VCD Athletic 2-0 Punjab United - Fisher have got to come and beat us because we're not giving it away, they're going to have to come and take it from us, says play-off finalist VCD Athletic joint-manager Danny Joy

VCD Athletic 2 – 0 Punjab United
Location	Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN
Kickoff	29/04/2025 19:45

VCD ATHLETIC  2-0  PUNJAB UNITED
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division Play-Off Semi-Final
Tuesday 29 April 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

VCD ATHLETIC joint-manager Danny Joy says his players have got to finish the job that they started in June by winning the winner-takes-all Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division Play-Off Final on Monday afternoon.

Runners-up VCD Athletic booked their place by scoring twice inside the opening 29 minutes through dominant holding midfielder Connor Dymond and a header from left-back Michael Fenn.

The Vickers will host fourth-placed finishers Fisher, who stunned Whitstable Town by scoring a 90^th minute leveller through Kesna Clarke, before winning the penalty shoot-out 4-3 at Belmont Road, to see who will join promoted champions Faversham Town in the Isthmian League South East Division next season.

Tommy Warrilow’s men picked up 88 points from their 38 games, while the play-off quartet all played their part in an exciting title race, with VCD Athletic (81 points), Whitstable Town (75), Fisher (67) and Punjab United (67), looking to join the Lilywhites in the eighth-tier next season.

Punjab United, who sealed fifth-place following back-to-back 2-1 wins over Stansfeld and Erith & Belvedere, were without their manager Jugjit (Chipie) Sian, who was serving a stadium ban and assistant manager Jason Powell failed to attend the post-match press conference after their best ever season at this level ended in bitter disappointment and defeat in Crayford.

“I’m a bit lost for words really,” admitted Joy, who’s side have lost only once in the league at Oakwood this season and will be favourites on Monday.

“We’ve had a lot of knocks the last six weeks, finished the season with a bit of momentum but you know as well as we do the play-off’s are a lottery but the boys were unreal tonight.

“We were really good in the first half.  They came back into the game in the second half. I thought we defended like men tonight and there was no way, there was no way we weren’t going to win that game tonight. The boys were so up for it from minute one and I think it showed.  Every tackle, every header, we were celebrating. It meant a lot to us tonight.”

VCD Athletic dominated the first half, with Punjab United making a mistake tactically, bringing in Andrew Dythe at left-back and pushing their usual left-back, Stephen Ratcliff, in a more advanced position, which clearly didn’t work.

VCD Athletic left-winger Bethel Gboda impressed during the early stages of the first half, as the home side took the lead with only nine minutes and 3 seconds on the clock, following a mistake from goalkeeper Owen Bushell.

Gboda cut inside Jack Hopkins before spraying the ball into Nathaniel Olawole, who played the ball to right-back Harry Lawrence, who played a first time through ball to Gboda, whose right-footed angle drive from 15-yards was spilt by goalkeeper Owen Bushell at his near-post.

Just 15 seconds later, Dymond caressed a sublime right-footed chip from 25-yards sailing over the goalkeeper to find the top far corner.

“He’ll probably tell you he’s done that hundred’s of times,” said Joy.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, when he picked it up and let fly, to be fair, I didn’t think it was going anywhere else. It dipped right in front of the keeper and I think it was a great strike.

“Bethel first half, Bethel was unplayable. All I’m glad is that no one can put a seven-day approach in now before Monday because he was absolutely unplayable!”

Visiting goalkeeper Owen Bushell launched a right-footed free-kick from the half-way line, the ball was knocked on by centre-half Jack Barry and Jordan Campbell’s poked volley was hit straight at Vickers’ goalkeeper Andy Walker.

Punjab United lost right-back Kyden Lewin Thomas following an aerial challenge from Vickers’ striker Ollie Freeman, who then had a chance to add to his 23 goals.

Owen Bushell’s kick was headed away by Vickers’ centre-half Ben Fitchett, before Lee Bird played the ball along the deck to Gboda, who cut inside Punjab centre-half Wayne Bushell before playing in Freeman, whose right-footed angled drive from 15-yards was pushed around the post by the keeper, diving to his right and using a strong right-hand to turn the ball behind.

“It was a good save. Their keeper’s good. We know Owen and his brother, they were at Thamesmead but he’s a good keeper and it was a good save.  It was another chance that on another day it goes in and it makes it a bit more comfortable,” said Joy.

