Lloyd’s Paper Mills 5        Hopper 9, 11 (pen), Ottaway 42, Fallon 44, 70

Erith & Belvedere   6         Southcombe 8, Urpeth 25, Young 30, 60, Mann 34, 47

Kent Senior Cup 1st round, 4 February 1939

 

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, a game made even more remarkable by what had happened the previous week.  We’ve won three games in our entire history by 6-5, and two of them came on consecutive Saturdays.  This was the first:

Erith & Belvedere   6          Mann 10, Young 27, Beal 46, Southcombe 71, 102, Urpeth 81

Leyton                       5          Charlton 25, 65, Evans 30, Smith 38, 50

London Senior Cup 2nd round, 28 January 1939 – after extra time

 

And this was how the local paper covered the second:

DERES’ “DOUBLE” – SECOND 6-5 WIN

 

It was worth waiting a fortnight for this deferred meeting of well-matched Kent League amateurs at Tunstall-road, Sittingbourne, on Saturday.  Conditions were almost ideal after a dull week. The Deres found a shy sun to grace the scene, and spectators turned up in large numbers for this game of the year.

 

What a game it was, too.  From beginning to end it was sheer delight to a lover of Soccer as it should be played.  The lead changed hands time and again, and the Mills’ roar was followed next minute by a mighty shout for Erith, for the Papermakers’ crowd are nothing if not generous.

 

Erith’s move in the restoring of Southcombe to centre-forward, with Mann inside and Beal at left-half, undoubtedly paid.  Southcombe proved himself a brilliant opportunist, shooting with either foot with power and accuracy, while Mann was equally prompt and deadly in having a go.  Beal’s task was never severe, for a reserve winger weakened Lloyds’ attack considerably, leaving him free to devote his full attention to Hopper, demon scorer of the Mills.

 

Beginning at top gear, the Deres had Lloyds’ halves all at sea, but the opposition quickly accelerated, and moves were exceedingly brisk at either end.  Southcombe nipped through, profiting by a Sellens miskick, but he shot wide, and the Mills, responding through Black, forced the first corner, the left-winger ending the attack with a drive across goal and out of play.

 

Eight minutes had flown and excitement was high when Erith opened the first half glut of scoring.  Urpeth began the good work when, receiving in front of the grandstand, he ran well up the wing past the full-back for Southcombe to pounce on the ball and shoot an amazing goal, which left the goalkeeper standing.  Spectators gasped.  This was the traditional Erith dash with a vengeance.

 

Next minute it was Lloyds’ turn, Hopper speeding through the centre was edged off by Bennett in the nick of time, but a corner followed, and the ball coming out to the waiting Hopper he returned it into the net.  Down came the Mills again on their left, and Bennett full length handled.  A penalty seemed drastic punishment, but the decision was correct, and Hopper slammed in an unstoppable one.

 

Barron was a busy man for a few moments while Lloyds were on good terms with themselves, but Young relieved, and swivelling past Smith and Mason he slipped the ball to Scott, but Kingsnorth fell to his knees and kept it out.  Then it was Urpeth’s turn, and Young, meeting his rather over-shot centre, blazed just over.  Next Sellens let Southcombe through again, but Kingsnorth saved the situation at the expense of a corner, from which Young fired across goal and out.

 

Lloyds, too, were often attacking and defenders did not hesitate to seek safety in touch.  Erith wingers were getting plenty of rope, and Young originated another attack which brough an equalising goal at the 25th minute, when he forced a corner and Hammond fisting away left his goal open for Urpeth to score with ease.

 

A thrill followed at Barron’s end when Fuller struck the crossbar in the next raid downfield.  Lloyds passed with great determination for a few moments, but the Deres were insistent, and Southcombe, getting clear out on the left once more, sent the ball against the bar for Young to send the rebound hard and low past Hammond.  This goal came at the half-hour mark, and within the next four minutes the Deres were in clover, for Mann, dropping on a loose ball well within range, hit it without hesitation safely into Lloyds’ net.  Hereabouts the Mills were in danger of being overrun, for Scott got the ball home next minute also, only to be ruled offside.

 

For a while Lloyds were content to defend but towards half-time they gathered up their strength, and in a great rally scored twice through Ottaway and Fallon, so that all was square at the break.

 

There was no easing up when the second half opened.  On the contrary Erith went ahead through Mann in the opening couple of minutes.  Then Barron came out to O’Neil and saved the situation manfully.  During this half Barron had more to do than Hammond, and he did it all with the stamp of real class, no less with unbounded pluck, and the Deres owe much to him.

 

After a lengthy spell of Mills attacking a slip by Kingsnorth allowed Young to get clear with an open field.  He found Hammond in the way of his first shot, but the ball coming back he netted at the second attempt.  Another fine opportunity came Young’s way next minute, but his shot just missed the foot of the far upright.

 

Lloyds attacked on the left, where Black was generally Bennett’s equal, and Barron caught and cleared well-placed centres full of imminent danger.  Again he came out and went down with the ball, holding tightly in face of a forward’s attack and getting hurt in the process so that a halt was called.

 

There were about twenty minutes left when Fallon scored Lloyds’ fifth and last goal.  Like the previous one, it was scrambled through, but it counted.  This was the signal for another big effort from the Deres, and when Southcombe and Mann found themselves just wide of Lloyds’ goal with the ball at their feet and only Hammond between them and goal number seven the game seemed won.  But Southcombe failed – the whole business was too easy – and the ball found refuge towards the corner flag.

 

Scott sent over next time Erith threatened.  Hopper was now at centre-forward for the Mills, and he was giving Drew a busy time.  He slipped Fallon through for the Papermakers’ last big chance, and faced only by the indomitable Barron Lloyds’ final equaliser was seemingly at hand.  But the occasion was too much for the forward, and with all the goal to aim at he shot straight at Barron, who, calmness itself in an emergency, cleared once more when all the odds were against him.

 

Lloyds put every ounce left into the final five minutes, but the defence held, and Referee Farmer’s last whistle brought welcome relief to 22 gallant triers, each and everyone of whom deserved well of his club and town.

 

It would be invidious to single out any player for praise, unless an exception is made for the superlative Barron.  The other ten Deres were magnificent also, and Sittingbourne folk are deeply in their debt for an afternoon, the memory of which will linger for many a year.  The refereeing by J P Farmer was as good as the play, and that is saying a lot.

 

Lloyds: WG Hammond; EW Sellens & S Mason; GW Wood, TH Kingsnorth & CS Smith; A Ottaway, A Hopper, J O’Neil, M Fallon & A Black.

Deres: George Barron; Bert Bennett & Pat O’Hara; Cyril Smee, Ernie Drew & Reg Beal; George Young, Len Scott, Jack Southcombe, Harry Mann & Jack Urpeth.

 

 

A week later we beat Dartford in the second round of the Kent Senior Cup, but on 18 March we crashed out to Tunbridge Wells in the semi-final, by 7-2 in front of a crowd of 3,600 at Maidstone.  We had better fortune in the London Senior Cup, the competition in which we had the earlier 6-5 v Leyton: the semi-final and final of that tournament will feature later on in this series.