Forest Hill Park 2-1 Punjab United - I think this will take a few days to get over, says furious Punjab United manager Chipie Sian

Forest Hill Park 2 – 1 Punjab United
Location	Ladywell Arena, Silvermere Road, Catford, London SE6 4QX
Kickoff	12/03/2025 19:45

FOREST HILL PARK  2-1  PUNJAB UNITED
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Wednesday 12 March 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Ladywell Arena

FURIOUS Punjab United manager Jugjit (Chipie) Sian says it will take a few days to get over their controversial Challenge Cup exit after First Division side Forest Hill Park reached the Final after beating their fourth Premier Division opponent.

A crowd of 212 were inside the Ladywell Arena to witness a poor Semi-Final in a game that had 13 long throws and 15 corners as both sides played direct football and all three goals came from set-pieces.

Punjab United grabbed the lead through Wayne Bushell’s hooked finish to score his sixth goal of the season but their lead lasted only 132 seconds before Forest Hill Park restored parity when centre-half Reece Barrett knocked in a free-kick.

Forest Hill Park reached their first and only Final as a tenth-tier club, when left-back William Bell notched his first goal of the season, using his belly to bundle the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

Referee Howard Collins failed to apply the letter of the Law in the 83^rd minute when he awarded Punjab United a penalty for a handball on the goal-line.  He consulted his assistant, Martin Bullock, didn’t show any card and changed his mind and awarded the away side a corner instead.

“You ask the officials’ mate. If was disgusting, so yes, I’m not happy,” said a furious Sian.

“We should’ve scored a couple before that but that was a major decision. It would’ve changed the game against 10 men and I think we would’ve won that.

“Both sides were just poor to be honest. There was no football was there. It was just going to be one of those games. The pitch ain’t going to help. The game was even, I think it was even.

“I was annoyed with the first goal they scored because we just scored with a set-piece ourselves and they go and score one themselves.  We talked about that before the game.

“To be honest, it was going to be a game who makes the less mistakes and that’s what I said to them.”

Forest Hill Park manager Antonio Gonnella sent out his coach Matt Capon for post-match media duties.

“Really happy, been here since the beginning. We’ve had some tough times, beginning of the season, we’ve had some tough times.

“I think we’ve kind of maybe been a bit fortunate but we’ve ground out and I do believe we were the better team on the night and deserved to go through and I think that’s now the fourth Step Five side that we’ve beaten in this competition.

Forest Hill Park have never reached the Challenge Cup Final before and they will play Snodland Town on Good Friday, 18 April at Flamingo Park, the home of Isthmian League Premier Division side Cray Wanderers.

“We defiantly have been given a tough road to the Final, beating four Step Five sides now, let’s try to make it five,” said Capon.

“We know Flamingo Park well and whoever we play, we always want to win and give a good account of ourselves.

“Right now it means everything but it doesn’t mean anything unless we win it on Good Friday, so pleased to get there but the job isn’t done.

“Delighted for the club. It’s been a difficult season. Since Antonio’s come in we’ve kind of been on an upward trajectory and I’m pleased for everyone involved in the club but we’ve got to go and win it.”

Forest Hill Park went into this Challenge Cup Semi-Final tie sitting at the summit of the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table, having picked up 53 points (16 wins, five draws and four defeats) and have extended their unbeaten run to 16 games since losing 2-0 to Lee Roots’ Bridon Ropes side back on the 30 November.

In the Challenge Cup, Forest Hill Park have beaten Tunbridge Wells (3-2 on penalties after a goal-less draw), Welling Town (2-1), Erith & Belvedere (2-0 in their only away tie in the competition) and Holmesdale (2-0).

Punjab United are in fifth-place in the Premier Division table, having picked up 51 points (15 wins, six draws and 10 defeats).

The Gravesend-based outfit have beaten three First Division sides all away from home, beating Sporting Club Thamesmead (4-1), Croydon (1-0) and Rochester United (2-1) but they came up short tonight.

Forest Hill Park started the game on the front foot but both sides were frenetic, direct and both lacked quality on a tricky playing surface at the Lewisham Council owned venue.

Capon admitted: “I think they started the better. I think we settled down, found our rhythm.  You kind of have to be direct on the pitch. It’s not great, so at home we’re unbelievable. We kind of win almost every game. We’ve got a pretty impressive record (nine home league wins, two draws, one defeat) because people don’t like coming here, so it was definitely cagey but I think we maybe edged it.”

