Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers 0 v 6 Orpington

British Energy Kent County League, Division 1 West

ORPINGTON finished second in the British Energy Kent County League, Division 1 West, after hitting Larkfield for six, writes Phil Alder.

Table-toppers Holmesdale had a narrow victory 1-0 at Greenways to finish three points ahead of Orpington and with a superior goal difference.

Orpington's closest rivals were Phoenix Sports and despite their 6-0 demolition of Sam Montagu YC, they remained nine points adrift in third place.

Orpington's match opened evenly until Gary Gorman for the visitors broke down the left and into the area but his shot was well saved by the keeper.

It was swiftly followed by Jamie Hughes' header wide off Byron Beard's long throw.

Larkfield had a penalty appeal waved away when Danny Gorman halted one of their players in the area.

A Larkfield forward found himself with just Jani Seitsonen, in for Nicky Blue, to beat but he hoisted the ball over the bar.

Meanwhile, Gary Gorman was proving a handful at the other end and when he ran into the penalty area, he pulled the ball back to George Belchamber who was unlucky to see his effort bounce off the cross-bar.

However, midway through the first-half Hughes got on the end of a nodded down ball in the penalty area and coolly rounded the keeper before tapping the ball into the net.

Larkfield responded with a flurry of efforts on the Os' goal.

Firstly a deep cross was flung into the penalty area but it just eluded a Larkfield forward with the goal at his mercy.

This was followed by another cross headed towards goal but was well saved by Seitsonen.

For Orpington Belchamber's long-range effort was just too high.

The visitors ended the half grabbing a second goal thanks to a defensive mix-up.

Hughes latched onto an under-hit back-pass to skip round the keeper for his second goal of the game.

Orpington dominated the second-half and straight away added a third goal in rather fortunate circumstances.

Gary Gorman exchanged passes with Hughes and although his shot was well saved by the keeper it ricocheted off a combination of defender and Gary Gorman and went into the net.

Orpington's midfielders started to find gaps in the Larkfield defence and Noad was unlucky to see his effort pass just wide of the far-post after he cut inside a defender and shot from the edge of the penalty area.

But in the 54th-minute, goal number four arrived when Beard sped down the left and crossed for Hughes to side foot the ball home via the far-post for his hat-trick.

Belchamber tried a volley from the edge of the penalty area but the effort was wide.

Against the run of play, Seitsonen was brought into the action when made a good save following a solo effort by a Larkfield forward.

Back at the other end, Rob Quick surprised the keeper with a long range shot which was fumbled for a corner.

Noad came even closer than his previous effort but still couldn't get on the score sheet seeing his shot came back off the post.

But Hughes retrieved the ball and set-up a game of ping-pong across the Larkfield penalty area resulting in a Gary Gorman effort which was cleared off the line.

Orpington notched up a fifth when the keeper failed to pick up an innocuous looking shot and allowed Hughes to side foot home from an acute angle for his fourth of the afternoon.

A double-substitution 15 minutes from time maintained the pressure on the Larkfield goal.

Belchamber got the goal his performance deserved soon after by smashing home with his right foot.

The final whistle was blown on the season and although Orpington finished as runners-up again they can look back on another fruitful campaign having win the Champions Trophy and the West Kent Challenge Shield.