Phoenix Sports 2-2 Bly Spartans (2-4 pens) - Spot-on Watkins made amends, says Carl Rolls

PHOENIX SPORTS  2-2  BLY SPARTANS
(after extra time – Bly Spartans win 4-2 on penalties)
Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy (Sponsored by Sandon Robinson) Final
Good Friday 6 April 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

BLY SPARTANS’ assistant manager Carl Rolls says his goalkeeper Luke Watkins made amends after making two penalty saves in the shoot-out which saw the Strood outfit become the first winners of the Kent Invicta Challenge Trophy.

The Kent Invicta League leaders took a fourteenth minute lead through Matt McHugh, but Watkins allowed Gary Phillimore’s shot go underneath his body to gift second-placed Phoenix Sports an equaliser just before the break.

McHugh turned hero to villain when he was red-carded with fifteen minutes of normal time to go, but Bly Spartans snatched the lead in the ninth minute of extra-time when substitute Sean Hetterley finished well.

But the winger was forced off through injury just a minute later so Bly Spartans finished the game with nine men and wasteful Phoenix finally converted one of their many chances when striker Alfie Harris stabbed home his 22^nd goal of the season, eight minutes before the end of extra-time.

The three-hour epic was settled by eight penalties.  Bly Spartans converted all of their spot-kicks, with Craig Allen, Stuart Zanone, Martin Defidi and Anthony Uden beating Stuart Harvey.

Phoenix Sports replied with Charley Hearn and Dom Websdale scoring their first-two but substitute Callum O’Sullivan was punished by wearing bright orange boots by having his penalty saved and Luke Cuthbert was also denied by Watkins, who sunk to his knees, with his arms spread out wide in the air, before being mobbed by his jubilant team-mates.

Rolls, 42, who was speaking as manager Matt Hume was away, was proud of his players.

“I think they’ve done really, really well,” he said.  “It was tough.  Up and down.   It weren’t easy!

“We went down to ten-men and I threw all our subs on and I think we paid the price for it and we end up playing with nine-men for the last ten minutes of the game.  I’m proud of them.  They’ve done really well!”

Phoenix Sports’ manager, Scott Saunders, meanwhile, admitted he felt “gutted” in the manner that he lost to their title rivals.

“Gutted we didn’t win it in 90 minutes to be honest,” said the 38-year-old.

“I did say to you in an interview over the telephone yesterday it was going to be all about chances and we didn’t take ours to be fair.

“They’ve stuck at it, even when they went down to ten men, nicked a goal.  We’ve come back into it again. 

“The chances we had second half, we should’ve wrapped it up in 90 minutes.  Once it gets to the dreaded pens, it’s a lottery.”

The game was watched by a sun kissed crowd of 450, the highest to watch two Kent Invicta League sides play.

And Bly Spartans started the game on the front foot and they should have taken the lead inside the opening four minutes when McHugh’s corner from the left was met by a powerful header from Ashley Cooper, which Harvey plucked out of the air high above his head.

The impressive Ryan Robinson, who pulled the strings from the middle of the park and put in a true captain’s performance, cracked a left-footed shot on the turn from 25-yards, which sailed wide after a lay off from Scott Beale.

Bly Spartans’ leading goalscorer, Zanone, who had notched 28 goals this season, rolled a shot wide of the far post after another pass from right-winger Beale.

Phoenix Sports’ best player was one who was wearing the 23 shirt, Brady Powell, who must have played in four positions during the 120 minutes.

Saunders said: “Brady has his moments.  He’s decent.  He’s got pace to burn. We’re just trying to get that little bit of quality out of him.  Once he takes a player on he can fire a ball into the box or get a shot away. Yes, he looked decent today.  He played decent.”

A quality pass from the heart of defence by Billy Lawson released Powell down the right and he cut inside left-back Andrew Forster before stroking a left-footed drive just past the foot of the near post from 20-yards in the eleventh minute.

Bly went close when right-back Defidi pumped a diagonal cross into the penalty area and Zanone’s header from 15-yards bounced into Harvey’s gloves.

But Bly Spartans were the first to draw blood, through McHugh’s fourth goal of the season.