Sian added: “The pitch doesn't help. The pitch was poor, so I think it was always going to end up with a game like that and I said to the boys, it wasn’t going to be a footballing game. It would be set-pieces, free-kicks and whoever takes their chances really.”

Forest Hill Park’s right-back Alfie Saunders launched the first of his six long throws into the Punjab United penalty area and Barrett’s near-post flick on looped over the fingertips of goalkeeper Owen Bushell and just over the crossbar with 11 minutes and 32 seconds on the clock.

Punjab United were offering very little in attack tonight.  Sian handed former Faversham Town and Lydd Town striker Stefan Payne his debut in their 2-1 home defeat to Bearsted at the weekend.

Payne started for Lydd Town in their abandoned Second Round Challenge Cup tie against First Division side Rochester United on 23 November – but didn’t feature in the re-arranged 8-0 defeat on 18 December – so was therefore cup-tied for tonight.

Payne’s name and his shirt number (10) was written on the team-sheet and was expected to be among the substitutes but his name was scribbled out before the team-sheet exchange took place.

“Stefan spoke to Hoppo (Hopkins) about four weeks ago and said he was sitting at home, weren’t playing no more,” revealed Sian.

“He knows some of the boys here. They asked if I could bring him along, said we can only pay what we can afford and he didn’t question nothing. He just said ‘he wants to play,’ so he’s been training and we’ve signed him on.

“It’s a shame about tonight but it was a good move not to play him because if he was cup-tied, the League didn’t know about it, so I’m glad that you were here (to tell us that he played for Lydd Town earlier in the competition), so thanks for that.”

Sian has allowed 39-year-old midfielder Ryan Hayes to join league rivals Snodland Town.

“Listen, Haysie was doing alright for us but recently he hasn’t been playing, so for a player like that at that age he needs to be playing, so I thought it was a good move for both and let him go.

“We’ve brought Stefan in to give us a little bit of firepower, once he gets fit.”

Punjab United’s centre-half Wayne Bushell hit a long diagonal pass from just over the halfway line but a poor first touch by left-winger Alfie Moynes ensured the ball flashed behind for a 20^th minute goal-kick.

Forest Hill Park built inside the Punjab half with Ryan Palmer played the ball inside to the impressive winger Edward Mbango, before winger Eric De Melo Calherious dinked the ball into the box and visiting goalkeeper Owen Bushell rushed off his line and smothered the ball to his right as four-goal striker Zak Ansah stabbed his right-footed shot towards goal (21:45).

Capon said: “I said to Ansah when he came off. I said how close were you and he said ‘I was just trying to get on the end of it because the keeper had already sat down,’ so it was close but not close enough in the end.”

Sian added: “We spoke about Ansah’s running anyway, so we worked on that. We knew what their strengths were, so it was straight forward from Owen, came off his line really.”

Forest Hill Park goalkeeper George Kamurasi was hollering ‘it’s a goal, it’s a goal,’ several times before Ryan Palmer floated in the home side’s third corner of the game.

The ball was cleared out to six-goal attacking midfielder Georgi Steeds, who teed up Saunders, who took a touch before cracking a right-footed drive over the crossbar from 35-yards.

The home side dominated the corner count by 11-4 but Punjab United scored following their first corner kick, with 35 minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.

Left-back Stephen Ratcliff drilled a deep corner in with his left-boot from the right towards the back post and Wayne Bushell came up from the back to hook his right-footed shot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from 12-yards on the angle.

Sian said: “We worked on that. We’re good at what we do with set-pieces and we knew we could hurt them on that.  It’s a good goal to be honest. It was well-worked but just disappointing (to concede) straight after.”

Capon added: “From their point of view, well-worked set-piece.  When you concede from a set-piece, you’re always disappointed. We knew they were good at set-pieces but a well-worked gaol.

“I’m sure when we watch it back there’s things that we can do better but sometimes you have to say well done to the opposition.”

Forest Hill Park showed great character and went up the other end to restore parity, with 37 minutes and 26 seconds on the clock.

Ryan Palmer delivered a right-footed free-kick from within the left-channel and Punjab’s players allowed the ball to bounce and no one tracked the late run of Barrett, who steered his header into the bottom near corner from a tight angle six-yards from goal.

