“How didn’t we get anything out of that?” Lordswood boss Nicky Southall’s comments as he left the pitch after watching Glebe win 1-0 at Martyn Grove to maintain their six-point lead over Deal Town at the top of SCEFL Premier. 

And to be honest, the Lord’s boss was right as it was only poor finishing in front of goal that cost his side at the very least a point.  

After an opening half where the home side created the better chances by far, the game turned on its head in the fifty-third minute. Lordswood broke through Mike Gethin and pulled the ball back for Callum Peck, but Peck took too long and was denied by keeper Nathan Edwards. The leaders then broke and as the ball played through, the home defence stopped waiting for a flag that did not come and Anthony Adesite slotted past the advancing Aaron Lee-Wharton, sparking scenes of protest from the home side whilst the scorer celebrated with his teammates.  

For Glebe, the performance came on the back of coming from behind for a point against bottom of the table Welling Town, and with the final run-in now with us, the leaders will be hoping for a return to form is they are to keep some pressure on Deal Town who are now second but still with seven games in hand. 

There were early chances at both ends but neither Wharton or Edwards were tested as the ball whistled wide and across the face of their respective goals. 

The first real chance fell to the home side – well did not really fall as no one in an orange and black shirt could convert in the Glebe area as the ball was scrambled away by the leader’s defence. 

The home side continued to look more likely to go in front – Josh Reid shot wide when perhaps a square ball was the better option; Gethin lobbed straight at the keeper from the edge of the box and Mobalaji Dawodu could not get enough of a contact on a shot that was straight at Edwards. 

Glebe had their chances, but their best saw Jason Banton shoot horribly wide when well-placed just before the break and after half time, it was pretty much the same. 

Then came the turning point of Peck’s missed chance and Adesite going straight up the other end to score that proved so crucial. 

Gethin was bravely denied by Edwards when through – the striker taking too long as he bore down on goal – and then shortly afterwards sending a header just too high from Archie Risson’s deep cross. Indeed, Risson was the heartbeat behind the home sides efforts literally running himself into the ground. 

As the home side pressed for the equaliser, gaps did appear yet even from a three on one break, the visitors did not really threaten the home goal. Sub Jamie Philpott was denied a second late on by a terrific block by Wharton, but it was the visitors who took the points continuing their push for the title and onto their massive game at the Charles Ground, Deal on Saturday. 

For Southall and his Lordswood side, their outside Play Off hopes surely ended with this result, but the signs are definitely there for next season being a campaign of hope at Martyn Grove. 

LORDSWOOD – Wharton, Graham, Emptage (Burgess), Risson (Apena), Keyte, Stroutts, Reid (Willis), Dawodu, Gething, Peck, Chandler (Green) 

Sub – Carey 

GLEBE – Edwards, Jordan-Heuer (Enkh), Dowrich, Goode (Ekhabor), Scottcore, Adefojh, Banton, Muirhead, Fofnah (Morris), Adesite (McDonald), Mamono (Philpot)