Phoenix Sports 1-5 Dartford - Playing in The FA Youth Cup and in front of a crowd like that, it meant everything to them and they stepped up to the plate, says proud Phoenix Sports manager John Riesel

Phoenix Sports 1 – 5 Dartford
Location	Mayplace Ground, Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT
Kickoff	14/08/2024 19:00

PHOENIX SPORTS  1-5  DARTFORD
The FA Youth Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Wednesday 14 August 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Mayplace Ground

DARTFORD Academy manager Ben Greenhalgh says playing in The FA Youth Cup is a great experience for his players and coaches after thrashing 10-man Phoenix Sports at the first hurdle.

Dominant Dartford had to wait 30 minutes to break the deadlock through advanced right-back Miller Smoker before Colombian born striker Salomon Roebuck put the Isthmian League Premier Division outfit in control.

Referee Christopher Bowdery pulled out a second yellow card for Phoenix Sports goalkeeper Herbie Beard to send him off in the 38^th minute and central midfielder Ben McMahon – the 16-year-old son of first-team manager Keith – donned the grey jersey and gloves and was beaten by an emphatic penalty from winger Richie Atkins.

Phoenix Sports scored a consolation goal seven minutes into the second half through left-winger Harry Olajide but they failed to threaten again, as Dartford centre-half Kai Jeffrey impressed.

McMahon put in an outstanding performance during the second half by pulling off a string of fantastic saves before the full-time scholars scored twice inside the final five minutes through winger Max Cutler and centre-half Hugo Taylor to set up a trip to Isthmian League South East Division side Herne Bay in the Preliminary Round in early September.

“Really good performance. It’s obviously difficult because the pitch is quite long at this time of the year and it’s sticky and a lot of grass pitches are like that at this time of the year, at the start of the season,” said Greenhalgh, 32.

“It took us a bit of time but you’ve got to give Phoenix credit.   I know they’ve got a young team and they’ve battled the whole way through, so it made it a good evening.

“There were times in the game where we could’ve probably kicked on and scored a lot more goals but they kept themselves in the game, so it made it an interesting affair. It made it a good one to watch and glad that we’re on the right side of it and glad we managed to score five goals as well.”

Phoenix Sports manager John Riesel said he was proud of his part-time Kent Youth Leaguers.

“I feel like I’ve just won a football match, despite the result.  The reason I feel like that is we are pretty much a brand new team, my first year under 18’s,” explained Riesel.

“Literally five weeks ago I took this role on with Tim (Griggs) and very quickly we had to bring a team together.

“We felt we were pressured to bring a squad in of the back of this game because the season doesn’t start until 8 September, so we would’ve liked a few more weeks.

“After having a man sent-off, a goalkeeper sent-off after 38 minutes, we’ve played the best part of a football match with 10 men and given the most unbelievable account of ourselves.

“There is ways to win and lose football matches and you can win badly and you can lose well and I think today we’ve lost well.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team and in terms of the journey that we’re about to embark on in the next couple of years, I think there’s so much to look forward to.”

Both managers were asked how it feels for their young players to play in such a prestigious competition.  It makes you feel old (at the age of 47) that you regularly report on games featuring Ryan Hayes over the years’ and then see his 17-year-old son Fred come off the bench in the 64^th minute).

Greenhalgh said: “It’s a massive competition for youth footballers. It’s the most prestigious competition and that always gives us a different buzz.  The pressure, the nerves but it’s a good occasion. It’s a great experience.  We enjoy it ourselves as coaches, just to see the boys playing under the lights and playing for a different occasion with a lot of fans coming to watch.

“It’s good to see the boys in that atmosphere.  I think we want to have a bit of a better run of things. We’re obviously focusing on progressing footballers and doing well in our Academy divisions if we can. It makes things interesting if you keep winning in The FA Youth Cup.”

Riesel added: “I addressed the boys before the game, I felt when they turned up and they were looking at Dartford, my boys looked a little bit sheepish and if I’m honest, when we got into the dressing room I told them there are two ways to address pressure and fear – you can either crumble or you can either embrace it and use it to be a bit more alert and use that to your advantage. It’s how you challenge it and they did exactly that.

