Rochester United 3-1 Phoenix Sports - Bench bust-up mars Kent Invicta League Shield

ROCHESTER UNITED  3-1  PHOENIX SPORTS
(after extra time)
Kent Invicta League Challenge Shield
Saturday 28th July 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Rede Court Road

ROCHESTER UNITED’S newly-appointed manager Glen Barlow sealed his first piece of silverware after they needed extra-time to beat an unfit Phoenix Sports in the Strood sunshine.

Phoenix Sports will be glad to see the back to Rochester United, after Bly Spartans beat them to the inaugural Kent Invicta League title and Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy last season.

Phoenix Sports opened the scoring when the versatile Ben Yiadom converted an early penalty, but they were profligate in front of goal during a dominant first half.

But a fitter Rochester United, who kick-off their Kent Hurlimann Football League campaign against last season’s runners-up Erith & Belvedere here next Saturday, restored parity early in the second half when central defender Ashley Cooper made amends for giving away the penalty by powering home a header following a corner.

Neither side could find a winner in normal time so the game went into extra-time – much to the annoyance of the Phoenix Sports management team – whose side begin their Kent Invicta League campaign away to Rusthall in fourteen days’ time.

Phoenix Sports clearly wilted during the extra-time period and Rochester United took advantage by adding two more goals, through Michael Brown’s deflected finish and substitute Anthony Uden, which resulted in exuberant substituted striker Richard Whyte being booked after he left the bench and sprinted some 50-yards to join in with the celebrations with his team-mates.

However, there were ugly scenes at the death following a challenge from Phoenix skipper Gary Phillimore on Uden, which sparked a coming together of players’, which saw both team’s management staff enter the playing field.

Once the four match officials defused the situation, Phoenix Sports’ joint-manager Tony Beckingham was asked to leave his dug-out by referee Lee Culpeck, for allegedly threatening his opposite number, Rochester United coach Matthew Wyatt.

Barlow, 37, who has been at the club for six years, said: “I thought we started really well.  First ten minutes we was on top.  Ashley Cooper’s put a tackle in on the centre forward and given away a penalty and we didn’t get into the game after that. We kept giving the ball away cheaply and then we turned it around second half, where we put in a great performance.

“We kept the ball well and just pressed like we should.  That’s how we’ve been drilled, to keep the ball, press teams and it paid off in the end. 

“We took it to extra-time and just a great display from the guys.  Everyone was just brilliant.  The team spirit that we’ve got, they got us through in extra-time to take them.”

Phoenix Sports’ joint-manager Steve O’Boyle, 35, rued missed chances as his side’s downfall.

He said: “I thought first half, I thought we played them off the park.  We should’ve wrapped it up in the first half.  We had loads of chances, should’ve been out of sight really by half-time.  Really good chances as well, that was the thing.

“I’ve had six players missing today and to be honest with you our fitness levels ain’t where we want to be. We ran out of legs really and to be honest with you I’ve never known a Charity Shield match go to extra-time, which I think that’s an absolute joke!”

Rochester United missed the first chance when Tim Beckford whipped in a cross towards the near post and his strike partner Whyte hooked a left-footed volley agonisingly wide of the near post from six-yards.

But despite Rochester’s bright start, it was Phoenix Sports who went up the other end and converted their first opening.

Joel Hughes, who was playing to the left of impressive lone striker Dan Parish, picked up the ball inside his own half and ran past Cooper, but the central defender caught up and clipped Hughes inside the box and referee Mr Culpeck pointed the spot.

Yiadom, who featured in three positions, stepped up and sent home keeper Luke Watkins the wrong way from the penalty spot, stroking home a left-footed penalty into the bottom left-hand corner inside the opening six minutes.

Barlow admitted he couldn’t believe his side were losing.

He said: “We were by far the better team in the first ten minutes, but these things happen.  Ashley Cooper shouldn’t have put a tackle in.  He gave away a penalty and we struggled to get back into the game.”

O’Boyle added: “It was a good penalty, but I thought we should’ve been two or three nil up by half-time.

“Joel Hughes has missed a sitter and there were another two or three good chances that we should’ve been up.  I thought we absolutely bossed the first half.”

Rochester went close when an outswinging corner from right-back Martin Difede was knocked down at the far post and Beckford’s over-head kick flashed past the far post.

A neat one-two from Rochester midfielders Brown and skipper Ryan Robinson resulted in Brown scuffing a right-footed shot from 30-yards, which bounced twice into the gloves of eighteen-year-old visiting keeper Jack Kelly, who came in for Adam Woodward.

Woodward (wedding) was one of six players unavailable for Phoenix Sports, who were also without Dean Kearley (holiday), Aran Hayrettin (work), Scot Mulholland (wedding), Joe Plant (holiday) and Rob Tarrant (hamstring).

Phoenix squandered a gilt-edged chance to double their lead halfway through the first half.

