Peckham climbed out of the bottom three with an emphatic win away at high flying Fleetdown. Three first half goals from James Armes, Tidy Barry and Adam Carrick stunned the hosts as Mary Phillip’s team bagged a massive three points to keep their survival hopes alive.

Nelson Nunes continued in goal with Whizz Ettinger starting at right back and Adam Carrick returning from injury to start at left back. Michael Desta partnered Jeremiah Duah Danso in the centre of defence. With Camilo Andres Nieva unavailable it was down to Tidi Barry to start on the right of the midfield. Captain Nicky Meta started on the left of midfield with brothers Raymond and Michael Agyemang in the centre once again. James Armes started up front in place of the suspended Evaristo Mendes alongside Jacob Kemp. On the bench were Reece Walters, Oreoluwa Majekodunmi and Peter Tarrant. Returning to the club, and starting on the bench was old favourite Rashane Wilson with the final substitute, promoted from the under 18’s squad was Creighton Uti.

Mary Phillip’s team got the game underway and although it took a little longer than last week, her team took the lead in the seventh minute. Initially James Armes was fouled some 40 yards from the visitors goal, Nicky Meta’s free kick then being put out for a Peckham corner over on the far side. The skipper took the kick sending into the mix inside the 6 yard box. The hosts keeper punched it high into the air before a defender headed it away. Raymond Agyemang brought the ball down but his first touch was a bit heavy but it ran favourably for Jacob Kemp. The makeshift striker swivelled his body, crossed the ball back into the area to James Armes at the back post who hooked the ball into the top right hand corner of the goal to make it 1-0 on 7 minutes.

Expecting a reaction from their hosts Peckham looked extremely well organised and thwarted their attacks at every attempt. So far it was the hosts keeper that looked the busier of the two with Nelson Nunes yet to really be tested. Peckham came closest to doubling their lead on the half hour mark again from another Nicky Meta corner. The ball was cleared and once again Raymond Agyemang picked it up just outside the area, turning his marker before hitting just over the bar with his left foot.

The warning signs were there for the hosts as seconds later James Armes broke down the right wing. He crossed to Nicky Meta at the near post but the skipper couldn’t connect and the ball was cleared. Peckham persevered and within a minute they had doubled their lead as Tidi Barry tapped the ball home. Running onto a through ball, the midfielder just got to the it before the out-rushing Fleetdown keeper, and slotted it into the empty net on 31 minutes to make it 2-0.

If the hosts weren’t already rattled by now then they certainly would be soon as seven minutes later Peckham were three to the good. Winning a throw on the near side deep in the hosts half, Whizz Ettinger sent the ball towards Jacob Kemp at the near post. It found the head of a Fleetdown man who headed out towards the penalty spot. Adam Carrick reacted first as the defenders all ball watched and hit it toward goal with his right boot. It wasn’t a clean strike but that didn’t matter as it found its way into the net making it 3-0 to Peckham with 38 minutes played.

Five minutes later and Peckham picked up their first booking, albeit somewhat controversial as Whizz Ettinger looked to have won the ball. The official took his name but was heavily reminded by supporters that he had earlier let an ‘off the ground, two-footed lunge’ from a Fleetdown player to go unpunished. Although the free kick was cleared by the Peckham defence, it was from the resulting throw-in that the hosts got a goal back as the game entered the 45th minute. Peckham had just enough time to restart the game before the official brought the first half to a close with barely an added minute played.

Despite that late goal from the hosts, Peckham had controlled the game and manager Mary Phillip’s half time team talk would have reflected that. She would have also warned her team not to become too complacent in the second half and that the next goal in the game could prove pivotal. With no changes from the Peckham manager, the hosts got the second half underway looking a completely different team from the first half I might add.

Peckham stuck to their game plan and still continued to threaten but the hosts were defending a little better that in the first half. They began to attack with purpose putting the Peckham defence under more and more pressure but they couldn’t find a way through. The first change for Peckham game on 55 minutes, Raymond Agyemang limping off to be replaced by Peter Tarrant. More controversy followed as the game reached the hour mark. Jacob Kemp played a defence splitting ball towards James Armes and just as the forward looked to be away he was cynically hacked to the ground just outside the hosts area. Calls went out for a straight red for the perpetrator but the official only brandished a yellow card, the resulting free kick hit over the goal by Raymond Agyemang on 61 minutes.

