15 October 2022

Kent Senior Trophy 1st round

Lordswood                          0

Erith and Belvedere          3          Baker og 23, Lear 42, N Palmer 80

50-UP DERES STROLL THROUGH

Back to full strength following the SCEFL Challenge Cup exit in midweek, the Deres had a safe passage through this Kent Senior Trophy first round tie – not without offering a chance or two, but with enough chances beyond the goals to win comfortably, and to be honest the home side couldn’t have complained if they’d had two red cards in the second half. 

The Deres didn’t make their usual quick start, with the first clear chance being Danny Lear’s shot over the bar on 14 minutes.  Seven minutes later the opening goal came when Bradley Ryan chased a ball deep into the left side of the box and squared for George Purcell.  Junior Baker got there first but in a bumpy goalmouth he only managed to turn the ball into his own net.  His own goal was the Deres’ 50th goal of the season in just 17 matches.

Danny Lear had a frustrating first half, epitomised by his yellow card for kicking the ball away after a dubious offside decision on 38 minutes.  But four minutes before the break he made it 2-0: this time Purcell was the provider from the left, and Lear crashed the ball in off the crossbar.

Lordswood fielded two former Deres strikers in Kameiko Pope-Campbell and Victor Aiyelabola: the latter came close with an effort just wide of the far post, and Rob Strachan had to clear off the line early in the second half; but as the half progressed Lordswood’s methods of holding the visitors became desperate.  Bode Oladije was booked for bringing down Lear, Kyle McDowell was lucky to escape with a yellow for bringing down a goalbound Bradley Ryan from behind, and on 75 minutes keeper George Bentley was rounded outside the box by Aderonmu, hacked him down just outside the box and was very lucky to get a yellow.

On 76 minutes Nathan Palmer’s shot appeared to squirm over the line as Bentley half-stopped it:  Deres fan Andy, level with the 6-yard line, offered to show the referee his clip of the incident as an impromptu VAR, but the referee wasn’t interested!  Four minutes later, though, he had his goal – his 12th of the season – when Aderonmu turned well under pressure and set up Palmer to drive it home.  He had a good effort at a second when a curling shot hit the bar, but the Deres eased into the next round of the Trophy

LORDS: George Bentley, Dennis Agbudume, James Teodorescu, Junior Baker, Phil Makinde, Bode Olajide, Kyle McDowell (Josh Reid 81), Kameiko Pope-Campbell, Richard Pingling, Victor Aiyelabola (Rami Halloufi 63), Zach Jakubowski (Nat Murray 63). Subs: William Marsh, Lewis Tristram.

DERES: Adam Molloy; Ryan Palmer, Reece Barrett, Jerome Wade, Jack Miles, Rob Strachan, Tyrell Richardson-Brown, Rory Ward (George Monger 77), Danny Lear (Nathan Palmer 72), George Purcell (Tunde Aderonmu 65), Bradley Ryan. Subs: Fraser Walker, Ben Wilson.