Bromley                    1          Thomas 87

Erith & Belvedere   2          McKee 17, Yates 43

Kent Amateur Cup Final Replay, 10 May 1924 (at The Valley)

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, a real red-letter day – the Deres’ first ever trophy.

 

In our second season, the Kent Amateur Cup provided some of the great moments.We beat Bexleyheath 5-0 (a Stan Hillier hat-trick) in the first round.On the day of the second round there was a fixture clash.The first team played the Royal Marines in the FA Amateur Cup, so the reserves had to play the Kent Amateur Cup tie at RAF Manston! – and won 3-2.In the semi-final the first team again beat the Royal Marines, with a single Reg McKee goal at Sittingbourne.In the final at The Valley on 3 May Hillier was our scorer in a 1-1 draw, meaning another meeting a week later.

 

BROMLEY DEFEATED BY ERITH AND BELVEDERE – A Good Final

 

The replayed final of the Kent Amateur Cup, at Charlton on Saturday, saw Erith and Belvedere give a much better display than on May 3rd, and they deservedly won the handsome shield.  Bromley were defeated by 2-1, and could not score until the last few minutes of a hard struggle.  There was not such a big crowd as on the previous Saturday, but the match was a great improvement on the first one, with much clever football and plenty of thrills.  This time Bromley had to play in strange colours, and they turned out in blue jerseys with dark blue bars.

 

Wilson won the toss and gave Erith advantage of the wind, and for long periods in the first half Bromley were defending.  They were so hard pressed that the whole team put in a lot of work, with the result that later on they could not produce that extra bit which must have brought goals.  Bromley’s defence was good, the weakness of the team being in the shooting of the forwards.  Erith generally were too clever a side for the opposition, and even when playing with ten men they were well on top.

 

Erith’s first goal came after rather more than fifteen minutes’ play.  The ball went from Brown to Yates, and instead of shooting the centre-forward deceived the defence by slipping it to McKee, who ran past Warren and scored from close in, the ball striking under the bar and giving Wood no chance.

 

Bromley frequently relieved the pressure, but after very fine combination, their forwards would finish poorly.  One shot, though, from Eccleston, touched the bar and went over, and C Evans made a good save when Thomas sent the ball through a crowd of players.  Brown, who had been very prominent at left-half for Erith, fell badly when he took a flying leap to head the ball away from Thomas.  He was carried to the dressing-room, and returned after the interval to take the outside position on the left-wing.  Stone played left-half, and was a great success there.

 

Morris made a fine attempt to get through and was fouled inches outside the penalty area.  Mockford took the free kick and shot well, C Evans getting the ball away after falling.  Then a free-kick Swayne headed in, and a corner followed.  Gooch placed this in the goalmouth, and McKee’s header missed the far post by inches.  Before the interval Yates scored a splendid goal for Erith, sending in a terrific drive from 20 yards and completely beating Wood.

 

Many chances were missed during the second half, and although Bromley did a full share of attacking, only a few decent shots went in, and these C Evans dealt with in style.  One save was a one-hand punch over the bar.  When Erith attacked Yates was always prominent, often beating his man and taking the ball to the goal line, but his centres were wasted.

 

Bromley put all they knew into a strenuous attack.  Thomas beat Swayne and Stone, and then shot against the side-net; Morris had a good header punched out, and his first-time following a freekick resulted in C Evans making a wonderful save as the ball travelled towards the far corner of the goal.

 

Eventually the attack was beaten back, and for ten minutes the Bromley defence had a warm time.  Thomas, Bromley’s outside-right, changed places with Colwell, and this move brought a goal during the last five minutes of the game.  In midfield Yates was pulled up for what appeared to be a fair tackle, and before Erith had got over their feeling of surprise, Colwell centred and Thomas banged the ball past C Evans.  Bromley, however, were well beaten, and when the final whistle blew several of the team were flying distress signals.  Many hard knocks were given and taken in the game, but Mr T Pedley, with the help of Messrs Foweraker and Currall, had a firm grip.  Yates was off for treatment to a bleeding nose, and some of the players were badly shaken.

 

For the winners, C Evans played a wonderfully safe game in goal, while the backs generally had the measure of the opposing forwards.  Swayne played a great game, his head often holding up movements, while Marks and Stone were on top form.  Gooch seldom did the right thing and was prone to get offside, but the other forwards did many clever moves and gave the Bromley defenders much trouble.  For Bromley, Ralph was the better of the backs, and Mockford the most useful half.  Morris was the constructive man amongst the forwards, but none of them could shoot.

 

The shield was presented to F Wilson, Erith’s captain, immediately after the match by Major Porter, chairman of the KCFA.  Mr F Fehr, President of the County Association, introduced Major Porter.  He said they had seen quite a good game, and it was fitting that Major Porter, who had done so much for Kent football, should present the shield. (Applause.)  After Mr Fehr had pinned the Association brooch on the coat of Major Porter, the latter congratulated Erith and Belvedere on their victory, and Bromley would be the first to admit the better team had won.  Amid much applause and cheering the players received their medals from Major Porter, and the pleasing ceremony ended with cheers for both sides.

 

Erith: Cyril “Taffy” Evans; Bob Evans and Fred “Tug” Wilson; Albert Marks, Billy Swayne and Charlie Brown; Ernie Gooch, Reg McKee, Harry Yates, Billy Beckford and Ernie Stone.

Bromley: Wood; Warren and Ralph; Guilliard, Mockford and Hewett; Thomas, Morris, Eccleston, Colwell and Mayhew.