Whitstable 1-1 Phoenix

Phoenix left aggrieved despite Whitstable draw

Phoenix Sports extended their unbeaten run to seven matches as they battled to a hard-fought and highly controversial draw away at league leaders Whitstable Town, bringing the hosts’ ten-game winning streak to an end.

The visitors started the contest positively and carved out the first opening after 12 minutes. Jamarie Brissett drove down the right and combined well with Louie Downey, but the midfielder’s effort was bravely blocked as Whitstable scrambled clear.

The hosts began to apply pressure as the half wore on, and Phoenix goalkeeper Ryan McCourt was quickly into the action. On 21 minutes, he produced a fine save to tip a Jayden Boulton strike around the post before Finn O’Mara headed the resulting corner over the bar.

Phoenix felt they should have been awarded a penalty on 34 minutes when the debutant Khayrie Harris was bundled over inside the area, but the referee waved away his appeals. McCourt ensured the sides went in level at the break with another excellent stop just before half-time, spreading himself well to deny Bradley Shaffer from close range.

Phoenix came out for the second half with real intent and looked the brighter side in the early stages. There was a moment of alarm on 57 minutes when a mix-up at the back saw Paul Lee head the ball past McCourt, but the ball dropped just wide of the post.

The breakthrough arrived on the hour mark and it was Phoenix who got their noses in front. The debutant Harris did superbly down the left before finding Harry Barnes, whose delightful outside-of-the-foot pass picked out Will Efambe.

The forward steadied himself and smashed a brilliant finish into the near post to give Phoenix the lead - his sixth of the season.

What followed was a hugely controversial spell that completely altered the course of the match. On 65 minutes, Harris once again beat his man and was tripped inside the box, but to the disbelief of the Phoenix players and bench, the referee not only waved away the penalty appeals but booked Harris for his protests, sending him to the sin bin.

Moments later, the situation worsened. Joe Healy rose highest in the box but saw his header saved once again by the excellent McCourt. However, the officials adjudged the ball to have crossed the line despite McCourt appearing to keep it out and Whitstable were level.

Furious Phoenix protests saw Jake Goodman booked and sin binned, leaving the visitors with just nine men on the pitch. A chaotic and contentious sixty seconds that left Phoenix feeling incredibly hard done by against Whitstable for the second time this season.

Despite being up against it, Phoenix showed immense character. McCourt produced a stunning save on 74 minutes, flying to his left and tipping a curling effort around the post and earning congratulations from his teammates. The visitors defended heroically during the period with nine men and successfully saw out the punishment before returning to full strength.

Five minutes of injury time were added, and Whitstable threw bodies forward, loading the box for a couple of long throws, but Phoenix held firm.

Jake Goodman’s side will take pride in halting Whitstable’s impressive winning run, but the overriding feeling at full time was one of frustration, with the visitors feeling they were on the wrong end of several key decisions in a game that could, and perhaps should, have yielded all three points.

WHITSTABLE TOWN – Colmer, Osinfolarin, Boulton, Thompson, Currie (Cotton), Thomas, Chambers, Splatt, Shaffer, O’Mara, Healy (Dean Grant)

Subs – Peters, Robson, Fenton

PHOENIX SPORTS – McCourt, Morrison, Belford, Barnes, Lee, Goodman, Efambe, (Jensen Grant) Della-Verde (McCann), Harris (Aboagye), Downey (Shquiti), Brissett