Robinson cut the ball back to Defidi, who raced down the wing before whipping in an excellent cross towards the near post, which was met by an unmarked Zanone, whose header was blocked by Harvey.  The follow up was driven towards goal by Defidi, which was cleared off the line by Tom Dennington and McHugh smashed the ball into the bottom far corner of the net with his left-foot from 25-yards.

“Cracking shot!” came Rolls’ reply to their opening goal.

“We started really, really well first 15-20 minutes.  Personally I thought there was only one side in it!  We got the goal, a couple cleared off the line.  The ricochet went in off the post.  He stuck it cleanly in off the post.”

Saunders added: “We let their centre forward, Zanone, free in the box. Stuart’s made a great save, the geezer kicked it back in, Denno’s cleared it off the line, but we’ve just switched off and we’ve allowed Matt to control it and then strike it in the goal, but after that, I thought we got back into it.”

Phoenix, who brought sixteen junior mascots to the game, should have done better when Websdale swung in a corner with his left-foot from the right and Harris sent a looping header high over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

A move down the left involving Hearn and Phillimore set up a decent chance for the impressive Powell, but the versatile attacker screwed his right-footed shot wide of the far post.

Bly Spartans stopped a Phoenix attack when Robinson intercepted Phillimore’s square pass and released Zanone, who held the ball up in time for Robinson to carry on with his run but his left-footed drive sailed over the top of the right upright.

Phoenix Sports’ midfield playmaker, Hearn, formerly of Millwall and Beckenham of course, hooked clearance released Powell down the right and he cut inside and stroked a low left-footed shot, which forced Watkins into making a low save to his left in the 32^nd minute.

Bly Spartans then created a couple of chances, which saw Defifdi cut the ball back to an unmarked Robinson, whose left-footed angled drive flashed wide of the near post, before Zanone shrugged off the attentions of Adam Cuthbert before his right-footed drive from 30-yards was saved low down by Harvey.

Bly Spartans conceded the equaliser in the 43^rd minute, the first goal that they have conceded after 313 minutes of football in the Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy, having kept clean sheets in their games against Orpington, Lewisham Borough and Hollands & Blair.

Luke Cuthbert hit a free-kick from inside his half into the Bly penalty area and the ball was cleared away to Phillimore, who swept a speculative low shot from 30-yards with his left foot. 

Spartans’ keeper Watkins got down low to his left but inexplicably let the ball slide underneath him and roll into an unguarded net to the delight of the large Phoenix fan-base.

Saunders laughed: “He’s had a shocker to be fair, but I thought we were on top for the last 15 minutes of the first half.  The goalie’s made a bit of a hash off it.  We’re back in the game at 1-1 at half-time. Glad to be on level terms really.”

Rolls, meanwhile, refused to blame his goalkeeper for his Robert Green-esque blunder.

He said: “To be fair to Luke he’s been spot on all season.  I think that’s his first mistake.  At the end of the day he makes mistakes it’s normally a goal.  He’s been superb for us all season.”

Bly Spartans almost hit back before the break  when Robinson swung in an audacious free-kick beside the corner flag, which forced Harvey to back-peddle before getting a fingertip to the curling free-kick and tipping the ball over.

Rolls revealed his players needed lifting during the interval following Watkins’ blunder.

He said: “They were obviously dejected after conceding a goal two minutes before half-time, but you’ve just got to get them up. 

“We played well first half.  We just told them to keep doing the same things and to be fair they’ve done it.”

Saunders rued the numerous chances that his side created during a one-sided second half.

Running through the players who had chances, Saunders replied, “The list goes on really, but that’s football, I suppose!”

Rolls added: “But you expect that, Phoenix are a good side.”

The first golden chance arrived in the 51^st minute.

Striker Sam Prett raced past Defidi and Aaron Burrett down the left channel and whipped in an excellent cross with his left-foot, which sailed past Watkins and Powell ghosted in from the right wing and sent his diving header into the ground and looked on as the ball bounced agonisingly over the crossbar from six-yards.

Phoenix left-back Websdale – who scored the first ever goal in the Kent Invicta League – pumped a first time left-footed clearance from the halfway line which sailed into the box but Prett sent a header straight at Watkins from 10-yards.

