Joining Bartholomew on this episode: Chelsea youth player Emily Coleman-Smith and her Mum Allison who discuss the Women's World Cup Final, and Adam Brownsword, a tennis player who represented Team Special Olympics GB and won a gold medal.
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00:00 Hello and welcome along to Invicta Sport, the only show on your TV dedicated to wrapping
00:20 up all of Kent's sporting action. I'm Bartholomew Hall and here's what to expect on this Monday,
00:25 21st August. World Cup woes but a win for women. Kent's future football stars inspired
00:34 by the Lionesses. Poor performance, Gilles criticised by manager despite fourth successive
00:40 win. And going, going, gone for gold. I'll be joined by Folkestone's Special Olympics
00:47 champion after his huge tennis win. The First and Kent's Lionesses have missed out on their
00:53 first ever World Cup title following a 1-0 defeat over Spain. Maidstone's Alessia Russo
00:58 started for England, creating one chance in the first half before being subbed off at
01:02 half time. Manchester City player and Gravesend-born Laura Coombs was an unused substitute in the
01:07 game. Spain's Olga Carmona struck in the first period, setting what would be the final
01:12 court score for La Roja. England's women did take home one trophy in the form of the
01:17 Golden Glove for Mary Earps following an astonishing penalty save. But despite being the first
01:22 England team to make it to a World Cup final in more than 55 years, it wouldn't be for
01:26 the Lionesses this time. We'll have plenty more on the World Cup throughout the rest
01:30 of the show. But of course, thousands of England fans across Kent were busy in pubs or clubs
01:36 on Sunday morning watching the final. One of those was our reporter Abbey Hook who we
01:40 sent along to Chatham Town who she watched the final with before they kicked off their
01:45 own Women's National League season. Nerves, anticipation, the weight of the world on their
01:54 shoulders. All in the hopes of holding that cup when the whistle blows. Hundreds came
02:03 to watch at Chatham Town Football Club with high hopes for another super strike from Maidstone's
02:08 Alessia Russo. So with millions of eyes on the TV, could our Kent connection keep hers
02:14 on the ball? A nail biting game mirroring the tense match last time England took on
02:26 Spain and became European champions. But an early goal from the red side set the pace
02:32 for the rest of play. When that half time whistle blew, some of the fans at Chatham
02:38 Town lost faith. But hope remained for those future Lionesses. I don't think it's going
02:44 as well as we hoped it would. I think we look a bit nervous but we know we can bring it
02:50 back because we've done it in the past and I think it's just 45 minutes left so we've
02:54 just got to put everything on the line. Yeah, I feel like maybe changes might need to be
02:58 made. It looks a bit slow and there's a bit of gaps in the field area. I mean we've had
03:04 a few chances but I think Spain are on top. I think their possession is much more effective
03:11 than ours. They're keeping the ball better. We're forcing it. We've had opportunities
03:16 which is great but we've not really taken them and I think it's just not flowing very
03:21 well which sucks I guess. But there's hope. I have hope. They'll come out second half
03:27 and hopefully they'll get a goal. But it wasn't meant to be. A double substitution at half
03:35 time saw Russo on the bench for the rest of the game. Spirits were dampened but a penalty
03:40 save from Mary Earps put the roar back in the Lionesses and the fans.
03:46 The Lionesses just couldn't quite equalise, losing to Spain 1-0. But staying true to their
04:06 title showed bravery and courage throughout.
04:11 It might not have been a win for our Lionesses over in Sydney but back here in Chatham the
04:15 women's team have just kicked off playing #United in their first game of the season.
04:21 It was an opening day defeat for Chatham Town women after another tough battle. After watching
04:26 the Lionesses give it everything, giving up was not an option. A 69th minute goal from
04:32 Grant got the crowd cheering. But clawing back from 3-1 this late in the game was a
04:37 big ask. One these girls just couldn't quite deliver. It may not have been the day for
04:43 football in Sydney or in Medway but it has been an incredible four weeks for women's
04:49 football.
04:50 "The inspiration that comes with even getting to a final is unreal. So the impact it's going
04:55 to have on not just girls in Kent but boys and girls across the whole country is going
05:00 to be massive. Before it was the focus on how do we get girls into the game. Now it's
05:04 all about how do we shift perception so that having young girls, older girls, females of
05:10 any age groups within the game in different roles, how do we make that the norm?"
05:14 The first final in 60 years for England. The first game in the National League for Chatham.
05:20 The first few moments in history for the roaring success the Lionesses are and the whole nation
05:26 they've inspired behind them.
05:29 Abbey Hook for KMTV.
