London Lions Reserves missed out on a third successive appearance in the League Cup final when they were beaten for a second time in three weeks away at league leaders Kent Athletic, whose ruthlessness in both boxes trumped that of the visitors and saw them deservedly progress
March 7, 2012 13:05SSML RESERVE CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINAL
Kent Athletic 6 London Lions Reserves 1
London Lions Reserves missed out on a third successive appearance in the League Cup final when they were beaten for a second time in three weeks away at league leaders Kent Athletic, whose ruthlessness in both boxes trumped that of the visitors and saw them deservedly progress.
Four goals in the closing 15 minutes gave a 6-1 scoreline that reflects a totally one-sided affair, but for 75 minutes this was an excellent cup tie in which Lions, shorn of several players, gave as good as they got.
It was the visitors who started brightest, Green latching onto one or two through balls to suggest he had the pace to trouble the hosts. In midfield Myles Beerman and Jake Gottlieb excelled in winning Lions plenty of ball and protecting the back four, and when the latter was fouled his lay off to George Fierstone from the resulting free kick brought at a fine save from the home keeper.
From a position of control, Lions then shot themselves in the foot. Overplaying in the wrong places they conceded a needless throw in that was propelled in wind assisted. No-one attacked it and no-one tracked the man at the far post, the ball finding its way all the way across for a simple tap in. Schoolboy.
Lions' reaction was impressive, and within five minutes were deservedly level when Fierstone's delightful through ball sent Nick Goodman away, and as the keeper came out he lobbed him on the run for his 20th of the season.
Now it was all Lions, but again calamity struck when Kent scored a carbon copy of their first, criminal Lions defending allowed another free far-post header from a long throw and Kent led at the break.
The hosts looked to impose themselves early in the second half and would have done but for some excellent goalkeeping from the returning Sam Castle who put in a fine performance overall to keep Lions in it.
The game though was tight, but for all their huffing and puffing Lions were unable to overly work the home custodian.
It was time to change things, with Craig brought on to use his pace and give Lions some extra width. Yet before this change could register the vital 'next goal' came ... and it went to Kent. Another Lions error gifted the ball to their opponents just outside the box and two passes and a shot later and Lions were 3-1 down.
The closing moments saw Lions playing four up front and just three at the back in one final attempt, but in the end this played straight into Kent's hands, and they willingly accepted the space being afforded them with three additional goals while Lions' day was summed up when Frank Hyman rose to meet a Joseph cross only to see his header thump back off the upright.
Lions joint-manager Danny Jacobs said: "We have once again enjoyed our cup football this season, taking some notable scalps along the way. We wish our opponents luck in the final, while we need to regroup and focus on what's sure to be an extremely tough league run in, starting with in form Crawley Green on Saturday."
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