Dominant VCD Athletic sealed the deal following the resulting corner, their third of five flag-kicks, the goal timed at 28 minutes and 6 seconds on the clock.

Dymond played the ball short to Olawole before Dymond delivered a deep right-footed cross from within the left-channel towards the back post where Fenn got round the back to steer his header across the keeper and into the far corner from a tight angle.

“We know Punjab are very, very good on set-pieces but we work hard on ours and it’s something that over the last couple of weeks we know potentially winning play-offs is fine margines so we have something that we worked on, set-pieces and corners especially, so for one to come in straight off the training ground for a management team is a big buzz,” said Joy, who was asked what coach Martin McCarthy brings to the party, apart from shouting instructions and encouragement out from the technical area or from high up in the press gantry.

“Ridiculous amounts of energy, knowledge, more than levels me and Ross (Baker) have not operated at. He’s an A Licenced coach and he’s got an aura about him.  When he talks to the boys, they listen and sometimes we need the boost of energy and that’s what Macca brings seven days a week and the boys feed off it, so it’s important for us.”

VCD Athletic are the best side in the division of scoring a couple of early goals then slowing the game down and killing any momentum from their opponents and sucking the life out of a game of football.

Punjab United, meanwhile, are very direct, often bypassing midfield and over reliant on long throws and set-pieces.

The Gravesend-based outfit should have pulled a goal back in the 33^rd minute following Ratcliff’s third of seven long throws into the VCD penalty area.

The ball was flicked on at the near post by Barry, was then flicked on by 17-goal striker Roman Campbell and the ball fell at Jordan Campbell at the back post, who placed his right-footed shot past the foot of the left-hand post from 10-yards.

VCD Athletic went close to scoring a third goal with the last kick of the first half (51:08).

The home side went route one with Walker launching a big kick upfield, the ball was headed away by Punjab centre-half Wayne Bushell and Olawole’s right-footed chip from 25-yards only just cleared the crossbar, landing on top of the roof of the net.

“It was another half-chance really from that distance but I just felt we kept knocking on the door in the first half and I was a bit disappointed that it was only two,” said Joy, who has never managed or played in the Isthmian League.

“I thought we dealt with them pretty well in the first half. It was a good strike from Nathan, maybe a foot lower and we go in 3-0 up.”

Powell was driving home by the time Joy was asked for ‘his thoughts at half-time’.

“The main thing we tried to emphasise with the boys was to be professional. We knew they were going to throw the kitchen sink at us, which they did and we dealt with it manfully, I think we should say.

“We told them just to be professional, not to get drawn into the physical side of the game and the argy-bargy stuff because that would switch our concentration off but the main thing was to keep concentrating. When we can play, play, just manage the game.”

Punjab United put in a vastly-improved performance in the second half, especially when Ratcliff dropped back into left-back and Dythe operated further up the pitch on the left.

Dymond was bossing the middle of the park and Fisher manager Ajay Ashanike will have to come up with a plan to  stop him dominating the key area of the pitch in Monday’s Final (15:00).

Nine of Punjab’s corners came in the second half. Quiet winger, William Johnson-Cole floated the ball in with his right-foot from the left, Fitchett cleared the ball away and Roman Campbell knocked his header across Walker and dropping past the far post in the 48^th minute.

Reece Deakin’s through ball put Dythe in behind but he lacked composure inside the box and drilled his first-time angled drive over the top of the near-post.

Robert Carter – who replaced Lewin Thomas to partner Barry at the heart of defence – was booked after taking out Freeman and goalkeeper Owen Bushell lined up a four-man wall for Gboda’s free-kick, which arrowed over the top of the far post from 22-yards as the game hit the hour-mark.

“I’ve already touched on it, the kid was unplayable tonight,” Joy said of Gboda.

“We lost him for two games for family reasons and he was a massive loss and as good as he is on the pitch, he’s excellent in the dressing room. He’s an unbelievable character. He’s only young but he’s come out of his shell this year and he’s a massive part of the group.

“It was unlucky. It was a great strike to be fair. My eyes ain’t the best and I thought it was closer than what it was but it would’ve made it just a little bit more comfortable.”

Dymond drove towards the edge of the Punjab penalty area before Freeman’s left-footed half-volley from 25-yards bounced into Owen Bushell’s gloves for a comfortable save.

Barry travelled over the half-way line and into the final third before slipping the ball to Hopkins, whose right-footed drive from 22-yards brought a comfortable save from Walker in the 69^th minute.

