Stansfeld 5-2 Punjab United - They've got to have a good look at themselves tonight because these sort of results cost you your job, says Punjab United assistant manager Jason Powell

Stansfeld 5 – 2 Punjab United
Location	Badgers Sports Ground, Middle Park Avenue, Eltham, London SE9 5HT
Kickoff	13/08/2025 19:45

STANSFELD  5-2  PUNJAB UNITED
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Wednesday 13 August 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Middle Park Avenue

UNDER-PRESSURE Punjab United assistant manager Jason Powell insists he will take responsibility for their shocking performance at Stansfeld, which saw his underperforming side throw away an early two-goal lead to plummet within the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division relegation zone after three winless games.

 

A crowd of 97 were in Eltham to see Stansfeld start the game in promising fashion, but the Gravesend-based visitors’ grabbed two goals in the space of 133 seconds through strike pair Roman Campbell (penalty) and Daniel Parish, 26.

However, Stansfeld pulled a vital goal back just on half-time through winger Jack Calvert’s deflected strike right on half-time before Stansfeld gave Punjab United a bloody nose during an impressive and dominant second half performance full of pride and passion.

Robert Hughes scored twice, Adam Wallis and Christopher Alhassan all opened their goalscoring accounts for the season, as Punjab United goalkeeper Owen Bushell gifted the home side three of their goals with awful goalkeeping.

Punjab United finished in fifth-place last season and lost to promoted side VCD Athletic in the play-off semi-finals – but their direct tactics are being found out so far this season and Powell played EIGHT players in their four defensive positions here at Middle Park Avenue tonight.

Stansfeld manager Billy Shinners has seen his side rise to tenth-place in the ninth-tier division, having picked up three points from as many games.

“I’m over the moon, really, really happy. That’s a kind of result and performance we can really kick on now,” said Stansfeld’s stalwart.

“We’ve said we ain’t particularly played terrible in the first two games of the season but it’s a results game isn’t it and obviously two games, zero points, you just want to get yourself going, get yourself started.

“Obviously going 2-0 down today and then winning 5-2 is really, really, not just the three points, it’s really good for team moral and get going for the season now.

“Look, they took two chances very well. It probably was a penalty. But we were playing well. It’s just that our shots were long distances and we weren’t really troubling (their keeper).

“I think going in 2-1 last second half of the half and scoring like that, it’s the easiest team talk in the world really. Just get the boys going because we’ve got the momentum.

“I’m sure when you speak to any manager, you just want to get the first win, first points on the board.  Before the game, the first three games you’re probably looking at Punjab as potentially the more difficult one but that’s how Stansfeld are sometimes – we gave it our all.  Three points out of three games, tenth and we just need to go a game at a time but today is something we can build off, 100 per cent.”

Powell was also quizzed inside the boardroom at Cray Valley’s stadium and admitted: “A game of two halves literally. Good in the first half, shocking in the second half! Fair play to them, they deserved to win in the end.

“Well, I think them scoring at half-time was probably good for them and our boys seemed to be down at half-time.  I just said to them, ‘pick yourselves up, we’re in the game, we’re still winning. If we’re nil-nil (in the second half), we win the game.

“Listen, it was an even game but obviously we scored two goals and then they scored right on half-time, which was disappointing.”

The game started in frenetic fashion with Stansfeld creating their first opportunity inside the opening eight minutes when attacking midfielder Billy Marsh cut inside Jack Hopkins before drilling a low left-footed drive from 20-yards, which was comfortably held by Owen Bushell.

“I think we started well. We kept the ball well, had a couple of long distance shots,” said Shinners.

Stansfeld were playing the football, Punjab United were playing direct and Calvert drilled his left-footed drive high over the crossbar from 22-yards, before Punjab United missed a glorious chance to grab the lead in the 14^th minute.

Stephen Ratcliff swung in a quality delivery in from the right with his left-foot towards the far post where unmarked left-back Wayne Bushell powered his free-header over the crossbar when he should at least have tested goalie Cemal Osman.

