On a chilly morning down at Swingate Lane, Phoenix Lions were in League Cup First Round action against Welling Utd Red from D division. Jai Carter and regular keeper Josh Anderson were absent this week.
Kick Off
Phoenix started kicking down the hill and immediately looked the better team. It took all of 5 minutes for them to take the lead. The Welling keeper delivered a poor goal kick which Henry Powell latched onto before dispatching a neat shot into the bottom corner. 1-0.
Shortly after, it was two as Archie Roast with some neat footwork got down the left hand side before crossing in for George Dennington to finish.
In a frantic opening 10 minute spell, Welling couldn't clear their lines and hadn't had a single touch in the Phoenix half. Already it was evident that it was to be a long afternoon for them. Tom Wray who was in goal for the absent Josh Anderson didn't have a single touch of the ball and had even resorted to going up for corners to try and get involved.
The gulf in class between the two sides was obvious and Welling showed why they were in the bottom league.
A third for Phoenix came courtesy of an own goal where a shot bounced off the post, onto the defender and past the keeper. 3-0 after just 10 minutes.
Despite being 3-0 down, Welling tried to disrupt the game by getting a toe in, shirt pulling and complaining to the referee. George Dennington was pulled back twice before retaliating with a solid tackle which the Welling parents took offence to and the parents and manager both complained to the referee.
This seemed to initially disrupt Phoenix who were unable to add to their tally before the break.
Half Time - Welling Utd Red 0 Phoenix Lions 3
During the half time break, the parents and manager of Welling complained to the referee about something and he went over to speak to the entire Phoenix team. In all honesty, they had not made a single bad tackle the whole game and the speech was entirely uneccessary.
It only served to fire up Phoenix who immediately went for the jugular.
George Dennington, who had been the victim of the accusation, got his second of the game and made it 4 after good work from Henry Powell. His celebration showed his frustration and was clearly aimed at the Welling parents.
Henry then got his second of the game, Phoenix 5th, after excellent build up play from Tom Wray - now out on pitch with Charlie Hanmore taking over between the sticks.
Tom himself then got in on the act and made it 6-0 after Archie Roast created space for himself only to fall over allowing Tom to finish.
Still pushing for more, a 7th came for Phoenix and it was George Dennington - who else - who got it with a fine long range effort which took a deflection on the way past the Welling keeper.
Not content to sit back, James Ash then grabbed the 8th and final goal after neat footwork and a low finish slipped under the Welling keeper.
Final Score - Welling Utd Red 0 Phoenix Lions 8
A good workout for Phoenix but not much will have been learned and once it was clear the oppoisition would not pose much threat, played often as individuals rather than a team - at one point arguing amongst themselves!
Phoenix ended up with most of the their players out of position so as to give them some experience to some of the team - Oscar Hart excellent at the back along with Jack Whitman. Henry Powell was also supposed to be defending and did....on occasions. Charlie Hanmore in goal had one single touch of the ball the whole second half and at one stage leaned back against the post as if posing for a catalogue.
Next round (2nd) to be played 1st December sees another match against South Darenth who were the first team Phoenix played this season in the new 9-a-side format and who inflicted a narrow 1-2 defeat on them after Phoenix tired in the second half. It will be another tough game with South Darenth going well in the same league as Phoenix.
In the meantime, it's back to Division B East action next week.
Come on you Lions!
