All hail Huk the Final hero- again

Two local rivals. Two clubs reborn after earlier setbacks. Two points between them in the table. A fifth meeting of the campaign. The biggest match in the history of both clubs. We didn’t need a great deal of hyperbole to promote tonight’s Pitching In Isthmian South East Promotion Final; it easily sold itself.

The weather had also decided to play its part. The forecast for the Bank Holiday weekend was decidedly dicey, but tonight, at least, the sun had its hat on and was coming out to play. We hoped that the warm weather might help ensure that neither side froze on the big stage. It had certainly dried out the pitch; after all the rain we’ve had this season it was still rather strange to see a hosepipe in use before the match, but there were many areas where the green stuff was rather sparse. A large pile of sand lay unused just outside the perimeter, its work done for the year. 
 

So many Promotion Finals promise much and deliver a great deal less, but we expected a fine match tonight, played by two sides focused on attacking football. Visitors AFC Whyteleafe had managed one hundred and nine goals during the campaign- across the entire League only Three Bridges had scored more; whilst hosts AFC Croydon Athletic were certainly no slouches in front of goal, having notched ninety six- only the two previously mentioned clubs, Folkestone Invicta, Maldon & Tiptree and Leatherhead had scored more, all of these ending the campaign as champions with one obvious exception. 
 

At the other end, both sides had stoppers with extensive experience of the big stage. For the Rams it was Amadou Tangara, who played in a Promotion Final- with Leatherhead- at the end of the 23-24 campaign, whilst at the other end we had serial winner Slav Huk, shootout hero with Burgess Hill Town in last seasons Final, shootout hero with Dorking Wanderers in the 2016-17 Final, and all-round hero as Wanderers charged all the way to the National League. 
 

The sides are effectively neighbours, and Leafe were remarkably familiar with their hosts Mayfield Stadium, as they’d already been there three times this season. Way back in August it was the side in Green who had delivered a three-one FA Trophy triumph, and when they went back there in the Velocity Cup in October they left after victory by the odd goal in seven. The Rams got some revenge at Christmas, travelling to Church Road and winning four-two, and the sides were back at Mayfield as recently as Easter Monday, second half goals from Ryan Gondoh and Josh Williams ensuring a one-one draw. Gondoh and Williams were very much the stars of the Semi-Finals, and the neutrals amongst us- not that there seemed to be many of those- hoped for more of the same.
 

In the approach to kick off smoke drifted across the pitch-luckily from a grill outside the clubhouse, rather than from the crematorium next door- and the Leafe drummer began to make his presence felt. Luckily most of the neighbours were beyond being disturbed, the ground bordered by Croydon cemetery. 

There were certainly a large number of away fans, many of them waving handheld flags. There were also flags tied right across the fencing behind the goal at one end; so many the ground began to resemble a vexillologists convention. 

After the pre-match pleasantries the hosts got us underway, kicking towards the Mitcham Common end. “Come on you Rams,” sang the home fans, trying to drown out the rhythmic beat at the other end. Athletic co-owner Stormzy arrived, which excited the gaggle of teenagers in front of the stand whilst everyone else took no notice. The other co-owner, Wilf Zaha, had apparently promised the squad a sunshine holiday if they won. It wouldn’t cost him much; after all, Croydon has a direct train to Bognor.

The first chance went to the visitors, and it took quick feet and a fine block to deny Gondoh. Almost immediately at the other end Huk had to punch clear a dangerous cross, and then Corey Holder had to get in front of David Bremang to block another. We’d only been playing for five minutes and the match was already end to end. An error from Holder saw Williams race towards goal, only for the same defender to charge back and make a saving tackle, and suddenly the hosts were on top. They were soon nearly ahead, a corner headed goalward, Huk saving, the ball sent straight back and needing to be cleared off the line. 
 

The hosts remained dominant as we reached the midway point of the first half, although there were signs that the visitors were beginning to get a foothold, Hani Hechachena particularly prominent with his shock of curly hair, charging about and making a nuisance of himself and driving his side forward. Suddenly it was Leafe’s turn to apply pressure, but a break saw the hosts come close again, Brandon Pierrick only able to fire wide under pressure after fine work from Williams.

On thirty one minutes Gondoh saw a shot blocked for the visitors, and then Croydon were back on the attack, a corner headed just wide. The match wasn’t short of attacking verve, but the keepers weren’t being forced to throw themselves about, either. 

The first half ended without a goal. It had been entertaining, but real chances had been kept to a premium by some fine defending at both ends. 

Half time: Croydon Athletic 0 AFC Whyteleafe 0

During the break one of the Leafe mascots, four foot six and perhaps ten years old, curled a fantastic shot into the top corner from the edge of the box. We needed more of that from somebody taller- and older- in the second half.
 

Athletic started the second half as they had the first. A long and mazy run from Bremang took him into the box, his shot poleaxing a defender and going for a corner. Straight up the other end and the hosts were forced into some stout defending, but again no keeper was disturbed. More home pressure followed, but the outcome remained the same. The match needed a goal. It still needed one as we moved into the last half hour.

