Erith & Belvedere   2          Jarvis 45, 106

Worthing                   1          Harman 60     

Corinthian League Memorial Shield Final, 2 September 1950 (at Eastbourne)

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, the answer to a quiz question: which team was knocked out of a competition a week after winning it?

 

The 1949-50 season ended in a bit of an anti-climax as regards the Deres’ bid to win a third consecutive Corinthian League Memorial Shield.  You’d think that a 14-team league would make it easy to finish the league cup competition in good time, but no.  Deres won through the first round of the competition on 10 September 1949, winning at Maidenhead, but the quarter-final was not played until 20 April 1950!  Deres won at Hounslow in the quarter-final and home to Windsor and Eton in the semi-final, but by then it was May, and the Corinthian League decided to hold over the final until the following season. 

 

So Ernie Robinson, who got the Deres to the final, had moved on by the time it was played – to a distinguished career managing FC Enschede in the Netherlands – and the cup run was to end eight days short of a year after it began!  The Kentish Times reported it thus:

 

DERES AGAIN WIN SHIELD – WORTHING BEATEN AFTER EXTRA TIME

 

For the third time in succession Deres won the Corinthian Memorial Shield at Eastbourne on Saturday, beating Worthing 2-1 after extra time.  The match had been held over from the 1949-50 season.

 

It was a closely fought match with Deres playing their best football against a heavier side who proved worthy opponents.  G. Jarvis, brought up from the Reserves, scored both goals.

 

Both sides took a long time to settle down and there was a certain amount of loose passing and haphazard play.  Deres got together after that and pressed, forcing three corners in quick succession.  Worthing’s defence was strong, however, and clearances by their backs gave their forwards a chance to be a menace to Deres’ goal.  S Appleton (inside-right) was particularly good and Collins was tried to the utmost.

 

Worthing also had a good goalkeeper in R Woolgar, who found himself hard pressed by attacks led by Newstead and Ansell.  Both played well, especially Newstead, who initiated most of Deres’ attacks.

 

DERES SCORE FIRST

 

Deres’ first goal came in the last minute before the interval.  It was Newstead who made the opening, centring to Paris who passed to Jarvis, and the last-named headed in.

 

In the second half Deres attacked and pressed the Worthing defence, who played wildly when things got really hot.  Paris just missed the upright while Kinch justified his inclusion with a good performance.  A near miss by Lowther was followed by good play by McCullough who backed up strongly.  When Worthing took the initiative, Godwin showed himself to be a first-class back, always being where he was needed.

 

A movement down the right wing by Worthing after 15 minutes resulted in a fine goal by C J Harman, brought from right-wing to inside-left, after which Worthing did all the attacking right up to the end of the half.  Again and again Deres’ defence saved the situation, Gurr, O’Brien and Goodwin playing faultless football.  Harman combined with V Taylor (outside-left) to make a real threat of a second goal, but Deres’ defence foiled them.

 

DECIDED IN EXTRA TIME

 

Extra time brought a strong attack by Worthing, a shot by Harman going just over the bar, and Collins made a marvellous save from a try by Appleton.  There were three occasions when Deres supporters had frights.  Once a ball from Harman hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced out again, a second time when Collins fell on the goal-line holding the ball, and a third time when he made one of his rare fumbles  after a pass from Gurr.

 

Deres scored again straight from the kick-off after the change-over.  It was Jarvis again.  Changes were made in the Erith attack.  Ansell moved from outside to inside-right, Jarvis from inside-right to inside-left, and Lowther from inside-left to outside-right.  The defence were spread-eagled and Ansell and Jarvis slipped through the gap in the middle.

 

The shield was presented by Mr F C Wells (secretary of Sussex County FA).

 

Erith & Belvedere: Lew Collins; Pat O’Brien, Johnny Goodwin; Bernard Kinch, Harold Gurr, Jock McCullough; Vic Ansell, George Jarvis, Jim Paris, Len Lowther, Roy Newstead.

 

 

So Deres had their third consecutive Corinthian League Memorial Shield, winning the 1949-50 competition on 2 September 1950.  Seven days later they were knocked out of the 1950-51 competition, losing 2-1 at Uxbridge!