Yiadom released Parish, who beat the offside flag to burst down the inside right channel, and he looked up and cut the ball back to Hughes, who hooked a first time left-footed shot sailing over the crossbar from eight-yards.

Rochester weathered that storm and forced a corner which was taken short by Difede, who cut the ball back to Anthony John (who was jogging over to take the corner himself), but John cut in from the right and sent a left-footed shot sailing over.

Solid looking Phoenix defender, Charlie McCarthy, played a delightful ball over the top from the back to put Parish through on goal, but the striker opted to go wider than he had to and Watkins made a flying save to his right to tip the shot around his near post.

Another McCarthy ball over the top of defence released Phillimore down the right flank and his cross was flicked wide by Parish from eight-yards.

Rochester winger, John, meanwhile, who was the best man at a wedding on the morning of the game, cracked over a speculative left-footed drive from 30-yards.

But the half-time interval came at the wrong time for Phoenix. Both sides opted to make no substitutions at the break as you could only make three from five as it was a competitive fixture.

Barlow said: “First half they were so far on top. They had a little chance missed, but having said that we haven’t created many but we’ve managed to put the ball in the net three times. I’m over the moon about that!”

But Rochester United appeared that they will be dangerous from set-pieces in the Kent League this season after they equalised within four minutes of the second half.

John floated in a corner from the right with his left-foot and Cooper came up from the back and powered a towering header into the roof of the net from eight-yards.

Barlow said: “That’s what Ashley Cooper is all about.  He’s a centre half. He’ll play. He wears his heart on his sleeve.  He puts his head where it hurts and he just showed you that when he pops up there with a header to equalise for us.”

O’Boyle added: “We lost the ball leading up to the goal, which wasn’t the best from our point. The ball’s come across the six-yard box.  We should be defending that better!”

Phoenix had two bites of the cherry to regain the lead in the 53rd minute.

Richard Hamill’s speculative left-footed drive from 30-yards was saved by Watkins, but the keeper inexplicably threw the ball straight to Hughes, but the keeper made amends by blocking the shot at his near post and Cooper was on hand to hook the bouncing ball away.

Phoenix missed a further chance when Chris Edwards’ free-kick was headed across goal by McCarthy and Parish sent his overhead kick over the bar from ten-yards.

But the game turned in Rochester’s favour and O’Boyle explained why he brought off his best player in Parish.

He said: “Look. Listen.  What you want to make off this game, it’s still a pre-season friendly and Dan Parish has played most of the minutes for us, so has Sam O’Keefe and to be honest with you they’re not the ones who need the 90 minutes. Joel Hughes has done nothing in pre-season, nor has Bradley Killick.

“There were four or five out there who have done nothing, been on holiday and to be honest with you they’re the ones that need fitness more than Dan Parish and Sam O’Keefe so when we took them off it was just because the boys out there needed the fitness more than them.

“If it was a league game I would’ve stayed with exactly the same eleven and we would’ve been comfortable.

“Dan Parish is a good player and we didn’t want to take him off but you have got to especially when he doesn’t need the fitness and other players’ do.”

Rochester almost grabbed the lead in the 71st minute when John once again floated in a corner, which was headed across goal by Cooper and Beckford flicked his shot into the side netting.

And another poor kick out from visiting keeper Kelly was picked up by John, who played the ball inside to Beckford and Adrian Griffiths’ right-footed shot sailed over.

Matthew McHugh snapped a right-footed drive sailing over the Phoenix crossbar after his initial corner from the left was headed back to him by Hughes in the 75th minute, before Brown’s through ball saw Beckford outmuscle a couple of Phoenix defenders but his weak shot was comfortably gathered by Kelly.

Rochester keeper Watkins ensured that the game went into extra-time when he smothered the ball at Raphael Akala’s feet after the Phoenix substitute cut into the penalty area after being released through on goal by Yiadom on the counter attack.

Phoenix Sports almost prevented extra-time with the last kick of the game.

Akala played the ball inside to Hughes, who rode two challenges before centering for substitute Bradley Killick, but Watkins made a low save to his left to prevent the striker scoring from six-yards.

Beckingham was clearly voicing his disgust over playing an extra 30 minutes – even though the official Kent Invicta League matchday programme stated that extra-time and penalties would be used if required.

O’Boyle bemoaned: “I definitely didn’t want extra-time.  I’ve never known extra-time in a Charity Shield match!  We’ve had to toss a coin between the two managers because they wanted extra-time and we didn’t. We’ve had to toss a coin and I lost. I think it’s a joke!

“They’ve come back a week earlier than us because they’re in the Kent League and we’re in the Kent Invicta and to be honest with you I’ve got quite a few boys away today, which has hit me hard and we’ve had to bring a few boys in who ain’t really ready for a game like that especially 120 minutes.

“We’re still two weeks away from the football season, but we have addressed it and we’ve said to these boys they have to get themselves fit and quick!”

