Deal Town 1-1 Phoenix Sports - Before the game a point at Deal isn't the end of the world - but I won't give the league title up until it's mathematically impossible, insists Phoenix Sports boss Steve O'Boyle

Deal Town 1 – 1 Phoenix Sports
Location	The Charles Sports Ground, St Leonards Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9AU
Kickoff	25/03/2023 15:00

DEAL TOWN  1-1  PHOENIX SPORTS
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 25 March 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from Charles Sports Ground

PHOENIX SPORTS manager Steve O’Boyle insists he will never give the league title up until it’s mathematically impossible after coming away from fellow promotion hopefuls Deal Town with a deserved point.

Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division leaders Erith & Belvedere came away from bottom-three side Welling Town with a 3-1 win, while Erith Town defeated Bearsted 2-1 at home.

Tony Beckingham’s then Andy Constable’s now Matt Longhurst’s men now have 71 points on the board with seven games remaining, while Phoenix Sports remain in second-place on 65 points.  Deal Town remain in third-place on 62 points (but have six games left), while Erith Town remain in fourth-place also on 62 points.  Whitstable Town are next but are 10 points adrift of the promotion chasing quartet.

Phoenix Sports bossed the entire first-half and were rewarded halfway through it when winger Alfie Evans hooked in a volley from a set-piece to score his eighth goal of the season.

Gamesmanship from visiting goalkeeper Andy Walker, 41, ensured Deal Town failed to grab an equaliser just before half-time when the goalkeeper dived to save Aaron Millbank’s penalty.

The 55^th minute introduction of Riley Alford changed the game in the home side’s favour and they deservedly equalised when the former Hythe Town striker scored a sublime curler from a tight angle to score his 14^th goal of the campaign to restore parity and neither side could fine that elusive winner, watched by 758 fans inside the Charles Sports Ground on a windy day on the Kent coast.

Phoenix Sports lost their left-back Tom Hanfrey deep into injury-time when he picked up two yellow cards from referee Harry Phillips, for two fouls on Deal Town’s right-winger Tom Chapman.

“Brilliant first-half, not so good second-half,” said O’Boyle, whose side extended their unbeaten run to 13 games in all competitions, last suffering a defeat when they lost 2-0 at home to Rusthall on 28 January.

“We did realise at half-time that they were going to chuck everything at us.  I thought that would be from minute one and I thought we completely dominated the first half. We had some real good chances early on.

“We had the wind second half but we didn’t use it to our advantage so I would say a draw was probably a fair result.

“Am I disappointed? Not really.  Could we have won it? Yes! Could we have lost it? Yes!  Four points this week against Erith Town and Deal, would I have taken that? Yes! Does that hurt us that draw? I don’t think so.

“We’ve got seven games to go. Deal have got to play Erith Town and Erith & Belvedere. We don’t have to play any of them. I’m not saying we’ve got an easier run-in.  We’ve got some big games to play. It was a fair result.”

Deal Town manager Steve King saw his side extend their unbeaten run to 14 games, since losing 1-0 at Corsham Town in The FA Vase back on 28 January.

“Mixed emotions from our point of view.  I thought it was a game of two halves.  I thought they were the better side in the first half and I thought we were outstanding second half.  We couldn’t find a way through.

“It was two pretty evenly matched sides.  I think you can see why we are both up there. The conditions were difficult with the wind and the pitch was bobbly.

“I think it was a decent game for a neutral because it was pretty entertaining.

“Look, I said to the boys in the (dressing room), any other point in the season it’s a good point and you look at it and think two evenly-matched sides.  We’re obviously disappointed with the position we’re in. We had to try to win the game today. It’s not all over for us but we’re going to need a little bit of luck now.”

O’Boyle kept faith with the same starting 11 that sealed a big 2-1 home win over Adam Woodward’s Erith Town on Wednesday night and they came out with all guns blazing and should have taken the lead after only 180 seconds.

Right-back Henry Douglas played a long ball out of defence and a mistake from Deal Town centre-half Kane Smith let in striker Andy Pugh, who stabbed his shot towards goal, only for alert goalkeeper Henry Newcombe to rush off his line to make a vital block, tipping the ball behind for a corner.

“Pughie in front of goal is very good and I was expecting to see the net bulge if I’m being honest,” added O’Boyle, who was asked about the 34-year-old’s withdrawal at the break.

“No, it was not tactical, not at all. I think he’s got a knock on the foot. He’s not a bad substitution to bring on is Francis Babalola.”