“A lot of these boys know what The FA Cup is all about.  This is the biggest game probably most of them have played in their lives, their young lives.

“The way they were talking about it in the week, coming down here and the fact that it was a ticketed game, none of them have played under a ticketed game with a crowd like that. It meant everything to them and I think they stepped up to the plate.”

Phoenix Sports created a half-chance inside the opening six minutes when lone striker Louie Griggs – the son of assistant manager Tim, whose former clubs include Arsenal and Bromley under George Wakeling during the cash-strapped Isthmian League days – poked the ball inside to Olajide, whose right-footed shot from 25-yards was charged down by a sliding Jeffrey and the ball was comfortably gathered by Dartford goalkeeper Ethan Rook.

Phoenix Sports goalkeeper Beard should have been sent-off for a last-man foul in the 10^th minute.

Jeffrey launched a long ball over the top and Beard came rushing out and failed to gather the ball and tripped Cutler on the edge of the box and the referee awarded a free-kick and booked the 16-year-old goalkeeper.

Atkins – who took all 11 of Dartford’s corners – drilled the resulting right-footed free-kick against the underside of the crossbar from 22-yards, aiming for the top far corner. 

Greenhalgh said: “You don’t want to see goalie’s get sent-off at that time because it changes the whole dynamic of the game.

“In the Premier League, they probably look back at VAR and they might say it’s a goalscoring opportunity but I’m happy to go with what the ref gave.

“It was still a brilliant strike from the free-kick and it proved we could get a good goalscoring opportunity from that but I think in the end we caused enough problems going forward and there’s a lot of things we can work on as well.”

When asked whether his goalkeeper should have been sent off, Riesel, the current joint-manager of Kent County League side Parkwood Rangers, replied: “I haven’t given it much thought, probably caught up in the occasion myself.  I don’t have much more of an opinion on that.

“Was it a free-kick? Yes. Was it a great free-kick? Yes. It was a great free-kick! No matter what standard, if that’s going a couple of inches lower, that’s in the back of the net.”

Smoker launched four looping long throws into the Phoenix Sports penalty area and on this occasion the ball was cleared out to holding midfielder Gurpreet Benning, who unleashed a first-time right-footed drive from 30-yards, which flashed through a crowd of players and past the right-post.

Phoenix Sports squandered a glorious chance to snatch the lead in the 20^th minute.

Holding midfielder Ronnie Brown played a fine low through ball to release Griggs through on goal. He skipped past the advancing goalkeeper but lacked composure inside the box and his right-footed shot was blocked by Smoker, who got back to save the day at the near-post.

“I think just generally in the first half, especially in those first 30 minutes, we were getting in behind them and maybe if we take that chance, it becomes a different game,” said Riesel.

“I think we did well to get in behind them, given we were playing with one up top. I think Griggs done really well with that kind of scenario.”

Greenhalgh added: “I think that was really well switched on by Miller. He had a good game tonight. We demand a lot out of Miller where he’s got all of the attributes and we just need to see it all of the time and today he’s dropped back in and covered Ethan and he’s stopped them from scoring a goal, when we were a little bit on top.”

Greenhalgh made a tactical switch by going three at the back, with Elliot Oviawe switching from holding midfield to the right-hand side of a three-man defence alongside Jeffrey and Taylor.

The tactical masterstroke instantly paid off as within 15 seconds Dartford took the lead, with 29 minutes and 24 seconds.

Benning split open Phoenix Sports’ centre-half Noah Westron and left-back Jude Hudson to play in a now advanced right-wing-back Smoker, who swept his right-footed shot across the rooted goalkeeper to find the bottom far corner.

“It’s always good when it works,” admitted Greenhalgh, who has been Academy manager at Princes Park for six years.

“We changed things because we weren’t getting in enough and we weren’t getting wide enough and we needed Miller higher up the pitch, so we changed a couple of tactics straight away.

“A good bit of play, got Miller on the ball, in an area where we know he can score and he scored. It was a really good goal, so we were happy with that.”