“I thought we should’ve scored but listen, that’s football isn’t it,” came Powell’s curt response.

Shinners added: “Any manager in this League will tell you that Punjab are very, very good when it comes to dead balls, set-pieces. They’re a very experienced side, so they’re set well.

“Before the game that was part of my chat really. I needed the boys to be well-organised and make sure they pick up their men but ultimately they didn’t score, so well done to the boys.”

Punjab United played three players from one level above, dual-registered with a couple of Isthmian League South East Division clubs with Sittingbourne pair Parish and Lorenzo Lewis and George Monger from Faversham Town.

Monger’s intended pass out to right-back Jordan Campbell was intercepted by Harvey Mead and the Stansfeld winger played the ball into Adam Wallis and space opened up for the central midfielder and his low left-footed drive from 35-yards was comfortably gobbled up by the Punjab goalkeeper.

Jordan Campbell’s bullet header from close to the half-way line bounced kindly for Parish inside the box, sweeping his right-footed shot across Osman towards the bottom far corner and the home goalkeeper made a comfortable save low to his right, before Mead cut inside and was denied by Owen Bushell at the other end.

Punjab United grabbed the lead, however, with 20 minutes and 29 seconds on the clock, after right-winger Alfie Moynes fizzed a cross from right side of the penalty area to the left and referee Oliver Storey deemed Marsh’s tackle to be illegal on Lewis.

Roman Campbell emphatically drilled his left-footed penalty straight down the middle, as Osman dived to his right.

“Listen, he’s good taking penalties, he don’t really miss often, so he steps up, he’s cool, he’s confident. As a number nine that’s what you have to do,” said Powell.

Shinners said: “So, five years ago, it probably weren’t a penalty, nowadays that’s probably is a penalty. I’m always honest about things like that.

“Yes, it’s obviously gone against us today. A few years’ ago that would never been a penalty because he’s won the ball, obviously his leg has gone a bit higher, slightly after, so yes penalty and to be fair a great penalty.”

Punjab United’s second goal (22:42) came right out of the Isthmian League.

Monger easily danced past Calvert inside the final third before feeding Parish, who clinically drilled his left-footed drive across the keeper and into the far corner from 16-yards.

“Took it very well. I thought he took the finish exceptional, left-footed I think it was,” added Powell, who was asked about the contribution from the Isthmian League trio.

“Listen, they haven’t played many games, they’re getting minutes with us.  I thought George (Monger) was outstanding. I thought he won second balls. I thought he done everything what a centre midfielder should do.

“He got tired at the end of the game which probably kicking uphill properly in the second half was probably the downside of him getting tired.

“He was tired. I don’t think he’s been doing a lot of football,” came Powell’s reply when asked about Monger’s perceived injury knock towards the end of the game.”

Shinners added: “We didn’t deal with it well enough and to be fair to the guy it was a really good finish but we should’ve dealt with it a lot better than what we did.

“Yes, I will say from that point though, obviously we are a young side that could’ve gone two ways, 2-0 down after two goals after two minutes. It could’ve gone bad to worse but to be fair the boys rolled their sleeves up and got on with it and showed what good characters they all are.”

Stansfeld left-back Harrison English pushed Moynes and Monger’s quality left-footed free-kick was met by another Wayne Bushell free-header, which cleared the crossbar but it wasn’t as big as his earlier chance.

Dominant Punjab United went close to increasing their lead when Moynes’ first time pass released Roman Campbell and his left-footed shot from 18-yards took a deflection off Jamie Thuillier and flashed just past the foot of the near-post.

Stansfeld showed promise when Calvert’s left-footed cross came in from the left and Mead and Alhassan linked up outside the penalty area before Alhassan lacked quality and composure just inside and drilled his right-footed effort over.

“I think we created some chances. We’ve scored five goals tonight but we’ve created some chances,” said Shinners.

