Leonard Vase

Phoenix Athletic 1 Southwark Caribb 3

A DOUBLE by Prince Amikero helped Southwark Caribb come from a goal down to win the final last Sunday.

This game between two division five teams started quite evenly matched with both teams making early attempts on goal but unfortunately the end products were weak and not causing much to worry about.

In the early stages Southwark Caribb went closest to scoring when a ball was threaded through for the Caribb striker to hit a beauty of a shot which hit the crossbar.

This seemed to make Caribb step up a gear and by midway through the half they were emerging the stronger.

Their wingers were beginning to create runs down both sides with lots of neat small passes.

The Phoenix defence could only clear their lines with long balls in the hope that their nippy striker, Kierron Diaz, would latch onto one of the passes.

Phoenix were not without their chances, the best coming with five minutes to go in the first half.

They moved down the right wing, provided a scintillating cross, only for the striker to narrowly miss the post with his shot.

Caribb hit the post early in the second half, but Phoenix broke the deadlock when a clearance upfield fell nicely for Alan Muir, who squeezed his shot into the net.

Then Caribb were awarded a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Dean Hylton kept his shot low and it went through the wall and into the net on 55 minutes.

Southwark pushed forward in numbers and went close again when Simbarasche Muchine, who was outstanding, took a shot which Phoenix keeper Chris Fisher parried onto his post. It bounced back into his hands.

Soon after, from the right, Caribb moved down the right wing and crossed, only for the striker's header to be magnificently tipped over the bar by Fisher. The corner was cleared off the line.

At the other end, Diaz easily side-stepped his defender and rounded the keeper, but he took too long to take his shot and it was headed away.

After 75 minutes, Caribb took the lead when Prince Amikero threaded through the midfield into the penalty area and shot.

Phoenix came back and went closest to scoring when a long throw from the right fell into a packed six yard area, hit a Phoenix player and rolled along the goal line before it was thumped clear.

In the final minutes, Caribb put the result beyond doubt.

A corner found Amikero who struck his second to seal a fine personal performance.

Phoenix, in their first season in adult football having risen from the Tandridge Youth League, are top of their division and could be crowned champions if the last result elsewhere goes their way.

Caribb, founded in 1999, are an under-21 side who have also come from the Tandridge League.

The game was also reward for a good season's work for the match officials, referee Martin O'Halloran leading his team of Oz Warner, Bill Cooper and Peter Critchlow.