It was an unhappy return for Lordswood’s Ryan Royston, returning after a year out, as Laurent Hamici’s double and Grant Lye’s first senior goal contributed to the home side crashing to a 4-0 home defeat to Cray Valley (PM) at Martyn Grove on Saturday afternoon.

In an uneventful first half the visitors broke the deadlock on 38 minutes. Hamici found himself unmarked right in front of goal planting a header into the back of the net past the helpless Byott.

In first half injury time the visitors’ Hamici had a chance to double his sides lead. Ben Hilden saved Richard Styles’ blushes after a short back-pass blocking Hamici’s effort on goal. The resulting corner then caused havoc – The in-swinging delivery hitting the crossbar after two deflections en route to goal – Hilden clearing the danger.

Shortly into the second half the impressive Hamici found space cutting inside the box from the left hand side shooting past ‘keeper Byott only to see his shot come off the left hand post.

Moments later Hamici got his, and CrayValley’s, second of the game. An in-swinging ball from the left side again found Hamici unmarked 6 yards out with the simplest of headers low into the bottom left hand corner – Byott helpless to save it.

On the hour mark Hamici found himself through on goal for his hat trick but Byott spread himself well to save.

On 66mins Lordswood’s Sam Hallett shot over from 8yds after showing strength and determination to get on the end of a header behind CrayValley’s back line from Styles.

Five minutes later CrayValley extended their lead – Good work by Ola Rabiu on the left resulted in the winger finding Dan Gunner in front of goal who side footed into the back of the net.

The points were secured soon after when Grant Lye scored his first senior goal. Having only been on for a minute or so, Lye lobbed the advancing Byott after a lofted ball behind Lordswood’s high back line by Harrison Carnegie.

On 78mins Hamici blazed over unchallenged from 12yds out.

With 6mins remaining Byott watched CrayValley’s Adam Gross’ curling 25yd free kick on the right side of the penalty area go just wide of his left hand post.

In injury time Byott’s blushes were saved by the visitors’ Gunner. On the right side of his penalty area Byott scuffed a back-pass across the face of his own goal and straight to CrayValley’s Gunner who, with the open goal at his mercy, saw his first time shot go over the bar.

 

Lordswood: Byott, Englefield, Hooper, Royston, Hilden, Styles, Hallett, Read (Huston, 61), Murison (Box, 45), Trutwein (Dimmock, 71), Norman

Subs Not Used: Rogers

Cray Valley PM: Sturgeon, Healey (Aziaya, 74), Gross, McBean (Rabiu, 63), Spingett, Sawyer, Carnegie, Anidugbe, Hamici, McKenna (Lye, 79), Gunner

Subs Not Used: Golding

Goal: Hamici 38, 50; Gunner 71; Lye 76

Att; 58