Bly Spartans should have regained the lead in the 58^th minute when McHugh whipped in his cross from the left and the unmarked Beale glanced his header across Harvey and wide of the far post from 12-yards.

Bly Spartans were reduced to ten men in the 75^th minute when Websdale cleared the ball down the line and was flattened by McHugh’s challenge.   McHugh appeared to stick out a leg and hit Websdale.

Referee Daren Rudd – who was assisted by his two sons Josh and Scott – brandished a deserved straight red-card in McHugh’s direction  as the winger went down in history as the first goalscorer and player to be sent-off in a Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy Final.

Both managers were asked about the incident.

Saunders said: “I’m not doing an Arsene Wenger (the Arsenal manager who never seems to see a controversial incident against his team), but I actually didn’t see it.  I don’t even know if Dom was a little bit late on him and he’s kicked out.  I thought it was for him lashing out after the ball went off.  Stamping? I don’t know.  I really don’t know!”

Saunders added: “We were on top by then anyway and then they went down to ten.  I thought we were much the better side second half.  I thought they probably shaded it in the first half, maybe they started well, got a goal, but we got back into it.”

Rolls said: “To be fair, I didn’t see it!  Some people say he kicked out and he swears he didn’t.   I didn’t see it because I was too far down the line.  If he kicked out he deserved to go.

Rolls added: “Going down to ten men is always going to be hard.  We tried to hit them on the break, but they kept on coming at us.  We held on.  When you go down to ten men you work harder as a ten.  We worked harder.  I think at the end there were a few tired legs.”

Bly Spartans picked themselves up from that blow and almost snatched the lead when Burrett’s free-kick was flicked on by Robinson and Hetterley felt he had scored with an angled right-footed drive, but Harvey stuck out his right arm to turn the ball away.

Phoenix Sports pressed for a deserved winner and Luke Cuthbert’s bullet header – after Websdale swung in a corner from the right with his left-foot – was headed off the line in a crowded six-yard box.

Prett was to be denied by a similar type of save in the final two minutes – the striker unleashing a right-footed drive from the corner of the box but Watkins stuck out his right arm to make a fine block.

Bly Spartans had a chance to clinch victory at the end of normal time after Lawson was booked for bringing down dangerman Zanone.

But Robinson stepped up and curled his left-footed 20-yard free-kick over the bar and into the empty bank of terracing, so the game went into extra-time.

Phoenix kicked off the first period and Hearn sent a right-footed angled drive sailing over the Spartans’ crossbar after just 14 seconds, before Prett’s glancing header sailed wide of the far post from ten-yards out after meeting Websdale’s cross.

Robinson’s ball over the top was latched upon by Zanone, who blasted his right-footed shot high over the top of the near post.

Phoenix rued another gilt-edged chance in the seventh minute of extra time when Zanone’s driven cross was caught by Harvey, who punted the ball up field and Harris took a fine touch to bring the ball down under his spell before dragging his right-footed shot agonisingly wide of the far post from 12-yards.

That miss proved crucial as Bly Spartans regained the lead in the 99^th minute of an entertaining game.

Robinson clipped a ball over the top, which was flicked on by Zanone and fell nicely for Hetterley to run onto and he won his foot-race with Phoenix substitute Michael Daramola and smashed a right-footed shot past Harvey.

Daramola held his head in his hands as his poor defending proved costly.

Rolls said: “If anyone you wanted in that position was going to be Hetts – he’s quick and it was a good finish!”

The final whistle just couldn’t come quick enough for team in white.

Saunders admitted he couldn’t believe that Bly Spartans had snatched the lead, which was totally against the run of play.

He said: “I couldn’t believe they’ve taken the lead!  We just switched off at the back.  Zanone rose unchallenged, flicked it on to the winger and he’s tucked it in.

“I still knew we would score.  I was still thinking we were going to win it.  Then they had the kid carried off and then they was down to nine for the last ten minutes!”

Prett tried his luck from the corner of the penalty area just before the end of the first period, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Watkins at his near post.

