FC Elmstead 3-1 Sporting Club Thamesmead - We've taken big steps forward this year, says proud trophy winning FC Elmstead manager Brehn Chidley

FC Elmstead 3 – 1 Sporting Club Thamesmead
Location	Holm Park, St Peters Close, Queenborough Road, Halfway, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3BD
Kickoff	15/05/2026 19:45

FC ELMSTEAD  3-1  SPORTING CLUB THAMESMEAD
Invitation Charity Cup Senior Final
Friday 15 May 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Holm Park

FC ELMSTEAD manager Brehn Chidley says he was feeling overjoyed after winning his first trophy of his managerial career after his side celebrated winning the Erith, Crayford & Abbey Wood Cottage Hospital Charity Cup for the very first time atter beating their managerless league rivals Sporting Club Thamesmead at Holm Park.

Sporting Club Thamesmead went down in history to become the first side in Kent footballing history to be managed by a manager of another club.  With joint-managers Ben Williams and Craig Penfold both on holiday, current Bridon Ropes manager Uche Ibemere stepped in to take charge, only for the holders to lose their defence of the trophy.

FC Elmstead raced into a two-goal lead, courtesy of Deshon Carty and the impressive right-winger Jamie Fearn, before Sporting Club Thamesmead were reduced to ten-men just 10 minutes into the second half when centre-half Chris-Emmanuel Loko was sent off for violent conduct.

Sporting Club Thamesmead pulled a goal back through winger Henry Awokere before the impressive Fearn dinked in his 19^th goal of the season to bring FC Elmstead the trophy for the very first time.

“I’m overjoyed to be honest. I think we’ve played really well today,” said Chidley.

“There was a little sticky patch there after about 20 minutes, I thought, when we were 1-0 up and we started to force it a little bit longer than we should’ve done.

“We sort of drifted away from our game plan but after that we managed to get the second goal, settled right down, got at half-time.

“I thought second half, apart from the goal, I thought we was well on top of the game.”

Ibemere declined an interview, sending out 18-year-old coach Neev Sampat for post-match media duties.

“First things first, I’m really, really proud of the guys, come out here, missing quite a few key players, after having performed unbelievably well in this extended season, so, so proud of the group in terms of what we saw out there today.

“I didn’t think there wasn’t much between the two teams. I think missing a few key players hurt us. We’ve done really, really well and just that little red card, that little lapse off judgement cost us really.”

FC Elmstead finished their tenth-tier Southern Counties East Football League First Division campaign in seventh-place, having picked up 51 points (15 wins, six draws and 13 defeats), finishing 10 points adrift of the play-offs.

They defeated NRG Gyms Kent County League Premier Division sides Bexley (4-0), Meridian VP (3-0) and Sporting Club Thamesmead Reserves (3-2) to reach the Final.

Sporting Club Thamesmead, meanwhile, had to settle for a tenth-place finish, with 42 points (10 wins, 12 draws and 12 defeats) and the holders, who beat FC Elmstead 4-2 on penalties after last season’s final finished 2-2 at Bayliss Avenue, defeated Bridon Ropes (3-0). Lordswood (4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw) and Greenwich Borough (4-1).

FC Elmstead set the tone and started the Final on the front foot, going close to scoring after only 67 seconds.

The impressive Thomas Goodayle, who was pulling the strings from his central midfield berth, played the ball out to Fearn, who cut inside and bent his left-footed shot across the keeper and past the far post from 20-yards.

Sporting Club Thamesmead’s 13-goal striker Wale Odedoyin was guilty of a glaring headed miss, with 11:41 on the clock, as FC Elmstead right-back Tom Green often opening the gate with poor defensive play.

Holding midfielder Lewis Cann played a diagonal out to the left where Joseph Ikuesan twisted and turned Green before putting in a great cross towards the back post where Odedoyin sent his free bullet header past the right-post from six-yards.

“He was very unlucky. Wale’s scored a lot of goals this season. We know his quality, once again, can’t fault his performance out there today,” said Sampat.

Chidley added: “Wale is a good player, Wale is a very good player and you give the chances up to get balls in the box, he will convert enough, so we knew he was a threat.

