25 February 2023

 

Punjab United                     1          Vines 16

Erith and Belvedere          0

 

NEW BOGY TEAM GETS ON DERES’ NERVES

 

No other team has shut the Deres out in the past year, but Punjab United have now done it twice in a fortnight.  Paul Vines' 16th minute strike and a generally disjointed display brought only their second league defeat of the season as the nerves appear to be affecting the runaway SCEFL leaders.

 

It was a very scrappy start as Deres supporters hoped for the Kent Senior Trophy semi-final defeat to be avenged, and the goal in the 16th minute was suitably scruffy: a Punjab corner wasn’t cleared and it fell to Vines to give Punjab the lead.

 

It took Deres 34 minutes to forge a chance as Nathan Palmer had their first shot of the half, well held by Anibaba.  A minute later a snap shot by Will Johnson-Cole hit Molloy's left post, and in the 38th minute came the focal point of the match.  A floated free-kick was dropped by Rilwan Anibaba and fell for Nathan Palmer to flick it into the net … but the referee had apparently seen a foul on the former Deres keeper rather than a simple case of poor handling, and the goal was disallowed.

 

Half-time came with the score 1-0, a more promising display towards the end of the half but some way short of the form that put Deres top in the first place.

 

Deres started the second half brightly with Tunde Aderonmu setting up Ryan Palmer for a decent effort wide in the 47th minute, but Punjab caused trouble at the other end chasing a second.  A dangerous cross came from the right into Deres' box but was headed wide, then Vines’ cross from the left found no takers.  Just after the hour mark Jayden Hussain and Vines both went close within a minute.

 

Deres’ best chance of the half came on 65 minutes when a good buildup involving Danny Lear, Bradley Ryan, a cross to Nathan Palmer and a ball played in to Jerome Wade ended in a scuffed shot.  They didn’t get anywhere near that close again until the 87th minute when Lewis Chambers met a corner but his header was well held.

 

Frustration turned to agony in the 89th minute when recently signed central defender Joe Denny was carried off with a nasty looking knee injury: in his words, his knee buckled and he heard a snapping sound.  He will be out for a considerable time.

 

The final score was 1-0, a second defeat to the same opposition by the same score in a fortnight, and who saw a winless February coming for Deres?  Erith Town camem from 2-0 down to beat Whitstable 3-2, and with two games in hand can now narrow the gap to 9 points.  Deres are still in an enviable position but just need to hold their collective nerve now.

PUNJAB: Rilwan Anibaba; Chris Edwards, AJ Dythe, Jamie Watson, Steve Ratcliff, Jordan Campbell, Will Johnson-Cole, Lea Dawson, Paul Vines, Jayden Hussain, Theo McKenzie. 

Subs: Michael Hagan, Arun Suman, Ashley Probets, Marvin Okundalaiye, Danny Phillips.

DERES: Adam Molloy; Fraser Walker (Ben Wilson 76), Ryan Palmer, Jerome Wade, Joe Denny (Rory Ward 89), Rob Strachan, Bradley Ryan (Tyrell Richardson-Brown 67), George Monger (Lewis Chambers 76), Tunde Aderonmu, Nathan Palmer, Danny Lear.  Sub: Miles Cornwell.