Bearsted 4-1 Erith & Belvedere - If you're top of the league you play with a bit of arrogance and confidence and you have the belief that you're going to stay top, says Bearsted assistant manager Billy Jones

Bearsted 4 – 1 Erith & Belvedere
Location	Otham Sports Ground, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG
Kickoff	25/10/2025 15:00

BEARSTED  4-1  ERITH & BELVEDERE
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 25 October 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Honey Lane

BEARSTED assistant manager Billy Jones says his side played with the arrogance and belief that they are going to stay at the top of the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, with a convincing victory over a promotion chasing rival.

Erith & Belvedere have now picked up just one point in five games against sides currently in the top-four, slipping down a place into fifth after suffering a heavy defeat against a clinical Bearsted side.

Erith & Belvedere centre-half Robert Strachan, 24, headed in his third goal of the season to give the visitors’ an early lead following their first of 11 corners.

However, the lead lasted only six minutes when midfielder Jarred Trespaderne clinically drilled in the leveller before visiting goalkeeper Danny Alexander, 18, scored an own goal before Bearsted striker Jake Embery drove in his 12^th goal of the season.

Bearsted right-back James Bessey-Saldanha scooped the man-of-the-match award for playing his part in three of Bearsted’s four goals and it was his cross that was turned into his own goal by Erith & Belvedere centre-half Frederick Cray in the second half.

“Really good, really, really good, really pleased,” said Jones, who was in charge with manager Kevin Stevens unable to shake off a chest infection.

“I spoke to you on Tuesday (following our 1-0 home win over Hythe Town) and I said at half-time we weren’t happy with our performance.   We were happy with the win and three points on Tuesday, it was our performance.

“All I asked of them at the start of the game was to play and act like a top of a league side and I felt we done that today.

“It was just an all-round performance. I felt we defended really well – albeit their goal, I thought was a well-worked set-piece – which we actually told them about before the game, however it happens  and then we scored and we really grew into the game and I felt we were deserved winners in the end.”

When asked what threats Erith & Belvedere posed today, Jones replied: “Set-pieces for sure. I think they’re a decent side and they are where they are because of that but I think we definitely showed, so are we.”

Erith & Belvedere manager Sam Groombridge added: “Disappointing. Disappointing day. I think Bearsted were good value for it, so we’ll draw a line under it and back to a Cup competition on Wednesday.

“Having gone 1-0 up, I think we can be a bit more resilient. Went 3-1 down. Like I say, I think they were good value for it.

“We had a period at the beginning of the second half, sort of 10-12 minutes when we were on top. What was missing is we didn’t take advantage of that.

“Looking back at games against the top teams, Rusthall, Whitstable. I think the stories similar. We’ve had good opportunities, we’ve had a number of opportunities and not capitalise so slightly disappointing with that.”

An open game, on a showery late October day, Erith & Belvedere right-winger Frederick Baker was a threat to Bearsted’s recalled left-back Luka Radojevic during the first half.

Baker skipped past a diving in Aidan Clark before putting in a cross from within the right channel and Ryan Fowler’s initial shot was blocked and came out to Frederick Warwick, whose right-footed hooked volley from 18-yards looped over the crossbar after only 244 seconds.

Erith & Belvedere took the lead with six minutes and 15 seconds on the clock.

Left-back Ronnie McClean swung in a precise left-footed corner from the right and Strachan buried his free header into the net from six-yards.

“Strachs has been immense, club captain and he is an out and out club captain,” said Groombridge.

“We’ve asked all the players all around the pitch to chip in with more and he’s gone and done that so I’m pleased.

“it was a good start.  Maybe we can manage the game slightly better.  We’re young, Stachs is 24, so maybe that is something we’ll get over time, not necessary we can give the players from the side but having said that, Bearsted were good, good value for their 3-1 lead at half-time.”

Jones added: “I mean, that’s disappointing on our part being that we said that’s what they do from their set-pieces.  They’ve got someone round the back and it ended up being a free header.

“But listen, the players have taken responsibility for that at half-time and we’ve moved on very quickly and put that to bed.”

However, Bearsted clinically restored parity with their next chance, timed at 12 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock, after a spell of playing out from the back.

Centre-half Ryan Blake then played the ball into a deep Embery, who played the ball out to Bessey-Saldanha, who put in a cross with his right-foot and a poor first touch inside the penalty area by Samuel Stace saw the ball come out of the penalty area.  Trespaderne latched onto the ball and drilled his first-time right-footed drive across the diving keeper to find the bottom far corner from 25-yards to score his first goal for the club.

