29 August 2022

Erith and Belvedere          4          Palmer 1, 26, Hudson 16, Ward 75

Welling Town                      0

21 SECONDS TO FLOW AS DERES RAP UP A WIN

On a warm Bank Holiday afternoon which saw a bumper crowd and a lot of welcome familiar faces attending the launch of the club’s centenary history, the present-day Deres kept the mood going with a fine performance: only their second win over the Boots in seven meetings, and much the more convincing.  It left them with a 100% league record from three games, and 17 goals without reply in the three matches since their FA Cup exit at the hands of Raynes Park Vale.

The Deres began confidently, as befits a team coming off a 9-0 away FA Cup win, and took the lead after just 21 seconds.  Malachi Hudson shook off Town defenders as he made for the left side of the box and sent the ball across for Nathan Palmer for a tap-in.

Bradley Ryan showed a lot of promise on his home return, twisting his full-back and getting a shot in, but the next goal on 16 minutes was Hudson’s, as he picked up a cross from Fraser Walker to slip it under the keeper and into the far corner.

Palmer got his second and the Deres’ third midway through the half, following a long ball out of defence and getting in between Ryan Styles and keeper Christian North to find the net from 20 yards.

Deres thought they had a fourth when Ryan centred to Palmer for a tap-in, but Palmer was judged to be narrowly offside.  At the other end Ola Rabiu, one of a clutch of former Deres in the Welling side, worked hard down the right to evade Bradley Ryan and Ryan Johnson and get in a good shot well saved by Adam Molloy.

In the second half Josh Biddlecombe missed a penalty for Welling and Tyrell Richardson-Brown hit the bar with a good effort from well outside the box, before a clever touch from Palmer set up substitute Rory Ward for his second of the season off the bench.

DERES: Adam Molloy; Fraser Walker, Ben Wilson, Jerome Wade, Ryan Huckle, Ryan Johnson, Tyrell Richardson-Brown, Bradley Ryan (Rory Ward 60), Tunde Aderonmu (Frankie Sawyer 65), Nathan Palmer (Henry Arnold 70), Malachi Hudson.

BOOTS: Christian North; Dami Oni, Mo Alaka, Zak Bryon, Ryan Styles, Reggie Yembra, Femi Orenuga, George Whitelock, Josh Biddlecombe, Vinnie Medhurst, Ola Rabiu.