Division One West

Larkfield & New Hythe W.  1    Orpington  6

Saturday, 14 October 2006

One of the longer journeys in the league schedule saw Orpington overwhelm Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers 6-1.

Orpington visited Larkfield, lying mid-table, not really sure what to expect from a side who had a mixed bag of results thus far.  Orpington themselves hadn’t exactly set the league alight and were looking to recapture some of the form of the previous two seasons. 

It was the visitors who created the early chances - George Belchamber’s quickly taken free-kick just missing the left post from twenty-five yards.  A long ball put  Anthony Weir one-on-one with the ‘keeper but the forward’s shot was off target.

Two minutes later Anthony Weir flicked Rob Quick’s header into the path of Jamie Hughes, whose right wing cross flashed past the Larkfield goal and was deflected out for a corner.

Eventually, Orpington took the lead on 18 minutes when Perry Belchamber’s well-flighted free-kick was glanced just inside the far-post by the “towering” Billy Webb.  In the words of club coach, Terry Quick, “we deserved that!”.

The goal triggered Larkfield into life and Bev Scudder headed over a cross from the right..  A flowing move from the home side down the right resulted in a good save by Nicky Blue.  In between these efforts Billy Webb had missed an opportunity to double the O’s lead when he shot wide when through on goal.

But Orpington gained a second in the thirty-second minute when Jamie Hughes raced between two defenders to set up Anthony Weir with an easy tap-in.  Rob Quick almost added a third six minutes later when he headed wide from Anthony Weir’s cross.

But hold-on, Orpington playing well with all eleven players on the pitch! - this can’t be right, and it wasn’t.  Five minutes before half-time, Danny Gorman made the supreme sacrifice and was sent-off for receiving two yellow cards in quick succession for persistent fouling and arguing, we think.

Larkfield had their own problems when they were forced to substitute their goal-keeper at half-time.  Despite being down to ten men Orpington continued to press forward and added a third on fifty-five minutes when Anthony Weir’s delicate flick allowed Jamie Hughes to race through on goal and beat the ‘keeper with a shot just inside the far-post.

Larkfield needed a goal to get them back into the game and nearly found it when Matt Toms headed just over from a free-kick.  But eight minutes later and the home side found their reward when Robert Wade manoeuvred himself into some space and from twenty-five yards hit a low left foot shot that caught everyone by surprise including O’s ‘keeper, Nicky Blue, as it hit the back of the net.

With twenty-five minutes to go, Larkfield felt that they could still pull this one round and created more chances.  Lee Sturgeon did well on the right and his cross only just eluded Matt Toms.  But for the most part Orpington held firm at the back with Gary Wigzell and Byron Beard working hard.

With fifteen minutes left, Orpington made a triple substitution with Gary Gorman, Dave Johnson and Danny Taylor replacing Jamie Hughes, Billy Webb and Adam Noad. 

As Larkfield’s threatened come-back subsided so Orpington went to look for more goals and found them.  First, a cross into the home side’s penalty area caused a goal mouth scramble resulting in Danny Taylor bundling the ball home at the far-post.  Four minutes later and Gary Gorman worked some space for himself and fired home the fifth goal.  Finally on ninety minutes, Anthony Weir volleyed home Dave Johnson’s corner.

An emphatic performance from the O’s but try as they like, they cannot out-do the Reserves, who won 7-0.

Larkfield & NHW: Ian Davie, Bev Scudder, Chris Clegg, Matt Toms, Darren Smave, Anthony Davis, Nathan Sims, Robert Wade, Ben Smithson, Lee Sturgeon, Nick Young subs: Will Cane, Matt Jasper, Paul Ambler, Wayne Watson, Daniel Coves.

Orpington: Nicky Blue; Danny Gorman, Gary Wigzell, Byron Beard; Rob Quick, Perry Belchamber, Adam Noad (Dave Johnson, 75), George Belchamber, Billy Webb (Danny Taylor, 75); Jamie Hughes (Gary Gorman, 75), Anthony Weir. 

Phil Alder

Orpington FC