“I said to Jaz before the game, I’d like to see more goals from him and it’s nice when you ask for things like that, he actually comes up and does it,” said Jones.

“It was a great finish and it was pleasing it didn’t take us so long to get back in the game.”

Jones was asked why Trespaderne was withdrawn at the break.

“He was struggling, he was struggling beathing. He’s just got over like a flu’ so we could see at the back end of the first half that he wasn’t quite right, so we made the decision to get him off.”

Groombridge added: “Clinical, yep, good goal.  No real thoughts on it mate. We’ll go away, we’ll reflect on it, we’ll try and get the Veo off them and have a look at it.

“I think today they did what they do and did it well. We didn’t do what we usually do but they were good value for it.

“They’re well organised.  They’ve obviously evolved over the years. They were good. They were competitive, they play football. I think it was an ok game of football. I think they deserved their win.”

Erith & Belvedere won a free-kick close to the half-way line which was taken short by McClean to Fowler, who was given time and space to switch the play by hitting a right-footed diagonal to right-back Scott Jarvis, who got in behind Radojevic to put in a cross from within the channel.  With his back to goal, seven-goal striker Danny Lear sent his overhead kick looping over the top of the far post from 12-yards.

“Overhead kick, half-chance. Danny being creative but not on target,” said Groombridge.

“But listen, I don’t think we created and we always create enough chances and we create chances at all times but at the moment we’re kind of missing that cutting edge that can put teams away.”

Jones added: “I thought that was a great effort.  Listen, we just asked from everyone today, our main goal today was obviously three points, like it is every week, but to put on a performance and put on a performance worthy of being top of the league.”

When asked about Bessey-Saldanha’s impressive performance, Jones replied: “I thought he was excellent today and deserved his man-of-the-match. He’s usually a right-winger for us or a left winger and he’s played the last few games at right-back and I think he’s done every so well.

“It’s something that he looks comfortable doing. He’s defending one-v-one duals are very good but can also start the attacks as well, like he done today.”

Erith & Belvedere goalkeeper Alexander gave Bearsted a helping hand in their second goal of the game, 31 minutes and 13 seconds on the clock.

Bessey-Saldanha easily cut infield from the right before switching play over to recalled Radojevic, who put in a cross from within the left channel towards the far post.

The ball should have easily been gathered by Alexander, who knelt down and inexplicably fumbled the ball over his own goal line, the ball nestling inside the bottom right-hand corner.

“If you ask Luka, it’s his goal but I think if anybody else, I think it’s an own goal,” admitted Jones.

“It’s probably something we haven’t done a lot recently is put good quality balls in the box and I think if you do that you’re always going to cause problems and whatever the goalkeeper’s done and whatever, it’s happened. It’s just fortunate that it’s landed for us and gone in.”

Groombridge added: “Listen, Danny been great. Danny’s a young keeper, been at Charlton, has been tremendous. He’s come in and worked with Charlie (Cottrell).  Charlie’s attitude has also been spot on with it.

“We all want two keepers that can play, two keeper’s that bring something to this squad.  Danny’s been in the last two games. In our 1-0 defeat to Whitstable, he was big, he was strong against a big, strong team and he deserved to play today. 

“We know as a young keeper unfortunately if he makes a mistake it tends to cost the team.  However, I thought he reacted well and make a couple of good saves later on in the game.”

When asked about Cottrell losing his place in the starting line-up for the last two games, Groombridge replied: “Charlie’s been immense. He’s been away which is why Danny has had a run of games but we knew he was away for the Whitstable game.

“Between the pair of them, they’ve got a great relationship and they’ll continue to push each other for the remainder of the season, whilst helping each other out.”

Bearsted goalkeeper Lucas Brookman – making only his fifth start – was called into making a comfortable save in the 35^th minute.

Striker Harvey Mead played a one-two with Baker inside the Bearsted half before cutting in and curling his left-footed drive towards goal from 25-yards, which was palmed over the bar by the goalkeeper.

Samuel Stace whipped a free-kick into the Erith & Belvedere box from the right, Strachan headed the ball away and Clark sent his left-footed shot sailing over the crossbar from just outside the corner of the penalty area.

Bearsted scored their third goal in a devastating counter-attack, timed at 38 minutes and 11 seconds on the clock.

Jack Palmby hooked the ball clear, the impressive Embery dropped deep to collect the ball, before Palmby continued his run and played the ball into the box to winger Richard Jimoh. He flicked the ball on with his feet and Embery emphatically drilled a right-footed shot past Alexander in a one-v-one.

