MNF – SC Thamesmead 2-4 Larkfield & New Hythe

The visitors started brightly and Brett Ince was played through one on one and saw his effort saved at close quarters by Alex Warren before Charlie Smith had a shot from the edge of the box saved wide.

It therefore came slightly against the run of play when Thamesmead took the lead after 19 minutes when a neat team move saw Alfie Eldridge get a shot away at the edge of the box which found its way into the bottom right hand corner.

It should have been 2-0 two minutes later when a cross from the left by Tim Beckford was struck towards goal by Danny Edwards only to see his effort cannon off the bar with Larkfield making Thanesmead pay for that missed chance two minutes later still when Charlie Smith’s daisy cutting 30 yard free kick found its way into the bottom left corner.

Larkfield then began to stamp their authority on the match and could have taken the lead on the half hour mark when Hitcham Akhazzan had a left footed shot from the edge of the box strike the left post before moments later, from a corner, Rob Lyall saw his header tipped over the bar.

It therefore came as little surprise to see Larkfield take the lead in the 34th minute when a low ball in from the right by Hitcham Akhazzan was exquisitely finished by Luke Baptiste from six yards out.

HT: 1-2.

The second half was only ten minutes old when Larkfield doubled their lead. Thamesmead’s Alfie Eldridge got played through one on one only to see his effort saved with Larkfield breaking up the other end which eventually saw Jake Beecroft get a right to left low shot away which found its way into the bottom left corner.

Thamesmead got an almost instant reply when Harry Lawrence tried to catch Scott Andrews off his line from 40 yards and nearly done so had it not been for the ball clipping the right post and running wide.

Thamesmead however did halve their arrears in the 68th minute when Connor Dobson swung in a free kick from the right which saw Harry Lawrence stab the ball home from close range.

Nine minutes later however and Thamesmead’s deficit was once again two goals when Luke Bapsiste done well to nick the ball off Thamesmead’s Stefan Dixon before proceeding to get a shot away towards the near left post which somehow snuck through Alex Warren and into the net.

In second half stoppage time Larkfield’s Stuart West was shown a second yellow card but Larkfield had already done enough to secure the three points.

FT: 2-4.

MOTM: Luke Baptiste (Larkfield & New Hythe) for his brace and good shift in midfield.