Riesel added: ”He went three at the back – it was a great goal! Nothing the keeper can do, took it really, really well, bottom corner, keeper was planted, good goal.”

Roebuck played the ball along the grass to release Cutler in behind Hudson and the winger cut in before sweeping his right-footed angled drive across the diving keeper and rolling past the far position the 32^nd minute as Dartford controlled proceedings.

Dartford deservedly doubled their lead with 36 minutes and 4 seconds on the clock, courtesy of route-one football.

Griggs failed to press Jeffrey, who was given acres of time and space to launch a long ball over the top of the two Phoenix centre-halves and Beard stormed out of his goal but failed to gather and allowed Roebuck to get there first to stab his right-footed shot trickling into the bottom right-hand corner of an empty goal.

“It was a great ball by Kai. Obviously on this pitch, it’s holding up a lot, so those balls over the top were on and it was a great run from Salomon and it was a good, technical finish as well,” added Greenhalgh.

Riesel admitted: “I think there were points where we were a little bit naïve in terms of tying to nick in front, where maybe we should’ve held a position behind and attacked the ball from behind.

“This is part of a learning curve and we need to coach that. We haven’t had time to coach that so there are the things I feel positive above in terms of what we can tweak.

“We’ll build on that with the next training session that we’ll have next week and the next friendly on Sunday, so I don’t put anyone at fault for it. There are things that we need to work on and kudos to Dartford, they did well to put it away.”

Jeffrey pinged another long ball into the Phoenix Sports penalty area and Beard’s misery was complete when he picked up his second yellow card (37:59) and was sent off by referee Christopher Bowdery for going in too hard, despite winning the ball off Roebuck inside his penalty area.

Beard walked towards the home dug-out before taking the walk of shame towards the home dressing room, as several Phoenix Sports players stood in front of the home dug-out as Riesel and Griggs decided who should go in goal.

Ben McMahon bravely took the grey goalkeeper’s jersey and gloves from his father Keith – who retrieved the items from Beard inside the home dressing room.

Atkins’ emphatic right-footed penalty crashed into the top right-hand corner as McMahon stepped to the right, as Dartford raced into a 3-0 lead with 40 minutes and 32 seconds on the clock.

“It’s unlucky for the goalie because it’s just one of them.  I think he does come and win the ball but it’s the manner in which it’s happened and the manner he went through our forward. It was always another yellow card,” said Greenhalgh.

“You don’t want to get anyone sent off but I think from the dynamic of the game changed. It felt they were probably trying to limit themselves and we were struggling to kick on another gear.”

Riesel added: “My personal opinion is I thought the keeper got the ball and I had a chat with the lino (Alex Spoja).  I had a chat with the ref at half-time and just posed him the question.

“In terms of Ben taking the jersey, there was a moment of panic for me and Tim. We don’t have a reserve goalkeeper and I don’t know who can play in the sticks so it was very much a band-aid situation.

“I’m not sure (if Ben has played in goal before), but he’s certainly given himself a good opportunity to nail down that position after that performance – he was unbelievable for the best part for the rest of the game. He kept a clean-sheet until the last five minutes. He pulled off, I don’t know how many saves – he was fantastic!

“After the game I came into the dressing room and there were 15 men of the match out there but if anyone’s going to edge it, it’s Ben. He’s stepped up, not a goalkeeper and did an amazing job.”

Phoenix Sports should have done better with a chance a couple of minutes before the break.

A miss-kick from Jeffrey let in Griggs, who unselfishly played the ball on his outside to unmarked right-winger Leo Houston, who lacked composure, hitting a first-time right-footed drive high and wide from 20-yards.

“S**t happens, that’s it, what can I say? A good move, shame we didn’t finish with a goal,” added the Phoenix manager.

Both manager’s were asked their thoughts at the break.

Riesel said: “I said to them I couldn’t be prouder of how they played in the first half. I reminded them that they’re playing against second year scholars, full-time scholars.  We train once a week, we’ve done two proper training sessions.