“We knew Joseph was a threat down the left also but I think we kept them fairly quiet on the whole.”

FC Elmstead took a deserved lead, with 24 minutes and 7 seconds on the clock, however.

Left-back Luke Alliband threw the ball short to striker Scott Higgins who hooked the ball to Goodayle, who switched the play out to Fearn, who cut into the box and his low angled drive was spilt by goalkeeper Michael Crabbe at his near post and Carty pounced and swept his right-footed shot into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season.

“That’s what Deshon does. He’ll pick up all the loose ones in the box, that’s what he’s there for,” said Chidley.

“He’s in decent goalscoring form. He’s finished the season really strongly. I think that could be his fifth goal in six or seven games, so he’s in a bit of form.”

Sampat refused to point the finger of blame to his goalkeeper.

“Have a look at Michaels’ statistics over the last 15 games since he’s come in for us. I believe he’s kept nine clean sheets on the bounce,” claimed Sampat.

Looking at the statistics, Crabbe has kept goal in the club’s seven last games, conceding seven goals and keeping four clean-sheets on the bounce – which is hardly the picture that Sampat was trying to paint!

Sporting Club Thamesmead went close to grabbing an equaliser with 34:42 on the clock when Ikuesan’s dinked pass found Odedoyin, who cut inside from the left before laying the ball off to Awokere, who cut the ball onto his left foot and dragged his shot past the right-hand post from inside the D.

FC Elmstead doubled their lead with 36 minutes and 19 seconds on the clock.

Centre-half Connor Cheek dinked a long ball out of defence from inside the Elmstead half, Goodayle laid the ball off into Fearn’s path and the talented winger produced a composed left-footed finish to beat keeper Crabbe at his near-post from 10-yards.

“Jamie Fearn was having a game, wasn’t he? Involved in everything,” said Chidley.

“Connor Cheek, to be honest, I don’t know where he’s got that pass from by the way but it was a hell of a ball and I think just prior to that I think Goodayle had something very similar, where he missed the touch when he was through on goal. He managed to get hold of that one and knock it back into Jamie.”

Sampat added: “Again, just a little lapse of concentration in terms of the individual quality they’ve showed particularly from that winger.  The players got in behind with that movement.  I thought it was a special moment of quality that unlocked the game.”

Sporting Club Thamesmead were guilty of their second glaring headed miss three minutes before the interval.

High left-back Joaldo Cravid delivered a deep cross towards the back post where the unmarked Awokere glanced his header across keeper Tom Cleary and past the far post.

“Again, it’s football. It’s about moments.  From the little under sevens that I coach on a Sunday to the 12s to first team level, football’s all about moments. Life’s about moments. Sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don’t,” came Sampat’s unusual reply.

Chidley added: “Henry is a good player.  I don’t know if he’s an aerial threat as much as what Wale is but again, like we said earlier, the left-hand side with Joseph, we know he’s a threat. We managed to sort of snuff him out mostly but if he gets the ball and gets the ball in behind, he can do you some damage, he’s a good player.”

Both were asked their thoughts at the interval.

Chidley said: “It was pretty much go out and rinse and repeat to be honest.  I think we managed to do it. It was a bit of get hold of the ball a little bit more, keep it down and try and control the game.  Don’t get bored of doing the right things. Try and out pass them, try and out work them, which we did until the goal really.”

Sampat added: “At half-time we ultimately said to the boys we know their quality. Every single individual in there has shown their quality over the season, especially over the 12 games, the last two months to keep us up.

“Sometimes you have to remind people, you have to remind young players that they are good enough. They know what their about and when they come to this occasion all they have to do is take the pressure off themselves and show it.

“Ultimately, it’s an extended season, which was extended by the Kent Football League for Greenwich Borough, which was quite interesting to hear.  However, Uche worked with us, we know his quality as a coach, as a manager and we’re always happy to welcome him back.”

Sporting Club Thamesmead came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half, creating a couple of chances inside the opening four minutes.

Asad Mohamed delivered a right-footed free-kick into the Elmstead penalty area and the ball fell to George Dennis, who sliced his right-footed half-volley across the keeper and past the far post from 10-yards (2:36).

