Whitehawk 1-2 Phoenix Sports

Saturday 21st September

Whitehawk 1-2 Phoenix Sports

Whitehawk were defeated for the first time at The TerraPura Ground in the Isthmian League South East as Phoenix Sports deservedly took all three points back to Bexleyheath.

The start of the game was uneventful, with the vast majority of the game being played in the centre third of the pitch with neither side being able to muster up a solid chance on goal. The first chance for the Hawks came after 25 minutes with David Martin crossing in towards Duane Ofori-Acheampong, though a Phoenix defender was on hand to clear the ball at the last moment, though the clearance only fell as far as John-Paul Kissock, though his long range strike went over the bar. With time expiring on the half, it was Kissock who stepped up, scoring after brilliantly beating the Sports defender inside the box.

The Hawks couldn’t have started the second half any worse, with the visitors equalising through the dangerous Jeff Duah-Kessie 90 seconds into the half after turning his man on the edge of the box. This turned the game in the favour of the visitors as shortly after a defensive mix-up allowed Kenny Aileru to run through on goal, but James Broadbent stormed off his line and did well to block the attempt. The chances kept coming as from a Phoenix corner, Connor McGrady smashed the crossbar, allowing the Hawks to survive again. They survived until the 75th minute, but Ben Allen stepped up and beautifully hit a free-kick past a helpless James Broadbent for a 2-1 lead. The visitors could have sealed the win on the 90 minute as Chin broke through the Whitehawk defence, unleashing a shot which beat Broadbent and looked as if it was going in, but it ended up striking the post and bouncing clear, but it didn’t matter as the visitors were able to see out their comeback to hand the Hawks their second defeat inside a week.

Whitehawk website Match Report

Hawks – Broadbent, Robinson, Banya, Emberson, Lopata, Hamilton, Rodrigues ©, Kissock, Ofori-Acheampong, Deda (Walsh 59’), Martin – Subs Not Used: Jubrill, Unwin, Torres, Muggeridge

Sports – Phillips, Andrews, Clark, Hopkins ©, McGrady, Barry, Bird (Bryon 59’), Whitelock, Duah-Kessie (Chin 80’), Allen, Aileru (Dythe 85’) – Subs Not Used: Andrews, Solan

Goals – Kissock 41’ (Whitehawk); Duah-Kessie 47’, Allen 75’ (Phoenix Sports)

Yellow Cards – Rodrigues (Whitehawk); Allen, Clark, Hopkins (Phoenix Sports)

Attendance – 216