Phoenix Sports claimed the Kent Veterans Cup with a 3-0 victory over Chartham Sports in the final at The Belmont on Wednesday night.

It was a largely uneventful first half with neither side really taking control of the game and it was punctuated with both linesmen having to flag for offside.

The first real chance came in the fifth minute when Jason Powell was felled right on the edge of the Chartham area and despite the protestations from the Phoenix front man, referee Gary Bourne awarded only a free kick.

Up stepped John Farley and curled a left foot shot around the wall, but it was deflected behind for a corner that came to nothing.

Ten minutes later and Phoenix carved a hole in the Chartham defence with Barry Sweeting dinking the ball goalwards, but Andy Keir was in the right place to head clear.

After countless offsides and both midfield probing, it took until the 28th minute before the next clear cut chance came with Powell heading goalwards, but once again he was flagged for straying beyond the last defender.

Six minutes before the break Chartham had their one and only chance of the half with Gary Peacock getting goalside of the Phoenix back four, but his tame shot was straight at keeper Matt Leeds.

The second half started much like the first with neither side prepared to commit to many men forward, but it was Phoenix that took the initiative and they were rewarded for their efforts on 56 minutes.

Scott Saunders was to swing in a corner from the left and Lewis Watts was on hand to head home.

Four minutes later and it should have been 2-0 when Saunders whipped another cross into the box, but Jason Powell headed the ball down into the ground and just wide of the target.

Chartham weren’t to have much luck go their way on the night and one of their rare breaks beyond the Phoenix defence saw Duncan Adams burst into the box, but his tame effort went straight at Phoenix keeper Matt Leeds.

At the other end Saunders was denied as his shot from the edge of the box deflected off the head of Chartham’s Andy McNally and away for a corner with the keeper rooted.

With the rain now beginning to sheet down and the pitch becoming a lot slicker to play on, the game began to open up and that suited Phoenix more as they looked to stretch the game.

Rolling substitutions began to disrupt the game, but it didn’t deter Chartham who pushed for an equaliser; first Trevor Richardson blazed over the bar and then Neil Hopkins clipped one into the stand beyond the goal.

Phoenix were to double their lead in the 76th minute when Frank Windsor took the ball down midway into the Chartham half and let off a shot that squirmed under the dive of John Murphy and into the bottom corner.

An audacious attempt from Neil Hopkins to get his side back into the game came to nothing in the 84th minute as the Chartham man tried his luck from the halfway line, but it didn’t have the legs to get beyond Matt Leeds.

The game was finally settled in the first minute of stoppage time with Tony Brady dancing his way into the box, sitting John Murphy down before rounding the keeper and tapping home.

It was the least the Phoenix side deserved as they went through the gears supported by the experienced Jermaine Wright, with the former Ipswich Town and Southampton midfielder pulling the strings.

Speaking after the game, Phoenix manager Darren Clarke was pleased with how his team had shown their class in the second half:

“We’re very pleased and I think the best team did win. Tactically we put on people with fresher legs in the second half and although they defended for their lives, we took the game to them and got our goals.”

“Jeramine sits there in the midfield and does a great job for us, but I have to pick up his £20,000 a week wage bill!”

“This is only the start, we are in the League Cup final and we’re top of the league so fingers crossed we can keep it going.”

For Chartham manager Tom Marsh the game was a learning curve and he vowed that his team would aim to go one step further next season:

“I’m very proud as the target was to go in at half time giving ourselves a chance. I was disappointed with their first goal as we didn’t defend that particularly well.”

“They were the better team on the night, they deserved it. I think the scoreline flattered them, but all the best to them.”

“Jermaine Wright stood out as his two touch football was exceptional and he pings the ball around, but we did well. Last season we made the semi-finals and next year we hope to go one better and win it.”

 

Chartham Sports starting line up: John Murphy, Jim Mustafa, Keith Roberts, Barry West, Rik Tyler, Andy Keir, Neil Hopkins, Ade Bagshaw, Duncan Adams, Gary Peacock, Paul Graveson.

Subs: Simon Thundow, Andy McNally, Ian Wallis, Trevor Richardson, Guy Carroll.

Phoenix Sports starting line up: Matt Leeds, Lewis Watts, Matt Finch, Scott Saunders, Jason Powell, Paul Mann, John Farley, Barry Sweeting, Marc Cook, Warren Ciolek, Jermaine Wright.

Subs: Tony Brady, Frank Windsor, Andy Tibble, Danny Neald, Mark Payne.

Referee: Mr Gary Bourne

Assistants: Mr Tony Sanders & Mr Steven Martin

4th Official: Mr Steve Tunnicliffe

Picture supplied by http://www.psp-images.co.uk/