A rare visit to see a Kent County Premier League fixture brought me to the home of New Romney FC on the south coast. New Romney were playing hosts to Bexley FC in a fixture that was hugely significant to the visitors who were desperately trying to close the gap between themselves and Ashford who occupied the first space out side of the relegation zone.

New Romney FC play at the New Romney Sports ground, situated on the coast between Hythe and Dungeness. The ground benefits from its own clubhouse, the Maude Pavillion, which will be replaced and improved along with further ground improvement works this summer, with this being the pavilion’s farewell!

New Romney FC’s goals this season have been hard to find. Where they have come it has been largely from Harry Carr and Warren Smith (both 5 goals) as well as William Dempsey and Bradley Walledge (both 3 goals). Manager Roy Godden will know that his side need at least one win from their final two games to secure their own safety from relegation, as although they sit seven points clear, the other teams have games in hand.

Bexley FC will have come into today’s game believing that they need three wins from their last four games. Goals haven’t been easy to find this season too, for Bexley FC, with Corey Spencer (9 goals), Thomas Gamblin (6 goals) and Larry Atumuto (5 goals), all leading the way.

The game opened explosively when in the 4th minute, New Romney FC’s Warren Smith found himself in acres of space and was able to chip the ball into a virtually open net, putting the home side 1-0 ahead.

In the 19th minute it was 1-1 somewhat against the run of the play, when Bexley FC’s centre forward managed to stab the ball over the line, after a neat post scramble in the New Romney FC penalty area.

With just two minutes of the first half remaining, New Romney’s Warren Smith followed up after a long range free kick to head home bravely.

On the very stroke of half time New Romney struck again, this time through Rhys Morrison, to make the score 3-1 at the break.

In the 55th minute New Romney FC looked to have made the win a certainty, when Casey Williams fired home after receiving the ball from a long corner, to make it 4-1.

In the 62nd minute a long range Bexley effort saw the score clawed back to 4-2, which reinvigorated the two teams for the final third of the game.

At the final whistle it was the home team who virtually guaranteed their safety from relegation this season, by securing all three points, ensuring it was a successful farewell to the Maude Pavillion. Bexley FC will realise they are in danger of being stranded in the relegation places now and cannot afford to let go of any more points in their final matches.