King added: “I think that might’ve unsettled us a little bit, making a mistake early on. Henry did very well. That was a little bit of a let-off early and we just never got going first half.”

Ryan Hayes cut the ball onto his magical left-foot and whipped in a cross towards the near post where Evans’ free-header from 12-yards was comfortably gathered by the former Chatham Town goalkeeper.

“He had more time than he thought.  Maybe if he’s told he’s got time, he could’ve brought it down and slot it home,” added O’Boyle.

Dominant Phoenix Sports squandered a glorious chance to take a deserved lead after 12 minutes, after some poor defending from Kane Smith opened the gate.

Alex Green rolled the ball to his fellow centre-half Smith, who controlled the ball on a bobbly surface inside his own defensive third but a poor pass was intercepted by Phoenix Sports striker Tashi-Jay Kwayie.

He shifted the ball past Green and got in behind but his right-footed shot across Newcombe was poor and was dragged past the far post.

“I thought Tashi’s one-v-one there. I think once he gets to the side of the defender, I think he’s got to hit the target there,” added the frustrated Phoenix boss.

King added: “We had a way of playing. We’ve done a lot of work on Phoenix. We knew how we could get at them. We know they’ve got big threats as well and first half we didn’t implement it and second half we did.

“We probably controlled the game as much in the second half as what they did in the first half when we got it right – but first half we didn’t get it right.”

Deal Town were lacking composure in key battle ground areas and it was Phoenix Sports who stunned the large crowd by taking a deserved lead with 21 minutes and 54 seconds on the clock.

Hanfrey looped the first of four long throws into the Deal Town box, the ball was cleared out to Evans, who was lurking on the edge of the box and he hooked a left-footed volley through a crowd of players and past the diving keeper to find the bottom far corner from 20-yards.

“Two good goals this week for Alfie, he scored a very good goal against Erith Town on Wednesday night – another good goal today, a good strike,” added O’Boyle.

“We knew it was a big game, they knew it was a big game and I think we coped with it better than they did in the first half.

“You’ve got to give our boys credit. We’re a good side, got some good players, got some experienced players and coming here and playing in front of 758 supporters I don’t think it really fazes us.  I think the players rise to that occasion in big games.”

King admitted Deal Town came out second best during the first half.

He said: “I thought they (Phoenix) were good. I thought we were not good first half.

“We didn’t play very well but I don’t think it’s for those reasons.  We’ve only lost twice at home (in the league) so I don’t think it was the crowd. I don’t think it was the importance of the game.  We’ve played lots of big Vase games and I just don’t think we played very well in the first half.

“We made a couple of mistakes early and it was a bit bobbly and difficult and we got caught in two minds and you’ve also got to respect the opponents. I thought Phoenix played well first half. They’re obviously on a great run, like we’ve been and I think it’s the combination of both.   We weren’t pleased with our first half performance.”

Deal Town took 29 minutes to create their first opening, following a set-piece.

Right-back Joe Reeves throw the ball towards Millbank, who stabbed the ball on and Tom Chapman ran along the 18-yard line before twisting and turning and chopping the ball back onto his right-foot and curling his shot just around the top of the far post.

O’Boyle added: “That was probably their first shot. They didn’t cause us any problems going forward at all.”

Kane Smith was suffering a rare nightmare during the first half and was penalised for a foul on Pugh on the edge of the Deal Town box and Phoenix Sports squandered another chance to give themselves daylight.

Hayes’ left-footed free-kick from inches away from the 18-yard line came in low and Hanfrey was in space at the near post but lacked composure and allowed the ball to bounce off him and flash across the keeper and past the far post.

Deal Town were offered a lifeline from referee Harry Phillips, who pointed to the spot after Hanfrey was penalised for fouling Millbank at the far post after Reeves swung in the home side’s third of nine corners.  Phoenix Sports, meanwhile, won 11 corners.

Goalkeeper Walker swiftly dropped to the deck (37:02) and required treatment to his shoulder, despite being nowhere near the initial incident and there was a delay until 39:10 before Millbank’s right-footed penalty was destined to nestle inside the bottom left-hand corner, only for Walker to dive to his right to get a strong hand to the ball and push it around the post for a corner.

O’Boyle even admitted Walker was performing the dark arts of gamesmanship ahead of the key moment in the game.

“It was Tom Hanfrey. This is what the linesman said. It was our number 19.  I’m so far away, there’s so many bodies, I can’t really see it.

“I don’t like giving away silly penalties like that.  I actually think it’s a cop out by bringing people down.  I think you need to stand up, go one-v-one with someone in the box and win your battle.  I don’t like all the shirt pulling, I don’t like bringing people down.