Capon said: “I think the kind of best reply, you couldn’t make it up in all honestly.

“It kind of settled us back down and it’s a big wake up call, so I think from that moment we really grew into the game and the dressing room’s unbelievable and has always shown great character, so happy for the boys.”

Sian added: “They lost the track of their marker because they just went through between the goalkeeper and I think there was a slight deflection so it was quite lucky.

“JC (Jordan Campbell) gave a silly free-kick away and he should’ve stood up and they were going nowhere.

“We just needed to, not weather the storm, but we just needed to settle after that goal.  We did the same thing on Saturday, so it’s the story of our life.”

Both were asked their thoughts going into the interval.

Capon said: “To stay calm. We went through some patterns of what we need to do a little bit better. We looked at our pressing structure. We wanted to force them to play short because we know they had a good target man so we went over a few finer details and told them to relax and stay to what’s got us to this position in the league and the cup.”

Sian added: “Just said keep going, we’ll put the pressure on second half and we’ll do it, just don’t make mistakes and that’s it.  Did we listen? No! We made a mistake with their second goal as well really.”

Punjab United dominated the goalscoring chances during the second half, their first opening coming with three minutes and 23 seconds on the clock.

Ratcliff hit a long ball from the half-way line and the ball was flicked on by quiet 11-goal big striker Roman Campbell and left-winger Preston Kedwell had his big chance but guided his header straight into Kamurasi’s gloves from 12-yards.

“It was a good chance as well to be honest. I thought he should’ve done better. It was good movement in there but he should’ve done better there,” admitted Sian.

Capon added: “Big G, George is immense, commands the area well, right place, right time, good positioning and trust him whole heatedly when he’s better the sticks.”

Punjab United’s right-back Jordan Campbell launched his third (of four) long throw into the penalty area and the ball was cleared out to Ratcliff, who smashed a hooked left-footed drive from 30-yards, which took a deflection from within a crowd of players and Kamurasi got his big frame down low to his right to comfortably hold.

Capon said: “Listen, George dealt with everything that he had to deal with tonight. Didn’t think he’s at fault for the set-piece (goal). Kind of going the opposite way, I think it’s a case of checking the runners.  I think G was pretty faultless tonight, commanding his area well, kicking was good and he’s such a big presence for the team and the dressing room.”

Jordan Campbell lashed a first-time clearance up field some 45-yards from goal beside the right touch-line and Kamurasi smashed into the frame of the goal and was relived to see the ball clip the top of the far post in the 59^th minute before dropping behind.

Sian added: “I don’t know what to say. It’s smashed into the goal and the cross hit the crossbar then I think.”

Capon added: “A freak kind of incident. I didn’t think it was a corner. One of them the keeper’s got to make sure it didn’t go in, so he’s done his job.”

James Dunne’s dinked pass gave fellow central midfielder Ayomide Majekodunmi his big chance to make his first impact in the game on the hour-mark but his left-footed shot was comfortably kicked off the line by Barrett and Roman Campbell lacked composure with the rebound and lashed his first-time shot over the crossbar.

Ryan Palmer’s eighth corner of the game was cut back towards the edge of the penalty area and Calmerios’ left-footed drive deflected past the foot of the far post and the home side grabbed the victory following the resulting corner, timed at 19 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Central midfielder Ryan Palmer put in the ball from the right towards the near-post and Bell showed more desire than his marker Jack Barry and used his belly to bundle the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from five-yards.

The nature of the goal summed up the poor quality on show and Capon agreed.

He said: “I’ve got to say they all count, right, but it is one of the worst goals I’ve seen! I don’t think we can kind of claim a well-worked set-piece but sometimes maybe its desire to get on the end of it. Definitely won’t be making any goal of the season montages.

“They gave us what they’ve been giving us for more or less the whole season – hard work, commitment, together. I think the boys when they came off the bench helped shore the game up. We’ve got boys that haven’t gone on tonight, they’re buzzing.

“We’ve got boys that aren’t in the squad who have tested into the group chat saying they’re so happy.  It’s a family club. The whole changing room is delighted, the management, the players and I’m sure the fans were because they were outstanding as well tonight.”

