It took a penalties to decide the KCFL Invitation Charity Cup Final, contested between Sporting Club Thamesmead and FC Elmstead.

When Thamesmead were reduced to ten men, and Elmstead went two up with under half an hour on the clock, few would have fancied the hosts’ chances. However, they were level by half time and both teams had chances to win it before Thamesmead won the sudden death shoot-out.

After the two teams tested each other out with some crunching tackles in the opening spell, the game came to life in the eighteenth minute with a goal by the visitors. Rob Myles’ shot was tipped onto the bar by goalkeeper Ben Gamage and Stacey Petrou followed up to head home.

Wilf Peel-Evans fired well over for the Acre from twenty five yards before Perez Goumou tried to bend a shot inside the far post but didn’t get enough curl on it.

Joaldo Cravid’s fierce challenge in the twenty-fifth minute was deemed excessive by referee Will Sanderson, and he was dismissed. Elmstead took advantage by scoring again when Alf Sanders’ free kick was beaten out by Gamage, and Petrou was again quickest to react when tapping it home.

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, Thamesmead pulled one back immediately. Joseph Ikuesan squared it to Steve Karkari and he fired home.

Tom Cleary then burst out of his goal and brought down Ikuesan, earning the Elmstead goalkeeper a yellow card but he saved Karkari’s header easily from Luke Alliband’s subsequent free kick. 

As half time approached, Jack Church sent Ikuesan through and he kept his composure in slotting it beyond Cleary.

There was still time for Karkari’s header to draw a brilliant save out of Cleary before Church snatched at a shot and it flew well over after Ikuesan had knocked it on.

Dan Kommu replaced Petrou for the second half and had the first opportunity when breaking through but Gamage was out well to smother. Then, Karkari used his strength to get past him at the other end before scuffing his effort wide.

Sanders, for Elmstead, and Thamesmead’s Deshon Carty both failed to hit the target before another Carty effort tested Cleary who got down to hold well. Tom Goodayle headed wide for Elmsted then the lively Nigel Nyako missed for the Acre having made the chance for himself.

End to end football continued in the latter stages and the hosts had a great chance to win it in stoppage time. Nyako sent Church through and he was brought down in the penalty area. Peel-Evans took the responsibility but Cleary guessed correctly and pushed it onto the woodwork and out.

To his credit, Peel-Evans stepped up to take the first penalty in the shoot-out, and fired home. Thamesmead goalkeeper Gamage, drafted in from the Under 23s, then became the hero by saving two out of four Elmstead efforts. The Acre converted all four of theirs to lift the trophy.

Sporting Club Thamesmead: Gamage, Alliband, Kpodo, Peel-Evans, Glaultier, Cravid, Broomes, Carty (Dobson 73), Karkari, Church, Ikuesan (Nyako 55 (Osbourne 90+2)).

Subs not used: Grant, Horlock.

Goalscorers: Karkari (30), Ikuesan (40)

Yellow cards: None

Red Card: Cravid (25 reckless challenge)

FC Elmstead: Cleary, Ainsworth (Wall 54), Myles, Sanders, Gibson (Penton 74), Faithorn, Fearn (Casey 58), Hadlow (Reynolds 80), Petrou (Kommu 46), Goodayle, Goumou.

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: Petrou (18), (29)

Yellow card: Cleary (31 foul), Fearn (38 foul)

Referee: Will Sanderson

Assistant Referees: Michael Dye and Tom Marshal

Fourth Official: Steve Martin

Attendance: 177