“There was no injury (to Walker).  I’m quite happy to come out and say that. Walks used his experience there and it’s worked hasn’t it?”

King added: “It was a good save.  I didn’t think it was a bad penalty. It was in the corner.  Phoenix have brought in Andy Walker. He’s a good go-to goalkeeper if you want to get out of this league and for a guy whose in his 40’s he keeps producing. I thought it was a good save. If it goes in, it could be a different game but it didn’t so what can I say? He’s hit the target. It was a good save.”

Deal Town produced a well-worked move and went close to grabbing an equaliser 131 seconds into added on time.

Holding midfielder Billy Munday was inside his own half and he sprayed the ball out to Reeves, who was in space on the right inside the final third and he whipped in a cross towards the back post where left-back Jack Penny was left unmarked just inside the penalty area but his left-footed curler sailed around the top of the far post.

Phoenix Sports were full value for their lead at the interval.

King said:  “We just reiterated the standards that we want to get to. I was very unhappy with what we showed in the first half. It was not how we’ve been.  You’ve watched us quite a lot recently and it was a very unlike Deal performance.

“I just said to the players’, look, we’ve got into the position we’re in because we’ve done things right quite a lot of the time. We haven’t done it right for 45 minutes so let’s go and do it right for the next 45 minutes and see where it takes us and I’ve got to give the boys all of the credit in the world because second half we did that. It’s just hard to beat a very good side on a 45 minute performance.”

O’Boyle added: “I said, you’ve got a big 45 minutes now boys, don’t leave it in there.  They’re going to come out and throw everything, the kitchen sink at us and we need to step up to the plate.

“I was actually quite confident but with (Andy Pugh) going off, (Francis) Babalola up front with Tashi-Jay Kwayie, I thought we’ve got two boys up there who are pacey and powerful and have loads of mobility and I thought we would cause them a ridiculous amount of problems going forward in the second half – and that weren’t really the case.”

Phoenix Sports kicked off the second half and were to be denied a game clinching second goal - after only four seconds.

The gifted Hayes hit a left-footed shot from close to the centre-spot sailing towards the top right-hand corner, only for Newcombe to back-peddle and raise a strong right-hand to push the ball over his crossbar.

O’Boyle said: “It was a good start to the half and we should’ve started on the front foot from there so we never continued that, did we?”

King added: “He’s just unbelievable Hayes, isn’t he? Just got unbelievable quality. Everyone knows about his quality but he’s going to do two or three times in a game that you’ve just got to go ‘that was unreal’ and that was it.

“Luckily, Henry played with him at Chatham. I think he saw him running up and he got back pretty quickly and ended up being a good save because it was absolutely on the money.

“I can’t remember them having too many clear-cut chances after that in the second half. I can’t remember Henry making too many saves after that, once we dealt with that little two minute flurry.”

Just how Hayes, 37, - who has cut inside countless full-backs while playing for Thamesmead Town, Slade Green, Dartford, Concord Rangers, Chatham Town and now Phoenix Sports – never turned professional will be one of life’s mysteries.

Deal Town needed reviving, as they put in a very off-colour performance and King sent on Alford and the striker’s introduction changed the game for the home side. 

King revealed: “He’s been struggling with an injury, that’s why he didn’t start. He just had a knock which he picked up at Fisher so he wasn’t involved last weekend (2-2 draw at Glebe).

“He probably shouldn’t have played today but he’s that sort of character that he was desperate to be involved.  We got him through half-an-hour’s training in the week. Needs must really.  We needed to try to win the game and when he came on he did what Riley did. He worked, he harassed and got a brilliant goal. He’s an important player for us.”

Deal Town were their usual threat from set-pieces and Penny’s deliveries were on the money too.

Penny put the ball into a crowded penalty area with his left-foot from within the centre-circle and Kane Smith’s rising header from eight-yards was comfortably plucked out of the air by Walker at his near-post.

Deal Town had the momentum at this stage of the game and they claimed a deserved equaliser with 17 minutes and 48 seconds on the clock in sublime circumstances.

Ben Chapman played a lovely left-footed ball down the left channel to cut open Douglas to release Alford, who cut inside.

The otherwise outstanding Phoenix Sports centre-half Ryan Sawyer held his head in his hands in despair after allowing Alford to chop inside him and curl a sublime right-footed shot into the top far corner from a tight angle on the edge of the six-yard box.