Peckham nearly restored their three goal lead five minutes later as the hosts had numbers forward but Mary Phillip’s team cleared the danger back up field with James Armes giving chase. As the keeper rushed out the Peckham forward beat him to the ball but his touch took him away from the empty goal. With the angle against him he watched as his effort went agonisingly wide of the far post. Had his effort had gone in the remainder of the game would have been very different as two minutes later the hosts bagged a second goal.

It came from a somewhat fortuitous free kick awarded against captain Nicky Meta who looked to have won the ball fairly. Just inside the Peckham half, it was taken quickly towards the hosts number ten on the edge of the Peckham area. Shrugging off two challenges he hit it from an acute angle some 8 yards out with the pace giving Nelson Nunes no chance at his near post on 68 minutes. With still more than twenty minutes to play the hosts now saw a way back into the game.

Peckham’s second change, an enforced one at that came in the 73rd minute when Jeremiah Duah Danso went down with an injury. His replacement, Oreoluwa Majekodunmi came on and slotted in the left back position with Adam Carrick moving into the centre of defence. Three minutes later and James Armes went down from a boot into his chest and in the aftermath both captains went into the book. The hosts captain for the challenge and Nicky Meta for his anger at the challenge itself. The resulting free kick was wasted and a minute later Mary Phillip made another change, Reece Walters replacing James Armes, who left the field to a well deserved round of applause for his performance, and a performance which earned him the King of the Match accolade.

A minute later saw the youngster Creighton Uti replace captain Nicky Meta and it wasn’t long before the two substitutes linked up well as Peckham looked to put the game to bed. The young winger collected the ball out on the left before playing an inch perfect pass towards Reece Walters in the middle, but the striker lost his footing before he could get his shot away and the danger was cleared. The game entered the final ten minutes with Michael Agyemang going in the book on 85 minutes for a late challenge in the centre circle. Two minutes later and manager Mary Phillip’s made her final change with Rashane Wilson replacing Tidi Barry.

The game then entered added time, and the official indicated that there would be eight additional minutes added. With five added minutes played more controversy followed as the official showed Whizz Ettinger a second yellow for delaying his throw-in over on the far side despite the full back only collecting the ball from a team mate seconds beforehand. With a man advantage the hosts threw everything thing at the Peckham goal and with ten additional minutes played they won a corner over on the far side. Packing everyone of their players in the box including their keeper, the ball was sent into the crowded six yard box and bundled over the line. The official however, had already blown his whistle for an infringement on Nelson Nunes before the ball had crossed the line, much to the relief of the Peckham players, bench and supporters. Despite the heated protests from the home contingent the game remained 3-2 to Peckham and the official brought the game to an end seconds after the free kick was taken.

Another vital win for Mary Phillip’s team that has now seen her side take eight points from their last four games. The win also takes her side out of the relegation zone and up to eleventh in the table. With their current form and with games in hand a top half finish isn’t out of the equation, but they will need to continue their run of form to achieve this. Next week they face another tough test against another in-form team as they make their first visit away to Guru Nanak. Kick off is 2.45pm and as always please keep an eye on our socials for the full details.

Peckham Town FC (4-4-2). Nelson Nunes; Whizz Ettinger, Michael Desta, Jeremiah Duah Danso, Adam Carrick; Tidi Barry, Raymond Agyemang, Michael Agyemang, Nicky Meta (c); Jacob Kemp, James Armes.
Subs. Peter Tarrant (on for Raymond Agyemang 55’), Oreoluwa Majekodunmi (on for Jeremiah Duah Danso 74’), Reece Walters (on for James Armes 78’), Creighton Uti (on for Nicky Meta 79’) & Rashane Wilson (on for Tidi Barry 87’).
Sent off, Whizz Ettinger (second yellow 90’+5).