“Hoppo’s chipped in a lot this season. We’ve known Hoppo for years and he’s always been more of a defensive player but he’s chipping in this season. He makes good third-man runs and he’s good in the air, so he’s always likely to score,” said Joy.

“These nights are made for Andy Walker.  People say he’s 43 blah, blah blah, he’s been a professional, he’s played in games when everything’s on the line and he was the calmest person in that changing room and he spoke so much sense at times when the game was getting a little bit erratic. He always keeps everyone calm and he’s a very, very good player to be around the squad.”

When asked whether Walker will be around at Oakwood next season or whether he will hang up his gloves and retire, Joy replied: “I don’t know. At the end of the day, it will always be his decision. We’ll try and keep him at the club. We want him to stay but we also understand he’s had a real, real long career and if he wants to call it a day after hopefully we get a result on Monday, what a way to sail off into the sunset, hopefully not.”

Joy and Baker handed striker Daniel Bradshaw his DEBUT in the 71^st minute, having scored 17 goals for Isthmian League South East Division side Sheppey United this season and signing dual-registration terms in March.

“We signed Dan Bradshaw just before the deadline day because at the time we only had Ollie Freeman and we still had lots of games to play and we had to cover our (backside) really. If Ollie gets injured that leaves us Charlie Heatley and we’d just be thin on the ground,” explained Joy.

“The problem we’ve had through the season, we’ve tried to bring forwards in, we’ve tried to bring lots of players in but where we’ve been successful, a lot of players are reluctant to come because they don’t know how much football they’re going to get.

“We spoke to Bradshaw and he would like to come and help us if needed and we’ve had to make a massive call yesterday. We left four out tonight, boys that have been apart of the squad, not for long but boys that are apart of this group and we’re all about the group.

“But Dan Bradshaw is a Step Four centre-forward whose scored 17 goals so if we don’t include him, for any reason we didn’t take our chances, it’s on us but we had to include him.”

Punjab United threw caution to the wind, bringing on striker Stefan Payne and winger Anthony Adesite, who got sent off towards the end of their win over Erith & Belvedere at the weekend and would have missed the Final had they got there, although Payne only lasted 13 minutes before he done his ankle ligaments after sliding in to challenge George Whitelock and getting cautioned for his troubles.

Punjab United struck the crossbar following their seventh corner, with 33 minutes and 51 seconds on the clock.

Adesite swung the ball in from the left and Roman Campbell jumped up on the corner of the six-yard box at the near-post to flick his header over Walker’s head and against the crossbar and Wayne Bushell went to pieces by blazing his shot over the crossbar from the rebound.

Dymond took a bang to the head after losing the aerial dual to Roman Campbell and it took over seven minutes for play to restart as his head was bandaged by Emily Sawyer.

Joy said: “Connor Dymond is the biggest wind-up merchant. He is the biggest motivator and he’s the most annoying person I’ve ever met in my life around a football pitch – but he is so good.

“He won every header, he won every tackle and he knows the game. He knows when to foul someone. He knows when to stay down. He knows when to take a short free-kick. He knows when to play long. The experience that he brings to this group is invaluable, cannot replace him.”

There was a controversial moment (47:19) at the end of the game after Dymond fouled Barry 30-yards from goal and Walker lined up a three-man wall.

Adesite drilled his right-footed free-kick over the wall towards the top right-hand corner and Walker palmed the ball up and Roman Campbell was adamant that he knocked the ball over the line before Walker could grab hold of the ball as he swiftly got down low to his right - but neither referee Jack Smith nor assistant referee Kayden Abnett judged that the ball had crossed the line.

“Obviously, with the amount of bodies in the box and where we were, I’ve got absolutely no say on it but they’ll say it was over the line, we’ll say it weren’t, that’s football,” said Joy.

“But again, it’s not always about quality. Sometimes it’s about a little bit of luck and it rode our way tonight. On another night that would’ve been given and we’re under pressure for the last 10 but I think we’ve earnt it tonight.”

Ratcliff put in the away side’s final corner of the game and Barry’s shot on the turn crept inside the bottom far corner but Mr Abnett raised his offside flag (53:54) but after a game lasting 109:18 VCD Athletic held on to claim their place in the winner-takes-all Final against Fisher.

Centre-half Fitchett could miss out after pulling his hamstring again, while Dexter Peter put in another impressive performance at the heart of defence and winger Francis Babalola is trying to be fit following a knee injury.