Beckford powered over his towering header from just inside the Phoenix penalty area after Difede pumped a free-kick forward, before the home side created another chance against a tiring Phoenix side when substitute Ryan Thomas hit a speculative right-footed shot from 40-yards, which looped into Kelly’s gloves after McHugh’s run forward.

But Phoenix rued their earlier missed chances when Rochester United took the lead in the 98th minute.

Substitute Scott Beale cut in from the right and laid the ball off to Brown, whose right-footed shot from 25-yards deflected onto the near post and found the back of the net.

Barlow was full of praise for the former Lewisham Borough midfielder.

He said: “Brownie has been superb since he’s come in. He’s a great asset for the club. He’s played in spells in the Kent Premier League and I believe he will go on and play higher. He’s a great player and he’s been brilliant for us so far.”

Phoenix wasted a decent chance to level just before the change-around when substitute Aaron Jeffrey released Akala but all he could do was drag his angled right-footed drive wide of the far post.

Phoenix missed yet another chance halfway through the second period when McCarthy looped a long throw into the box and the ball fell to Killick, who swept his shot across Watkins and past the far post.

Rochester United became the first winners of the Kent Invicta League Challenge Shield when substitute Uden settled matters in the 119th minute.

Another poor clearance from visiting keeper Kelly went straight at Uden, who danced past two defenders before the ball set up nicely for him to hook a right-footed shot past the sloppy keeper.

O’Boyle defended Kelly, saying, “He’s a young kid.  He’s 18 years old. Adam Woodward’s away today at a wedding and to be honest with you I didn’t think he had a bad game. I just think he needs to work on his kicking a little bit because his kicking maybe let him down a little bit. I think he had a decent game.”

Barlow urges Uden to remain patient this season.

He said: “He’s probably feeling he’s maybe a starter, but he’s got something about him that he’s an impact player. He comes off the bench and gives everything to the team.  That’s what the squad’s all about. We just need players’ who are in it for the whole haul and stick with it and takes his chance. He’s a workhorse as well. He’s come off the bench with only 20 minutes to go and he’s turned it around for us!”

What followed was simply pub football.

Whyte, who was hauled off after an hour, took his number 9 shirt off,  sprinted from the home club’s dug-out to join in with the celebrations with his team-mates and deservedly collected a yellow card once he returned to his seat.

But the ugly scenes were sparked off following Phillimore’s challenge on Uden, in between the two dug-outs on the touch-line.

There was a coming together of players and Wyatt came out of his technical area to show his disgust – and the Phoenix management team followed suit and the four match officials had to calm the heated exchanges down.

Beckingham was asked to leave the dug-out by the match referee for allegedly offering Wyatt a chance to take things further – and he could face punishment from the Kent FA for misconduct.

Both managers were asked their thoughts on the incident.

Barlow said: “I just think it’s a bad tackle. The Phoenix guy knows he’s put a bad tackle in.  The captain (Phillimore) came in late and done Anthony (Uden) a little bit late.

“Our coach (Wyatt) has got a little bit irate and came off the bench and then it’s all spilt over from there really.

“It was handbags really. There’s nothing to be too worried about really. We’re just passionate about the game that’s all.”

O’Boyle said: “I ask you what you thought of it?  You can’t have management and assistant managers running on the pitch provoking a brawl and to be fair I thought that was really amateur!  If they done that in the Kent League – you can’t do that in the Kent League!  You’ve got to conduct yourselves right and to be honest with you, nothing was going on.

“Yes, it was a foul, but you can’t have an assistant manager and a manager running onto the pitch for what I call probably handbags and that’s what started it all off.”

Rochester United: Luke Watkins, Martin Difede, Matthew McHugh, Adrian Griffiths, Ashley Cooper, Ryan Robinson, Anthony John, Michael Brown, Richard Whyte (Scott Beale 60), Tim Beckford (Anthony Uden 99), Shane Uings (Ryan Thomas 71).
Subs: Chris Hackett, Paul Porter

Goals: Ashley Cooper 49, Michael Brown 98, Anthony Uden 119

Booked: Richard Whyte 120

Phoenix Sports: Jack Kelly, Marc Merridan, Richard Hamill, Sam O’Keefe (Bradley Killick 78), Charlie McCarthy, James Brown, Ben Yiadom, Chris Edwards, Gary Phillimore, Dan Parish (Raphael Akala 63), Joel Hughes (Aaron Jeffrey 102).

Goal:  Ben Yiadom 6 (pen)

Booked: Aaron Jeffrey 120

Sent Off: Tony Beckingham 120 (joint-manager)

Attendance: 57
Referee: Mr Lee Culpeck (Northfleet)
Assistants: Mr Damon Colvin (Bromley) & Mr Trevor Wingate (Swanley)
Fourth Official: Mr Paul Cruttenden (Maidstone)