25 March 2023

 

Welling Town                      1          Olusesi 48

Erith and Belvedere          3          Adesite 36, Lear 72, 90

 

MATT'S NEW BOYS PULL CLEAR

 

Erith & Belvedere got back to winning ways with a hard fought victory over a struggling Welling Town side who gave it their all to get a result but in the end the better side won even if the scoreline was a little flattering to the Deres but they won’t care.

 

New Deres manager Matt Longhurst introduced three debutants – Theo Osinfolarin from K Sports on dual registration with Ramsgate, Billy Bennett and Jahmal Howlett-Mundle from Sheppey’s SCEFL-winning side last season – as well as Anthony Adesite from VCD, returning after a spell with Deres in 2016-17. 

 

Several existing Deres, including Ryan and Nathan Palmer and Bradley Ryan, have a national Sunday Cup semi-final with SE Dons v Aigburth at Northampton Town tomorrow so left out – meaning that only 4 of the starting 11 have been at the club more than a fortnight!  Such are the sweeping changes Longhurst has brought to a side that was top, if stuttering, when he took over the reins.

 

The game started with Erith on top and they had a few chances to take the lead.  In the 6th minute Tyrell Richardson-Brown missed a far post chance the way Gazza missed that chance in the Euro semi in 1996!  A minute later ex-Dere Reion McFarlane’s bad back pass was latched onto by Danny Lear but George Kamurasi came rushing out of his area and blocked the shot.  Then on 9 minutes an inviting cross by Billy Bennett was volleyed just too high by Lear.

 

Two minutes later new signing Billy Bennett running onto through ball in the area passed sideways for Lear but from 8 yards he shot over the bar.

 

Erith were now controlling the game but every chance they had went wide: in the 14th minute Lewis Chambers saw his snapshot from 18 yards go just past the post, another half chance came in the 18th minute this time Lear saw his 18 yard shot go past the post.

 

Earlier in the half George Kamurasi had punched away Lewis Chambers" long throw and catches a bit of Anthony Adesite in the process.  Adesite was involved in crucial actin for the rest of the half: on 22 minutes his shot took a deflection but Kamurasi was alive to it and held.  Another Adesite shot was held by the giant keeper three minutes later, but in the 36th minute Erith did take the lead when Bennett found Adesite on the left, who rolled it wide of Kamurasi for a debut goal in his second spell with the club.

 

In the 41st minute it could have been two when full back Ryan Khayne on the left saw his low cross into the area shot wide by a sliding Chambers.  Half-time came with the score 0-1, a deserved lead for a rejigged side which could be expected to start finding each other more easily, but with the Boots threatening on the break.

 

The second half started with Erith looking for their second and in the 47th minute it nearly came when Adesite was put through in the area and from an acute angle saw his shot saved for a corner.  But in the 49th minute Welling were level: a counter attack saw Dami Olusesi on the ball and he avoided two challenges and toe-poked his shot past Jordan Perrin.

 

Welling suddenly were on top and three minutes later a corner was half cleared to Olusesi and from 18 yards saw his shot go just past the post.  Erith had to regroup and created a few chances: on 56 minutes Kamurasi’s clearance went straight to Luke Rooney who returned it with interest just wide.  On the hour a Bennett free kick 25 yards out went just past the post and two minutes later Adesite was put through on goal but lost out in a one-on-one with Kamurasi.

 

Erith were now pressing for the lead and had a couple of shots go over (Richardson-Brown) and wide (Bennett) but in the 71st minute they did score when a great ball by the outstanding Adesite found Lear in the box beating Kamurasi with a vintage finish.

 

Deres had a couple more chances – Chambers getting a head to Monger’s corner but sending it harmlessly wide, and Ben Wilson drawing a fine near-post save from Kamurasi.  Welling had one last chance to equalise when Zak Ansah in the area saw his shot saved by Perrin and then in the 2nd minute of added on time Erith got their third when Lear scored from 20 yards – his shot deflected off Briggs Ojemen and wrongfoots the keeper – but the goal was Lear’s.

 

A final score of 1-3 was a huge boost to the Deres’ title chances: a good performance, the new boys gelling straight away, and the lead extending for the first time in a while, as Phoenix Sports were held 1-1 at Deal Town.

 

BOOTS: George Kamurasi, Reion McFarlane, M Robinson, A Robinson (T Heslop 87), Corey Holder, Briggs Ojemen, Dami Olusesi, K Garlinge, J Aikhionbare, K Ansah, N Hameleger (Zak Ansah 66).

Subs not used: And Nwitua, Lauris Chin, S Johnson

Bookings: Hameleger (44) Olusesi (62) Ojeman (83)

 

DERES: Jordan Perrin, Theo Osinforarin, Ryan Khayne, Luke Rooney (George Monger 56), Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Rob Strachan, Anthony Adesite (Jerome Wade 74), Lewis Chambers, Danny Lear, Billy Bennett (Ben Wilson 84), Tyrell Richardson-Brown

Subs not used: Jude Russell, George Snelling

Bookings: Luke Rooney (42)

Referee: Mr R.Myers

Assistants: Mr J.Heath & Mr J.Mottram

Attendance: 80