“I think once we look back at it and look back at all the stats, I’m hopeful that we will see a kind of dominance in that area of the game,” said Jones, when asked about his side’s clinical finishing.

“It was just nice to have a bit better flow to our play than we did on Tuesday night and when you look at it and think we’ve beaten Hythe 1-0 and also dominated the game today and beat Erith & Belvedere 4-1, it’s really pleasing.

“It’s another goal from Jake. He gives you everything. He’s a proper team player. He works his socks off; he always gets in really good areas. He can hold the ball up. His link up play is excellent and he scores goals.  He’s just been a great signing for us this year.

“I think if you ask, he’s probably really selfish and want even more goals than he's already got this season but to get another one today, I’m really pleased for him.”

Groombridge admitted: “He was good today, Jake.  He’s a good player. He just doesn’t come alive in the box; he adds a lot to their game throughout.

“He links the play well (dropping very deep and taking Cray with him on a couple of occasions). They get runners beyond him. Jake was for me, I said to him at the end, I shook his hand, best player on the pitch today.”

McClean swung in the away sides fourth corner of the game and the ball fell at Lear’s feet at the near post and his swept shot trickled along the goal-line and the referee Tyler Diminieux blew for half-time.

“Just wanted our front two to nullify their two centre-halves. I wanted them to be closer to them so it would stop the ball coming back so quickly.  Try to find our spare man in midfield, which I think at times we done every so well, then also keep being brave and keep passing the ball,” said Jones, who was asked about his narrow midfield and using Bessey-Saldanha as the wideman.

“We changed our shape a little bit today. I spoke to the gaffer whose unfortunately not so well today but I just wanted to.  It just felt right with their formation and the way they played with their three bodies in there, I just felt like we needed another body in there, just to try and pass.

Groombridge added:  “We made a couple of changes at half-time, wasn’t necessarily a reflection of those individual players. It was more of a collective, to try to get a foothold in the game, which coming out in the second half, I think it worked.

“We got on top but we weren’t clinical enough when on top. If we nick a goal at 3-1, come out and make it 3-2 in the first 10-15 minutes, maybe it’s a different game but like I say take nothing away from Bearsted.”

Groombridge made a double change at the interval, hooking Mead and Warwick, while Trespaderne was also taken off due to feeling under the weather.

Bearsted went close when Stace and Palmby linked up and Stace’s left-footed shot deflected just past the foot of the far post (4:43).

Both sides then could have scored in the space of 14 seconds.

Half-time substitute, holding midfielder Adam Turton swung in Bearsted’s second and final corner, the ball was knocked down by Blake at the far post and Jimoh shot straight at Alexander, who saved comfortably.

The Deres swiftly went up the other end and Lear played Baker through on goal but the winger lacked composure and dragged his right-footed shot across the keeper and past the far post.  Those are the chances you must take if you’re going to be considered serious promotion candidates.

“Like I say, we had to go for it. We had to give ourselves a fighting chance that we knew, unlike in the past, I don’t want basketball games but we knew there would be a chance of that and I think the boys have come off and they know we’ve got to be more clinical,” admitted Groombridge.

Jones said: “You kind of look at it and go ‘score that’ and it’s definitely over and it's definitely done and you’re right, 14 seconds later, I think even on the touchline we’re speaking to each other and going ‘how have we not scored?!’ and next thing you know, it’s a counter-attack and it could’ve gone against us but luckily for us, it didn’t go in.”

Erith & Belvedere continued to play on the front foot and they struck the crossbar in the 58^th minute.

Alfie Morgan played a first time pass into Fowler, before Melconian played the ball out to winger Matthias Broomes, who cracked a left-footed drive against the crossbar from 16-yards.

“Matty has got that about him. We’ve asked him to be a little bit more aggressive in his play,” said Groombridge.

“Technically he is a real talent. He scored a hat-trick a couple of games ago but yes, on a different day, maybe that goes in.”

Jones added: “A bit of a speculative effort but it’s one of them. If you don’t shoot, you don’t score, so again, a bit fortunate it’s not hit the underside of the bar and gone in.”

Bearsted appear to be carrying left-winger turned striker Jimoh, who latched onto Blake’s long ball out of defence, skipped past the advancing goalkeeper but lacked composure to score on the hour-mark.

Jimoh, who hasn’t lived up to his reputation at promotion-winning side VCD Athletic last season, wasted a second glorious chance to score five minutes later when Cray failed to cut out a long ball and this put Jimoh through on goal again but Jimoh is clearly lacking in confidence and was never going to score past Alexander, who made a comfortable save and it was no surprise when he was replaced by Michael Hagan later on.

