Erith & Belvedere   2          Deane pen 20, Rivers 78

Gosport Borough  1          Bennett 55    

FA Cup Preliminary Round replay, 31 August 2010

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, a Cup giant-killing which suggested this new manager meant business, and featured two of the present Deres board.

 

Micky Collins took over as Deres’ manager in May 2010 and put his plans in place over the summer.  A team with seven debutants won 2-1 at Herne Bay in his first match, his second was a 2-0 FA Cup win at Holmesdale, his third a 2-1 home defeat to his future club Sevenoaks Town.  His fourth was a well-earned 0-0 draw in the FA Cup at Gosport, who were favourites for the Zamaretto (Southern League) South and West division title and included that league’s top two scorers from 2009-10.  So the following Tuesday, we brought Gosport back to PVR for a great night.

 

Sean Rivers’ goal 12 minutes from time ensured Erith & Belvedere’s passage into the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup  But they were made to work hard for their win as Gosport Borough put the Deres under the cosh during a frantic second half.

 

Stephen Wetherly almost gave the Deres the perfect start inside the first minute as his shot had the pace taken off it by Grant Porter and Aaron Cook was able to get back and clear the ball off the line.  Moments later a long throw in from Lee Gledhill was punched straight up in the air by Porter but the keeper was able to re-gather the ball before James Lyons could head home.  As the Deres piled on the pressure in the opening moments, Wetherly toe-poked the ball forwards but again Porter was able to make the save low down by his post.

 

Gosport created their first chance of the match after 10 minutes as Justin Bennett miss-hit a shot and Richard Stroud was able to block. As the ball bounced out James Taylor looked to have an open goal but his shot was blocked by Wilfort.  A misplaced back pass from Wilfort gave Boro’ an easy corner moments later which Peter Castle headed goalwards but Stroud was able to catch the centre half’s looping header.

Wetherly’s shot from 25 yards bounced comfortably into the arms of Porter before Bennett broke into the Deres penalty but again he couldn’t generate any power.

 

The Deres were handed the chance to open the scoring after 20 minutes when James Taylor slid across the goal to prevent Twin’s powerful header crossing the line, but the ball rebounded from the post onto his hand leaving the referee with no alternative to award a penalty kick to the Deres. Having deemed that there was no intent on Taylor’s behalf to deliberately handle the ball, the referee decided that the award of a penalty was punishment enough and Adrian Deane confidently sent Porter the wrong way from the spot to put the Deres in front.

 

Stroud’s quick throw out after collecting a Boro’ free kick into the area found Deane in acres of space on the right wing. He played the ball down the line for Wetherly who put in a cross to the far post where Lyons came steaming in but he couldn’t direct his volley and the ball went just wide of the goal.

 

As the Deres put the visiting defence under increasing pressure, Wetherly powered in a header which Porter had to fly across his goal to tip over the bar.  With 26 minutes gone, David Birmingham’s free kick flicked off the top of Twin’s head and Stroud had to catch the ball just under his crossbar before Bennett tried his luck from distance but Twin blocked the effort and managed to clear the danger.

 

Gledhill hit a rasping drive from all of thirty yards that was on target before Porter flew across his goal to get the faintest of fingertips to deflect the shot just over the bar. Incredibly, the referee failed to see the great save and merely awarded a goal kick.

Soon afterwards Deane hit a low shot at the other end that Porter was again equal to.

 

Gosport came out for the second half in determined mood and started to play the ball on the ground.  Putting the Deres under pressure, Wilde hit a shot just wide of the goal before Taylor hit an angled drive straight at Stroud.  At the other end Tom Malyon skipped into the penalty area and hit a powerful shot into the side netting.

 

But the Boro’ pressure told after 55 minutes as Wilde hit a curling shot from the edge of the Deres penalty area that beat Stroud’s despairing dive. The ball hit the inside of the post and Bennett was first to react and prodded home from close range to level the scores.  Deres were now firmly on the back foot and defending in numbers but without too much danger being put on the Deres goal with Boro’ only managing a Bennett drive well wide as Boro’ sought to find a winning goal.

 

Deres manager Micky Collins then introduced Rivers into the action as the Deres moved into a more attack minded 4-4-2 formation and Rivers almost grabbed a goal soon after coming on but his volley at the near post was charged down before Matt Newman had a shot blocked down but the ball fell to Wetherly on the angle of the penalty area who hit a shot just wide of the near post as this enthralling match entered the final fifteen minutes.

 

With 12 minutes to go the Deres regained the lead, having soaked up the Gosport pressure.  Newman’s ball over the top found Lyons breaking forward, who in turn held the ball up long enough to release Daniel Westerman, who was bursting along the left hand touchline. Taking the ball past Birmingham, Westerman moved into the penalty area before hitting a shot that deflected off Peter Castle across the six yard box and with Porter now going the wrong way attempting to save Westerman’s shot, Rivers arrived at the far post to tuck home a simple chance.

 

At one point in the remaining minutes, all but Porter were in the Deres half as Gosport sought to reclaim parity but the Deres held out without any major scares to claim a visit to Ryman League Division South side Corinthian Casuals.

 

Deres: Richard Stroud; Lee Gledhill, Danny Tipple, James Lyons, Danny Twin, John Wilfort, Adrian Deane (Sean Rivers 63), Chris Kinnear, Matt Newman, Stephen Wetherly (Micky Collins 90), Tom Malyon (Dan Westerman 55).

Gosport: Porter, Wooden, Birmingham, Wilde, Castle, Cook, Ford, Davis, Long, Bennett, Taylor.

Deres went on to beat Corinthian-Casuals in the first qualifying round before going down 4-1 at Hythe Town in the second.