Phoenix Sports 6-1 Seven Acre & Sidcup - This club is going to get bigger, says Steve O'Boyle

PHOENIX SPORTS 6-1 SEVEN ACRE & SIDCUP
Kent Invicta League
Monday 25^th March 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Mayplace Road East

PHOENIX SPORTS’ joint-manager Steve O’Boyle says his club have a bright future after they regained their place at the summit with an impressive victory over local rivals Seven Acre & Sidcup.

The Barnehurst based club stretched their unbeaten league record to 22 games with their 6-1 victory over their sixth-placed neighbours to leapfrog over Hollands & Blair to lead the Kent Invicta League table by three points, although Phoenix Sports have two games in hand over the Gillingham-based outfit.

Seven Acre & Sidcup arrived on a four-match unbeaten run and had they inflicted Phoenix’s first league defeat of the season they would have leapfrogged over Bridon Ropes into fifth-place in the table.

The visitors’ started well, but once Darryl Wheeler set the wheels in motion for Phoenix with a 35^th minute opener, and former Erith Town striker Marcus Cassius lashed home a second, there was only going to be one winner.

Phoenix Sports striker Dan Parish added a second half hat-trick, taking his goalscoring tally for the season to 34, before Seven Acre & Sidcup scored a consolation through Tom Gamblin’s fine finish.

Seven Acre & Sidcup were reduced to ten-men with only three minutes remaining when left-winger Brady Powell picked up his second yellow card after two fouls on Phoenix substitute Ben Yiadom.

Both managers condemned Powell after he was seen to slap Marcus Perona in the face after referee Ian Crouch showed him the red card and goalkeeping coach John Wawrzewski picked up a yellow card for something he said from inside the visitors’ dug-out.
 
Phoenix Sports wrapped up the victory inside stoppage time when substitute Sam O’Keefe rifled home their sixth goal.

O’Boyle said: “I enjoyed that!   There was a lot of hype before the game; obviously they’ve got ex-Phoenix players and whatever.  We knew they would be physical but I thought our boys rolled our sleeves up tonight, matched that, but the better team won.

”I thought it was an even game after half-an-hour. I just thought maybe a little bit of class in the final third made the difference.

”Marcus Cassius, what a fantastic goal and even Daryll Wheeler running direct at a defender and a great shot and a great goal!”

Seven Acre & Sidcup boss Chris Tuley, who played in goal for Phoenix Sports last season, admitted he was really disappointed with their crushing defeat.

”Really, really, really disappointed considering we was all up for this game,” he said.

”We did our best to get everyone up for it but we knew this was going to be a very tough test.

”First 30-35 minutes we done well. I thought we was in control of the game and then we let a sloppy goal in. He (my goalkeeper) should have dealt with it and then it went downhill from there.”

Phoenix Sports created the first chance of the game inside the opening nine minutes when Perona swung in a right-footed free-kick towards James Brown on the edge of the box and he played the ball inside to the unmarked Cassius, who cut onto his right-foot before dragging his shot past the near post from 12-yards.

But Seven Acre & Sidcup should have scored when Powell played the ball to Rob McMahon and the central midfielder released striker Tony Ecuyer through on goal, who cut inside before his left-footed shot sailed over from 12-yards.

The visitors’ were impressing early on, clearly enjoying being involved in the first game underneath Phoenix Sports’ new floodlights.

Another chance came the visitors’ way after Gamblin whipped in a cross from the right, which was brought under control by Tim Beckford, who swept the ball across to Powell, whose left-footed shot on the turn flashed wide of the near post.

Phoenix Sports went close to opening the scoring in the nineteenth-minute when Robbie Tarrant sent a right-footed free-kick into the box, which was cleared away by defender Paul Gross and Brown stroked his right-footed drive past the right-hand post.

Seven Acre & Sidcup went close following their first corner of the game in the 26^th minute.

Powell swung in the ball from the right towards the near post for Gross to send his back flick across the face of goal and Beckford looped his pressuriesed shot over from eight-yards.

Phoenix Sports started to strangle the game back into their grasp and they almost scored through route-one football.

Goalkeeper Adam Woodward punted the ball up field, Cassius flicked the ball to release Parish, who sliced his right-footed half-volley agonisingly wide of the foot of the right-hand post, beyond the diving keeper.