“I’ve just said to the boys, ‘I’m not expecting them to score every single chance,’. If they were they wouldn’t be playing for Stansfeld!”

Stansfeld scored a Punjab United type goal, two minutes and 40 seconds into stoppage time.  A key moment in this encounter.

Right-back Frank McCormack launched his only long throw into the box and the ball was cleared out and in the second phase Calvert cracked a left-footed drive from 22-yards, which took a deflection and nestled halfway up the net at the far post.

“We kind of done what they’re very good at, bouncing at the second ball,” said Shinners.

“We’re trying to get the boys to realise not every goal needs to be flying into the top corner. Sometimes it can deflect, it can just roll in.  Essentially that is a prime example of that.

“He’s caught it well but it’s come off one of their players and kind of rolled into the corner, so it’s like when you get into those areas, especially people like Jack Calvert, they need to shoot because goals like that will happen.”

Powell added: “Poor defending.  We switched off and then the momentum swings their way then and their tails are up.

“What was said at half-time?  Let’s just keep going, just keep going. You know the first 15 minutes is crucial – and it proved to be.”

“Like I said, easiest team talk in the world,” admitted Shinners.

“It was like ‘boys, this is ours to lose now,’ even though the current score was 2-1 at half-time, scoring seconds before half-time it was definitely our game to lose and the boys showed that really.

“I think we was completely all over them second half.”

Moynes drew a free-kick within the right-channel and Monger cut the free-kick back to Parish, who took a touch before rifling his right-footed drive dipping over the top of the far post from 25-yards just 120 seconds into the second half.

Wallis fed the ball into Stansfeld striker Alhassan, who stroked a low right-footed angled drive across Owen Bushell, who held low to his right to make a comfortable save, before Stansfeld stopper Osman pulled off two big saves.

Monger hit a long ball straight through the heart of defence to put Moynes through on goal and Osman rushed off his line and spread himself to make a big save on the edge of his penalty area (4:44).

Ratcliff launched the second and final long throw into the penalty area and Lewis’ hooked shot at the near-post was superbly pushed away by Osman, diving to his right.

Powell said: “One-on-one, listen, that’s football isn’t it? It takes them to go 3-1 and then it’s a different game.

“It was a good save by the keeper, you know, these sort of chances, you need to take.”

Shinners hailed his goalkeeper, who scoped the man-of-the-match for these two match defining moments.

“Cemal is a new goalkeeper. He’s come in and he’s been brilliant. He’s someone we’ve had an eye on for quite a while. He’s still quite young but he’s young but he’s had 50-60-70 games in Step Six,” said Shinners.

“He’s come in, he knew all the boys from school and growing up, his the same age but both goals wasn’t his fault and he’s been solid, so well done to him.”

Parish cut inside a sliding tackle from McCormack before he squared the pass to Hopkins, who took a touch before hitting a rasping right-footed drive straight down Osman’s throat from 18-yards on the hour-mark.

Stansfeld were gifted their equaliser when it arrived with 19 minutes and 25 seconds on the clock, following a blunder from visiting goalkeeper Owen Bushell following the home side’s second and final corner.

Calvert swung the ball in from the right with his left-foot and the ball should have been caught by the goalkeeper unchallenged in the centre of his goal but he inexplicably dropped the ball and Hughes accepted the gift by hooking the ball over the line.

“Great corner, fantastic corner, in-swinging corner, put him right under pressure,” said Shinners, grateful for the gift from the hapless keeper.

“I won’t comment on their goalkeeper but yes at the end of the day you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time and Rob Hughes has done that, so well done to him.”

Powell admitted: “I think he was in two minds to either catch it or punch it. I didn’t really see.  I think there was like a melee in there.

“Listen, he’s been outstanding for us, so we’ve just got to get round him now and it’s down to the management and the players to pick him up.”

Punjab United lost discipline when Jordan Campbell lost the plot as he committed a foul close to halfway and centre-half Thuillier smacked the resulting free-kick upfield, Hughes got involved and laid the ball off to Wallis, who took a touch before clipping a left-footed deflected drive looping into the top-left hand corner from 25-yards.

