FC Elmstead 1 Hythe Town 0
Southern Counties East League 1st Division
Saturday 7th November 2026
The Cannons magnificent run is over as they went down 1-0 at FC Elmstead on Saturday afternoon.
Only Adam Turton was unavailable for the game as Hythe returned to the starting line up in recent league matches.
It was Hythe who were to dominate the early proceedings with their first opportunity coming on ten minutes as Harry Codd played a short ball to Josh Byford but his attempt lacked power and rolled into the arms of Elmstead keeper Thomas Cleary and then shortly after as similar situation where Codd played in Byford and again with the same result.
The hosts had their first opportunity minutes on 24 minutes as Jamie Fearn broke through but Michael Stott was quickly over to dispossess him. However, a minute later Elmstead opened the scoring from the resultant corner. It was whipped in from the right by Rob Myles finding Fearn on the far side. He forced Hythe keeper Dan Smith to claw the ball away but it fell to Fraser Daniels on poked home from close range.
The goal had come against the run of play and the visitors looked stunned. They had a couple of efforts before the break as they tried to get back into the game. Firstly, Jarred Trespaderne, who had returned from suspension, sent a long cross ball to the Codd on the left and he worked his way in but his final effort was pulled just wide. Harry Maher was then to feed Codd who whipped in a cross from the left into the path of Jake Embery who couldn’t quite get the ball under control and it rolled away for a goal-kick.
The Cannons had been off colour lacking the finishing touch that has been so prominent this season.
Hythe were on the attack right at the start of the second period. A free kick by Lewis Stevens-Toomey was launched from his own half into the penalty area finding Byford who headed on to Embery whose shot went straight at Cleary. Elmstead were having chances of their own as Myles surged through and played in Fearn whose effort stung the hands of Smith. Almost immediately Elmstead were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area. The resultant kick by Luke Alliband was curled around the wall but Smith was able to beat the ball away.
The Cannons continued to look for the equaliser as an in-swinging corner from Harry Maher was headed wide by Teddy Nelson and then Maher broke through himself but his final effort was collected easily by Cleary. A free kick from just outside the penalty area was fired over by Harry Linch and then a Byford shot went just over the bar.
Despite piling on the pressure, the Elmstead defence stood firm and Hythe were missing the target with a number of attempts. It was not to be for Hythe and the thirteen-match unbeaten run was over.
Team: Dan Smith, Michael Stott, James Nurden (Sammy Carpenter 62 mins), Jarred Trespaderne (Richie Keil 88 mins), Lewis Stevens-Toomey, Teddy Nelson, Harry Maher (George Grosvenor 90+2 mins) Harry Codd (Josh McCue 77 mins), Jake Embery, Josh Byford, Harry Linch. Sub Unused: Robbie Keil.
Scorers: FC Elmstead – Fraser Daniels 25 mins.
Yellow Card: Jarred Trespaderne 54 mins.
Attendance: 136.