But Phoenix Sports had to wait until the 35^th minute to open the scoring.

Perona touched a free-kick short to Wheeler, who sped down the right channel, cut inside and drove his right-footed angled drive across the diving Charlie Martin.  The ball crashed against the far post and eagle eyed assistant John Quirke flagged to signal that the ball did cross the line before the grounded keeper had grasped the ball back into his gloves.

Tuley wasn’t impressed with his goalkeeper, who was at fault for the goal.

He said: “He’s hit the ball across the goal, our goalkeeper has got to do better! No Question about it!  That’s bread and butter. He should’ve been catching that.”

Phoenix Sports joint-boss O’Boyle was full of praise for Wheeler, who scored one and made two goals tonight.

”We’ve been telling Daryll to do that for a long time,” revealed O’Boyle.

”He’s got so much pace. We just want him to be a little bit more direct and we’ve been telling him for weeks and weeks that’s what we want him to be doing.  He’s got pace to burn. It’s a weapon and he’s got to use it.  I thought he was outstanding tonight.”

A clever pass from Perona, despite being fouled by McMahon, who was to be pulled up and booked, released Cassius through on goal, but after beating Gross for pace, the Phoenix Sports striker dragged his shot across Martin and the ball rolled agonisingly past the foot of the far post.
 
Seven Acre & Sidcup squandered an excellent chance to go into the half-time break on level terms.

McMahon played the ball to Powell, who burst down the left-wing before firing a low centre across the face of goal which eventually found Beckford lurking at the far post.


This was to be a pivotal moment in the game as the former Lewisham Borough striker saw his initial shot blocked by keeper Adam Woodward, but he stabbed the rebound agonisingly wide of the near post from six-yards with the goal at his mercy.

Tuley said: “May have been (different had he scored). It’s all ifs and buts. Again, he’s had a golden opportunity to put it in the back of the net. We’ve had a couple really which we didn’t really do well enough and if you don’t take your chances against a team like Phoenix, who are clinical as any other team in that league, you’ve got no chance.”

O’Boyle added: “Forwards have got to score that! That’s what goalkeeper’s are there to do. If a shot’s on target you’ve got to save but I thought the striker’s got to be disappointed with the effort.”

Phoenix Sports punished such prolificacy in front of goal because they doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.

Wheeler released Cassius, who cut in from the right before lashing his left-footed drive high to Martin’s right into the roof of the net to score his second goal for the club from 12-yards.

O’Boyle said: “That’s what Marcus Cassius does!  When he was with me at Erith Town many, many years ago that’s what he done week in, week out and that’s what we tell him to do. Play on the shoulder, pace in behind and when he gets in front of goal he’s got a great shot and that was a great goal!”

Tuley said: “Again, we kind of shut off. I think Bobby Hanley was doing his best to keep up with him – Cassius is very quick – Grossy tried to come across and he came across and slipped. Cassius, as clinical as he is, finished it.”

Both managers were asked what their thoughts were at half-time.

O’Boyle replied: “I was quite happy to have a boring second half to be honest with you! 

”It’s not about performances at the moment, it’s about chalking up wins. We just said don’t give them the carrot to get back in the game. The next goal is vital and I’ll be quite happy to just go out there and see the job through.

”We knew they would come out fighting second half, most teams would do in a local derby. We started the second half fantasticly.”

Tuley added: “Absolutely couldn’t work out how we was 2-0 down! After 35 minutes we was in control of the game and we conceded.  It’s been a case this year too many times when we’ve conceded and our heads go and it just goes downhill.”

Phoenix Sports could have increased their lead further after only 59 seconds into the second half. 

Cassius’s blistering pace saw him reach the edge of the penalty area before rolling the ball inside to Perona, who was given time and space to shank his right-footed shot over the bar from 25-yards.

Seven Acre & Sidcup created a decent opportunity in the 53^rd minute.

Chris Steadman lofted the ball into the penalty area where a rising Bobby Hanley glanced his header down for Powell to strike the ball first time with his left-foot, which forced Woodward into making a low save.

Perona was relishing his role on the Phoenix Sports right and his pass fed Parish, whose shot on the turn crashed into the side netting.

