The stage was set for a dramatic afternoon of football at Oakwood on Saturday with a play off game to decide promotion and relegation between local rivals, who play only a few hundred yards away from each other.

VCD finding themselves trying to avoid relegation from the Isthmian League Division One South East while Phoenix Sports were looking to replace them after finishing second in the SCEFL Premier Division and it would be decided in the most dramatic fashion with an injury time penalty winning the match. 

On a bright sunny afternoon, on a perfect playing surface, with over 800 people in attendance it was the home side who started the match on top with a series of early corners, but although Vickers were having more of the ball it was Phoenix who had the first shot on goal when Ryan Hayes curled a free kick just wide.

Vickers continued to have more possession, but they were unable to get through a very solid Phoenix defence and it was the visitors who had another chance when Hayes had a free kick saved by Jordan Gillmore after a foul on the lively Tashi-Jay Kwayie and then Kwaiye headed over soon after.

VCD pressed again from there, but they just couldn’t find the final ball to unlock the Sports back line, the closest chance coming when Chris Edwards had a shot deflected wide. 

The second half began with Phoenix looking to seize the initiative, Ryan Sawyer having a header from a free kick saved.

With the game wide open, Darnelle Bailey-King fired wide after a good run for the home side, while at the other end Francis Babalola set up Kwayie who shot wide from just inside the area.

Phoenix looked the more likely to score when a Hayes corner saw Lee Bird have a header saved by Gillmore.

Vickers had a strong shout for a penalty turned down by Referee Harrison Blair when Karl Dent went down under pressure in the area, but it was the visitors who pressed again from there.

Hayes crossed for Sawyer who hit the bar with a powerful header and sub Andrew Pugh turned the ball wide at the far post from a deep cross from the right.

Late on Kwaiye had a goal ruled out for offside, before Vickers were reduced to ten men when Jonah Tolulope was shown a second yellow card for a foul in midfield.

In the seven minutes of injury time Phoenix pressed the ten men again, who were trying to hold on for a penalty shoot out, but in the 96th minute Pugh was brought down in the area by Folarin Awoleke and Referee Blair pointed to the spot.

Hayes stepped up and buried the penalty low into the bottom left hand corner to make it 1-0 to Sports and secure promotion for the SCEFL runners up, relegating VCD in turn. 

The final whistle came seconds later with Steve O’Boyle’s Phoenix side celebrating their return to Step 4 after only one season away.                    

VCD: Gilmore, Edwards, Ross, Gillies, Tolulope, Watson, Bailey King (Tanner 67), Dent, Williams, Aziaya, Banjoko (Awoleke 90).

Subs Not Used: Barnes, Dainkeh, Phillips.    

Phoenix: Walker, Douglas, Clark, Bourne, Sawyer, Dalton, Hayes, Bird, Babalola, Kwaiye, Evans.

Subs: Cousins, Northwood, Pont, Pugh, King. 

HT 0- FT 0-1 

Goal: Hayes 96mins Pen. 

Att: 820

Referee: Harrison Blair