22 January 2022

Punjab United                     0

Erith and Belvedere          4          Lear 16, 51, 75, McGeehan 68

LEAR MAKES A NONSENSE OF PUNJAB DEFENCE

On a happy trip to Gravesend the Deres cleared the New Year cobwebs after two home defeats with a big win at Punjab United and a hat-trick for Ramsgate loanee Danny Lear on a day the Deres could have scored six.

Owing to an injury to their first-choice keeper on the Thursday, Punjab fielded George Goodwin in goal, the same player whose spectacular Van Bastenesque volley had earned Punjab a win at Park View Road last season.  After a quiet opening quarter-hour Drew Allassani played a perfect through ball to Lear, who rolled it past Goodwin and in off the far post to give Deres the lead.

Ten minutes later the Deres also had a man advantage.  Punjab no 6 Zak Henry, who had a history of picking up red cards during his spell at Deres, appeared to rake his studs down Freddie Cray’s back as he was on the ground, and was sent off.  His centre-back partner Hugh Samuels must have come close, combining a physical approach with verbal abuse that extended to his own goalkeeper at one point, but the Deres stood up to it, and on 29 minutes Hawkins played the ball in to Lear who finished neatly, only for the linesman to flag very late for an offside earlier in the move.

Two minutes into the second half it was 10 men each as Rob Curtis picked up a second yellow, so his first game since injury at Southall in October ended early.  Just four minutes later, however, a superb run down the right by Tyler Anderson-Parr ended with him laying a chance on a plate, gratefully converted by Lear for his second.

On 57 minutes a Freddie Cray free-kick was half-blocked by Goodwin, who scooped the ball out at the second attempt although those behind the goal and many others were convinced it had crossed the line.  However a third goal did come for the Deres on 68 minutes when James Dyer won a corner seconds after coming on as sub and Calum McGeehan rose to head the corner in.

Four minutes later McGeehan turned provider, finding Lear whose flick went narrowly wide.  But Lear had his reward three minutes after this, Lewis’s free-kick being too hot for Goodwin to handle and Lear was on hand to complete his hat-trick and bag the Deres’ 50th league goal of the season and a very satisfying result.

PUNJAB: George Goodwin; Dominic Vincent, Jordan Campbell, Stephen Ratcliff, Hugh Samuels, Zak Henry, Chandler Kasai, Arun Suman, Paul Vines, Joe Jarvis, William Johnson-Cole.

DERES: Rilwan Anibaba; Lee Lewis, Rob Curtis, Freddie Cray, Calum McGeehan, Reece Barrett, Tyler Anderson-Parr (Lucas Atkins 74), Drew Allassani, Danny Lear (Neil Spencer 77), Ryan Flack (James Dyer 67), James Hawkins.