Perona played another lovely pass to release Cassius wide on the right, who was forced wide before clipping a right-footed shot, which curled just of the far post.

Phoenix Sports enjoyed a three-goal cushion in the 59^th minute.

Tarrant swung in a corner from the left, which was dropped by keeper Martin at the far post and Brown played the ball across goal for Parish to stab the ball into an empty net.

”He hasn’t had his best nights tonight, bless him,” said Tuley.  “The whole scoreline can’t be put on his shoulders but he’s made mistakes and when you’re a goalkeeper, you make mistakes, you concede goals. It’s always going to be a struggle to get something out of games.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup released Beckford down the left and his cross swung out to substitute Rob Hicks, who cracked a right-footed volley narrowly over from 25-yards.

But clinical Phoenix Sports made it four, in the 65^th minute.

Wheeler must take credit for staying on his feet after Hanley attempted to bring him down inside the box.  The Phoenix winger rode the challenge and reached the by-line before cutting the ball back to Parish at the near post.  The striker steered his right-footed shot across Martin to find the bottom far corner from four-yards.

O’Boyle said: “I thought Dan enjoyed that tonight, a hat-trick against his former club!

”Another terrific performance from Dan today. He’s been playing off (Steve) Strotten of late and he was the main man up front today, holding the ball up. He’s hold up play today was fantastic. He took his goals well.”

Tuley added: “People were getting more frustrated with the way the game was going. The game’s opened up. Against a team like Phoenix they’ve got so much quality, they’ll punish you!”

Cassius made a 40-yard run from the halfway line before unleashing a right-footed dipping shot from inside the box, which Martin spilt and the ball landed at the feet of a team mate to wash up.

Phoenix Sports’ best goal of the game was their fifth goal in the final fourteen minutes.

Perona swept the ball to substitute O’Keefe, who played a delicious defence splitting pass behind Hanley for Parish to run onto and the striker slotted his right-footed shot underneath Martin and the ball rolled over the line.

O’Boyle said: “It was a great ball from Sammy O’Keefe, split the defence in half and a great finish.”

Tuley said: “They’ve got quality down here and when you’ve got quality that can do that. They’re going to score goals. They had it in abundance tonight and we wasn’t good enough and we couldn’t step up to match them.”

Parish almost got another one when he right-footed flicked shot from six-yards looped over the bar after Perona’s corner from the left found the striker at the near post.

Seven Acre & Sidcup scored a consolation in the final six minutes when Gamblin cut into the box, dribbled past a couple of green shirted defenders, before rifling his right-footed shot into the top near corner from ten-yards.

Tuley said: “He’s good Gambs. It’s a shame we couldn’t get him involved in the game a bit more. He kind of came in and out but when he was on the ball he’s always a threat. He’s always a danger. It was a great finish, but too late.”

O’Boyle admitted: “We don’t like keeping clean sheets put it that way!  We always seem to let a goal in. I’m disappointed not having a clean sheet tonight, but if you gave me 6-1 at half-past-six I would’ve taken it all day long!”

But Powell brought shame on himself when he caught Phoenix substitute Yiadom, before going head-to-head with his rival and deservedly picked up his second yellow card – and then a red.

Instead of making the walk of shame towards the top corner of the pitch towards the dressing room, Powell slapped Perona in the face.

Perona, who has played at a much higher level of football, used his professionalism to brush off the attack and hopefully the football authorites will use their power to punish Powell for his shocking actions.

Tuley condemned his winger and said: “It wasn’t so much a punch, it was a slap, but irrespective that’s not acceptable on a football pitch. He knows. We’ve told him. It’s happened. It’s done out of frustration. Again, there’s no complaining. There’s no room in the game for it. He’s done it and he’s got his rewards, which is a red card, which is deserved.”

O’Boyle said of Powell: “I thought he totally embarrassed himself.  He played down here apparently last year and to be honest with you he embarrassed himself.  You don’t do that sort of thing!

”I could tell you ten minutes before that he was going to get sent-off.  I wouldn’t mind. Marcus (Perona) is the nicest man in the world.

”We said at half-time, they were putting it about. We said whatever happens out there don’t retaliate, keep your discipline. If you keep your discipline we’ll go on and win the game but don’t retaliate out there and that’s what he (Powell) done.”