Sian said: “Listen, it’s an awful goal to concede and that’s the one thing I’ve been p***ed off about recently. We’ve conceded some really poor goals recently. I don’t know why.  Our strength is our defence and we’ve given poor goals away recently and that’s where we are, we’re stuck on that limbo of we might not be in the play-offs but listen we’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“I think it was a foul on Jack Barry but it is what it is. It was a good finish in the end from whoever it was. I think he bundled it in off his chest.  Barry should’ve stood up and headed it out but he didn’t so not the brightest of defending but it is what it is.

“Tonight wasn’t the greatest performance from both teams. It was poor to watch but that decision was massive!”

Moynes missed a big chance for Punjab United when he dragged his shot past the near-post from eight-yards after Punjab United built up well down the left.

Sian added: “Also, we should’ve finished the game off. We had two or three really good chances to finish the game off.  That’s what’s cost us as well but never mind, some of the chances but that decision at the end. That was shocking!”

Then came the biggest controversy that this website has reported on this season.

Ratcliff lined up his second (of three) long throws from the left, the ball was flicked on at the near-post by Dunne and 11-goal holding midfielder Jack Hopkins flicked his header, bouncing towards the far corner of the goal.

Referee Howard Collins awarded Punjab United a penalty after Ryan Palmer flicked the ball away with his left-hand, stooping down beside the post to disguise the offence, that he flicked the ball away with his lowered head instead.

However, the referee went over to his assistant Martin Bullock for consultation and reversed the decision and awarded Punjab United a corner instead.  He didn’t produced any cards to Palmer and Sian was clearly livid during the post-match press conference.

“It was going in. It’s blatant handball!

“The referee’s walked over to the linesman. I don’t know why because he’s given the penalty and he’s got his red-card out of his pocket near enough to send him off.  He’s walked over to his lino and he’s changed his mind.

“How the hell does that work at this level? You’ll see the video and everything go out on social media tomorrow.

“It is a handball, grabbed on the line, two hands on the ball (the video evidence showed it was his left-hand). It’s disgusting! That’s how bad the whole thing is here, it’s disgusting!

“Ask everyone in the stadium what’s just happened to Punjab United today and they’ll tell you the truth – I think that’s shocking!

“I’ve never seen nothing like it ever! You give a penalty, it’s a blatant handball, send the player off, do you job, give us the pen and we win the game.

“So what does that mean? Handball on the line, have a go at the lino and take a corner. How stupid was that and you couldn’t justify it.

“That decision was massive, that was absolutely massive.  You were here, you know what you saw, you know what everyone saw.  We showed the video to the referee (at the end of the game).  He didn’t want to see it.  He saw it right. He saw the handball, he saw the penalty and he gave the penalty, why are you even talking to your lino. Your lino didn’t even put his flag up!

“It’s because George (Kamurasi) came running out to the lino (Mr Bullock) and shouting at him and he’s (the referee) gone over there to stop that and he’s spoken to him.

“How do you overturn your own decision? That’s what I don’t understand. I don’t understand that. It’s mind-blowing!”

Capon simply replied: “Unfortunately, I was always taught the referee’s always right. We may have got away with one, got away with one there but I do believe we were the better team on the night and sometimes you do need a little bit of lady luck.”

Forest Hill Park substitute left-winger Nathan Palmer cut in from the left and Mbango caressed the ball against the top of the Punjab United crossbar, whilst closly marked, with 48:50 on the clock.

To add insult to injury, Forest Hill Park got away with another penalty incident with seconds remaining when their centre-half Ryan Johnson was clearly seen pushing over Hopkins inside the penalty area after Kamurasi gathered the ball after his opposite number smashed a big last-gasp kick upfield.

VCD Athletic (67 points from 30 of 38 games) are holding to top-spot in the Premier Division table, following their 1-1 draw at Fisher last Saturday.

Faversham Town (66 points from 30 games), Fisher (54 points from 31 games), Rusthall (51 points from 29 games) and Punjab United (51 points from 31 games) are in the play-off zone tonight.

Whitstable Town (47 points from 28 games) are ready to pounce if Sian’s men slip up during their final seven outings.

Sian welcomes bottom-of-the-table side Lydd Town to the Elite Venue on Saturday, a side that have picked up 23 points (six wins, five draws and 19 defeats) and are three points adrift of safety.

“It’s going to be a tough game. They’re a good side. I’ve always said they’re a good side and they beat us 4-1 when we went down there in October.

“We know what they’re all about. We know what we’ve got to prepare for.