05:32 Well now I'm joined by Emily Colman-Smith and mum Alison in the studio now from Paddock
05:37 Wood. You're not just an England fan you're also an England player as well, a young Lioness
05:42 player. What did you make of the final? First of all, where were you watching the final?
05:47 "So we were at a friend's house, family friend's who we always go to when we play. So we were
05:52 there when we won the Euros so we thought it would be good luck but sadly not."
05:56 No it's quite good to have those little things that you keep keeping. Do you have any when
06:00 you play? Do you have any sort of, what would you call it?
06:03 "Superstitions."
06:04 Superstitions, that's it.
06:05 What do you have?
06:06 "I always have one thing of tape on my arm and then when I had England camp I had these
06:14 three little Lionesses. So I have three Lions and then I have a handwritten note that mum
06:20 wrote me. So I always take that with me."
06:23 Let's get all the rubbish out of the way then, the loss and the disappointment I suppose.
06:27 How did it feel for yourself at the end of that when the final whistle was blown?
06:31 "Well it's a real shame to be honest. I think it's really heartbreaking for the girls and
06:35 all the fans and everyone watching the whole nation. But I think we can only move on from
06:40 it really. I think the Lionesses can keep their head held high as they sent off really
06:44 well."
06:45 Absolutely and we heard that from pretty much all of them that spoke afterwards that they're
06:48 going to come, they're going to bounce back. What about yourself then when you play? You
06:52 must have had a few losses in your time, how do you deal with them?
06:56 "Well I think you just have to analyse your performance really, think what could I have
07:01 done better. But I think most importantly you have to move on from it and realise that
07:05 not everything goes your way. So I think you just have to be resilient really."
07:10 And mum as well, when Emily comes home and she's had a bit of a loss, how do you help
07:16 her deal with that? You must go through it yourself as well with all the emotions.
07:19 "Emily's brilliant. The advice that she was given very early on from Petr Cech was, being
07:26 a goalkeeper, generally if she makes a mistake it normally leads to a goal. So he very much
07:32 the advice was if it goes in just forget about it, let it go because otherwise it will impact
07:37 your performance then on a pitch. So actually Ems is brilliant at actually just doing the
07:43 analysis afterwards, what could I have done better, what could I learn from it. And very
07:48 much the mantra is live and learn. So it's not you don't lose, you learn. So it's very
07:54 much around that and actually that just improves her for the future and for future games."
08:00 Yeah and the Lionesses, we speak a lot about what a role model they are but even in this
08:04 defeat acting as such a role model too. And you mentioned your role as a goalkeeper. One
08:09 of the standout players was of course Mary Earps. What did you think about her playing?
08:12 "It's incredible. I think one of the best parts of the game in a nice way was when she
08:19 made the penalty save and then some explicit language but it was brilliant for her to see
08:25 that and get the recognition she deserves because she's been brilliant the whole tournament."
08:28 Yeah no absolutely of course. You say that was the best moment of the game, for me it
08:32 was sort of the worst moments of the game and then leading up to it I can't stand penalties
08:36 myself. "We celebrated as if we'd won. We were screaming as if we'd won the whole thing."
08:41 Just from the penalty save. What goes through your mind as a goalkeeper when you're up against
08:46 a penalty or you know that you see them coming towards you, what could be a really crucial
08:51 save for yourself? "With penalties, I think penalties are probably one of my favourite
08:55 parts because as the goalkeeper you're not expected to save it because they've got the
08:59 whole goal to aim at. You're just in the goal, you're not moving off the line. So I think
09:03 when you do save it you're almost the hero. So I think just that if you can, I do quite
09:09 a lot of penalty shootouts. I had one for Ken and Wes Ken in the national finals and
09:13 I've made saves in both of them so we won them. So it's a great feeling when you save
09:17 them." Well let's talk a bit about your career then. What have you been up to recently and
09:21 what's the next stage? "So I've been moved up to Chelsea under 15s recently which is
09:28 really good. So I'm 13 but meant to be in the 14s so that's going really well. And then
09:33 I had England camp recently so we're just hoping that can progress." And hopefully you'll
09:38 be following in the likes of Mary Uppsley. Fantastic. From a fan and a player's perspective
09:44 then have you noticed this World Cup has had a bit more of an uptick since previous ones?
09:48 Just from people talking about it and people watching? "Yeah I think it was brilliant.
09:52 You can see how the nation really got behind them. So you had the Euros which was brilliant
09:57 for the women's game and women's sport and then I think with the World Cup it's just
10:01 lifted even more and I think that's brilliant for everyone." And what do you think moving
10:05 forward then? Do you think that's it now? They've been on TV, they've been on primetime.