“Adam Wallis, he’s a new player to us. His friends with quite a few of the boys and that’s how we got him introduced into the team,” revealed Shinners.

“He’s got that in him, from day one we saw him driving from midfield, long shots. He’s defiantly got that in him. He’s been a fantastic addition to the squad.”

This was a second half Stansfeld performance full of pride, passion and desire, something to be proud off and Shinners agreed.

“That’s what I’ve just said to the boys. It’s like everything we want, we’re proud off. Boys working their socks off, not giving up, competing. That’s what me and (my assistant manager Joe) Minter really try to enforce into our teams, just literally working their socks off because we are restraint with certain things, so there’s no excuse to not be working hard for the team.”

Powell added: “Similar really, they took their chances, fair play to them. How it’s swung from being 2-0 up to 3-2 down and obviously their fourth goal was another mistake by Owen and their fifth goal, I didn’t really see what happened, I don’t know.  I think it went through Owen’s hands, I’m not really sure.

“So listen, we’ve just to pick Owen up now. It’s very important to get around him and we’ve got to do our best by him, that’s what makes a good team and a bad team.”

Owen Bushell was at fault for Stansfeld’s fourth goal when it arrived with 27 minutes and 53 seconds on the clock.
 

Substitute Ollie Andrews played the ball inside the impressive Wallis, his left-footed drive from outside the box should have been saved comfortably by the goalkeeper, who somehow spilt the ball and an alert Hughes accepted the gift by pressing the keeper and stabbing the ball into the empty goal.

“Again, I won’t comment on the keeper but exactly what I said about the third goal – Wallis has got that in him, drove forward, great shot, made the keeper unfortunately parry it but we rebounded well,” said Shinners.

“Rob Hughes is a midfielder but that’s a typical centre-forward goal, tapping in like he did so fair play to him.

“That’s a little bit of a nudge to Rob. He probably knows himself he probably needs to score more goals (scoring five last season) and tonight he’s scored two, so fair play to him.”

By now Punjab United had a completely different back four to the one that started the game and they let Alhassan run riot late on, cutting in from the right into the centre before arrowing a left-footed shot across the hapless goalkeeper and just past the foot of the far post from 22-yards (47:17).

Owen Bushell was to gift the home side their fifth goal (49:03), when Alhassan latched onto Hughes’ pass before stroking his right-footed 18-yard drive across the keeper and nestling into the bottom far corner, past Owen Bushell’s stuck-out right hand.

“Chris is direct, he’s very direct. He’s a good finisher and he can hold the ball up well. He’s different, he’s unlike to what Stansfeld traditionally have, so yes, he’s a great character. He’s actually completely one of the lads, a funny character, so he’s a great guy to have in the squad,” said Shinners.

“Chris has done ok so far in the first three games. It’s difficult. Sometimes he struggles with us giving him the service but today he really turned up.

“He worked his socks off today. I don’t care if it’s the first goal or the fifth goal, generally I want my centre forwards to score goals, so I’m over the moon for him.

“So, obviously 2-0 down, winning 5-2, the way we did, the way we performed, it’s a real performance and result that I feel we can kick on from that.”

When it was suggested that his goalkeeper cost him three goals tonight, Powell replied: “But listen, on another night he saves three goals, so that’s part and parcel of football.”

Both sides are without a game at the weekend as they were both knocked out of The FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round, with Punjab United losing 3-2 at Crowborough Athletic in a Replay and Harrow Borough recording Stansfeld record FA Cup defeat with a 4-0 win here.

Stansfeld host league rivals Rusthall here in The FA Vase First Qualifying Round on Sunday 24 August (13:00), while Punjab United travel to Three Bridges to play lower-league side Oakwood the previous day.

Shinners said he wanted the “ground to swallow him up,” after his side threw away a 4-1 interval lead to play out THAT epic 6-6 league draw against Rusthall here last October.