“I think this will take a few days to get over. It’s shocking. The players’ are shocked, disgusted, upset. The whole thing, it’s not right, it’s not right, it’s disgusting really.  We’ve just got to get over this now. We’ll give the boys a day off tomorrow and we’ll get ready for Saturday.”

When asked about the play-off chase, Sian replied: “It’s a competitive league. It’s been massive. I think the chase for the play-offs is very exciting.  I love it. I think it’s brilliant.

“Pressure for everyone, pressure for managers, pressure on players. That’s what it should be. We finished tenth last year and we’ve been top five all year so it shows how much improvement we’ve made as well as a club. We know where we were going wrong, we knew where we needed to get better and it will come.

“I’m looking forward to it. Why not. Let the best team get in the play-offs, that’s all I can say and we’ve got to play Whitstable and VCD. There’s going to be a few twists and turns until the end.

“The boys are up for it, they’re up for a challenge. I’m up for a challenge but wherever we finish, it’s going to be a great season really.”

In the First Division, Forest Hill Park (53 points from 25 of 34 games) are at the summit, and Canterbury City (50 points from 29 games), Faversham Strike Force (48 points from 26 games), Croydon (46 points from 26 games) and Soul Tower Hamlets (45 points from 26 games) are in the play-off zone.

Forest Hill Park are also in the Semi-Finals of the Division One Cup and host Faversham Strike Force here on Wednesday 26 March.

“Taylor said it before the game, it’s brilliant but it means nothing unless you go on and win it,” added Capon.

“It’s very hard to win silverware at any level. It’s hard to win league’s, so we need to make sure we finish the job.  We’re doing well but we haven’t got their yet.”

When asked about the situation of winning honours in the name of Forest Hill Park this season before they switch the name to SE Dons before the start of next season, Capon replied: “We looked at it the other day. They (Forest Hill Park) actually got relegated last season finishing second from bottom.

“There’s a gentleman here, I can’t remember his name, who’s come across from Forest Hill Park, who’s a supporter and I think he’s just loving the kind of transformation.

“Although it say’s Forest Hill Park, we are very much SE Dons.”

The club are expected to leave Ladywell Arena at the end of the season and Cray Wanderers and Meridian VP in Charlton are potential venues for SE Dons to play their home games next season. 

“I’ve been told my job is very much the boys and the football.  Where we play and the logistics I leave to the board and the chairman to deal with. I’m sure when there’s an announcement, they’ll tell us in due course but as far as I know we’re still playing here,” replied Capon.

Twelfth-placed Staplehurst Monarchs (nine wins, four draws and 11 defeats) arrive here on Saturday.

“Another tough game. We’re at home and the main thing is we take it game-by-game and try to get plus three and chase our goals,” said Capon,

“Ultimately, we want to end up with the treble but we need to make sure that we win the games as they come and Staplehurst is the next and most important game.

“Success would be promotion. From the beginning we outlined wanting to get to a cup final to win silverware.

“I’ve learnt this through the course of the season. We are everyone’s cup final so no mater who play us, everyone wants to beat us and give us one, so we’re up for every game. As I said, that’s the most next important game for us, Staplehurst on Saturday.”

When asked why that was, Capon replied: “Jealousy, if I’m being completely honest. What the club has built and the brand. The cameras as well. The possibility to put something on social media.  As I’ve said, it’s 16 unbeaten, so we just keep pushing and making sure no one can have those bragging rights over us.”

Forest Hill Park: George Kamurasi, Alfie Saunders, William Bell, Brandon Barrance, Reece Barrett, Ryan Johnson, Eric De Melo Calmerios, Ryan Palmer (Jordan Anderson 90), Zak Ansah (Tobi Coker 69), Georgi Steeds (Nathan Palmer 81), Edward Mbango.
Subs: James Teodorescu, Ainsley Everett

Goals: Reece Barrett 38, William Bell 65

Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Jordan Campbell, Stephen Ratcliff, James Dunne, Wayne Bushell, Jack Barry (Kyden Lewin Thomas 88), Alfie Moynes (Paul Vines 89), Jack Hopkins, Roman Campbell, Ayomide Majekodunmi (Arun Suman 73), Preston Kedwell (Reece Deakin 76).

Goal: Wayne Bushell 36

Attendance: 212
Referee: Mr Howard Collins
Assistants: Mr Max Doyle & Mr Martin Bullock