Penalties were needed to decide the winners when Lewisham Borough CFC hosted Phoenix Sports in the second round of the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup.

After the two sides drew one apiece in ninety minutes, the Sports prevailed four-one in the shoot-out. 

Both managers made several changes to their starting line-ups from the teams who played their last league matches with a good number of youngsters in each team. Lewisham’s back four were all seventeen year olds.

Ben Morrison had an early opportunity for the Sports but drilled his shot wide before Borough’s Sineen Sineen drove in and shot towards the near post and Carter Wilson blocked with his legs. Alberto Garcia then fired well over from distance for the hosts before Phoenix went ahead when Ben Morrison found Tyrese Agbontaen and he fired low into the bottom corner. 

Tom Mitcham had a header saved comfortably by Borough goalkeeper Tyron Osadolor before Andrea Carrera had a shot well kept out at the other end by Wilson. Osadolor was again called into action when blocking out another effort from Mitcham, then the visitors’ Lyle Della-Verde was just off target with a shot from the corner of the penalty area before playing a give and get short corner.

Sineen went on a powerful run before slipping it through to Carrera who shot just beyond the post but it was the Sports who had the last chance of the first half when Agbontaen let fly on the turn and Osadolor beat it over.

After the break, Paul Lee fired wide of Osadolor’s far post before the hosts made four substitutions in a twelve minute spell. John Garcia had a free kick deflected just wide before he equalised midway through the second period. Sineen was again the creator with a run to the bye-line and he pulled it back for Garcia to fire home.

Garcia then delivered a corner that was headed just over by Fawaz Adeolu then, at the other end Osadolor was called upon to make a good save from Jensen Grant.

Four minutes remained when Lewisham had a great chance to win it. Wilson beat out a shot by Tahreem Williams then burst out and brought down Patrick Eliam-Zoh as he looked to bury the rebound. Referee Thomas Amber pointed to the spot but decided that the goalkeeper was making a genuine attempt to get the ball so did not brandish his red card.

Wilson made the most of the decision by guessing correctly and pushing out John Garcia’s penalty. Harmeed Ishola knocked home the follow-up but was deemed to have set off too early and the goal was disallowed.

Jerson Dos Santos had one last opportunity for Phoenix but his free-kick was tipped round the post by Osadolor meaning that a shoot-out was required.

Each team scored their opening penalties. The visitors went two-one up before Lewisham put their next one wide. Wilson made a brilliant save from Borough’s third while the Sports remained perfect with four from four to progress to the third round.

Lewisham Borough: Osadolor; Buamah, Crowder, Adeolu, Francis; Volpi (Kasson 63), A, Garcia (Webb 53); Austin (Williams 55), J. Garcia, Sineen (Ishola 74); Carrera (Eliam-Zoh 65).

Subs not used: None.

Goal scorer: J. Garcia (68)

Yellow cards: None

Phoenix Sports: Wilson; Aboagye, Grant, Belford; Shquti (Dos Santos 69), Morrison (Efambe 10), Barnes, Della-Verde (Henry 69), Lee; Agbontaen (Brissett 46), Mitcham.

Sub not used: Goodman. 

Goal scorers: Agbontaen (9)

Yellow cards: None 

Referee: Thomas Amber

Assistants: Martin Bullock and Ronald Albert

Attendance: 70