Saturday 27 December
PREMIER DIVISION
Bearsted 1-1 Kennington
Chislehurst Glebe 1-2 Holmesdale
Corinthian 1-1 Phoenix Sports
Faversham Strike Force 1-2 Whitstable Town
Fisher 3-2 Erith & Belvedere
Hythe Town 0-1 Hollands & Blair
Larkfield & New Hythe 5-2 Snodland Town
Rusthall 2-0 Tunbridge Wells
The Premier Division signed off 2025 in fitting style – drama, derbies, late goals and a title race that’s starting to look very serious at the top.
Whitstable Town head into the New Year sitting five points clear at the summit of the table. In front of a huge crowd of 1,077, Belmont tenants Faversham Strike Force actually struck first courtesy of an own goal just after the break. Whitstable didn’t panic. Finn O’Mara levelled on the hour before Javaun Splatt completed the turnaround on 73 minutes. A 12-game unbeaten run extended, a statement win secured, and arguably the most remarkable year in the club’s history wrapped up with a bow on it.
Larkfield & New Hythe continued their own unforgettable 2025 with a barnstorming 5–2 win over near neighbours Snodland Town. Tyler Ibe and Matt Day both bagged braces, Kesna Clarke added late gloss, and Snodland’s goalkeeper saw red in the closing stages of a breathless encounter. The Kent Senior Trophy winners of April finish the year flying, while Snodland, despite the defeat, can still look back fondly on a year that also delivered silverware.
Rusthall claimed both the points and the local bragging rights as they beat Tunbridge Wells 2–0 in front of an impressive crowd of 1,208. Goals from Yassin Fares and Jack Kirby before the break did the damage and lifted the Rustics up to third place. A proper end-of-year performance, and a proper end-of-year atmosphere to go with it.
Holmesdale finally put the brakes on a five-game losing run with a vital 2–1 win at Chislehurst Glebe. First-half goals from Malachi Hudson and Enoch Muwonge proved enough to get Dale back on track and back up to fifth. Sometimes football really is as simple as “score twice, defend like your life depends on it”.
Hollands & Blair continue to be the league’s form side, grinding out a sixth straight win with a narrow but decisive 1–0 victory at Hythe Town. Duane Ofori-Acheampong’s 28th-minute strike was all it took. Blair end the year charging, while Hythe unfortunately bring down the curtain on a difficult 2025 rooted to the bottom.
At St Paul’s, Lorenzo Duncan stole the headlines in spectacular fashion as Fisher edged past Erith & Belvedere 3–2. The left-back scored all three Fisher goals – yes, all three – inside the first half, before the Deres hit back through a Freddie Baker penalty and Thomas Borders. Fisher end the year ninth, one point and one place above Erith, and with a defender who clearly didn’t read the positional handbook.
There was late drama in both of the day’s 1–1 draws. Phoenix Sports thought they’d won it at Corinthian when Anduel Shquti struck in the 83rd minute, only for Caleb Afoke to rescue a point deep into stoppage time. Bearsted and Kennington also shared the spoils, Billy Lewins opening the scoring for the fourth-placed Bears before Rajan Sahni struck late to deny them all three.
An outstanding afternoon, a memorable year, and a Premier Division that looks primed for even more chaos in 2026. SCEFL Football doesn’t need fireworks when it’s already this explosive.