Southern Counties East side Lordswood strengthen with defensive signings of Rob Gillman and Caleb Afoke
05:00, 05 November 2021
updated: 11:27, 05 November 2021
Defender Rob Gillman has joined Lordswood to add much needed experience to Neil Hunter’s young team.
The Southern Counties East Premier Division side climbed out of the relegation positions last weekend - swapping places with Rusthall after beating them 3-1 - and Hunter believes Gillman’s arrival along with fellow defender Caleb Afoke is a big boost.
“It has made a big difference,” said the Lordswood boss. “Rob Gillman’s experience will help us massively.
“Rob is very calm and assured, he is still fit at his age and brings a different dimension to the changing room.
“Caleb is another centre-half. He is only 23, but is a big lad and quite imposing. Both played on Saturday and they were winning headers, so it isn’t down to just Nathan (Hunter), who has been our main defender, now he has help.”
Afoke has played for Welling Town, Hollands & Blair and Herne Bay while Gillman is a former Luton, Dover and Whitstable defender, who was recently at Hawkinge Town.
Both helped Lordswood to a crucial weekend win over Rusthall in a battle at the bottom.
“It was a must-win game,” Hunter said. “Psychologically it is massive for them but it is just one game at a time, I am not getting carried away because we won.”
Kyle McDowell hit the woodwork for Lordswood in last Saturday’s game and from a subsequent corner it was Gillman on hand to head in Tom Carter’s delivery.
Lordswood’s hopes were improved further still when Rusthall keeper Ryan Burbridge went off injured but Hunter was left frustrated as his team failed to test the stand-in stopper, who was an outfield player. Rushall got a goal back late in the half.
The manager said: “We hadn’t had a shot at goal from the time he went off and at half-time I was asking why? You have to play off people’s weaknesses and it annoyed me, we didn’t put them under pressure.”
Lordswood were dangerous in attack after the restart and Harry Gorse headed in a Carter cross to put them back infront. Carter made it a hat-trick of assists when he nodded on for Charlie Gill to smash home on the volley and make it 3-1.
Hunter made full use of his squad for the Kent Senior Trophy first round match against Beckenham Town on Tuesday night, losing 3-2. Lords face Beartsed in the league on Saturday.
