Erith & Belvedere 2-0 Bearsted, FT
Posted by on 31 January 2023
31 January 2023
Kent Senior Trophy quarter-final
Erith and Belvedere 2 N Palmer 29, Ward 34
Bearsted 0
RORY RETURNS TO TAME THE BEARS
written by Mark Doig
It was a tight game with plenty of pressure from the visitors, but an audacious 30-yard lob by Nathan Palmer and a header from Rory Ward on his Deres return take Erith & Belvedere through to a semi-final at Punjab United, who beat Hollands & Blair in extra time. Meanwhile Phoenix won one of their games in hand.
In the thirtieth minute the deadlock was broken. Palmer dispossessed Phil Headley in midfield and noticed Bearsted goalkeeper Chris Collins off his line before hoisting his shot just under the bar from forty yards out. Played for and got!
Half time came with the score 2-0, a pretty even contest in which Bearsted had looked capable of scoring but an extraordinary strike by Nathan Palmer had set Deres on the way. Jordan Ababio, previously a thorn in the Deres’ side, replaced Dominic Duval at half-time, a warning for the home side.
Bearsted finally registered a shot on target in the third minute of stoppage time when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area. Akanni sent it top bins but Adam Molloy was well placed to hold it.
Erith and Belvedere: Adam Molloy, Ryan Palmer, AJ Morrison, Jerome Wade (Ayo Lugboso 79), Lewis Chambers, Rob Strachan, Rory Ward, George Monger (Fraser Walker 61), Tunde Aderonmu (Danny Lear 71), Nathan Palmer, Bradley Ryan.
Unused subs: Rashid Tijani, Dom Emptage.
Yellow cards: N. Palmer
Bearsted: Chris Collins, Jordan Tingley, Callum McCarthy, Phil Headley, Colby Watt, Daniel Melvin, Dominic Duval (Jordan Ababio ht), Joel Wakefield (Josh Ladlow 63), Ollie Freeman, Alfie Sanders, Kery Kedze (Olu Akanni 63). Subs not used: Ryan Blake, Adam Turton.
Referee: Rhys Jeffery
Assistants: John Barnard and Tom Sansom
Attendance: 49
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.