O’Boyle was full of praise for Perona tonight saying:  "I thought he was excellent tonight Marcus. He’s a great lad.  Been there. Done it! These are the sort of people you need around you in your squad at this moment in time.  He’s got a great attitude and he’s also a very good footballer. I thought he was excellent tonight and let’s hope he carries on like that for the rest of the season.”
 
Steve Stotten came off the bench and linked up well with his Phoenix Sports team-mates.

First of all he linked up well with Parish, riding a challenge on the edge of the box, to play the ball inside to the unmarked Parish, but his weak shot was easily gathered by Martin.

But it wasn’t long before Phoenix Sports’ sixth goal arrived inside injury time.

Perona whipped in a free-kick from the right and the ball fell at Strotten’s feet at the far post.  The striker laid the ball to O’Keefe, who lashed his shot into the roof of the net.

O’Boyle said: “Sammy has got that in his locker. He doesn’t do it often enough!  He missed done against Sutton Athletic the other week from about four yards out so we gave him a bit of stick against Sutton, so he’s really pleased about scoring tonight!”
 
Tuley added: “Sammy struck it well, the ball’s gone in the net. The game was over at 3-0 so it could’ve been any scoreline if they really put their feet down.”

Tuley admitted he and his management team were feeling hurt with this defeat – and wants a better result when they welcome Phoenix Sports to Oxford Road on 20 April.

He said: “We’re sick coming down here and losing 6-1 against your old side. Yes, it hurts!

”There’s another day with Phoenix and I just hope that we put in a much better performance and give a better account of ourselves at the end of April at our place. It was a bit embarrassing tonight!

Seven Acre & Sidcup play two away games over Easter, Rusthall on Good Friday and Sutton Athletic on Easter Monday.

Tuley said: “Two big games now. We’ve got to try and pick ourselves back up from a 6-1 drubbing.  Hopefully the boys will all want to put in a better performance than we did tonight.

”Two games in a short space of time. We need six points to stay up in and around where we want to be.”

Top of the table, three points clear, unbeaten in all 22 league games. Playing under floodlights for the first time, in front of 105 fans. All is looking good at progressing Phoenix Sports nowadays.

O’Boyle said: ”Everyone’s talking about Hollands & Blair. Of course, they’ve had a fantastic season – so have we!

”If someone had said to me midway through March you’re undefeated with the run we’ve been on and you’re not promoted yet, that’s laughable!

”We’ve had a brilliant season and let’s hope there’s a few more games like that tonight, hopefully Friday against Ashford!”

Third-placed Ashford United visit on Good Friday with Paul Chambers’ side now six points behind, but having played three games more.

O’Boyle said: “This is a fantastic football club. It’s got so much potential. We had another big crowd here. I say big crowd. This club is going to get bigger. I think people will come and watch it. It’s a friendly club. People will want to come down here with the new facilities, with the youth structure. It’s just a really, really good football club.

”Yes, it was a massive night for the club and with the boys in charge of the committee they will push the club on.”

Phoenix Sports: Adam Woodward, Aran Hayrettin, Laurence Collins, Gary Phillimore (Sam O’Keefe 69), James Brown, Dean Kearley, Marcus Perona, Robbie Tarrant, Marcus Cassius (Steve Strotten 74), Dan Parish, Daryll Wheeler (Ben Yiadom 69).
Subs: Martin Chirimuta, Steadman Callender

Goals:  Daryll Wheeler 35, Marcus Cassius 45, Dan Parish 59, 65, 76, Sam O’Keefe 90

Seven Acre & Sidcup: Charlie Martin, Jake Burman, Tom Dennington, Rob McMahon (Rob Hicks 62), Paul Gross, Bobby Hanley, Tom Gamblin, Chris Steadman, Tim Beckford (Anthony Fenech 74), Tony Ecuyer (Sam Prett 74), Brady Powell.
Subs: Jermaine Brown, Sam Hayes

Goal: Tom Gamblin 84

Booked:  Tom Dennington 34, Rob McMahon 38, Brady Powell 79, John Wawrzewski (goalkeeping coach) 88

Sent Off: Brady Powell 87

Attendance: 105
Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (Orpington)
Assistants: Mr Kelvin Clare (Aylesford) & Mr John Quirke (Maidstone)