They then produced a good move when Awokere played a through ball in behind the Elmstead defence for Mohamed but the central midfielder’s left-footed shot from the tight angle saw goalkeeper Cleary come out and made himself big to narrow the angle and get the touch needed to put the ball behind.

Chidley added: “We knew it was going to happen. They had a change of formation, they stuck Brandon (Hatega) out, they played him a little bit higher as a wing back and he’ll always be a threat. He’s a very good player. He’s played levels above us this season for Erith Town (Isthmian League South East) plenty of times. He’s hade plenty of appearances there.

“Possibly, they ran out of legs a little bit in there especially when they went down to 10 men.”

However, any chances of getting themselves back into the game evaporated when referee James Bonney had no option but to send off Loko for violent conduct, following an ugly flashpoint with FC Elmstead skipper Alfie Sanders.

“It started off, it was a little bit of handbags. It escalated really quite quickly. It was a bad challenge on Alfie – I’m not sure if it was on Alfie or not but anyway it was a bad challenge.  Our captain went in there to try to sort things out. It escalated very quickly and I think he took a right hook to the chin, so I think it was the fourth official that saw it, hence the red card.”

Sampat added: “I thought really someone’s got his arm around his neck.  I didn’t really see what Chris did to be honest but ultimately I heard both players could’ve got a red but it is what it is to be fair, it’s football.”

That has no place on a football pitch and if you think that’s football then you’re in the wrong industry and you should stick to coaching primary school children on a Sunday!

Sporting Club Thamesmead did pull a goal back with 13 minutes and 21 seconds on the clock.

Holding midfielder Jack Hooper hit a long ball forward, the ball was brought down by Ikuesan who played a 20-yard pass in behind Cheek and Green to put Awokere through on goal and the winger cut into the box, skipped past the advancing goalkeeper Cleary to clip his left-footed drive into the roof of the net.

Sampat said: “Really, really good quality. Once again we know the quality of the boys have and ultimately they’ve not maybe showed it as much as they could’ve today but as I said we’re so, so proud of them with what they’ve done over the last 12 games of the season.”

Sporting Club Thamesmead have picked up eight wins, two draws and two defeats in all competitions since the beginning of March.

Chidley said :”He’s scored a few goals this season Henry, so he’s in a bit of form himself but I think they just caught us napping, they caught us sleeping to be honest.”

FC Elmstead were guilty of an glaring miss of their own at the halfway stage of the second half.

Sanders pinged a diagonal pass out to Higgins (who had switched from central striker to left wing) and he fizzed in a low cross towards the penalty spot where Goodayle brought the ball under control before lashing his shot over the crossbar.

“He should’ve scored, simple as that! I think he done everything right apart from keep the ball down. It was a great touch. The ball was fizzed in, he done everything right apart from the shot. He really should’ve made the goalkeeper work,” admitted Chidley.

Crabbe pulled off a five diving save to deny Fearn (25:03) when substitute Perez Goumou fed Fearn, who cut inside and placed his left-footed shot across the keeper towards the bottom far corner from 20-yards, only for Crabbe to dive to his right and use a strong right hand to make a big save.

“Very good save, probably stopped Jamie getting his hat-trick today,” said Chidley.

“Me and Jamie talk a lot and he needed three goals tonight to hit 20 for the season and he got two, he was unlucky.”

Crabbe was beaten for a third time, however, with 28 minutes and 14 seconds on the clock.

The Acre failed to press Cheek, who had time to travel towards the half-way line before splitting the ball past a high Acre centre-half Daniel Palfrey to put Fearn through on goal and he shifted the ball onto his left-foot to dink the ball into the centre of the goal to cap off an impressive performance from the winger.

“Good finish. He’s been getting those chances a lot this season. He managed to convert tonight. He won’t thank me for saying that he’s missed a few of them this season but he’s done well today, he’s in a bit of form,” said Chidley.

Sampat added: “Again, as we’ve spoken about those moments are the difference in life and in football. That one moment of quality sometimes it goes our way, sometimes it doesn’t but we couldn’t fault the performance of the work-rate that the players have shown.”

