Staplehurst Monarchs (1) 4 Rosetti 33 Beech 48 Latunde 58 Gorse 71
K Sports (1) 1 Ajao 20
Attendance: 78
Admission: £4
Mileage: 1/7,327
Staplehurst Monarchs sealed their place in the playoffs, now the challenge is to retain their second place to ensure home advantage through the postseason stage.
After a one-sided game against K Sports, the Monarchs go into the weekend’s games with a three point lead over Rochester United and six over Larkfield, who have a game in hand, before next Wednesday’s rearranged encounter with Larkfield at the Jubilee.
On a miserable evening, weather-wise that restricted the attendance, the freshly mown pitch looked resplendent, belying the devil that has caused postponements during this exceptionally wet winter.
Staplehurst were dominant from minute one, creating all the chances, the best of which saw a shot from Harry Beech marginally clear the bar. So it was somewhat surprising, certainly against the run of play, when K Sports opened the scoring after 20 minutes when a cross from the right found David Ajao unmarked to score an easy finish.
The goal knocked the momentum out of Staplehurst for 10 minutes and they could have fell further behind barring a wasteful finish from Dylan Akue.
The home side drew level on 33 minutes when a huge crossfield pass from left to right saw Ted Rosetti beat the onrushing goalkeeper, Adam Lovell to touch the ball past him and run the ball into the net.
Staplehurst opened the second half with an early goal from Beech, who found himself with time and space to slip the ball past Lovell and the second half became a procession as the home side took total control.
On 58 minutes, David Latunde finished after good work from Beech and, on 71 minutes, Harley Gorse wrapped up the game meeting a James West free kick with a powerful header.
It will be strange next season, seeing K Sports operating out of Sheppey. For more years than I care to remember they have been synonymous with Cobdown, as Reeds, then APM Contrast before adopting the K Sports name and it is sad to see them leaving to make way for Welling Town who take over as the tenants at Cobdown. Let’s hope that all parties eventually benefit from the changes.
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