“Fitchett’s done the same hamstring three times this season but Fitchett is the captain of the club and Fitchett did not want to come off, even though he knew he had to,” said Joy.

“He’s a huge loss but he will be as important now off the pitch as well as on it.

“Dexter’s a phenomenal footballer. I said to him coming off the pitch, he’s like a Rolls Royce. He plays with so much time and so much elegance. He reads the game really well but the second half tonight Dexter Peter had to be an old-fashioned Kent League centre-half. He had to head it, he had to kick it and he did it as good as anyone on the pitch.

“It shows that he’s got another string to his bow. Dexter loves it here, we’ve made him so welcome and he’s a massive, massive plus for us.

“Babs (Babalola) done his knee, a slight tweak on his MCL but he’s working hard. He’s doing a lot of rehab. He did a little bit in the session last week on his own but Babs, potentially could be one we call on.

“We left four out tonight, Kieran King, Tahjae Anderson, Joe Thomas and David Ozobia. They were all here tonight, so if we need them, they’re available.”

Fisher are more than capable of coming here on Monday and spoiling Vickers’ promotion party.

“We’ve had a fantastic season. We’ve played some lovely football as well but we’re not done yet! We’ve got to finish the job we started in June with 20 blokes that we told them ‘we could get promoted’ and probably only three or four at the time really believed it.  We believed it but now they all believe it, so now they’ve got to do a job on Monday,” said Joy.

“Fisher are like every other SCEFL team. They run hard, they’re athletic, they’ve always got technically gifted players. We’re under no illusions, it’s going to be a big game.

“For them to go to Whitstable tonight and get a result is, listen, I’m over the moon for us. It’s arguably a bigger result than what we’ve had against Punjab tonight at home.

“Fisher going to Whitstable tonight, who everyone are saying they’re nailed on for this and that and they’re in the Vase Final, which is an unbelievable achievement, congratulations to them.

“But we’re under no illusions, Monday is going to be tough. Fisher are going to come here for nothing other than to get promoted but it’s down to us to do our job.

“We started this run back in June and we’ve had some bumps but when you look at our home record through the season, one defeat at home in 19 league games.

“They’ve got to come and beat us because we’re not giving it away. They’re going to have to come and take it from us.

“But the boys have got an opportunity now, now it’s down to them. How much do they want it? I tell you how much they want it. They will go to the end of the world to get a result for us on Monday.

“We’re expecting a tough game but we’re expecting our boys to perform because the thing with us where we’ve been in a title race we feel like we’ve been playing under pressure since Christmas. We’ve felt like every game since Christmas, we couldn’t afford to lose, so we’re used to this (pressure of being favourites).

“It’s different and it still brings tension but we’re playing under pressure is us now, so no one’s going to freeze on Monday. If they were going to freeze, they would’ve froze tonight but come Monday they’re going to be ready.

“We’ll be in Thursday for a recovery session, we’ll train Friday and then Monday we’re going to try to get them back to Step Four (after a two-year absence).

“We’ve adopted a style that no one else plays in this division. Other teams try and we do it and we’ve been successful with it but the boys have had to back that. No one else plays like this but we’ve been successful but now we’ve got to get over the line.”

VCD Athletic: Andy Walker, Harry Lawrence, Michael Fenn, Connor Dymond, Ben Fitchett (George Whitelock 57), Dexter Peter, Bethel Gboda, Lee Bird (Rajan Sahni 90), Ollie Freeman (Daniel Bradshaw 71), Liam Gillies (Charlie Heatley 71), Nathaniel Olawole (Adebola Sotoyinbo 90).

Goals: Connor Dymond 10, Michael Fenn 29

Booked: Connor Dymond 3, Ollie Freeman 21, Harry Lawrence 90

Punjab United: Owen Bushell, Kyden Lewin Thomas (Robert Carter 25), Andrew Dythe, Jordan Campbell, Jack Barry, Wayne Bushell, Stephen Ratcliff, Jack Hopkins, Roman Campbell, Reece Deakin (Stefan Payne 61, Alfie Moynes 74)), William Johnson-Cole (Anthony Adesite 62).
Sub: Harrison Carnell-Davis

Booked: Kyden Lewin Thomas 8, Robert Carter 59, Stefan Payne 72

Attendance:  375
Referee: Mr Jack Smith
Assistants: Mr Steven Tunnicliffe & Mr Kayden Abnett
Fourth Official: Mr Nicholas Monkman