Under 16Brading double as Kent win again
Friday, 22 February 2008.
Kent Under 16's extended their 100% record to four games with an excellent 2 – 0 win against AFA at Broxbourne.
Kent started the game in a positive fashion when an excellent through ball from Ebbsfleet’s, Perry Scofeld-Lamoon saw Maidstone’s Steve Brading place the ball in the bottom corner for a fine finish and put Kent one up.
AFA then began to come back in the game and a couple of excellent crosses from the right side put Kent under pressure but the visitors defence showed the determination that has seen the team not concede a goal in the last three competition matches.
A confident Kent continued to press and Scofield-Lamoon went close following a cross from centre back, Michael Scott but the header went just over.
A first half injury to Billy Holland saw him replaced at half time by Josh Hughes and this promted a tactical switch which saw Charlie Sweetman move into midfield for Scofield-Lamoon.
The substitution allowed Kent to push on with Bromley’s Harry Harding influencing proceedings with some excellent runs down the right hand side and on 57 minutes one of the runs saw the cross from Harding, fall to the feet of Brading who grabbed his and Kent’s second goal of the game.
Harding continued to entertain and saw a shot go just over the bar. With a two goal cushion Kent began to play some neat football with Dartford’s, Karl Dent influencing the game as the half went on.
AFA never created any real chances in the second half and centre backs Jack Sparrow and Michael Scott proving to be outstanding as the pair kept their fourth clean sheet.
Dan Langiano, Canterbury City and Josh Bryant, Dover came on in the second half and both made a good impact on the game with Langiano puttting in some excellent crosses while Bryant was unlucky not to reach a cross from Harding.
Although chasing the game AFA never gave up and with two or three excellent individuals performing well on the night.
A pleased Kent Manager, Ken Brooke’s praised the group by saying “Another excellent victory from a very talented group of players. They want to listen and learn and they have developed into a close knit squad over the season.
Brookes confirmed the winning run was down to the solid defensive performances “The key to our success has been our defence and not conceding in 320 minutes of competitive football with players such as Crutchfield, Crimmen, Sparrow and Scott and keepers Rankin and Woods showing the art of defending.”
Brooke’s and the team are now looking forward to the last game of the competition against Middlesex on 16 March 2008 and trying to make it 5 wins out of 5 and knowing a win would confirm Kent as Champions.
The Kent County FA would like to thank those Parents who supported the team at the match.