Stansfeld FC v Phoenix Sports Res

 9-man Stansfeld/Eltham Palace dropped down to 13th place in the SCE Division 1 table after yet another controversial defeat. 
  This time it was at the hands of local rivals Phoenix Sports Reserves, whose line up was enhanced by several 1st team players, after their game had been called off in the morning. Where as Stansfeld were in the opposite position with late drop outs through illness forcing them into drastic changes to the line up.
   Chances were few and far between on a day where the strong wind and bobbly pitch caused both sides plenty of problems. Phoenix had the greater possession in the early stages and James Bradley in the Stansfeld goal, was far the busier of the 2 keepers. One exceptional save with his feet prevented a certain goal. At the other end Billy Shinners and Jack Gibbons went close with efforts from the edge of the box.
   Phoenix's pressure forced a series of corners, but Stansfeld defended them all well. In the end it was a breakaway from one of these corners where Stansfeld broke the deadlock. As the ball broke to Frankie Beale he quickly put Freddie Sansom clear down the right wing and his cut back was gleefully buried by Harry Gamble who showed great desire as he ran the length of the pitch to finish off the move. This goal sent Stansfeld in at the break with an unlikely 1-0 lead.
   All the talk in the Stansfeld dressing room at half-time was about keeping things tight for the first 10-15 minutes, but that went out the window after only 5 minutes, when Phoenix caught the Stansfeld defence flat footed for the simplest of equalisers.
   The goal sparked Stansfeld into life and for the next 20 minutes they had there best spell of the game. Shinners had a couple of good opportunities to restore the lead, but on both occasions his powerful shots went over the bar. Gibbons probably should have gone down under heavy contact in the box, but his honesty wasn't rewarded with a penalty.
   Stansfeld eventually got the breakthrough their pressure deserved. Harry Gamble chased down a ball that was being marshalled out of play by a Phoenix defender and robbed him of possession. He crossed for Shinners, whose close range effort was blocked by the Phoenix keeper, but the rebound bounced up kindly for Mark McKenna who nipped in to head into the left hand corner of the net. 
   Sadly for Stansfeld the lead was short lived, as Phoenix equalised within 5 minutes, after a tackle by Perry Holland ricocheted perfectly across the face of the goal for a simple tap in at the far post. 
   Things soon went from bad to worse for Stansfeld, when for the 3rd time this season, they had a penalty awarded against them and had a player sent off at the same time. This time Holland was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball while on the ground after blocking a cross. In the ensuing protests Referee Matt Charles gave Holland a straight red card.  Ouani sent Bradley the wrong way with the resulting spot kick.
   As the extra man began to tell Bradley was forced into some heroics in the Stansfeld goal to keep the score down. 
   Stansfeld's day took a further turn for the worse when George Martin also received his marching orders, when he received a 2nd yellow card.
   What had looked so bright midway through the second half turned into a bit of a nightmare, with the game turning on the penalty decision. A draw would have probably been a fair result