FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

 

Kennington                          0

Erith and Belvedere          1          Nosike 20

 

RILWAN SAVES THE DERES AFTER THE LONGEST GAP

 

The longest gap between competitive games in the Deres’ history – 178 days since the home draw v Canterbury in the last match before coronavirus halted the 2019-20 season – ended with a thriller in the FA Cup.

 

Goalkeeper Rilwan Anibaba was one of six former Deres starting the game – the other returnees being Reece Barrett, Rob Curtis, George Humber, Steve Springett and Jamie Taylor – and Anibaba was the star man, saving a penalty and pulling off numerous other saves.  Malik Nosike, one of the five debutants alongside Femi Abatan, Henry Dasofunjo,Klaudio Krasniqi and player/coach Marlon Patterson, was the hero at the other end with the only goal.

 

Hosts Kennington were top of the SCEFL second tier at the time of lockdown wile Deres were bottom of the top tier, so a tough game was always likely. 

8 Crimmen right footed cross from right found Sedenu inside the box who went to ground but referee waved away appeals for spot kick.

10 Jeffrey beat two Erith defenders near the by line, getting his shot away from acute angle which brought good stop from Anibaba in the visitors goal, before danger cleared

14 Nosike flashes left footed shot across goal but high and wide of Mant’s far post.

20 Brilliant free-kick from Malik Nosike from the left edge beat the Ton wall and Mant’s dive, into the top corner at the near post.

28 Anibaba altercation with Sedenu sees the Erith keeper in the book.

30 Ton inches away from a leveller - great reverse pass from Gary Lockyer found on-running Callum Peck who beat the keeper with his first touch but the ball went agonisingly wide of the far post.

35 Tom Scorer’s cross in from the left found Harry Stow at the back post who smashed against the side netting. Shortly after Lockyer fizzed shot wide

37 tow this time the provider with teasing cross from the right which Anibaba fumbled, allowing Clarke to get shot away but also hit the side net.

44 Stow with deep cross claimed by Anibaba; then Lockyer on turn blocked

45 Peck with snatched shot on turn straight at Anibaba

47 penalty -Clarke steps up and hits low but Anibaba gets down to his right and makes a diving stop

51 Scorer bursts through and hits a left foot shot, but Anibaba is there again to turn the ball around the post

63 Free kick central to goal dragged wide from Lockyer

64 Peck trying his luck from right hand edge straight at the ‘keeper.

68 Scorer dancing his way through 2v1, fizzing shot central to goal brought another great stop from Anibaba to turn around for a corner

75 Lockyer with shot outside of right foot straight at the keeper with Stow on overlap a good option. Ton still knocking on the door

78 Calvert volley wide from 12 yards after Scorer in-swinging cross fell kindly

85 Calvert just unable to keep volley at the back post down

91 Crimmen with driven shot from 30 yards deflected over for a corner, which is cleared.

94 Lockyer through played inside to Philpott but defender recovered well and chance went.

99 Everyone forward for a corner, Philpott’s header agonisingly over the bar.

 

Kennington’s Twitter feed, which had tweeted CLOSE!, CHANCE! or SAVE! no fewer than 17 times during the game, concluded “Anibaba having the game of his life to keep us out” (how they knew it was the game of his life I’m not sure) – massive credit to Rilwan on his return.  Deres now host Alfold of the Southern Combination, who hammered Shoreham to the tune of 9-1 in their first ever FA Cup tie.

 

KENNINGTON: Mant, Stow (Hughes 85), Crimmen, Phillips, Sedenu, Clarke (c), Dolan (Philpott 76), Scorer, Lockyer, Jeffrey (Calvert 65), Peck.

DERES: Anibaba; Abatan, Springett, Patterson, Curtis, Barrett, Dasofunjo, Taylor, Humber, Krasniqi, Nosike.