In a break from Isthmian League South action for Phoenix Sports, they entertain Great Wakering Rovers on Tuesday night in the Velocity Trophy.

It has been a tough start to the season for Phoenix and they are currently situated at the foot of the table with four points from their first thirteen games. As a result there has been a change of manager recently with Paul Bryon departing and Steve O’Boyle returning to the hot seat. 

They started the season reasonably well with just one defeat in their first seven league and cup games. However, since then they have lost twelve games on the spin, failing to score in six of them.

Isthmian League North, Great Wakering, have also changed their manager following a difficult start with Glenn Robson coming in from Basildon to replace outgoing Stephen Butterworth. Robson’s appointment has had a positive effect with two wins, over Grays Athletic and Romford, in his first three league games.

The last meeting between the two clubs at The Mayplace Ground was back in April 2017 when they were both in the same league. Phoenix won three-two with Theo Fairweather-Johnson bagging a hat-.trick. Billy Johnson scored a brace for the Essex club but his second goal was too late to affect the outcome.

The win completed the double for the Sports who had won two-one away in the previous September. The same two players were on the score-sheet with Fairweather-Johnson putting the visitors ahead before Johnson equalised. Phoenix claimed the points courtesy of an own goal with fifteen minutes remaining.

Survival in their respective leagues is the priority for both teams and O’Boyle and Robson might look at this game to give some fringe players a chance to stake a claim for a league place. However, both teams will want to win to use it as a springboard.

Picture supplied by Ken Medwyn.