STAPLEHURST MONS 0 – 1
CROYDON FC
Croydon won their eighth match in a row, gaining three points, but having to wait ninety-seven minutes to do so.
An early chance saw a Croydon corner cleared, and Cameron Macmillan missing the target. Then Monarchs’ forward Oliver Lankshear made a run towards goal, but goalkeeper Albert Penney cleared the ball, and soon a corner to Monarchs was given. Then came a second corner which Croydon cleared as well. There was a long ball to Tom Barton who crossed towards Kanon Fitton but Monarchs took possession but their chance was scooped up by Penney. Macmillan and Barton also had chances but they were blocked by Monarchs goalkeeper Steven Lawrence. Croydon defended a throw in, and Penney was there to stop a Monarchs shot as well. Jack White was taken down and the Trams got a free kick, but Ted Dwyer’s free kick ended high over the crossbar. There was a sigh of relief on 23 minutes when Monarchs missed a sitter, ending just wide of the far post. After Barton’s corner was caught by the keeper, there was another chance coming up for Croydon. Starting with a Croydon throw in, the ball reached George Palmer on the wing, and it looked like the ball was going to go in the net, but went just over the crossbar. Monarchs had another chance denied by Penney who went down to make a save. Fitton made a run down the right side of the pitch, but his shot landed wide of the far post. Another attempt saw Tom Walters cross to Fitton, but Lawrence reached out saving with his feet outstretched.
The start of the second half saw another early chance from Macmillan who saw his attempt from short range saved by Lawrence. Croydon were very close to scoring when, after a throw in, the ball reached Fitton wide of the far post, he then took a shot which hit the crossbar. Croydon got a free kick soon afterwards, but Macmillan’s shot went wide of the far post. At least he was on target a little later, as this time his free kick was on target but unfortunately caught by Lawrence. Croydon brought on substitutes and they came into good effect when they came on. A Croydon corner saw Pat Ward’s header pushed out by Lawrence, but Alfie Eldridge also had a go, and this was cleared. At the other end of the pitch, Monarchs took a shot from near the corner flag, and Penney put a hand out preventing a goal from the home side. For Croydon, Charlie Dale also had an attempt from near the corner flag. Almost on target he reached an opponent who almost scored an own goal, it was stopped by Lawrence, and the ball back to Dale failed to go past the goal line. Ninety minutes had passed and a Croydon corner reached Macmillan who deflected a header only for the ball to end with the opposition. It was looking certain that the game would end goalless but then Alfie Eldridge was taken down in the penalty box. Seven minutes into added time, Pat Ward placed the ball on the penalty spot, and his shot ended in the top corner of the net putting the Trams into a last minute win. There was only time to place the ball back on the centre spot and restart the game, only for the game to end a few seconds later. The win sees Croydon remain in fourth place in SCEFL Division One.
The 1962-63 season saw Croydon win nine consecutive league games. One more win needed to equal that record !
Croydon: Penney, Walters (Jenkins 83), Friend, Rufus (C), Clark (Dale 57), Dwyer (Arif 60), Fitton (Ward 77), Macmillan, Palmer, White, Barton (Eldridge 65).
Subs (unused): None
