Sheppey United were pushed to the very limits by lowly Lordswood as the Islanders patience finally proved golden as Ernie Batten’s side extended their lead at the top of the SCEFL Premier.
After eighty-nine minutes of huff and puff from the League leaders, it looked, on a night of surprises elsewhere, that a truly magnificent rear guard display from Neil Hunter’s side was going to earn them a point that at kick off looked very unlikely especially when you remember that the other expected main title “contenders” – Glebe and Chatham Town – had put eighteen past Lords keeper George Bentley in three games.
But then came Sheppey sub Taurean Roberts off the bench to break Bentley and his impressive defensive unit hearts as he powered home a far post header just as the clock ticked through the 89th minute.
For lengthy periods of the game the home side were happy to invite Sheppey to create the running and indeed made the game almost look like a game of “attack versus defence,” but manager Ernie Batten will have been disappointed that his side didn’t create more in front of goal.
Malachi Hudson was a constant threat for the visitors all night long and it was from a great mazy run he fired wide of Bentley’s post as the first real chance of a first half that at times was difficult to watch!
Alarm bells rang in the home penalty box as a left-wing corner went through the box with no blue shirt able to turn the ball home, as there wasn’t for the return ball that fizzed across in from of the Lords goal.
Bentley then excelled to keep out Billy Bennett’s drive that swung and swerved in the increasing wind, before on the stroke of half time, Bentley’s goal did have an amazing escape, when Bennett’s drive came back off the inside of the right post before being scrambled away at the base of the left one.
The second half followed the same pattern – Hudson blazed high over after he’d worked himself into great space; Bentley pulled off a great save to keep out a header; Jack Midson hammered over a great chance from a corner and then Hudson was denied by another fine Bentley save.
The introduction of sub-Michael Hagen gave Sheppey late life just as they seemed to have run out of ideas and within seconds of coming on, the overworked Bentley pulled off the save of the night to keep out Hagen’s stinging drive.
But not even Bentley could get near Roberts’ last gasp header which was met with joyous scenes as the bench exploded into scenes of wild celebrations amongst players and supporters alike.
It has to be said that the home side’s tactics weren’t the prettiest, but when you consider that they have the leakiest defence in the division, they came agonisingly close to pulling off one of the results of the season – that said, it has been for a long time said that good teams have to dig deep at times to win honours; only Ernie Batten and his side know just how deep they had to dig on this Medway Tuesday night as the leaders return home to the island for the weekend’s monumental clash with second placed Glebe.
LORDSWOOD – Bentley, Creed, Gilbert, Afoke, Atkins, Hunter, McDowell, Barham (Sheetwash), Tagg, Wynter-Stephens, Edwards (Carter)
Subs – Courtman, Palmer, Arnold
SHEPPEY UNITED – Molloy, Tenyue, Wilson (Hagan), Allen, Sains, Hamill (Orome), Gillies, Bennett, Hidson, Aibangee (Roberts), Midson
Subs – Newby, Birch
REFEREE – Mr Taylor