Ide Hill bounced back from a poor performance last time out with a strong 3-0 win at Stansfeld, registering their first clean sheet of the season along the way for good measure.
The Hill were shockingly bad as they limped out of the cup to Welling Park last weekend and were extremely conscious that the poor result and performance could not be the start of a wider deterioration, and were determined from the off to give a much better account of themselves.
And the visitors started with the customary zeal we are used to, Matt Bunn bristling with intent and Barry Ryan and Columb Grant cutting through the midfield and defence with clever play and passing. Craig Jackson went close after 15 minutes, found on the edge of the box by Grant, his drive fizzed just wide as Ide Hill pressed for the opener.
The Hill were aware that a much sounder defensive performance was needed and they delivered it throughout, with Mike Mckay, Luke Steggle, Phil Alteirac and man of the match Joe Baker putting in a consummate and controlled collective shift to nullify the buzzing Stansfeld forward line.
Jaymes Randall also attacked with intent from wing back, and it was from this source Ide Hill would get their deserved first just before the break. Randall found himself advanced wide on the left and curled in a peach of a cross to the back post where the waiting Barry Ryan coolly nodded back across the keeper for his fourth of the season.
After the break, Ide Hill continued to control the game and threaten sporadically with quick breaks; their second arrived on the hour and gave the visitors breathing space; Jack Edmeads threading a lovely weighted ball through to Grant who carried the ball 20 yards before calmly slotting into the bottom left corner for his fourth of the season, capping off an astute performance in the number 10 role.
Ide Hill finished the job on 80 minutes, the lively Josh Holland firing a shot from distance which found its way to Rob Piper in the box, who smartly tucked under the onrushing keeper to cap off a fantastic away day for the Hill.
Paul McDonagh was pleased to see the reaction of his side “we were much better today, especially at the back, we defended really well as a team and Joe Baker was really strong throughout, we worked hard for the clean sheet.”
Ide Hill climb to the heights of second in the league as a result, still unbeaten after six games and really carving out a place for themselves in their debut Kent County Premier season. Next up, they travel to Belvedere in the Kent Shield looking to carry their league form in to this cup competition.
PLEASE NOTE THIS MATCH REPORT WAS SUPPLIED BY IDE HILL FOOTBALL CLUB AND HAS ONLY BEEN EDITED BY SEVENOAKS SPORTS.
