7 December 2021

SCEFL Challenge Cup 1st round

Meridian VP                         1          West pen 66

Erith and Belvedere          5          Dasofunjo 3, McGeehan 47, Bate 69, Dyer 79,

Jimoh 90

DERES THE MUDLARKS AT MERIDIAN

Erith and Belvedere eased to victory in a SCEFL Challenge Cup tie that might not have taken place.  Heavy rain put paid to several other matches on the evening, and although a local referee declared the pitch fit at 2pm, there were four more hours of rain before the weather cleared at nightfall.  It was Meridian’s first game after the resignation of their manager, and former Deres manager, Owen Jones.

The pitch was still heavy and muddy, but any idea that it would prove a leveller was dismissed as early as the third minute when Henry Dasofunjo lobbed Ben Ashton to open the scoring.  The Deres dominated the first half-hour without creating a clear-cut chance, but on 30 minutes Luke Rooney found Ollie Bate on the left-hand edge of the box and his shot went across the face of goal.  Three minutes later Dasofunjo’s cross from the right found Bate in space, and his header should have been on target.  Meridian were not out of it, and their main threat Ryan Minnott had a good shot blocked four minutes from the interval.

A second goal came three minutes into the second half, Calum McGeehan rising highest for a simple header from a few yards out.  Bate came close again a couple of minutes later, and on 56 minutes the same player saw a penalty saved by Ashton after he was fouled in the box.

A penalty was given at the other end midway through the half, ably converted by Duwayne West to halve the Deres’ lead.  However within three minutes Ollie Bate reacted sharply to make it 3-1, finally making a chance count to hit his 9th goal of the season in what was his last appearance before an exciting move to Ramsgate.

Richard Jimoh, who had come on for his debut at half-time, was foiled twice in a few seconds by Ashton, but on 79 minutes James Dyer tucked a chance neatly into the corner for 4-1.  Deres could relax, and in the silence towards the end of the game spectators by the dugouts had the novelty of hearing the cheers from The Valley barely half a mile away across Charlton Park as Charlton scored against Ipswich!  Jimoh notched his first Deres goal with almost the last kick of the match.

MERIDIAN: Ben Ashton; Greg Williams, Russ Phillips, Jess Samba (Scott Wason 71), Daniel Akin, Romayle Wade, Alan Rasab, Ben Eades, Ryan Minnott (Emmanuel Akinte 59), Duwayne West, Billy Reavill (Julian Amaya ht).

DERES: Rilwan Anibaba; Lee Lewis (Kazzeem Richards 59), Teddy Green, Lucas Atkins, Luke Rooney (Louis Sprosen 53), Calum McGeehan, Tyler Anderson-Parr (Richard Jimoh ht), Freddie Cray, Ollie Bate, James Dyer, Henry Dasofunjo.