Premier Division

Orpington  5    Lewisham Borough (Community)  0

Saturday, 15 March 2008

Orpington maintained their hold on second spot in the Kent County League, Premier Division with a comfortable 5-0 win over mid-table Lewisham Borough.

Orpington started the brighter of the two sides and after only three minutes Anthony Weir’s close range shot from Gary Gorman’s low cross was deflected wide for a corner.

Two minutes later and Lewisham’s keeper, John Henry, had to make a brave save at the feet of Gary Gorman to keep the scores level.  However, after ten minutes, the O’s broke the deadlock when Billy Webb caught the Borough defence napping, by playing a quickly taken corner to Adam Ellson on the corner of the penalty area.  Ellson slid the ball along the eighteen yard line into the path of Danny Gorman who finished with aplomb to open his account for the season.

Lewisham responded immediately with a flowing move – Michael Garrick passed to Nicolas Hoo-Fong but his shot from fifteen yards was wide of the mark.  Back up at the other end, Anthony Weir had a close range shot saved by Henry.  Orpington came even closer to adding a second, moments later when Gary Gorman saw his effort from Jamie Hughes’s cross strike the under-side of the cross-bar.  

However, on fifteen minutes, Orpington did indeed find the net for the second time.  Rob Quick’s through ball found Gary Gorman who placed his shot past the on-rushing Henry.  Once again Lewisham were fired into action - Dominic Watson’s long-range free-kick just brushing the top of the O’s goal-frame.  The visitors began to enjoy their best spell of the game and when Watson and Garrick exchanged passes on the edge of the O’s penalty area the latter seemed destined to score. But Nicky Blue was able to make a save with his feet and the ball was eventually scrambled away.

Orpington continued to look threatening when moving forward and were unlucky when Gary Gorman intercepted a defender’s pass and fed Anthony Weir.  However, Weir’s shot from a tight angle was just wide of the far-post. But Orpington added two more goals in quick succession just before half-time to put the result beyond doubt.  First, Anthnoy Weir’s low cross from the right was retrieved by Billy Webb on the left and played back across goal for Adam Ellson to score from close range.  Then Rob Quick powered his way into the penalty area and was brought down.  Anthony Weir tucked away the spot kick for a 4-0 lead at the interval.

Orpington made a triple substitution for the second period and continued to create chances but lacked the finishing touch to seriously embarrass their opponents.  However, Jamie Hughes’s delicately flighted headed pass into the path of Rob Quick enabled the central midfielder to volley home a fifth and final goal.

As the rain moved in, Orpington were more content to keep a clean sheet than add more goals to their tally.

Orpington: Nicky Blue, Danny Gorman, Byron Beard (Danny Sandford, 46), George Belchamber, Jamie Hughes, Adam Ellson, Rob Quick, Perry Belchamber (Mark Lewis, 46), Billy Webb, Anthony Weir (Dave Johnson, 46), Gary Gorman.

Lewisham Borough: John Henry, Skye Britton, Anthony Sands, Perrie Billey, Martin West, Nicolas Hoo-Fong, Jerome Martin, Giovanni Green, Dominic Weston, Michael Garrick (Lindsey Prescott-Kerr, 71) Ashley Brown (Mitesh Keria, 66); subs not used: Andrew Hoo-Fong, Chris White.

Phil Alder

Orpington FC