Kent Premier League

Sporting Bengal 1 Lordswood 5

by Darrell Harman

STRUGGLERS Lords secured their second successive away victory, although they made hard work of it against the only side in the league without a point.

The battle of the basement teams wasn't pretty but it was effective for Lords as they got the goals at the right time and in the end deserved the victory.

Vasyl Sopulyuk might have put Sporting ahead early doors, but keeper Rowan Arnott cleared with his legs and his teammates breathed a sigh of relief.

Three minutes later and the visitors were in front when from a free kick on the right Dan Jeffrey rose to head home from six yards.

At this stage Lords were in control but were not playing as well as they have been could easily have conceded an equaliser.

That was until the 26th minute when Jeffrey's long through ball gave Duane Carter the chance to run through and rifle a 20 yarder past the keeper.

Sporting hit a post and Isaac Durowade was denied by Arnott, but Lords could have increased their lead when Darren Bridges, on the left wing, provided the cross from which Nicky Minshull had a header tipped over by Hall.

To be fair, Lords were the dominant force after the change round and Bridges and Minshull both went close before the points were pretty much settled on 67 minutes, Jeffery controlling a Bridges cross and shooting past Hall in almost one motion.

Lords' Barry Beaney was sent off in the 77th minute, but it didn't affect the outcome even though Sporting soon after pulled one back through Forbes.

Three minutes after that Minshull released Joel Melville who raced through & slid the ball past the onrushing keeper. And with the minutes ticking away Hall saved from Nathan Nelson, only for Minshull to pick up the loose ball and complete his team's most emphatic success of the season.