Man of the Match: Luke Dreher
Three first-half goals were enough for Croydon Athletic to see off Southern Combination Roffey and set up a preliminary round tie against neighbours Tooting & Mitcham United at Imperial Fields on 16th August.
The final goal of last season was scored by the manager’s son, Preston Kedwell, and it took his brother just 8 minutes to score the first goal of this campaign. Harvey Kedwell, who had an excellent debut in midfield, got Croydon off to the perfect start after an intricate phase of short passing saw the Roffey defence split open, and Kedwell deftly chipped it over the goalkeeper.
Croydon were moving the ball around well and dominating possession. Club Captain Luke Dreher was leading a backline that were rarely troubled and building successive waves of attack as they went in search of the next goal. They wouldn’t have to wait too long and it was Dreher himself who would put his name on the scoresheet.
Dreher picked up the ball and took the opportunity to get forward, but the Roffey defence just backed off. He let fly from 30 yards, and it evaded the outstretched hand of the goalkeeper to nestle in the top corner. At 2-0 they looked comfortable, but only 4 minutes later the game was pretty much over as wingback Junior Savane scored his first goal in senior football. Savane was causing a lot of trouble for the Roffey defence with his overlaps and pace, and he used his skill to get into the box and chipped the ball into the far corner from a tight angle with an outstanding finish.
Roffey struggled throughout the game to fashion the chance. Stand-in goalkeeper Marcus Hill, on loan from Crystal Palace, was not troubled throughout the game, with a handful of crosses his only real action. Roffey’s only shot came from a free kick early in the second half, but that was blocked by the wall.
Croydon had two big shouts for a penalty, but the referee was more lenient with challenges inside the box than he was outside the box. The first saw debutant forward David Bremang bundled over toward the end of the first half, but the appeals were waved away. Bremang was lively and caused the Roffey defence plenty of trouble but was limited with clear chance.
Reece James, a second-half substitute for his debut, was also unsuccessfully appealing for a penalty in the second half but again to no avail. The closest Croydon got to extending their lead came through another debutant, Ben Wynter, whose head from a set piece thundered against the crossbarwith the goalkeeper beaten.
A competent and dominant performance was marred only by a red card for David Boateng late in the second half. The straight red didn’t have an effect on the game, but we will see him missing for three matches.
The victory against Combined Counties side Tooting & Mitcham United in the next round. They overcame AFC Varndeanians to set up a clash.
