28 January 2023

 

Erith and Belvedere          5          R Palmer 9 N Palmer 53 Ryan pen 59 Lear 66, 72

K Sports                               1          Jimoh 41

 

TUNDE WRAPS UP DERES DOUBLE

 

 

The Deres recorded a 20th league win (out of 23!!) to celebrate manager Andy Constable’s 44th birthday and keep the gap at 23 points.  There are still dangers in a couple of teams further down the table with multiple games in hand (Erith Town 6, Phoenix 5 and still to host Deres) but even they can’t cut the gap to single figures if they win them all.  It’s getting ever harder to be cautious about the title prospects.

 

After a fortnight of inactivity, the Tunbridge Wells away fixture being postponed from the 17th because fo the fire that wrecked Wells’ clubhouse, and the home Kent Senior Trophy quarter-final postponed due to a frozen strip of pitch on the Welling side, Deres started quickly and a lovely finish by Ryan Palmer put them one up in the 9th minute.

 

Around the quarter hour mark Deres had further chances with a cross from the right by Tyrell Richardson-Brown being pushed away behind the goal, and Bradley Ryan just clearing the bar with a fine effort.  At the other end Josh Biddlecombe got through most of the defence but was neatly robbed by Ryan Palmer.

 

Miles Cornwell was injured on 21 minutes and replaced by Danny Lear.  A few minutes later Jordan Sarfo earned a booking by bringing down a flying Richardson-Brown, and Lucas Hanley held Ryan Palmer’s free-kick.  Deres had numerous chances to increase their lead – Nathan Palmer shot into the woods, Richardson-Brown slipped a defender and cut in but shot wide, Monger had a free-kick pushed around the post and Richardson-Brown was blocked from the resulting corner.

 

Yet K Sports were “gegenpressing” well and got their reward with a drive from Richard Jimoh to level the scores on 41 minutes.  In first half stoppage time Bradley Ryan had a shot held by Hanley and Adam Molloy held a shot from James Huggins, but the teams changed ends level at 1-1.

 

Five minutes into the second half a superb ball from Callum Rollings to Jimoh came  to nothing then Sarfo shot just over the bar. Sports were threatening, and it looked like one of those afternoons when Danny Lear had a swing on 52 minutes but didn't connect.

 

But then came a four-goal salvo in 20 minutes.  On 53, Lear’s shot was blocked, he worked hard to win it back and square it to Nathan Palmer who buried the chance.  On 59 minutes it was 3-1: Bradley Ryan was clipped in the box, and took the penalty himself – Lucas Hanley pushed it onto the post but it went in.  On 66 minutes came a  lob over a defender and a lovely finish by Lear, and six minutes later Lear followed up a shot and got lucky with a rebound!

 

Tunde Aderonmu tried to join the party but shot high 12 minutes from time, and that was the last effort of note.  It had been a much improved second half and an interesting scoreline just up the road as Phoenix Sports went down 2-0 at home to Rusthall.  Phoenix have 5 games in hand but can now only cut the gap to 10 points with a derby win on 4 February.

 

DERES: Adam Molloy; Ryan Palmer, AJ Morrison (Dom Emptage 83), Lewis Chambers, Ryan Johnson, Rob Strachan, Tyrell Richardson-Brown (Fraser Walker 76), George Monger (Tunde Aderonmu 67), Miles Cornwell (Danny Lear 21), Nathan Palmer, Bradley Ryan.  Sub: Jerome Wade.

K SPORTS: Lucas Hanley; Joseph Ganiwa, Adrian Brown, Jamie McGeoghagan, George Crimmen, Callum Rollings (Max Gayle 86), Jordan Sarfo (Connor Gruber 79), James Huggins (Dicko Falade 71), Josh Biddlecombe, Richard Jimoh, Sam McRitchie (Kevin Dance 63).  Sub: Mason O’Connor.