Friday evening Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division football takes place at The Christopher Russell Stadium, Barnehurst when Phoenix Sports host Beckenham Town.

It has not been a happy start to the season for the Sports. They were knocked out of the FA Cup at Sutton Common Rovers and have lost all three of their league matches so far. Beckenham, in their first season back at step five, have won one and drawn one in the league but have also been knocked out of the FA Cup.

That was last Saturday when they visited Camberley Town. They went behind to a penalty one minute before half time but Bobby Mills levelled four minutes after the break. The visitors went ahead through Kalani Barton five minutes later only for Nick Thumwood to level for the hosts with twenty minutes remaining. He completed his hat-trick to win the match eight minutes from time, two minutes after the visitors had been reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Henry Griffin.

As they were already out of the cup, Phoenix had no game last Saturday and their last match was on the previous Tuesday when they were well beaten at one of the favourites for the title, Fisher. Alex Kozak and a brace by Euan Mutale put the hosts three up in twenty-four minutes before Joe Denny pulled one back just after the half hour mark. Temi Alaka restored Fisher’s three goal lead seven minutes before half time.

Kozak extended their lead on the hour mark before Taylor Fisher pulled one back against the club of his name when converting a penalty fifteen minutes from the end. The hosts weren’t done though, and Jake Lovell added a sixth for the hosts in the last five minutes.

As Phoenix and Beckenham were in different leagues last season, there has not been a meeting between the two teams since April 2025. Bizarrely, both league encounters were played in a five day spell. Their first game, at Beckenham, was settled by a Joe Chalker goal thirteen minutes before time. The Becks then completed the double with a second one-nil, courtesy of a goal by Louie Theophanous four minutes into the second half.

Little can be taken from those matches as only two Phoenix players are still at the club, and there are no Beckenham players remaining.