25 September 2021

FA Vase 2nd qualifying round

 

Loxwood                    0

Erith and Belvedere  5          Barrett 12, Rooney 14, Dasofunjo 16, Bate 25, Sprosen 45

 

FIVE-MINUTE BLITZ GETS DERES OUT OF THE WOODS

 

Erith and Belvedere had played Loxwood twice before in knockout games, both times at Park View Road and both settled by a single goal.  There was no reason to suppose that this FA Vase second qualifying round tie would be any different, which is why the five-minute salvo in the first half was so startling.

 

Loxwood started on the front foot, and indeed had a couple of chances early on, Jamie Westlake’s dangerous cross being cleared by the defence in the 4th minute and Stephen Adegboye forcing Rilwan Anibaba to make a good block two minutes later.  So the visiting Deres supporters might have expected a competitive afternoon.

 

What they maybe didn’t know at the time was that Loxwood were fielding a seriously weakened side.  No fewer than seven of their squad had chosen to attend a music festival on the day rather than turn out for the club.  The club chairman had made his feelings about that abundantly clear in the online programme, and as a result there were five teenagers in the squad.  And just possibly it showed from the 12th minute.

 

First Reece Barrett got on the end of a move to notch his third goal of the season.  Two minutes later Luke Rooney saw his free-kick blocked but followed up to hit a second, and two minutes after that typical persistence by Henry Dasofunjo was rewarded with a third.  Three goals in the space of five minutes!

 

Midway through the first half the tireless Ollie Bate cut in from the left to hit a fourth.  On 35 minutes Benga Ogunseye shot wide after a clever buildup involving Marlon Patterson and Luke Rooney, and five minutes later Drew Allassani and Ogunseye set up Bate for another chance which was held by keeper Fraser Trigwell.

 

On the stroke of half-time a fierce shot from Louis Sprosen took a couple of deflections on its way into goal, and the Deres led 5-0 at the interval.

 

There was an outside chance of aiming to match the club record away win in cup competitions, a 9-0 win at Orpington way back in 1922, but as often happens the Deres settled with what they had.  So the second half, apart from early chances for Bate and half-time sub Ashley Carew, was a chance to soak up the sun, enjoy the woodland setting and savour a fine win.

 

LOXWOOD: Fraser Trigwell; Robbie Tambling, Jordan Warren, Martin Bayo, Archie Burge, Elliot Dollner (Gareth Silvester 63), Stephen Adegboye (Billy Dove 59), Luke Brodie, Leon Turner (Dan McCabe 86), Jamie Westlake, Karim Elmellas. 

DERES: Rilwan Anibaba; Vinnie Medhurst, Marlon Patterson (Ashley Carew ht), Luke Rooney, Calum McGeehan, Reece Barrett, Ollie Bate (Tommy Brown 58), Louis Sprosen, Benga Ogunseye (Calum Willock 62), Drew Allassani, Henry Dasofunjo.