First Division Play Offs
SATURDAY 3rd MAY
Soul Tower Hamlets 0-0 Forest Hill Park
(Soul win 5-4 on penalties)
Soul Tower Hamlets are heading up after a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out win over Forest Hill Park in the SCEFL First Division play-off final.
Nearly 500 fans packed into Corinthian to witness the drama, as 90 goalless minutes led to a shoot-out showdown.
With the tenth and final penalty Rian Patel slotted the ball just out of George Kamurasi’s reach — ironic, as it was the first time either keeper got close to saving one. Patel’s cool finish came right after Tobi Coker blazed his spot-kick into orbit, handing Soul the chance — and they took it.
The match itself was a cagey affair. Forest Hill Park edged the early momentum, playing uphill first half. Bradley Ryan forced an early save from Sidi Haidara, and Temi Alaka went close with a header after a long Alfie Saunders throw.
Soul struggled to carve out chances in the first half, their best opportunity falling just before the break — Ryan pulled it back for Alaka, but the forward fluffed his lines with the goal at his mercy.
Second half, same pattern. Soul had a brief spark when Mo Kamara glanced a header wide from Patel’s delivery. Then came the big chance: Sherman Artmeladze — fresh off a semi-final hat-trick — slipped through after a defensive blunder but hesitated, and the move fizzled out. He nearly made amends moments later, his low drive flashing just wide.
Forest Hill Park’s moment arrived with 20 minutes to play — Eric De Melo was bundled over in the box. Up stepped Ryan Palmer, but Haidara guessed right and pulled off a stunning save to keep it 0-0.
Both sides had chances to win it late. Palmer fired inches wide after Kamara’s magic in midfield, and at the other end, Willie Maxwell’s effort was cleared off the line by Ryan Johnson after a set-piece scramble.
Then came penalties — and for a while, it was perfection. Eight flawless strikes. Steeds, Palmer, Kamara, and De Melo for FHP; Kelly, Siddik, Miam, and Carvell for Soul. But then Coker lost his nerve, Patel stepped up — and the rest is history.
Cue, celebration, cue a trophy lift, and cue a place at Step 5 next season for Soul Tower Hamlets.
WEDNESDAY 30th APRIL
Forest Hill Park 0-0 (4-2p) Croydon
Soul Tower Hamlets 5-0 Sheppey Sports
Following tonight’s results, Soul Tower Hamlets will play Forest Hill Park in the First Division Final at Corinthian FC on Saturday.
Soul comfortably got past Sheppey with Sherman Artmeladze the star of the show, scoring a second half hat-trick. Nick Bell and Dillon Woods shared the first two goals and Soul will now head to the final full of confidence and in great form.
At the Ladywell Arena Forest Hill and Croydon played out a dull goalless draw before the hosts won through on spot kicks. Georgi Steeds was brought on in the final minute of the game for his penalty expertise and the substitution paid off when he smashed home the winning kick.
MATCH PROGRAMME DOWNLOAD – Soul Tower Hamlets v Sheppey Sports
MATCH PROGRAMME FLIPBOOK – Soul Tower Hamlets v Sheppey Sports