Herne Bay                3          Uphill 2, 18, Pottle 77

Erith & Belvedere   2          O’Neil 27, Street 73

 

Erith & Belvedere   3          Carter 52, Radmore 97, 104

Herne Bay                0                     

Kent Amateur Cup Final, 15 and 22 May 1969

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, the pair of games which gave us our third Kent Amateur Cup in four years.

 

1968-69 was a turbulent season with two pivotal events.  On 30 November the club record goalscorer Colin Johnson severed knee ligaments in a collision with Hayes’ goalkeeper Graham Roope (the future England Test cricketer) which effectively finished his football career.  The incident exposed the club’s failure to insure its players, and on 4 January, during the supporters club’s New Year social, Deres manager Colin Murphy, three officials and 11 players walked out – which must have been an epic party-poop!  Roy Dwight returned as manager, and besides steadying the ship he took the club to the Kent Amateur Cup Final.  It was a short run, needing only to win 3-1 at Swanley and 1-0 home to Cray Wanderers, but the final was nevertheless a big deal.

 

DERES TACKLE SECOND LEG ONE GOAL IN ARREARS

 

Deres have not won a game at Winches Field, Herne Bay, since February 1967, and last Thursday’s Kent Amateur Cup Final first leg was no exception.

 

There was already apprehension in Deres’ camp due to a number of players being doubtful starters until the last moment.  Injuries piled up the previous week and it was only 15 minutes before the kick-off that Ray Radmore passed a fitness test.

 

Herne Bay set out to snatch an early goal and this they did inside two minutes when K Uphill snapped in a header that gave Everitt little chance.  The sinking sun affected Deres’ view of the ball in the first half, but this was no excuse for some of the mistakes they made.  They always had difficulty in controlling the ball, and their passing was more irregular than in recent weeks.

 

Some of their moves were praiseworthy, particularly those involving Graham Jones, while Radmore and Street had early attempts punched round.

 

Uphill added his second in the 18th minute, following a defensive mistake.  Collins had a good chance to add to the tally, but delayed his shot and allowed Everitt to come out and smother the ball, while Pottle chipped just wide.

 

Deres replied after 27 minutes.  A Greatorex free kick was punched away by Campbell and Steve O’Neil controlled the ball well before sending a good shot in from an acute angle.

 

Both teams brought on their substitutes in the second half, Deres’ Outten replacing Frewin in the 60th minute and Christian taking over from Beale for Herne Bay 10 minutes later.

 

An Uphill try was missed by Everitt, but Collins hit a post then another ball from Uphill found White who volleyed high from close range.  In turn Radmore rounded two players before sending over a good centre which was collected very well by Campbell.

 

Deres earned their reward in the 73rd minute.  A short centre found Chris Street unmarked and he turned to send in a terrific shot from 30 yards.

 

Both teams became unsettled, mistakes were common, and some unorthodox tackles were ignored by referee Chapman.  However, a heavy shoulder charge by a Deres defender did not go unnoticed.  It happened just to the side of Deres’ six-yard box and an indirect free-kick was awarded to the Bay: the ball was lifted into the goalmouth and Ray Pottle headed in from close range in the 77th minute.

 

Deres: Kevin Everitt; Keith Gurr, John Bishop, Micky Frewin, Dennis Crawford, Brendan Greatorex, Steve O’Neil, Graham Jones, Ray Radmore, Chris Street, Jim Allen.

 

 

AMATEUR CUP FOR DERES WITH GREAT GOALS BY RADMORE

 

Erith and Belvedere ended their season in splendid style with a resounding 3-0 victory over Herne Bay last Thursday in the Kent Amateur Cup final second leg.

 

Before a crowd of 600, some of whom had travelled from Gillingham and Harlow to support Deres, the home side delayed their best football until the extra time.  Before this the game had been fairly even with both sides using the ball to good advantage.

 

The respective goalkeepers were the hardest-worked players on the field.  Of the two, Deres’ Ken Rose must be given full credit for a near heroic performance: he did not have more to do, but he carried out his duty in a more thorough manner.  He ended many fine Bay efforts, particularly from Uphill and Collins.

 

Visiting centre-half Roy Hare played exceptionally well, specially when coping with a raiding home forward or overlapping downfield to encourage his own team.

 

Deres pulled their deficit back in the 52nd minute.  Bernard stopped a ball from going over the goal-line and centred to Radmore, whose header was punched out, but his second attempt went over the keeper and across the goal to Terry Carter, who outjumped a defender to head in.

 

Gurr, injured early in the second half, came off in the 72nd minute and a reshuffle found substitute Outten in the front line, and it was not long before he, too, was smelling success.

 

With the aggregate score 3-3, a further 30 minutes were played and Deres really came into their own.  They had the entire field to do almost as they pleased.  Jones had a tremendous run down the middle only to see Radmore shoot wide, but in the 97th minute Bernard crossed to Outten on the opposite flank and a quick return saw Ray Radmore head a wonderful goal.

 

Herne Bay were now finished and even goalgetter Uphill missed two easy chances. 

 

The final goal came in the 104th minute.  Chris Street calmly brought the ball under control before playing in beautifully for Radmore to hit on the turn from 30 yards – a fabulous goal scored in a style distinctively Radmore’s.

 

The trophy was presented to skipper Brendan Greatorex by Mr A R Prichard, chairman of the Kent Cup Competitions Committee.

 

Deres: Ken Rose; Gurr (Outten 72), O’Neil, Greatorex, Crawford, Bishop, Carter, Jones, Radmore, Street, Bernard