Elmstead had a late chance to add to their commanding lead.  Jack Hyslop’s right-wing corner was met by Matthew Faithorn’s left-footed hooked shot, which brought a great save from Crabbe, low to his left.

“Yes, it was hell of a shot and it was a hell of save to be honest. It was a very, very good save and I thought the goalkeeper was, apart from that one mistake where he spilt it, I thought the goalkeeper was excellent tonight,” said Chidley, 53, who reflected on his first trophy of his managerial career.

“From the club’s point of view, we’re very proud. That’s a big bit of silverware for us, especially after losing to Thamesmead in the Final last season.

“We’ve still got a large part of that group together that lost the Final. We’ve even got a Thamesmead plater (Alliband) that beat us in our side.

“On a personal level that’s – I’ve been a manager for a long time and that’s actually my first cup win so I’m very proud of that, I’m proud of that.

“I feel proud, I’m happy. That’s several finals I’ve been in now and up until tonight I was always a runner-up, so I’m proud of that one today.  The boys done me proud.

“It’s been a long season. I think we were in five cup competitions but these boys have put themselves out there this season. We’ve improved five places from last year, which is a very, very big plus, so we’ve taken big steps forward this year.”

With big spending pair, AFC Greenwich Borough and play-off winners SE Dons in next season’s Premier Division, Chidley was asked what division he is expecting when the campaign kicks off again on 8 August.

“I think next season will be a little bit more competitive, shall we say. I think the 18 teams that are left in that division, it brings them all a little bit closer. It will be competitive, it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be physical, it’s going to be a tough league.”

When asked about the Ibemere situation in the opposite dug-out, Chidley admitted it’s also a first for him with another club’s manager taking charge of another club in the tenth-tier.

“All I can say, Thamesmead’s manager maybe had a lot of trust in him.  He’s a nice guy Uche. He’s very in-offensive. He’s got a great sense of humour and he has a bit of banter on the sidelines.

“I was very surprised but he’s done a job and he’s done it to the best of his ability. He wasn’t let down by anyone today by the way. They put a hell of a shift in, his guys and there can only be one winner and they’ve done alright. I think the better team won today.”

Reflecting on Sporting Club Thamesmead’s tenth-placed finish, Sampat replied: “I’m so, so proud of the group. If you look at how we started the season, it was middle of November, our coaches were with us, we wouldn’t not have said, if you would’ve told us we’re going to finish tenth-place, last 12 games, go on an unbeaten run, finish in top half, I would’ve told you, ‘you’re joking! Not a chance!’

“The quality that the boys have shown and the resilience and the mentality that the whole group has sown, it’s immense and we can’t express how proud we are of our group.

“We’re planning for next season. We will still be here. We’re planning to go bigger and better – play-offs here we come!”

FC Elmstead: Tom Cleary, Tom Green (Lewis Neale 75), Luke Alliband, Alfie Sanders, Connor Cheek (Jack Gibson 86), Matthew Faithorn, Deshon Carty (Perez Goumou 65), Tom Goodayle, Scott Higgins (Delvane Kattah 80), Jack Hyslop, Jamie Fearn (Isaac Barden 90).

Goals: Deshon Carty 25, Jamie Fearn 37, 74

Booked: Luke Alliband 82

Sporting Club Thamesmead: Michael Crabbe, Brandon Hatega, Joaldo Cravid, Lewis Cann (Elvis Ifeanyi 80), Daniel Palfrey, Chris-Emmanuel Loko, Joseph Ikuesan (Ethan Osborne 65), Asad Mohamed, Wale Odedoyin, George Dennis (Jack Hooper 58), Henry Awokere (Frankie Baughan 80).
Sub: Oliver Hearn

Goal: Henry Awokere 59

Booked: Lewis Cann 19, Chris-Emmanuel Loko 52

Sent Off: Chris-Emmanuel Loko 55

Attendance: 185
Referee: Mr James Bonney
Assistants: Mr Henry Newman & Mr Branislav Cujic
Fourth Official: Mr Peter Wilson