwood all having good efforts and the only downside was Vickers picking up a yellow card in the 42nd minute, therefore, as the half time whistle blew it was 1-0 to the Crows and just about deserved.
Again the Becks started better than the Crows but didn't create much and it wasn't too long before the Crows got back in to their stride and started to dominate the rest of the half. The situation for the Becks wasn't helped when in the 65th minute Ferguson was involved in fracas with Carrington by the dugouts, visibly pulling him back and holding on to Carrington whilst he was trying to retrieve the ball. The referee awarded a free kick to the Crows and after consulting with his assistant on that side of the pitch, showed a yellow card to the Becks player. Having already been booked he was shown a red card and was dismissed from the field accordingly, the Becks now down to 10 men. Their winger, Dolby, was also shown a yellow card at the same time for what seemed to be dissent.
Humphries came on for the Town in the 68th minute, Jalloh going off and then Kokora picked a yellow card up from referee Wager in the 74th minute. Carrington, Walder and Treleaven all had efforts saved, blocked or wide before Perry replaced Treleaven for the Crows in the 79th minute. At the same time, Quan replaced Warren for the Town as they looked to get something out of the game to ease their relegation fears.
Walder became the second Crow to be booked in the 81st minute whilst the Crows were still forcing the issue in trying to get a second goal to make sure of securing the three points. Pearson replaced Muggeridge in the 89th minute but with something like another 7 minutes to play, there was work still to do for the Crows. There was still time for Humphries to test Ellis from distance, a task he was more than capable of dealing with and then Perry became the third Crow to be booked for kicking the ball away in the 90+4th minute.
In the end the final whistle went and the Crows had won 1-0, still joint top of the league, second only on goal difference and it goes down to the last game for both the Crows and Ashford United.
The match was sponsored by H & H Produce Ltd. and the Crow's Man of the Match, chosen by Ian Hunt from H & H Produce went to the Crows number 6, Jack Turner. They also had an award for their Player of the Season and that went to goalkeeper, Dan Ellis. Well done to both of them.