Rolls, meanwhile, was sad to see Hetterley leave the pitch through injury, which resulted in his side ending the contest with nine-men as he had already brought on his three substitutes.

Rolls told his players to, “Just hold out really!  They were always going to throw the kitchen sink at you.  It was important we worked hard, just kept them out and we did that until eight minutes from the end.”

Inevitably, Phoenix threw the kitchen sink at their opponents and Hearn tried his luck from 40-yards, his right-footed chip dropping over and Harris’ header from six-yards bounced into Watkins’ arms after Prett headed Adam Cuthbert’s header across goal.

But a second mistake from Bly Spartans keeper Watkins gifted Phoenix a deserved equaliser with eight minutes left.

Websdale had time and space to pump the ball the ball towards goal some 40-yards from goal but Watkins allowed the ball to sail over his head and the flapping keeper was relieved to see the ball bounce down off the crossbar, but Harris was at the right place at the right time and stabbed the ball over the line from one-yard.

A relieved Saunders said: “Dom’s shanked it and the goalie’s had another torrid and then he’s the hero in the penalty shoot-out!  What can you say? 

“He’s gone right underneath the cross, flapped at it, it’s hit the bar and I think Alfie’s stabbed it over the line, unless it was already in? I’m not sure.

“But then he’s gone into the penalty shoot-out situation and to be fair to them their five penalties were decent.” 

Rolls added: “To be fair I felt Hetts (Hetterley) was fouled as he knocked the ball up the line and he’s gone down and the referee didn’t’ see it and they’ve managed to get the ball back in the box and to be fair the keeper should’ve had it!  He flapped at it a little bit and it’s hit the bar and Alfie only had to tap it in!”

Zanone almost won the game for Bly, flashing a right-footed angled drive past the far post, but Bly Spartans’ kept their nerve from the spot, as Watkins had the final laugh as he showed the character to dig his team mates out of a hole.

Saunders said: ““The one (save) from Luke was an absolutely world-class save!  How he’s got his hand to it because Luke has hit it, it was going to take the net off and he’s put his arm up just underneath the crossbar!  Unbelievable save!

Rolls said: “At the end of the day it’s a lottery, isn’t it?  I always fancied our keeper.  He’s very good at penalties. He’s saved a few this season, so I always fancied him and to be fair we’ve got some good penalty takers.

“He (Watkins) made amends, so I said to him before the penalties ‘this is a chance for you to make it up for us’ – and he did.

“We’re the first winners of the Cup – I’m well happy!”

Rolls paid tribute to two key players,  skipper Robinson and prolific striker Zanone, who didn’t hit the target on the big stage.

He said: “I thought Ryan was possibly our man-of-the-match, him and Stuart, they’ve run their balls off all game , so I thought they were superb.

“Stuart made the goal.  He had a chance to put us 1-0 up and missed it but he scores most weeks though.  He’s the top scorer in the league. He’s not going to score in every game.  He’s well happy.”

Phoenix Sports: Stuart Harvey, Tom Dennington, Brady Powell (Michael Daramola 96), Billy Lawson, Luke Cuthbert, Adam Cuthbert, Gary Phillimore (Callum O’Sullivan 85), Charley Hearn, Alfie Harris, Dom Websdale, Sam Prett.
Subs:  Richard Hamill, Chris Whitehouse

Goals: Gary Phillimore 43, Alifie Harris 112

Booked: Charley Hearn 20, Billy Lawson 90

Bly Spartans: Luke Watkins, Martin Defidi, Andrew Forster (Sean Hetterley 65), Ashley Cooper, Aaron Burrett, Ryan Robinson, Scott Beale (Craig Allen 99), Stuart Zanone, Anthony Uden, Matt McHugh, Craig Beckwith (Ricky Mitchell 54).
Sub:  Shane Uings

Goals: Matt McHugh 14, Sean Hetterley 99

Booked: Aaron Burrett 100

Sent Off:  Matt McHugh 75

Attendance: 450
Referee: Mr Daren Rudd (Dartford)
Assistants: Mr Josh Rudd (Dartford) & Mr Scott Rudd (Dartford)
Fourth Official: Mr Barry Jeal (Maidstone)