“I thought it was a brilliant ball by Ben Chapman. It was a difficult pass on this pitch that he played first time on his weaker foot.  Riley, brilliant.  You’re looking at their centre-halves, Sawyer and Bourne, they’re Isthmian South centre-halves aren’t they, the amount of games that they’ve played at that level but the good thig for us when we’re coming up against those sort of sides, we’re matching them and I thought it was a brilliant goal from us and it got us back into the game.

“I thought we got on the ascendancy. We were in the ascendancy before we equalised and I thought we carried it on.”

O’Boyle rued his side’s defending, by adding, “We should’ve cleared the ball from our corner and we gave the ball away where sometimes we just have to put our foot through it and clear our lines.  If we clear our lines we don’t concede.  In the first half we never cleared our lines and I think the penalty came from that too.  Sometimes when we are naïve like that, just put your foot through it at times!”

Both sides then had a chance to snatch a massive three points within seconds of one another in the 70^th minute.

Hayes floated a free-kick into the box from close to the centre-circle inside the Deal half but Sawyer’s free looping header was comfortably caught by Newcombe, who launched a big kick up field to send Alford on his way before dragging his right-footed shot across Walker and past the far post.

“I told him (Sawyer), he was outstanding today. He won every header, solid at a rock and it was a fantastic performance by him,” said O’Boyle.

“It wasn’t really a chance was it? There was nothing there.

“Alford’s chance came from our corner. They can’t be breaking on us that quickly, as soon as the ball’s in the goalkeeper’s hands, we’ve got to react and make sure we get home.

“They were pushing hard for the winner at the end and I’ve got to give the boys credit and I thought we defended well and I’m happy with the point in the end.”

King added: “They tried to step up.  I think their right-back (Douglas) got left in so Riley’s onside and made a great run and it was a good strike and Walks in goal was scrambling across his goal but it didn’t sneak in that far post.”

Kwayie (who had a new second-half partner in 12-goal Francis Babalola after the 12-goal Pugh was withdrawn at half-time with a foot injury) had a half-chance inside the final five minutes but his angled drive took a deflection off Ben Chapman and the ball bounced comfortably into Newcombe’s gloves.

Hanfrey picked up his second yellow card with 49:53 on the clock after pulling back Tom Chapman down the right wing after sub Alfie Foster sprayed the ball from the middle of the pitch over to that side of the pitch.

O’Boyle revealed: “I’ve just told him, I’m not happy with it.  The first booking was down to the fact that he’s done a silly back heal, which I don’t like and then he’s given away a silly foul for a yellow card, which he never really needed to do.  If we just put it back into the box, it wouldn’t have happened.  We gave away silly fouls in the second half that accumulated bookings and pressure.

“We had to be exceptional today to come away with a win – we wasn’t.  Deal have got good players so it’s going to be tough for anyone to come here and get a win.”

King added: “I think it was a red. It was two yellows. I think he had to make a foul.  Tom Chapman was a threat all afternoon and he body checked him for his first yellow card, when we were on the counter.

“When you match two decent sides over 90 minutes, it’s not as easy. We had a go as much as we possibly could, without being reckless because if you go reckless against a side like that with Tashi and Babalola up front, you’re going to get beat.  We tried to have a real good go and it just didn’t drop for us.

“The big picture, I’m happy because we’ve gone and matched and played well against a real good side.  We lost 3-0 when we went there in October and we were second best that day and we’ve really come on over that five months.  We’ve developed loads so big picture I’m happy but I’m absolutely gutted because we had to try to win the game today. We would’ve gone level on points with them if we won the game.”

Despite the home fans continually banging on the advertising boards to make a racket to help their side force home a late winner, the outstanding pair of Sawyer and Matthew Bourne (formerly of Isthmian League South East pair Corinthian and Faversham Town respectively) ensured they kept the gate firmly shut and both sides had to settle for a point, which must have pleased Erith & Belvedere’s third manager of the season, Longhurst, whose side welcome 12^th-placed Stansfeld to Park View Road on Tuesday night.

O’Boyle takes his side to Bromley on Wednesday night to play bottom-four side Holmesdale.  Lee Roots’ side have picked up 30 points from as many games and are eight points clear of the relegation zone, which still contains K Sports (22 points from 32 games) and Canterbury City (21 points from 33 games).

“Do I think it’s over for second spot?  No I don’t! There’s plenty of games left. We’ve got some big games to play, so have they.  Erith & Belvedere and Erith Town have won today, which I expected both to win and before the game a point at Deal isn’t the end of the world.

