2 April 2022

Erith and Belvedere          2          Lear 42, Lewis 56   

Bearsted                               1          Wakefield 75

DERES TAME THE BEARS AT LAST

The Deres celebrated a decent first ever win against what was becoming a bogey team, with two heavy defeats at Honey Lane in the last two visits before this season.

The away trip to Bearsted the previous October was unforgettable, teeming rain all day and a 2-0 deficit after six minutes before Drew Allassani and Calum McGeehan earned a point.  For a moment a nightmare start looked on the cards here too, as Reece Barrett was robbed by Jordon Ababio, whose shot was well tipped over the bar by Airidas Vilinauskas, having his third outing in the Deres’ goal.

Bearsted had a couple more half-chances in the first half, Sam Stace shooting wide having been given too much space on 16 minutes, and a Giorgio Russo shot on the half-hour being more of a danger to passing traffic than to the Deres’ goal.  But the opening strike came at the other end in the 42nd minute of a quiet half: James Dyer’s accurate cross finding Danny Lear heading in at the far post.

The Bears began the second half brightly, with Ababio shooting across the face of goal with no-one to convert it, and another good chance when Joel Wakefield cleverly backheeled to Stace ,whose shot was well saved by Vilinauskas.  On 54 minutes a mazy run by Jason Dawson was followed by a shot wide when he could have squared to a well-placed team mate.

But it was Deres who struck again in the 56th minute, a ball out to the right wing where Lee Lewis buried his shot in the far corner.  Bearsted continued to press, notably with a lovely cross by Russo on the hour that Ababio just missed, and with 15 minutes to go they pulled one back when Wakefield rounded Vilinauskas and tucked the chance away.

As with the previous week’s victory against Canterbury, however, the Deres defended from the front and came the closer to scoring.  Debutant Gavin Tomlin did well to release Nathan Palmer who was smothered by opponents before he could get a shot in, and deep into stoppage time Palmer was in again, trying a lob over the keeper which went wide.  Still, a first win against the Bears and a good boost going into next week’s tough fixture at Chatham, who had been held to a draw at Punjab, losing the initiative in the title race and still needing a point for promotion.

DERES: Airidas Vilinauskas; Josh Leach, James Dyer, Jude Salmon (Ross Craig 73), Calum McGeehan, Luke Rooney, Harry Maher, Reece Barrett (Teddy Green 67), Danny Lear (Nathan Palmer 73), Gavin Tomlin, Lee Lewis.  Subs not used: Tom Green, Ryan Penton.

BEARS: Billy Johnson; Jason Dawson (Saied Boheme 66), Cameron Croucher, Josh Ladlow, Scott Whibley (Ryan Blake 51), Dan Melvin, Jordon Ababio, Giorgio Russo (Flavius Petrisor 62), Joel Wakefield, Sam Stace, Jordan Tingley.  Subs not used: Stephen Hafner, Jon Rogers.