“I said to them now it’s about character and I wanted everyone of them to be double a man, so let’s not go out there with a mind-set of it’s 10-v-11. Let’s go out there with a mindset of 20-v-11 and they responded.”

Greenhalgh added: “We said we’ve got to kick on and use this as a learning experience.  We weren’t 100% through by that point but when you’re 3-0 up against 10 men you stand a good chance.  We just said these games are what we will learn more from so second half keep doing it and play yourself into your positions.”

Dartford dominated the whole of the second half and Atkins floated in his second corner of the game towards the back post where Taylor steered his header past the left-hand post from four-yards with two minutes and 37 seconds on the clock.

Phoenix Sports pulled a goal back with six minutes and 15 seconds on the clock, following a three-man counter-attacking raid.

Houston skipped past Gurprett Benning down the right before slipping a low pass into Griggs, who played a reverse pass towards the unmarked Olajide and the pacey winger drilled his right-footed shot past Ethan Rook from 22-yards.

“A great move, 10 men, maybe the goalkeeper could’ve done better, bounced over him on the dive,” said Riesel.

“I thought Harry caused them problems all night, he’s really pacey and he’s just one of those nippy players. He’s got the ability to move past players and I think he'll do great for us this season.  We’re really pleased with him.”

Greenhalgh added: “We switched off defensively. We made a couple of errors and to be fair to Phoenix, they kept going, so it was credit to them for coming forward and scoring a goal.

“We probably needed a liven-upper really because we could’ve let the game slip from there.  I know they had 10 men but it was a brilliant achievement from them to come back fighting.”

McMahon pulled off a brilliant save in the 63^rd minute when he dived to his left and pulled off a two-handed save to deny Taylor scoring with a first-time right-footed piledriver from 35-yards, which looped over the crossbar.

Greenhalgh said: “To be fair to him, he might want to look at being a goalie, the way he performed tonight!

“We had a lot of shots and a lot of chances and he actually made a lot of different saves, some with his feet, some with his hands and he kept them in the game.

“I’m sure he’s enjoyed tonight. It’s a night he’ll remember, playing in The FA Youth Cup in front of the lights.  I imagine he’s a first year so he’s got the opportunity of doing it again next year and hopefully being (in midfield).”

Gurpreet Benning passed to left-wing-back Daniel Atta down the left-channel and he cut inside and from a tight angle, his shot was blocked by McMahon’s left leg.

Smoker (now playing as an advanced right-wing-back) delivered a cross into the penalty area when substitute left-winger Ola Thompson sent his free-header over the crossbar from 12-yards, as the stand-in goalkeeper rushed off his line.

Thompson unleashed a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which was juggled into his gloves by McMahon inside the final 20 minutes.

Dartford were a threat from set-pieces, with Atkins swinging in his ninth corner in the 32^nd minute, which was met at the far post by Taylor, who steered his header just past the near-post after towering above Phoenix Sports’ substitute left-back Kayenne Thomas.

Dartford kept attacking and Atta fed the threatening Thompson down the left, who cut inside Henry Hillier before sweeping his left-footed shot across McMahon and past the far post.

Atkins swung in a right-footed free-kick from within the left-channel inside the final 10 minutes, the ball was cleared out to an unmarked Cutler, whose right-footed drive from 20-yards was destined for the right-hand corner, only for McMahon to be in the way to grab hold of the ball beside his right-hand post.

McMahon pulled off another brilliant save in the 82^nd minute, diving to his left to tip Taylor’s 35-yarder around the post.

“I think that’s been our problem over the last few weeks in training and in other games – missing a lot of opportunities,” admitted Greenhalgh.

“You’d like to see a few more goals, luckily in the end, we did.”

But McMahon’s resilience was finally broken as Dartford scored their fourth goal of the night with 39:57 on the clock.

Jeffrey played the ball down the line towards substitute striker Harjeevan Benning, who fed Smoker, who floated an inviting cross towards the back stick for Cutler to bury his header into the near-corner from inside the six-yard box.

“It was a good ball in towards the back post. It might’s been going in and fair play to Max, he wanted a goal tonight and he’s gone and got his goal for being at the back post and a good leap at it,” said Greenhalgh.

