Soul Tower Hamlets booked their place in the SCEFL Division One Play Off Final with an impressive 5-0 win over Sheppey Sports at Corinthian FC on Wednesday night with a devastating flurry of goals either side of half time, including a hatrick from Sherman Artmeladze. 

After a lively start to the semi final with half chances at either end it was Tower Hamlets who started to have the better of things. After a sustained spell of pressure and a series of corners the break through came on 23 minutes when Rian Patel’s in swinging corner was touched home by Nick Bell in off the near post.

The second goal came soon after when Dillon Woods hit an unstoppable volley from 25 yards that flew into the far corner of the net for 2-0 and despite not adding to the first half score Hamlets cotinued to dominate right up to the break. 

The second half saw a devastating spell from the East Londoners going 3-0 up on 48 minutes when Phillip Brown won the ball on the halfway line and ran to the edge of the box before squaring it to Artmeladze who emphatically smashed it home past Archie Simmons in the Sports goal.

With Tower Hamlets now pressing again Rian Patel set up Kieran James who saw his shot blocked on the line by Alfie Bates, but they did go 4-0 up when Artmeladze powerfully drove the ball home from just inside the area on 52 minutes.

James then set up Artmeladze who had an effort blocked on the line by Corey Spencer, but just after the hour he did get his third goal when James played him in again and he drilled the ball home for 5-0.

From there Sheppey did come back into things. Joe Skinner had a shot saved and Sidi Bakhai Haidara also denied David Latunde at his near post.

Having more of the ball Sports pressed for a goal, but they were kept out by a solid Hamlets defence, Fred Obasa seeing the final shot of the game deflecting wide into the side netting on a tough evening for The Islanders. 

Soul Tower Hamlets now meet Forest Hill Park (SE Dons) in the final on Saturday for a place in the SCEFL Premier Division next season. 

Tower Hamlets: Bakhai Haidara, Bell, Woods, Kelly, Hill (Cole 62), Brown, Artemeladze (Miah 68), Maxwell (Larrington 67), James, Patel (Carvel 62), Siddik.

Sub Not Used: Zeddini.  

Sheppey Sports: Simmons, Ruler, Bates, Dance, Spencer, Hammond, Tingley (Obasa 45), Wakefield, Aiyebola 9Cook-Bartholemew 53), Latunde, Skinner.

Subs not Used: Rollings, Kabamba, Hector-Ingram.    

Goals: Nick Bell (23′), Dillon Woods (27′), Sherman Artmeladze (47′, 52, 63mins) 

HT 2-0 FT 5-0