It was a game that had everything when VCD Athletic and Phoenix Sports met in a BetVictor Isthmian South East Division local derby
Charlie MacDonald scored the only goal of a first half in which the Vickers were dominant but two goals in three minutes by Danny Young and Jack Hopkins turned the game on its head.
Henry Douglas then conceded a penalty and was shown a second yellow card but Steve Phillips saved McDonald’s penalty. Another penalty was won and converted by McDonald before Lee Bird scored the winner with twelve minutes remaining.
Both teams had chances from corners early on. Hopkins volleyed wide from an Ashley Probets delivery then Jack Steventon hit the post with an instinctive volley from Kelvin Ogboe’s low corner at the other end.
MacDonald opened the scoring in just the sixth minute with a close range finish. Alastair Gordon found Alex Gaggin and his drive across goal was finished by MacDonald.
Gaggin and MacDonald continued to cause problems as VCD looked to increase their lead but Phoenix had their moments and Matt Funnell had to be out quickly as Jeff Duah-Kessie looked to be in.
Once again, Gaggin got in behind and went round Phillips but the angle was too tight for him to finish.
Just before half time MacDonald shot wide after good work by Ayman El-Mogharbel and Kelvin Ogboe.
Ten minutes into the second half, Phoenix levelled when James Dyer delivered a free kick and Young rose to power his header home. Two minutes later, another dead ball situation resulted in the Sports going ahead. George Whitelock delivered a corner that was flicked on and Hopkins arrived at the far post to head home.
Bird was cautioned but it appeared to be a case of mistaken identity as it was Whitelock who attempted to halt a VCD break.
Phillips then came to the Sports’ rescue. Douglas brought down Ogboe in the area and a penalty was awarded with the full back being shown a second yellow card and a long walk back to the changing rooms. MacDonald stepped up but Phillips guessed correctly and made the save.
El-Mogharbel again came close to equalising but Phillips dived full length to turn his deflected shot round the post. Dominic Odusanya then hit a fierce drive that came back off his own man before the Vickers won another penalty.
Courtney Barrington appeared to be running away from goal but Young bundled him over and this time MacDonald made no mistake from the spot, sending Phillips the wrong way.
However, within a minute, ten man Phoenix restored their lead. Duah-Kessie found Bird and he fired home from twenty yards.
Barrington twice came close to to levelling, first flicking a Gordon shot towards the corner but Phillips saved then the Sports’ goalkeeper beat out his powerful drive at the near post.
In the final minute of the five added on, MacDonald thought he had levelled and completed his hat-trick but his joy turned to dismay when the referee disallowed his close range strike for an earlier infringement.
As a result, Phoenix have leapt above VCD into eighth place in the league table with the Vickers dropping to tenth.
VCD Athletic: Funnell, Simms, Brown, Odusanya, Steventon, Bartley (Ikeije 80), Gaggin (Sterling-Parker 80), Gordon, Ogboe (Barrington 69), MacDonald, El-Mogharbel.
Sub not used: Monger, McKenzie.
Goalscorers: MacDonald (6) (77 pen)
Yellow cards: Brown, Simms
Phoenix Sports: Phillips, Douglas, Clark, Hopkins, Young, Probets, Whitelock, Bird, Duah-Kessie (Chin 86), Dyer (Busby 56), Aileru (Barry 65).
Subs not used: Kennedy, Dythe.
Goalscorers: Young, Hopkins, Bird (78)
Yellow cards: Douglas, Bird
Red cards: Douglas
Referee: Simon Finnigan
Assistants: Dan Blades and Piotr Zachwieja
Attendance: 228