“I expect us to go to Holmesdale and win and if we do win that, it puts us a little bit of daylight between us and hopefully we can get a good win, a decent performance and start looking forward to Saturday’s game (at home to Punjab United).

Deal Town, meanwhile, welcome ninth-placed side Tunbridge Wells here next Saturday.  Luke Carpenter’s side have picked up 45 points from their 31 outings.

King said: “Tough game. Luke’s done a good job there. Trevor McCreadie is a big danger but our home form has been very good. We’ve still only lost twice at home all season, 14 unbeaten in total. It’s a game we’ll be looking to win. We need to win. 

“We’ve got Tunbridge Wells then Fisher at home next Tuesday and we have to try to get six points an if we get six points and any of these boys drop points, the table might look different again.  All we can control is trying to win our games of football.”

Both manager’s expressed their thoughts on the four-horse promotion race.

The title winners are automatically promoted while the runners-up will have a winner-takes-all one-off away tie against a side that finished within the relegation play-offs in the level above.  That game will be played on 29 April.

When pressed whether Phoenix Sports can still win the league, O’Boyle insisted: “Of course, of course.  I will never give the league up. There’s a lot of football to be played. We’re 13 unbeaten. Erith & Belvedere have won at Welling Town today, which was expected.  They’ve got some big games to play, so have we.  There’s a lot of football to be played. I won’t give it up until it’s mathematically impossible and that’s just my mentality.”

King said: “We’re relying on Phoenix dropping points now. I Knew Erith Town won today so we’re relying on Erith Town dropping points so right now I’m absolutely gutted, really disappointed but I’m proud of the players and pleased with the players and I think anybody who came to watch the game today can’t say that second half we haven’t given it a real good go and shown that we deserve to be up in the top three or four teams in this division quite comfortably.

“We won’t settle for third or fourth. I don’t think the title was ever up for grabs for us.  I’ve said that all along, we’re too far behind. If Erith & Belvedere slip up, it will probably be Phoenix who go and get them, or possibly Erith Town.

“We’re still going for second. You asked me at Fisher how many points would it needs and I said you’d be disappointed to get 80 and didn’t get there. We’re on 62 with six games left, four of them are at home, which means if we win all six we get to 80 points and if we got to 80 and didn’t come second, I think we’ll be unlucky but we are behind the eight ball.

“With Erith & Belvedere winning today, we probably can’t get there (top) now, they’re nine points clear of us. 

“Look, we’ve still got a cup final an we’ve got big away trips to Erith Town and Erith & Belvedere, which we will never give up on a season. We’ll never stop going. We will have say in even if we don’t end up coming second ourselves, we’re certainly going to have a say in what happens up there.”

Deal Town is a club that is ready to make the leap into the Isthmian League South East Division within the next two years.

King said: “It’s a great football club because everything’s done properly. It’s not suddenly going to get pulled from under our feet.  It’s not one person sticking in x amount of money in a week and if they get bored or decide to go it all falls apart.  It’s built properly. Everything’s self-generated, all our income, we’ve got a good local loyal squad, we’re proving we can compete and everything’s looking up for the club.

“To see 758 people here today, that’s National League South type crowds and I don’t think we let ourselves down in front of the crowds.”

Phoenix Sports, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back at the first attempt after their seven-year stint in the Isthmian League came to an end after suffering relegation alongside Whitstable Town last season.

Deal Town: Henry Newcombe, Joe Reeves, Jack Penny, Billy Munday (Alfie Foster 81), Kane Smith, Alex Green, Aaron Millbank (Connor Coyne 81), Jack Hanson (Sam Taylor 86), Lenny Atherton (Riley Alford 55), Ben Chapman, Tom Chapman.
Sub: Alex Smith

Goal: Riley Alford 63

Booked: Kane Smith 32, Riley Alford 70

Phoenix Sports: Andy Walker, Henry Douglas, Tom Hanfrey, Mikey Dalton, Ryan Sawyer, Matthew Bourne, Donnell Anderson (Kieran King 52), Ryan Hayes (Tom Cousins 81), Tashi-Jay Kwayie, Andy Pugh (Francis Babalola 46), Alfie Evans.
Subs: Lucas Atkins, Isaac Long

Goal: Alfie Evans 22

Booked: Ryan Hayes 31, Henry Douglas 60, Alfie Evans 62, Tom Hanfrey 77

Sent Off: Tom Hanfrey 90

Attendance: 758
Referee: Mr Harry Phillips
Assistants: Mr Bradley Godden & Mr Mark Cheeseman