Corinthian                1          Marsh 33

Erith & Belvedere   4          Davies 39, Burchell 71, Kissi 73, J Wood 90     

Kent League Cup Final, 11 May 2013 (at Park View Road)

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, the day we did the double.

11 days after the decisive game in the 2012-13 Kent League title race (no spoilers, but it’s coming up later in the series!) the Deres played Corinthian in the Kent League Cup Final.The run had begun back in October/November with a 3-0 win v Greenwich Borough in the first round, followed by a 3-1 win in the away leg.In January/February we beat Whyteleafe 1-0 in both legs of the quarter-final, and in the semi-final a 3-0 first leg win v Lordswood gave us more than enough of a cushion: Lordswood scored in the second minute of the second leg but were unable to add to it.So on to a lunchtime kick-off at PVR (serving officially as a neutral venue and using Welling’s dressing-rooms) on FA Cup Final day.

DOUBLE WINNING DERES
 

Micky Collins’ Erith and Belvedere side became the 12th team to complete the Kent League double with a convincing performance at Park View Road.

The first half was a nervy encounter and Erith & Belvedere created the first chance of the game inside ten minutes.  Target-man Andy Constable was freed down the right and he whipped in a low right-footed cross which was swept wide by left-winger Kieron McCann, who hit a first time shot from 12 yards.  Corinthian’s opening chance arrived in the 18th minute when right-back Jaie Nuttall swept in a free-kick and Daniel Bent sent a towering header into Jack Bradshaw’s arms from 12 yards.

Corinthian squandered an excellent chance to take the lead when Nuttall played the ball into Adam Marsh, who swept the ball in behind Erith & Belvedere left-back Sam Hasler and Lee Woodyard cut the ball back to the edge of the box for an unmarked Jamie Taylor to crack a left-footed drive over.  Then Nuttall swung in a corner from the left towards the far post where Bent rose high above marker Drew Crush to plant his header over from four yards.

Corinthian went close again when Alfie May swept the ball out wide to Bent, who played the ball inside to Woodyard, who rode McCann’s sliding challenge before cutting the ball back to Taylor, who this time dragged his left-footed shot wide of the post from 18-yards.  Marsh then played a diagonal pass to put May through on goal but his left-footed shot was blocked by Bradshaw.

Corinthian, however, livened up a nervy start by opening the scoring in controversial circumstances after 33 minutes.  Wilson clipped the ball over the top of the Erith & Belvedere defence to release Marsh through the middle. The Corinthian striker appeared to be yards offside but linesman Danny Geary kept his flag down and Marsh raced into the box, rounded keeper Bradshaw and rifled a left-footed shot into the roof of an empty net.

Erith & Belvedere issued Corinthian a warning when a long ball out of defence from Davies released winger Orlando Smith, who played the ball inside to Kissi, whose right-footed shot on he turn curled across Richard Stroud and past the far post.  They then equalised in the 39th minute, courtesy of a mistake from the Corinthian keeper.  McCann swept a right-footed free-kick into the penalty area and Stroud inexplicably dropped the ball at Richie Davies’ feet and the central defender accepted the gift to steer his right-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner from eight yards.  It was Deres’ 150th goal of a prolific season.

Hasler pumped a deep cross towards the far post where Constable directed his header wide of the near post from ten yards thirty seconds into injury time.  Collins was clearly upset with his side’s disappointing first half display and admitted he gave his side an earful during the half-time break.  He said: “I had a bit of a moan. I didn’t go mad. It wasn’t one of my hairdryer moments, but I wasn’t happy.”

Erith & Belvedere created the first opening early in the second half.  Jamie Wood swung in a left-footed corner from the right and Crush was left unmarked at the far post to nod wide from eight yards.  But Corinthian should have regained the lead when 32-goal striker May played a sublime diagonal pass to unmarked substitute Jack Howlett, who took a touch before stroking a right-footed shot from sixteen yards, which was blocked by Bradshaw’s left foot.

Constable, on 29 goals for the season, was clearly unhappy to be substituted in the 57th minute, but introducing former Gillingham, Dartford and Margate striker Adam Burchell ultimately won Deres the game.  Burchell scored his 17th goal for the club when Erith & Belvedere took the lead for the first time in the 71st minute.  Paul Springett, supposedly playing his last game before retirement, played the ball out to McCann, who sped past two Corinthian defenders down the left before sailing a cross into the penalty area.  Corinthian keeper Stroud looked destined to catch the ball but central defender Charlie Burgess rose at the near post and his slight deflection saw the ball loop over the keeper and an unmarked Burchell jumped and stuck out his right foot at the far post to volley the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.

Deres put the game beyond Corinthian’s reach when they scored their third goal only 109 seconds later.  McCann stroked the ball from the middle of the park and released Richmond Kissi, who picked the ball up 30 yards from goal, before speeding into the penalty area before slotting a right-footed shot underneath Stroud to make it 3-1.

May hit a right-foot shot from 25 yards, which brought a comfortable low save from Bradshaw, who excelled again soon after.  Wilson swung in a corner from the right which was headed out by Crush. Substitute Josh Hames played the ball to Marsh, who beat the offside trap to drill a right-footed shot, which was saved by Bradshaw. 
Corinthian midfielder Chris Kinnear was then given time and space to unleash a right-footed drive from 25 yards, which forced Bradshaw into making a fine diving save to his right to push the ball away.

Deres wrapped up the victory two minutes and 40 seconds into injury time.  Hasler was given time and space to float over a cross towards the edge of the box and Burchell, back to goal, flicked the ball through to Jamie Wood, who slid in to stab his left-foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner.  The fourth goal was harsh on Corinthian – but Wilson saw red in the fifth minute of injury time when he was sent off for kicking Smith in a tussle for the ball.

Micky Collins said to Kentish Football’s Stephen McCartney: “We’ve done it. We’ve achieved what I set out to do and I’m absolutely really chuffed.  I really like the look of that League Cup and I fancied that earlier in the season and the hard graft’s paid off and I’m a really, really happy boy.”  On the crowd of 452 he commented: “I would like to see all these faces here today and more of them come and support us next season. It’s nice to see this ground with quite a few people in it. It means a lot to me to see that!”

Erith & Belvedere: Jack Bradshaw, Allan Matthews (Sean Johnson 88), Sam Hasler, Paul Springett, Richard Davies, Drew Crush, Orlando Smith, Jamie Wood, Andy Constable (Adam Burchell 57), Richmond Kissi (Lewis Wood 85), Kieron McCann.

• : Richard Stroud, Jaie Nuttall, Ben Wilson, Daniel Bent (Jack Howlett 50), Charlie Burgess, Ryan Johnson, Jamie Taylor, Chris Kinnear, Alfie May (Denzel Gayle 82), Adam Marsh, Lee Woodyard (Josh James 66).

As many of you will know, this was the last match Micky Collins’ Deres played together.  Collins resigned 11 days later having not secured the budget he wanted for the Ryman League.  After a traumatic Ryman season ended in relegation, Matt Longhurst, who managed Corinthian in this match, took over and several of the names in this Corinthian line-up – Alfie May, Ryan Johnson, Adam Marsh and Ben Wilson – gave us an exciting 2014-15 and that unforgettable run to the FA Vase quarter-final.