hamble200805

Composed Deres make it through

Two goals apiece for Erith & Belvedere strike duo Chris Dickson and Darren Adams guided the Deres to a deserved FA Cup victory over Wessex League outfit Hamble ASSC, writes Thomas Hawes.

It was the Deres who started the strongest and their crudentials as a promotion challenging side showed as they dominated the opening quarter of an hour.

However, it was the visiting side from Hampshire that took the lead with 25 minutes played. A good move culminated in the ball being fed into Rob Cox in the Deres penalty area and he was clumsily brought down after a tangling of legs, Hamble were awarded a penalty.

Cox coolly converted the penalty that he had won to the delight of the travelling Hamble fans who witnessed the clubs first ever FA Cup goal.

The away side’s lead was short-lived as finally one of Dickson’s runs to the by-line paid off and his cutback was perfectly timed for strike partner Darren Adams to guide the ball home for his 80^th goal for the Deres.

And “Dazzler” (Adams) didn’t have to wait long for his second as virtually from the kick-off a long ball forward caught the Hamble defence knapping and he barged his way past the last defender before poking the ball past the advancing Nick O’Donnell to give the Deres the lead going into the interval.

However, it could have quite easily have been 3-1 to the Deres had last season’s top goalscorer Dickson had produced a more convincing shot in the last kick of the half.

The home side began the second half well as they searched for a third  goal to put the game out of reach for the FA Cup debutants.

The Deres only had to wait two minutes for this to happen as Dickson carved his way through a terrible Hamble backline before firing the ball into the bottom corner of the net to give the Deres a two goal advantage.

After 51 minutes of play, the Deres were unfortunate not to go 4-1 ahead as Adams used his strength to muscle Paul Vinton off a looping ball, O Donnell advanced to narrow the angles down.

Adams attempted his trademark lob and he was so close to making it, but the ball agonisingly thudded off the bar and he couldn’t get a hat-trick to round off a vintage performance.

Dickson had a goal ruled out for offside and the Deres had numerous opportunities to extend their lead, but for some good saves by O’Donnell.

Hamble got a late consolation to make it 3-2, Dave Lewis turning in the ball to cause a tense finish.

The home crowd need not have worried as Dickson latched onto a poor pass back with three minutes remaining and poked the ball past the advancing Hamble shot-stopper to book the Deres a Preliminary Round home tie against Tooting & Mitcham on Friday night.

Deres' assistant manager, Wayne Baldacchino told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game his side prepared well for the cup tie following their disappointing 1-1 draw at Sporting Bengal United seven days earlier.

"Following our poor display against Sporting Bengal last weekend, we worked hard in training in preparation for this FA Cup tie," he said.

"We knew we needed a massive improvement in a number of areas and fair play to the team, they did exactly that against a lively, physical Hamble side.

"The game started at a crazy pace, and for 20 minutes it was a hectic, 200mph kind of game.

"However, our lads stayed composed throughout the match and despite going a goal down, bounced back immediately with two goals in two minutes to go in at the interval leading thanks to a Darren Adams double.

"After the break, Chris Dickson put us 3-1 ahead before Hamble pulled a goal back late on.  However, Dickson secured the win with his second of the game to ensure a good 4-2 win, although it could have been a couple more with Darren Adams hitting the bar, Dickson hitting the post and a couple of strikes going just wide from Friskey, Sugden and Martin.

"An excellent improvement and a well deserved win that sees us in action on Friday evening, at home to Tooting & Mitcham United in the next round of the competition."