15 January 2022

Erith and Belvedere          0

Kennington                          2          Middleton 15, 90

BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR DERES

The Deres went down to a second successive home defeat at PVR on Saturday, and were shut out for only the third time in the league season, the first two occasions being against Chatham and Sheppey.  It was a bad day at the office.

The Deres started brightly and Danny Lear had the first chance of the afternoon, superbly tipped over the bar by Kennington keeper Joe Mant.  But the visitors, without Gary Lockyer who had caused Erith so much trouble in the game at Ashford, came back to take the lead when Robbie Dolan’s shot was blocked on the goal-line by Rilwan Anibaba.  Some would claim the ball had already gone over the line, but Liam Middleton followed up to make sure from point-blank range.

There were no more chances of note before half-time and Kennington held onto the lead at the change of ends.

Four minutes into the second half the Deres were awarded a penalty for a foul in the box, but Ryan Flack sent the spot-kick wide.  The Deres continued to press, but wee unable to lay a glove on the visitors.

Anibaba, so often a tower of strength for the Deres this season, turned villain as they became ever more desperate late in the game.  Into stoppage time he came ever further out of goal to play sweeper, and at one point he looked bizarrely about to take a throw-in.  He was talked out of that by Lee Lewis, who then threw the ball to him, but Anibaba failed to control it properly and was robbed outside the box by Middleton, who passed the ball into an empty net to complete a miserable afternoon for the hosts.

DERES: Rilwan Anibaba; Lee Lewis, Greg Benbow (Lucas Atkins 88), Freddie Cray, Calum McGeehan, Reece Barrett, Ryan Flack (Henry Dasofunjo 52), Drew Allassani, Danny Lear, James Dyer (Richard Jimoh 69), James Hawkins.

KENNINGTON: Joe Mant; Luke Hughes, Max Sutton, Adam Phillips, Tommy Penfold, Harry Lavender, Robbie Dolan, Charlie Owen, George Acland, Liam Middleton, Harry Linch.  Subs: Matt Kirby, Sam Hignett, Craig Calvert, James Haylock-Ashdown, Sobechi Nwaokolo.