Erith and Belvedere          2          Page 79, Desanges pen 83

Phoenix Sports Res          3          Afflick 34, 116, Olafsen 89

London Senior Trophy Final, 11 April 2018 (at Haringey Borough)

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, the most recent game in the top 100, the epic final last season where we had to go all the way to Haringey and two current Deres were on the winning side.

 

In our first season at the lowest level we’ve ever played, Deres had lost too much ground in the first half of the season to challenge for the title, but had a fine run-in thanks to the prolific Arlie Desanges and the form of 18-year-old Tommy Taylor in goal, and reached the London Senior Trophy final with wins over South Kilburn (4-1); FC Elmstead (2-0) and Tooting Bec (7-1).  Our opponents Phoenix Sports Reserves had beaten Canning Town (2-1); Hackney Wick Reserves (5-4 on penalties after the game finished all square at 2-2); Lewisham Borough (3-0) and Forest Hill Park (3-1) to reach the Final.
 

There was a degree of controversy in the choice of venue.  With the grounds of the two teams separated by three miles in South East London, the trip to Haringey Borough's ground situated on White Hart Lane, Tottenham, was at the very least questionable.  But those who made the trip were richly rewarded.

 

Both teams started the game brightly and the first goal scoring opportunity, after six minutes, fell to the Deres' striker Arlie Desanges who headed over the bar when a cross found him unmarked on the far post following a cross from the right wing.  The Deres had the best of the first half hour's play but it was Phoenix who opened the scoring after 34 minutes when Deres' full back Chris Mirrlees lost possession on the edge of the penalty area and Phoenix played the ball across the Deres' goal finding man of the match Lewis Afflick who stroked the ball home from a yard out.

 

Two minutes later Desanges, set up by a pass from Nad Nwitua, was thwarted by a fine save by Phoenix keeper James Boughtflower which allowed his team to take their lead into the half time break.

 

Taylor excelled as he denied Phoenix Sports doubling their lead inside the opening seven minutes of the second half.  George Jones, who was often given freedom to control the middle of the park, hooked the ball straight down the middle to release Ramell Lake through on goal and his left-footed chip was held by Taylor as he flew to his left to make the save.

 

By three quarter time four of the game’s five substitutions had taken place with the Deres completing all three of their changes. The fresh legs on the Deres' side led to their increasing pressure of the Phoenix goal and in the 79th minute skipper Chris Page, following a corner, fired home through a crowded penalty area from 15 yards to equalise.

 

Four minutes later the Deres took the lead after Phoenix' Andrew Jones pulled down Desanges on the left edge of the penalty area and the Deres' striker struck the resultant spot kick down the centre of the goal while Boughtflower dived to his right. 

 

With two minutes of the 90 remaining Deres' custodian Tommy Taylor saved from Ramell Lake but Phoenix were only to be denied for one minute as a cross from the left wing travelled all the way across the penalty area to find substitute Frederick Olafsen who was unmarked at the far post and his header found the back of the net to equalise.

 

One minute into stoppage time a Desanges shot hit the post and rebounded across the goal.  A minute later Phoenix made their second and last substitution of the evening.  As the allotted five minutes of additional time were coming to an end Taylor made an outstanding save as Phoenix' Kahinde Aileru bore down on his goal.

 

The closing stages of the 90 minutes had been a classic spell of football, literally end to end stuff and either side could easily have bagged the decisive goal.  Perhaps predictably, once there were 30 extra minutes to play with, the intensity dropped off somewhat.  The first half of extra time produced no chances for either side to take the lead. Phoenix had the first clear cut opportunity of extra time but Afflick headed over from six yards out six minutes into the second period

 

With four minutes remaining and penalties looming came the move that settled the match.  Under pressure when collecting a cross, Taylor lost the ball resulting in a scramble which produced a corner to Phoenix on the right. The corner was struck long and was played back to the right edge of the six-yard area where an unmarked Afflick made no mistake with his header to score the winner.

 

Erith & Belvedere: Tommy Taylor, Chris Page, Chris Mirrlees (Jonathan Murray 67), George Bryan, Darren Wheeler, Jason Mensah, Max Williams, Jamie Miller (Tahjae Anderson 56), Arlie Desanges, Nad Nwitua, Dominic Odusanya (Yacine Gnahore 67).

Phoenix Sports Reserves: James Boughtflower, David Adekoya (William Reavill 90), Callum Flynn, George Jones, Sam Fitzgerald, Andrew Jones, Kehinde Aileru, Joe Smith (Frederick Olafsen 69), Lewis Afflick, Ramell Lake, Richard Sesay.
 

 

Phoenix had just edged the exchanges but the Deres could be proud of their part in an entertaining final.  Deres went on to win four of their last five league games to snatch fourth place, ending up as the highest placed team not to go up as Fisher benefitted from an unexpected promotion. Arlie Desanges, who only made his debut on 26 November, ended with 21 goals from 19 starts and six sub appearances.  And as for George Jones and Ramell Lake, I wonder what happened to them?

 

There had to be a cut-off point in compiling this list, and it’s here: the final of the same competition the following season saw that memorable 4-1 extra-time victory v Bridon Ropes, which would rate higher up the list than this game!