Lordswood take on Southern Combination Division 1 leaders Roffey in the FA Vase | Matt Barman’s side beat Lewisham Borough in the Kent Senior Trophy last Saturday
05:00, 19 October 2023
Lordswood’s FA Vase opponents are full of confidence after a 10-game winning streak in their league - but Matt Barman’s men aren’t short of it, either.
Barman’s men head to Southern Combination Division 1 leaders Roffey boosted by a 5-3 extra-time win in the Kent Senior Trophy last weekend.
Lords boss Barman is looking forward to the challenge against a side who have scored 48 goals in 12 league games.
He said: “They started the season in the league with a draw and a loss and they’ve won 10 on the bounce so they will be full of confidence that’s for sure but we are seven unbeaten ourselves.
“We feel we have had too many draws but when we first took over we certainty had too many losses. Hopefully the progression from that is I will be moaning about too many wins at some point!
“The FA Vase is a great cup competition and you are only playing step five and six sides, so up against teams that are of the same standard and Kent has a decent tradition of doing well.
“You need a bit of luck, to perform on the day, but we will be full of confidence ourselves and looking forward to the challenge that Roffey give us.”
Callum Peck scored four in last weekend’s thriller for The Wood.
They hit back from 3-1 down against Lewisham Borough to level shortly before the end of normal time and then score twice in extra-time, taking advantage of their extra man after the hosts had a player sent off – apparently due to a mistaken identity.
“It was a good game,” said the Lordswood boss. “Lots of chances at both ends. We made some changes to the squad, gave some lads an opportunity and they stepped in and did really well.
“It was a good eventful day and it didn't finish until about 6pm, with a few injuries, extra-time, clarification of the rules, but we are more than happy to get through and looking forward to the next round.”
Lewisham were frustrated that they had a man sent off on 68 minutes for a second bookable offence.
The club released a statement saying that the referee had apologised for the mistake, but said: “No apology can change the fact that we were unfairly penalised and forced to play with 10 players for the remainder of the second half and the duration of extra time, with Lordswood going on to win the tie 5-3.
“It was later confirmed by the match day referee assessor in attendance that the player shown a ‘second’ yellow card had not previously been cautioned.”
They later added: “We will continue to pursue this issue with the relevant authorities.”
Lordswood’s four-goal hero Peck hadn’t scored before the weekend.
Barman said: “He has been a great signing, the goals were always coming, like London Buses. You wait for the first and then four come along!
“He has been involved in goals, with plenty of assists, he has certainly been adding, but those were his first goals for us.
“He is a quality lad, brings loads to the dressing room, his attitude is on point, he has played a a higher level and it’s good for the younger lads in the dressing to be around him.
“As an individual you are going to want to break that duck aren’t you? He certainty did on Saturday and he will probably feel he left a few out there as well! We will take the four and use it as a benchmark moving forward.”
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