The visitors then came desperately close, only some fine goalkeeping and desperate defending keeping them out. On sixty five minutes they earned a corner, cleared, and then, goal! Helge Orome has probably never hit a better shot, his effort from the edge of the box leaving Tangara with no chance- indeed had the net not been there the ball would have been bouncing around the Common, such was its force. 
 

Goal! Croydon Athletic 0 AFC Whyteleafe 1, Helge Orome, 66 minutes

The Rams looked crestfallen, and their visitors continued to press, Dan Bennett firing wide from the edge of the box. Kadell Daniel emerged from the bench for the hosts, an attacking change. Could they grab back the initiative?

Instead Leafe attacked once more. Eniola Hassan went down, claiming a penalty. He got a corner, cleared, and Gondoh went down, claiming a penalty. He got a yellow card, and the referee looked absolutely right on both occasions.

Huk picked up a knock and went down, his teammates gathering around their manager like a South East Division Chelsea whilst treatment was administered. And into the last ten minutes we went, as a Williams effort cleared the bar by some distance.

And then, a defensive error. Bremang charged at Huk. An arm came out. It didn’t get the ball. Penalty! 

Up stepped Harvey Kedwell. Saved! Rebound, and then, foul! Another penalty!

This time, Daniel, and no mistake. 

Goal: Croydon Athletic 1 AFC Whyteleafe 1, Kadell Daniel. 86 minutes.

It seemed we were off to extra time. But nine extra minutes were signalled. Could anyone take advantage? The match remained frantic. 

Leafe corner, back post header, save. At the other end a shot from Daniel hit his own player. Six minutes more. You could feel the tension in the stands, but there was no sign of it on the pitch. Another Croydon push. Offside. Leafe’s turn to go forward, and a cross sails out for a goal kick. At the other end, another cross, another goal kick. And that was that.

90 minutes- Croydon Athletic 1 AFC Whyteleafe 1. Extra time to follow.

The hosts got us underway, as the fans changed ends again. 

A foul on Kedwell at the edge of the box gave Athletic the first chance of extra time, but Daniel’s free kick cleared both wall and bar. On one hundred minutes the hosts found Richard Afrane-Kesey at the back post, but he fired wide and the home fans held their heads in their hands. Certainty neither side were playing for penalties. Two minutes later and Afrane-Kesey did have the ball in the net, only to see a raised flag.

Then, a well worked move, a cross from Bremang, and…Daniel could only poke it wide. At the other end, Hechachena and Hassan combined well, only for the latter to lash his shot wide. And we had fifteen minutes to find a winner.

 The attendance was announced as 1262 as we awaited the second half of extra time.

Leafe had a corner within 35 seconds of the restart. It cleared everyone and went out for a goal kick, but it was remarkable how much energy was still being wrung from both sides. Nobody had yet succumbed to cramp, either.

At one end, a long Leafe throw was cleared. At the other, Williams earned a corner- headed off the line! 

The hosts piled on the pressure, and we moved into the last six minutes. Leafe stood strong, but they began to resort to wild clearances. Pierrick was the latest to line up a shot- wide. And then a goalmouth scramble to end all goalmouth scrambles, but still the ball wouldn’t go in for the Rams. Lots of pushing and shoving left us out of minutes, but allowed the ref to add two more. 

Which came to naught.

Full time after extra time: Croydon Athletic 1 Whyteleafe 1, penalties next

The shootout had as much drama as the entire match. The Rams scored, Leafe missed. Advantage the hosts! Athletic scored again, Huk nearly keeping it out, and then Leafe scored for 2-1.

Up stepped the hosts. Saved! Leafe to level- and they did, Tangara sent the wrong way. 2-2.

Croydon again, Williams, Huk saved…but apparently he moved off his line and a retake was ordered. Williams again, 3-2.

Leafe- 3-3, after another delay after the referee went to the centre circle to show a yellow card.

The Rams- 4-3. Leafe, 4-4, and we were into sudden death.

Croydon- saved, Huk once more the hero!

And then, finally, goal- Leafe win, and pandemonium as half the crowd invaded the pitch.

The final kick was taken at eleven minutes to eleven. Fifteen minutes later a presentation- of sorts- followed.

Five years ago this summer the original Whyteleafe resigned from the League after a landlord dispute could not be resolved. It left fans without a club, but a Phoenix club quickly rose from the ashes under the guidance of owner Kelly Waters, and they started again, albeit at Step Eight. A move to Step Six quickly followed, and the last three seasons have seen a title followed by a title- and now a Promotion Final win. The new Leafe have delivered more than the old Leafe ever managed- and it has been magnificent and heart warming to watch.

Athletic deserved enormous sympathy tonight. Over one hundred and twenty minutes they were just about the better side, and certainly created the better chances, but it wasn’t to be. Penalties are a terrible way to lose. But it was perhaps fitting that Leafe got their fairytale ending.

And that once again Slav Huk played the role of Prince Charming.