Riesel added: “I don’t know what you want me to say to that. I don’t know what kind of response I’ve got to that (fourth Dartford goal).

“There’s nothing I’m disappointed about tonight. For the record, 10 men playing against full-time second-year scholars.  We’re a brand new team.  I will not say that I’m disappointed about anything of this match tonight.”

Atta hooked the ball upfield and Cutler superbly controlled the ball before cracking a right-footed half-volley from 25-yards. An inspired McMahon got down low to his right to push the shot around the post.

Dartford sealed the deal by scoring their fifth goal of the night with 44:56 on the clock.

Atta and Atkins linked up well down the left and the cross was cleared out to Taylor, who drilled a first-time right-footed drive past the outstanding McMahon from 30-yards.

“It was a great strike from Hugo.  I think once we got that extra goal, we looked like we were going to get on and score,” said Greenhalgh.

“It was a great bit of play from Richie down the left and it’s fallen to Hugo and he’s got that strike on him, so it’s good that we’re getting goals from all different angles.

“What pleased me is we can mix it up on a grass pitch.  We were up for the occasion and we looked physical and looked strong.  I think we could’ve been better on the ball and to use our midfielders a bit better and we forced a lot of passes, which is something that we’ll look on in training.

“I actually know a lot about Herne Bay because it’s the Margate Academy (from last season).  They moved themselves over,” said Greenhalgh, who is the player-manager of Isthmian League South East Division side Margate.

“I know a lot of the boys, it will be enjoyable.  Herne Bay’s pitch is a brilliant 3G pitch, so it will be a completely different game, so we’ll have to build for a different pitch, a different way of playing, maybe a different formation.

“We know a bit about their players as well, so it will be an enjoyable game to have.”

Riesel added: “Good finish, they took it really well, took it well and it’s shame – but I’m not disappointed.”

The Phoenix Sports manager was then asked what his players will take from tonight’s outing.

“So much,  so much confidence.  I manage people in my job and I’m a true believer in the power of positive thinking and building from motivation and encouraging.

“What everyone saw tonight was so much to build on in the most positive way and I hope that the boys go away, which I think they will, with the confidence and the positive thinking.”

Phoenix Sports are a club that run on a shoe-string playing budget and Keith McMahon will certainly delve into the youth ranks during the course of the season.

“The club doesn’t have an under 21s or under 23s, it’s about how can we bring these boys though,” said Riesel.

“Keith was in the changing room post-match and his words were about how proud he was of watching this team and how proud we’ve done the club.

“Keith managed the under 16s (last season) and he’s very transparent and honest. He says what he feels and he doesn’t hold back so I take a lot of pluses from what he said as well.”

Phoenix Sports: Herbie Beard, Jack Vandernbergh, Jude Hudson (Kayenne Thomas 61), Ronnie Brown, Noah Westron, Henry Hillier, Harry Olajide, Jack Anderson, Louie Griggs (Jack Ottley 64), Ben McMahon, Leo Houston (Sonny Riesel 61).
Sub: Reiss Smith

Goal: Harry Olajide 52

Booked: Herbie Beard 10, Sonny Riesel 80

Sent Off: Herbie Beard 38

Dartford: Ethan Rook, Miller Smoker, Daniel Atta, Gurpreet Benning, Hugo Taylor, Kai Jeffrey, Richie Atkins, Elliot Oviawe (Fred Hayes 64), Salomon Roebuck (Harjeevan Benning 64), Oluseun Konu (Ola Thompson 64), Max Cutler.
Subs: Calum Ward, Georgie Allen, Harvey Affeltion, Sam Blumell

Goals: Miller Smoker 30, Salomon Roebuck 37, Richie Atkins 41 (penalty), Max Cutler 85, Hugo Taylor 90

Booked: Oluseun Konu 22, Kai Jeffrey 45, Daniel Atta 80

Attendance: 103
Referee: Mr Christopher Bowdery
Assistants: Mr Alec Spoja & Ms Reanna Rhodes