10:10 What would you like to see next for the women's game? "I think just to keep seeing it progress
10:15 and have the quality they deserve really. So with everything that they've done, how
10:21 they've impressed everyone. That was the first World Cup final we got into since 60 odd years
10:27 ago when we won the World Cup for men's. So I think it's just brilliant and I hope that
10:32 they can get all the recognition they deserve moving forward." And we speak a lot about
10:36 them being role models as I mentioned before but there were a few low moments in the competition
10:40 as well. For example Lauren James with her red card and you mentioned some foul language
10:46 as well. We see sometimes, and I hate to make the comparison with the men's game, but we
10:49 do see sometimes in football disarray from fans and players as well. As a young footballer
10:56 how do you react to some of those moments? "Well to be honest I think it's just them
11:00 expressing their passion for the game and how their emotions can really get to them.
11:04 With the Lauren James thing, I think it was about 70 minutes in, because that player,
11:10 it was almost a compliment to the Nigerian player because she had been man marking her
11:14 the whole game so that she couldn't even get involved. Which in England she is our creative
11:18 player. So I think it was more of a compliment but you almost have to, like my mum said,
11:24 live and learn. So I think Lauren James will look at that, she'll see that wasn't the best
11:29 decision and I couldn't really control it but I think she'll move on. I think it's just
11:34 an example for us to keep our temper really." Let's end on a positive note then, for both
11:40 of you really quickly, what was your standout moment from the competition? "I can say mine
11:45 if you want first." "For me it was the whole game against China, the 6-1 win, because it
11:51 was the best performance for England." Well we've got to go to a break now, sorry to cut
11:55 you off, we'll be right back after a few minutes.
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15:10 Hello and welcome back to Invicta Sport live on KMTV. Now for a look at this weekend's
15:15 sport. The Kent Spitfires have continued their charge in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, beating
15:20 the Essex Eagles by 60 runs at Canterbury. The 2022 title holders kept alive their chances
15:26 at reaching this year's knockout stages, largely helped by an unbeaten 137 runs in 127 balls
15:33 from Jack Leaning. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Spitfires posted
15:38 287 for 8, the largest innings run score for our county side in the 50-over competition
15:44 so far this year. Essex couldn't quite reach the target, Aaron Najjar holed out to substitute
15:49 Jas Singh on the leg side boundary off Stuart for 9. Kent must now win against Hampshire
15:54 on Tuesday and hope Lanx lose against Buckinghamshire to reach the knockouts. And the Medway Dragons
16:00 have lost out on the London Rugby League Premier title, falling short against the London Chargers.
16:06 Despite the Dragons' consistent dominance throughout the season, having maintained an
16:09 unbeaten streak since early June, they were unable to secure the play-off title win, facing
16:14 a 16-8 to 38 defeat at the New River Stadium. Medway managed to secure tries through Justin
16:21 Holledge, Louis Baker and Toby Jerdan-Hassen, with Mac Perry converting two. In a post shared
16:26 on their Facebook page, the Medway Dragons acknowledged the Chargers' superior performance
16:30 on the day, admitting their second-place finish in the London and South East region.
16:36 And Ebsleet United suffered a 4-1 battering as they visited Gateshead this weekend. Plus,
16:41 Gillingham FC picked up a record this weekend, despite manager Neil Harris describing his
16:45 side's effort against Crawley as poor. All this and more coming up in the Football Here's
16:50 your fixtures and results.
16:53 Ebsleet took a trip up the M1 this weekend to visit Gateshead, but perhaps they'd wished
16:58 for a bit of summer holiday traffic as the fleet struggled to make things go their way.
17:02 In just the first five minutes, Gateshead took an early lead with Kenton Richardson's
17:06 strike from distance taking a wicked deflection, leaving the fleet's goalkeeper Mark Cousins
17:11 helpless.
17:12 Ebsleet did respond 12 minutes later, however. Franklin Domi's precise cross found Dominic
17:17 Poulian, who put it past Mair on the rebound. The pair's teamwork paid off as they levelled
17:22 the score.
17:23 In the 29th minute, Steven Wern displayed his prowess for Gateshead, capitalising on
17:27 a lapse of reflex from Cousins, forcing an error. But it wouldn't be the first time these
17:32 two players would come together. Another unnecessary error from the fleet goalie forced Wern to
17:37 the ground and awarded him a spot kick. The Gateshead No. 11 calmly slotted it past Cousins
17:42 to extend the lead.
