Phoenix Sports lead the way as Kent Senior Trophy opens
The Kent Senior Trophy first round took most of the Southern Counties East's attention this week, and Phoenix Sports made the most of it. Their 5-1 win at Rusthall was a sixth successive victory and left them unbeaten in eight, with seven wins and a draw. Lyle Della-Verde put them ahead inside three minutes with a free-kick over the wall, and Jamarie Brissett doubled the lead with a 25-yard strike from the outside of his foot. Ronnie McClean pulled one back for Rusthall directly from a corner, but Ben Sangare's own goal restored the two-goal cushion before the break. Brissett added his second, his tenth of the season, and 16-year-old substitute Sebastian Levenson headed in the fifth, his second goal in two games. Rusthall confirmed their exit in a one-line post.
Photo: Fisher on X
The tie of the round on paper came at Star Meadow, where Fisher won 1-0 at Hollands & Blair, a meeting the visitors had billed as between the league's top two. James Batt took the man-of-the-match award, with an honourable mention for Charles Yiadom-Konadu.
Photo: Snodland Town on X
Kennington progressed on penalties at Tunbridge Wells, winning the shoot-out 5-3 after Sam Wright cancelled out a first-half deficit in a 1-1 draw. Tunbridge Wells held a minute's silence before the game for Brian Sampson, a long-time volunteer. At Snodland Town, a crowd of 167 saw Faversham Strike Force level through Josh Oliver after falling behind, only for Snodland Town to win it from the penalty spot before half-time and take the tie 2-1. Will Sims, the club's U23s captain who joined at Under 6s, made his first-team debut from the bench. Sutton Athletic beat AFC Greenwich Borough 3-0, with Hugo Taylor named man of the match.
Photo: Erith & Belvedere on X
Erith & Belvedere's 4-1 win over Minster on Sunday, the first meeting between the two sides, provided the weekend's standout milestone. Charlie Favata, 16 years and 13 days old, came on in the 89th minute to become the youngest player in the Deres' first team, and scored two minutes later to become their youngest scorer.
Corinthian edged past Beckenham Town 7-6 on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Beckenham Town called it a much improved performance and now travel to table-toppers Fisher. Bearsted lost 1-0 at Staplehurst Monarchs, and Chislehurst Glebe went down 3-2 at Hythe Town.
In fixture news, Phoenix Sports have moved their league game against Chislehurst Glebe forward from Saturday 12 December to Friday 11 December (7.45pm kick-off).
