The weather this morning was still unsure of what it wanted to do with rain in bursts combining with bright sun. I came to see an 11.00 am kick off at Glebe FC, to find the fixture had been moved to the University ground at the rear of the Glebe clubhouse. It was nice being welcomed by hard working Glebe Chairman, Rocky McMillan, serving breakfast rolls as I got to the ground. This is a club that goes the extra mile to welcome visitors. I was looking forward to a lively game between two attractive teams.

Glebe play in the Southern Counties East Football League (SCeFL) Premier Division and have in recent years begun to prepare themselves for a push towards promotion into the Isthmian league. They are now managed by the joint management team of Danny Oakins and Craig Nelson. In the close season they have added to their squad to complement the goal scoring talents of their long serving striker, Jamie Philpott, who in recent seasons, has guaranteed 25 goals plus a season.

Lewisham Borough are managed by Lloyd Davis and will be really keen to see if they can better the twelfth place finish they ended the season with in 2022/23. As neither team published team sheets for this friendly fixture, my report doesn’t reference many names, so I apologise.

The opening half an hour saw both sides battling for dominance. Lewisham Borough’s tackling in midfield was of a really high quality and they repeatedly deadened the Glebe attacking options before they could develop any fluency.

On 30 minutes the deadlock was broken, when Glebe’s number 14 went in for a 50/50 challenge on the edge of the Lewisham area. His effort ballooned off a defender and over the away team’s keeper’s head, to nestle in the net, putting Glebe 1-0 ahead.

Within a minute of the restart, Lewisham Borough were level. Their number 11 broke on the right and fired across the keeper, finding the number 10, to make it 1-1 with a fine finish.

On the stroke of half time, Glebe were ahead again, when their Number 14 found space on the right hand side of the area, before firing them 2-1 up, as the heavens opened.

At half time the teams went in with Glebe leading 2-1. Lewisham Borough were still very much in this game, having looked a real threat when going forward and having demonstrated some ferocious midfield tackling.

The second half opened with both sides throwing everything into attack. Lewisham Borough began to look really dangerous, particularly when running at the Glebe wing backs.

The referee awarded a penalty on 56 minutes, after a rash challenge by a Glebe player in the penalty area. The spot kick was suitably despatched by Lewisham Borough’s versatile number 4, to level the scores.

As the game moved into the final quarter, the realisation that the next goal could be decisive added to the pressure. A member of the Glebe coaching set up was sent off, for an abusive comment, on 71 minutes.

In the 82nd minute, it looked to have been Lewisham Borough who made the all crucial break through. They had a penalty awarded when the pacey Lewisham Borough number 11 was fouled. The number 4 stepped up to take his second spot kick but this time, hit the ball agonisingly wide of the post.

In the dying embers of the game, as the clock showed the 88th minute, Glebe themselves won a penalty. Jamie Philpott stepped up to take it and finished with no doubt, putting his team 3-2 ahead.

There wasn’t time for more than one passage of play, before the referee blew for full time. Both sides had entertained and Lewisham Borough will walk away from this knowing they more than stood shoulder to shoulder with one of the SCEFL Premier Division’s top sides, which will give them hope they can challenge at the top of Division 1 this season. For Glebe they were tested and had to dig deep but showed resilience and really ground out this victory.