17:44 As the game drew to a close, the midfield danger for Ebsleet completed his hat-trick
17:48 with a sublime solo effort. The fleet was less stunned as Wern secured a convincing
17:53 victory for the hosts. The final score 4-1 to Gateshead.
17:57 "I would say it was a great game of football. Wrong end for us, obviously. We killed ourselves
18:02 today. You could see you have such a long travel, you're so far away from home and
18:07 then you make easy mistakes and get punished. This was far too easy. I think we had a good
18:11 game in the first half. The second half straight away was the beginning of the second half,
18:14 we have a massive chance. If we are ruthless and we score there, we are 2-1 up and the
18:18 game is maybe completely different."
18:20 Up in League Two and the Gilles made history as the first football league side to win their
18:24 opening four games with the same scoreline. Despite the stat, however, Crawley would be
18:28 the only team to actually score in the game following an awkward own goal from Harry Ransom.
18:33 Manager Neil Harris says the midway side need to up their game if they want to keep their
18:36 positive form.
18:37 "I thought we were really poor. I thought we were really poor. I thought we were excellent
18:42 at stockport and probably didn't deserve to win but certainly deserved a point. And today
18:48 as we just turned the ball over so cheaply, the shape at times was wrong. Loads of good
18:55 stuff but I have to be honest."
18:56 Three of Kent's fixtures in the National South ended in draws this weekend, except
19:00 for the Travelling Angels who beat Chippenham 2-1, with Stefan Payne and Lewis Gard scoring
19:05 the decisive goals. The win came despite Tunbridge finishing with 10 players. The red card was
19:10 shown to substitute Tommy Fagg for a tussle with an opposition player shortly after he
19:14 entered the pitch. And again in the Isthmian Premier, all of Kent's games ended on the
19:18 same 1-2 scoreline, with Margate and Chatham taking home the wins and Folkestone missing
19:23 out.
19:24 More from this week's round-up of Kent's highest flying football clubs, right here
19:28 on Invicta Sport.
19:30 And finally this evening, Adam Brownsword is a tennis player from Folkestone who fell
19:34 in love with the sport at the age of 12 and has since gone on to become a two-time National
19:38 Doubles Learning Disabilities Champion. Well earlier this year Adam was selected to represent
19:43 Team Special Olympics GB at the Games in Berlin, where he went on to win a gold medal in the
19:48 Mixed Doubles event. Well I'm pleased to say that joining me on the sofa now is Adam. Thank
19:52 you very much for coming along and congratulations on the win in Berlin. How did that feel?
19:58 It was amazing. It was probably the best two weeks in my life to be honest.
20:02 And I mean it was back in June now but I mean has the sort of dust settled yet? You still
20:06 kind of...
20:07 Kind of. It's just like on to the next tournaments now really.
20:11 Yes, fantastic. Tell me a bit more about the Special Olympics then because personally I
20:15 hadn't heard of it before I read up on your story. What is it all sort of set up for?
20:19 So it's for people with learning disabilities but it's not about who is the best really.
20:25 It's like doing your best so you're put into groups with people of the similar kind of
20:31 sporting ability so everyone has a fair chance.
20:34 And I was having a look up today. I mean 7,000 athletes from 190 countries. So when you go
20:39 into that tournament is there quite a bit of weight on your shoulders?
20:41 A little bit.
20:42 Yeah. Tell me about that.
20:43 So it's more really just having fun and meeting all of these people. Like at the opening ceremony
20:50 you would talk to everyone who was there which was great fun.
20:54 And you were paired up with your partner Lily Mills. How was that sort of partnership? We
20:59 saw a few pictures just then of you two with each other following the win. How long have
21:04 you been playing with each other?
21:05 We've been playing tournaments for probably about a year. Ever since we found out we got
21:09 selected we entered some together and we've also been training at her club once a week
21:14 in London.
21:15 So I can imagine going into singles tennis you're getting into your own mindset and you're
21:20 going into the game. But what's the sort of difference when you go into mixed doubles
21:23 then? You've got to really work as a team.
21:25 I think it is always about communication both tactically and also just to keep each other
21:30 focused especially in Berlin where there's so much going on and there's so many matches
21:35 going on. I think there was nine courts and also the pressure of it is just trying to
21:40 keep us both focused.
21:43 But I mean you were obviously successful and you took home the win. What was that sort
21:46 of final game like then?
21:47 It was a very hot afternoon so we were both quite tired actually but I've never felt anything
21:54 like it. After winning the match point we both just felt so relieved and happy.
21:59 Fantastic. Tell me about how it all started then. Like I said you were 12 years old when
22:03 you first picked up the racket. How did that come about?
