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Reserves still chasing second spot

- 03/05/2010



City Reserves 0 City Reserves 4

On the back of a 0-0 draw away at Otford and a 5-0 win away at APM Mears, City Reserves
'hopes of winning the league had vanished but they still harbored hopes of finishing runners-up in their first ever Kent County League campaign. Borden Village were the Bank Holiday Monday opponents, a team that had already pulled out of the same fixture twice at the last minute this season.

City started on the front foot and the home side were hanging on for survival from the very first minute. Dave Silman frightened the defence with his pace, getting to the byline on a number of occasions but lacked the precision of a final ball into the area. Borden's troubles were highlighted by the fact that they substituted their struggling right back with only fifteen minutes played.

City were almost caught on the break on the twenty minute mark but Matt Hewitt, in the City goal, was alert to keep the scores level with a fantastic save. With their next attack City won a penalty. Up stepped the ever-reliable Chris Wicks who blasted the ball home to the right of the diving keeper.

City continued to attack and with half an hour played doubled their advantage. Wicks found Silman on the edge of the area, who held up play before squaring for Luke Read to send a thunderous shot in at the near post from sixteen yards.

The 2-0 half time lead was well deserved and could have been extended if Wicks and Silman had been more clinical from inside the penalty area.

City continued to dominate proceedings in the second half and scored a third on the hour. Wicks took a short corner to Ben Charlton who crossed the ball into a crowded penalty area. Arriving at the back post was Paul Grant, one of City’s most committed servants, to head in to the far corner of the net for his first goal in burgundy colours.

City were then unlucky not to be awarded a second penalty after Silman was brought down inside the area after racing away from the Borden defence. City were not too distressed about this decision as soon after they scored a fourth. Luke Read played a hopeful ball into the area which the opposition’s keeper should have easily collected but instead let slip between his legs and beyond the goal line.

A comfortable 4-0 away win for City Reserves who sit third in the division with four games remaining.