“That game, I can’t ever forget that game, that six-all. Like I said to you at the time, I don’t think I will ever be apart of a six-all game again,” said Shinners, although on tonight’s showing, I wouldn’t put it past the pair scoring at least four goals between them.

“The Vase is like a free hit and it’s a good game. We see ourselves quite similar to Rusthall, they’re quite a young side, energetic, so yes I’m looking forward to going toe-to-toe with them and seeing what we can bring.

“It’s a Sunday game so hopefully it will bring quite a few people down to watch.

“I’m sure if you speak to their manager (Jimmy Anderson, who missed that epic because he was on holiday), I’m sure he doesn’t want 12 goals either!”

Reflecting on the club’s recent FA Vase pedigree, Shinners said: “I was a little bit involved in that. I was cup-tied but I was involved in helping Billy (Hamlin) and Jamie (Phipps) at the time but you’ve got an opportunity of going on a run and what that actually brings to a club is the morale and energy that comes with it is fantastic.

“Like I said, it’s a free hit but it’s definitely a game we can go and win because that run I was a part of it does really bring togetherness into the team, into the squad, which you can’t buy. That comes from winning games early in the Vase and progressing.”

Powell, whose side have picked up just one point from three games and only have Corinthian (one point) beneath them, added:  “We’ve just got to get back to the drawing board, We’re training Tuesday and Thursday and then we’ll go from there.

“Listen first 10 games don’t win you the league, it’s the last 10 games, so we’ll see where we are at Christmas and then we’ll push on.”

When asked how he will turn things around, Powell replied: “Hard work, that’s what you’ve got to do.  You don’t get nothing out of life unless you work hard, so that’s what we have to do.

“Listen, we’ve just got to turn up (to Southern Combination League First Division side Oakwood) and do better. Like I’ve just told them in the dressing room, they’ve got to have a good look at themselves tonight. 

“We were 2-0 up, they shouldn’t be losing a game of football, simple as that, whoever you’ve got on a pitch. Listen, you look at the players we had our there, they’ve got to do better, simple as that.

“So listen, we just have to keep going and if we have to rebuild, we rebuild, simple as that.

“We just have to work on shape and work on pattern just a little bit more, that’s all.”

When asked what he will say to Sian when he calls him up, Powell admits he could face the sack for such outcomes.

“I’ll try not to answer the phone in the next couple of hours because he’s going to be very disappointed,” said Powell.

“He’s lucky really he’s not here tonight but listen as a chairman and if I was his manager tonight, these sort of results cost you your job in any football. You can’t lose games like this, so I’ll take the full responsibility for the team tonight. It’s on me. I make the subs, he picks the team and that’s it.”

Stansfeld: Cemal Osman, Frank McCormack, Harrison English (Jimmy Shepherd 84), Adam Wallis (Sam Plant 76), Jamie Thuillier, Teddy Green, Harvey Mead, Robert Hughes, Christopher Alhassan, Billy Marsh (Ollie Andrews 53), Jack Calvert (Kai Jeffrey 81).
Sub: Merrick Simms

Goals: Jack Calvert 45, Robert Hughes 65, 73, Adam Wallis 70, Christopher Alhassan 90

Booked: Billy Marsh 19, Adam Wallis 69

Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Jordan Campbell, Wayne Bushell, Jack Hopkins, Stephen Ratcliff (Kyden Lewin Thomas 53), Robert Curtis (Hudson Scudder 75), Lorenzo Lewis (William Johnson-Cole 70), George Monger (Ethan Okechukwu 87), Roman Campbell, Daniel Parish, Alfie Moynes.
Sub: Harnak Cheema

Goals: Roman Campbell 21 (penalty), Daniel Parish 23

Booked: Alfie Moynes 59, Kyden Lewin Thomas 67, Lorenzo Lewis 69, Daniel Parish 78

Attendance: 97
Referee: Mr Oliver Storey
Assistants: Mr Liam Broom & Mr Ronald Albert