22:06 So basically my mum just wanted me out of the house really because when I was young
22:10 I was just so energetic and I could never sit still. So we were just trying to find
22:15 things that kind of helped that. And yeah tennis wasn't a natural but I kind of got
22:22 it quite quickly when I was young. I wasn't really that committed then but as soon as
22:28 I was I just fell in love with the whole sport. Like even watching it.
22:32 And of course we had Wimbledon earlier this year. Was you following the tournament?
22:36 Yeah.
22:37 Yeah fantastic. Now tell me about your brother also played in the Special Olympics as well.
22:41 It was basketball. So what was that kind of like? Swapping the roles there?
22:46 It was very strange being on that kind of side of things because I went to the two he
22:50 represented Great Britain at but obviously as family and watching. So it was just so
22:56 strange being at the opening ceremony as an athlete and competing.
23:01 Now in terms of representation and the Special Olympics and why it is all set up. Do you
23:06 feel that there should be more representation for people with learning disabilities such
23:10 as yourself?
23:11 Yeah definitely definitely and I don't think local sport clubs do enough to try and encourage
23:16 people with learning disabilities to participate. But there's so many opportunities once they
23:22 get involved it's amazing.
23:24 So as a sort of young 12 year old then what was it like you know you found this sport
23:28 that you love but what was it like you know trying to actually follow it?
23:32 Well with competitions when I was younger I found it quite difficult because like keeping
23:36 the score at like a mainstream event it can always kind of be a bit difficult if the other
23:42 person isn't as fair shall I say. Whereas with the LD tournaments I felt like I was
23:47 so much more comfortable and it was less pressure environment because everyone was friends like
23:53 as soon as you started speaking to people there was like umpires who would help call
23:57 the scores and everything. So once I found those competitions like I loved it even more.
24:02 That's fantastic. So what's up for you, what's next for you then?
24:06 I have a Middlesex Open next week and then a Grantham Regional Learning Disability Tournament
24:12 and then I'm playing at the Learning Disability National Championships in Bolton in November.
24:18 Okay fantastic. And is there any sort of sporting stars that you sort of look up to that maybe
24:23 inspire you?
24:24 I really like Carlos Alcaraz at the moment. He's just yeah he's amazing.
24:28 No I mean he absolutely dominated Wimbledon didn't he and it was great to see him in that
24:32 final and he's quite a youngster as well you know like yourself. I mean what's the sort
24:36 of future ambition with your tennis career?
24:38 I think just to keep playing and try to inspire other people with learning disabilities to
24:42 get involved really. Like I help out at some groups for tennis with people with learning
24:48 disabilities and I love it because it's like I can give my experience on to them now.
24:53 Tell me a bit about that then. What clubs, local clubs is it that you help?
24:57 So it's actually not quite local, it's where Lily is in London so we both go out and help
25:02 out and kind of be like an ambassador for the club to them.
25:05 And I mean that must be quite rewarding.
25:07 Yeah it's amazing. It feels so good just because like going to the World Games not many people
25:12 get that experience so being able to inspire people to even want to go there feels amazing
25:18 but to be able to tell them all about it it's amazing too.
25:21 No it's brilliant. I mean it sounds like such a wonderful experience that you had and also
25:25 to bring home the gold. So will you be hoping to rejoin the Team GB in the future?
25:30 Yes hopefully.
25:31 Fantastic. When are the next games?
25:33 It's in four years.
25:34 Okay so a bit like the Olympics every four years then. So would that be a partnership
25:41 that you would stay with Lily then do you hope?
25:43 Hopefully.
25:44 Okay fantastic. So I'd really love to have you on in the future. I'd love to come along
25:48 to one of these games. Tell me about where is it that you train locally?
25:53 So I train in Deel in their indoor tennis centre at Canterbury at their tennis centre
25:59 and I'm also at Hyde as well.
26:01 Okay fantastic. Well Adam thank you very much for joining us. As I said we'll be following
26:04 along your journey and good luck with everything that you do have on your way in the future.
26:09 Thank you.
26:10 Thank you. Well that's it. That's full time on today's episode of Invicta Sport. If you
26:14 want to catch up with more from KMTV you can watch all of our other special programmes.
26:19 We've got the Kent Politics Show, Made in Kent, Kent on Climate and Kent Film Club by
26:24 visiting our website kmtv.co.uk. I'll be back on Friday with more sport from across the
26:30 county and if you want to be sat here on the sofa next to me just remember that you can.
26:35 All you need to do is send us an email at sport@kmtv.co.uk. We're also available on
26:41 social media @kmtvkent. But from me for now, goodnight.
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