A twelve minute first half hat-trick from Dean Grant helped ease the Cannons past Chipstead in a 4-2 win at High Road on Saturday afternoon.
It was the hosts who began the stronger creating their first chance after eight minutes as Sam Bell pulled the ball back to Dylan Cascoe who worked his way towards the edge of the area but fired over. Hythe had to wait until the thirteenth minute for their first attempt as a free kick from Kieron Campbell sailed over the bar. Campbell threatened again as he broke free but home keeper Michael Sibley spread himself well to block the effort. Hythe began to look the more dangerous as they continued to attack with the hard working Charlie Webster hitting a shot low and hard but the ball drifted wide.
Hythe’s goal was under threat on 20 minutes as Bell found himself one on one with Hythe keeper Will Godmon who came out to block. The ball was cleared away allowing a counter attack with the ball finding its way to Grant to calmly lob the ball over Sibley and into the net to give the Cannons the lead. As Hythe continued to press Campbell picked up a loose ball and forced a good save from Sibley. The keeper was on hand again soon after as a shot from Grant was deflected into his arms. However Chipstead were level on 25 minutes as Chris O’Flaherty pounced on a defensive error, moving in and stabbing the ball past Godmon.
Hythe were to regain the lead within two minutes as the impressive Jordan Johnson-Palmer stole the ball from the Chipstead defence and threaded it through to Grant who slotted the ball home for his second. Grant could have got his third on 29 minutes as he broke free again but this time Sibley was on hand to prevent a goal. However Grant finally got his hat-trick on 32 minutes as he stole the ball passing onto Campbell who passed back for the Hythe striker to slot the ball home. One more effort from the visitors on the stroke of half time saw a curling free kick from Ben Wilson go just wide.
The second half started with Hythe looking to extend their lead. Jerson Dos Santos got the ball out to Webster who crossed into Campbell who headed over. Campbell was to threaten again as he got on the end of a Jerald Aboagye cross but again the ball went over. Chipstead were trying hard to get back in the game and did create a chance as substitute Jeremy Boakye broke through but was denied well by Godmon coming out to block. They continued to press as Bell headed a deep cross wide. Hythe then had a couple of opportunities to put the game out of Chipstead’s reach as firstly Wilson sent a free-kick from the edge of the area over the bar and then he crossed to substitute Sid Sollis whose header lacked power. However with six minutes to go Sollis was brought down by Sibley in the penalty area and the referee had no hesitation but to point to the spot. Sollis took the penalty and sent Sibley the wrong way to extend Hythe’s lead.
Within two minutes Chipstead got a consolation goal as ex-Folkestone striker Alan Tait slammed the ball home to narrow the gap. Two more chances for Chipstead to narrow the gap saw Boakye loop a shot wide and then an O’Flaherty free kick was deflected into Godmon’s arms.
However The Cannons held on to deservedly take all three points that takes them up to seventh in the table. They take a break this week from league action as they travel to Tonbridge Angels in a Velocity Trophy Second Round on Tuesday evening.
Hythe Town Team: Will Godmon, Jerald Aboagye, Ben Wilson, Mitchell Chapman, Mitchell Dickenson, Jordan Johnson-Palmer, Dave Cook, Charlie Webster, Dean Grant, Jerson Dos Santos (Sid Sollis 78 mins), Kieron Campbell (Ryan Palmer 63 mins).
Scorers: Chipstead – Chris O’Flaherty 25 mins, Alan Tait 86 mins. Hythe Town – Dean Grant 20, 27 & 32 mins, Sid Sollis 84 mins (pen).
Attendance 72