Erith & Belvedere   1          Beagley pen 75

Crawley Town         1          Woods 18

FA Cup 1st qualifying round, 7 September 1985

Continuing the series counting down the 100 most memorable games in our history.  Today, a creditable draw when the attention of local football fans was very much directed elsewhere.

1985-86 was our fourth season in the Southern League Southern Division, and it was one during which we found our feet, recording our first top-half finish.  And early in the season Peter Peters fielded kids in a Cup tie which suggested good things ahead.  The Kentish Times reported it like this:

DAVE STAYS COOL

Erith and Belvedere’s teenage defender Dave Beagley justified manager Peter Peters’ faith in him by blasting home a vital penalty to earn a 1-1 draw with Crawley in last Saturday’s FA Cup first qualifying round tie at Belvedere.

Beagley had missed a spot-kick in the goalless draw with Salisbury in the opening Southern League game the previous Saturday, but Peters retained him as his penalty-taker.  The youngster showed no sign of the pressure he was under by stroking the ball past keeper Inch with 15 minutes remaining to earn Erith a replay.

Previously unbeaten Crawley, lying second in the Southern League Premier Division, had started hot favourites, especially as Deres fielded four teenagers after drafting in Matt Forino and Gavin Tagoe.

The visitors took the lead in the 18th minute through a disputed goal.  Keeper Dave Morgan dropped the ball as he was jostled at a corner and Woods drove it home with Erith protesting in vain.  Then with 15 minutes remaining, Derek Somers was fouled by centre-back Breach who handled at the same time.  Beagley stepped up to coolly convert the spot-kick.

Erith and Belvedere:  Dave Morgan; Martin Johnson, Dave Beagley, Tommy Sampson, Gavin Tagoe, John Beeden, Matt Forino, Kevin Hall, Derek Somers, Paul Boulter (Kevin Alexander 66), Peter Dixson.

Deres lost the replay 3-0 and went on to finish 9th of 21 in the Southern Division, although it was less than thrilling – we had the best defence in the division, 40 goals against in 40 games, but only scored 35, the joint lowest along with Dorchester who finished bottom!

But everything in local football that day was overshadowed by events at the Valley.  Fans arriving for Charlton’s home game with Crystal Palace were greeted by the infamous “Message to Our Supporters” announcing the imminent move to groundshare at Selhurst Park.  It was the start of a bitter seven-year exile but also of one of the most impressive campaigns ever run by football supporters, ending in the emotional return to the Valley for the Portsmouth game on 5 December 1992.