23 April 2022

Rusthall                                4          Clover 19, Pires Costa 40, Clarke 49, Adams 88

Erith and Belvedere          4          Lewis 16, Dyer 27, 39, Craig 90

RUSTICS ESCAPE THE SIGN OF FOUR

The Deres’ 100th season ended with an astonishing and highly entertaining game which left them 6th in the SCEFL.  It also confirmed Rusthall’s escape from relegation, which they celebrated in style at the final whistle. 

Going into this Saturday’s games there was one relegation place to be settled between 4 clubs in 2 different leagues – SCEFL and the Essex Senior League - on the basis of points per game.  During the week Lordswood FC tweeted a remarkable spreadsheet setting out the 81 possible combinations of results for the four teams involved.  14 of these combinations would relegate Rusthall and 22 Lordswood.  Of the Essex teams Sawbridgeworth would go down in 40 combinations and St Margaretsbury in just 5.  Yet the other teams were all at home to opponents without a great deal to play for, while Saints were away to promotion-chasing Redbridge:  they duly lost 6-1 and went down as the others all picked up points.

But regardless of arithmetic, this was a dramatic game in front of a crowd of 250, the 11th crowd of 200+ to watch a Deres game this season.  The Deres took the lead in the 16th minute when good work down the right by James Dyer set up Lee Lewis to find the net with a peach of a curling shot.  Yet the lead only lasted four minutes until Charlie Clover equalised for the Rustics.

On 27 minutes Ross Craig was brought down giving the Deres a free-kick in a promising position outside the box.  Dyer took the kick which arced perfectly into the top corner to restore the Deres’ lead.  Then on 39 minutes Josh Leach cut in from the right in a brilliant run and laid the ball back for Dyer to hammer home his second and the Deres’ third.  Just two minutes later, however, Rusthall pulled one back when Myro Pires Costa’s corner appeared to be picked up by the wind and effectively blown into goal.  At the interval the Deres led 3-2 but Rusthall still had hope.

The second half was only five minutes old when Rusthall drew level.  Jack Smith shot from the edge of the box, and Ted McDonald pulled off a superb save only for the ball to rebound to Louie Clarke who shot into the roof of the net.  Neither side was settling for 3-3 though, with Rusthall still threatening up front and Deres looking for their 20th league win.  Calum McGeehan was oh so close to turning in a corner from Dyer with 17 minutes to go.  Deres reserve Banji Dauda came on as the last Dere to make his debut in the club’s first century, and added his threat up front.

Then came a remarkable spell of stoppage time.  In the second minute Rusthall had a free-kick on the left.  Luke Adams gave the ball plenty of air as the gusty wind was still playing tricks, and the ball sailed over everyone into the top corner to a delirious reception.  Their players ran over to celebrate with the fans, pints flew into the air as Rusthall looked safe at 4-3.

And yet … in case the home side fancied relaxing, Dyer tried an audacious shot straight from the kick-off which Charlie Wealands just managed to tip onto the crossbar and over for a corner, and in the 6th minute of stoppage time Josh Leach found the net to make it 4-4.  But by this time Rusthall knew a draw was enough as Lordswood had also drawn, and the green and white flags waved as the curtain went down on the season.

RUSTICS: Charlie Wealands; Jake Hampson, Lewis Unwin, Jack Smith, James White, Callum Taylor, Myro Pires Costa, Tommy Lawrence, Louis Clarke, Luke Adams, Charlie Clover.

DERES: Ted McDonald; Josh Leach, Ross Craig, Tom Green, Calum McGeehan, Reece Barrett, Lee Lewis, Harry Maher (Neil Spencer 84), Danny Lear, Nathan Palmer (Banji Dauda 79), James Dyer.  Subs not used: Jude Salmon, Teddy Green, Luke Rooney.