2 January 2023

Hollands & Blair                 0

Erith & Belvedere               4          Monger 2, N Palmer 4, Aderonmu 27,

Richardson-Brown 70

DERES ROAR INTO THE NEW YEAR

What looks increasingly likely to be a title-wining year started perfectly for Erith and Belvedere as they blitzed Hollands and Blair with two goals in the opening four minutes on the way to a convincing victory.

Hollands and Blair away has always been a tough trip for Deres, whose only win at Star Meadow was overturned by a disqualification for fielding the ineligible Michael Abnett in the 2012 Kent Senior Trophy semi-final.  This time, however, they were playing at Lordswood, where Blair are groundsharing for the time being, and the venue was clearly not a problem.

The opening salvo was remarkable, George Monger scoring with a rocket from 25 yards in the second minute and Nathan Palmer robbing the Blair keeper and then lobbing him to make it 0-2 in the fourth.

After a quarter of an hour Monger nearly scored direct from a corner, but the keeper did well to tip the ball over the bar.  In the 28th minute, however, it was 0-3 with Tunde Aderonmu continuing his hot streak.  Eight minutes later Bradley Ryan went close with a free-kick that was well struck but straight at the keeper. 

At half time the Deres had a comfortable and well deserved lead.  The Blair Twitter feed commented “Very difficult to pick out the positives from that 45, feels like Blair knew they were beaten before KO. That said, you can see why @EBTheDeres are top of the table, oozing quality throughout. Pride to play for now.”

Other than substitutions there was little action of note in the second half, until the 70th minute when Tyrell Richardson-Brown added a fourth goal after a square ball across the box by Nathan Palmer.  It was not until the first minute of stoppage time that Adam Molloy had serious action, making a great diving save to push the ball round the right hand post.

DERES: Adam Molloy, Fraser Walker, Anthony Morrison (Ben Wilson 71), Jerome Wade (Lewis Chambers 65), Ryan Johnson, Rob Strachan, Tyrell Richardson-Brown (Michael Hagan 73), George Monger, Tunde Aderonmu (Miles Cornwell 61), Nathan Palmer, Bradley Ryan (Dom Emptage 83)