“Rich gives us plenty of pace and positive play and you think as he’s nicked it round the goalkeeper, you think can you shoot or can you just get it back on your right but I think the defender done actually really well to block it.  It’s another chance, he’ll look back and think he should’ve scored,” said Jones.

Bearsted produced a well-worked to complete their scoring, with 21 minutes and 3 seconds on the clock.

The impressive Embery played Bessey-Saldanha in behind a high McClean and Bessey-Saldanha cut into the box and put in a low cross.  Cray slid in and turned the ball into his own goal from inside the six-yard box.

“If you don’t cross the ball and put the ball in dangerous areas, you’re not going to create chances,” said Jones.

“If you’re a defender doing that, I mean from our point of view, that’s obviously a dangerous ball that he’s put in for the defender to be in his position like that to put it in his own net.”

Groombridge admitted: “I think we were beaten by a better side.  I’m an honest person, we need to impose ourselves better on games. We have a style of play. We have a way we want to play and today I don’t think we did that so beaten by the better team, unfortunately.”

The visiting manager revealed Tommy Whitnell (holiday) and Tom Fitzgerald (holiday) were unavailable for this six pointer, which has seen Erith & Belvedere draw 1-1 at Larkfield & New Hythe on the opening day, before lose to Rusthall (1-3 and 0-1), Whitstable Town (0-1) and now Bearsted against the current top four.

“It’s more holiday’s for us – it won’t be happening next season.  However, the boys have got to live. We respect the level that we’re at.  We’ve got a squad that play for the enjoyment and play because they want to win and holiday’s are holidays so it’s unfortunate and on top of that we’ve got a couple of injuries with Harry Day and whatnot.

“Also, the lads that have come in whilst people have been away previously have done well and I’ve said to the boys we’re an honest bunch and I’m also honest and we’ll pick on form and today we weren’t at the races enough.”

Tom Borders came off the bench to spearhead the Erith & Belvedere attack with Morgan and Melconian behind, with Lear wide on the left and Tyller Davis-Whitlock wide on the right, with Broomes slotting in at left-back.

Melconian’s corner from the left was dealt with by the Bearsted defence and Davis-Whitlock recycled the ball back into the box and Borders’ free-header (towards a couple of runners) sailed into Brookman’s gloves for a routine catch as the game entered the final seven minutes.

Erith & Belvedere produced a sweeping move when Borders fed Melconian and his swept shot from 20-yards bounced into Brookman’s gloves for a comfortable save at his near-post.

Lear then fed Fowler, who cracked a right-footed drive towards goal from a central position some 35-yards out, which was palmed over the bar by Brookman’s outstretched hand (43:30).

“I think Luca’s done ever so well today. I think his kicking was excellent. I think the saves he needed to make were good,” said Jones.

“I think we could’ve stopped and got tighter to those boys having the shots but if they’re shooting from distance it means we’re probably setting a good enough shape that we’ve comfortable enough that Luca’s going to save those ones.”

A Bearsted front three of Hagan (left), Embery (centre) and Bessey-Saldanha (right) would turn Kevin Stevens side into serious title contenders if he can bring in a right-back so Bessey-Saldanha can work his magic further up the pitch.

Hagan entered the field (40:34) and drove a low right-footed free-kick underneath the wall and Alexander made a comfortable low save to his left in the last minute of stoppage time.

Jones said: “He’s doing really well. I think he’ll tell you himself he’s probably needs to get a little bit fitter and a bit sharper but that’s going to come. He’s had a bit of a niggly injury with his ankle.”

Bearsted (nine wins, one draw and three defeats) are at the top of the tree with 28 points from their 13 games.

Jamie Coyle’s Whitstable Town are level on points but with a game in hand and Jimmy Anderson’s unbeaten Rusthall are in third place with 25 points from 11 games. 

Tony Reid’s Larkfield & New Hythe – the only side that Groombridge’s side have picked up a point against in the top four – are next with 24 points from 13 games, while Erith & Belvedere are in fifth-place with 24 points (seven wins, three draw and six defeats) from their 16 games.

When asked what he will say in his phone call with Stevens tonight, Jones replied: “That I hope he feels better and the boys have got a win for him and that I think we really deserved that win and hopefully it’s the start of a nice little run that we continue to be on.

“It will be nice to look at once again. It’s always nice to look at when you’re top of the league. We know there’s a long, long way to go but we keep working. We keep moving. We keep trying to get the players in the right positions at the right times, playing the right way of football which myself and Kevin believe in and yes if we keep performing like that, hopefully we can keep picking up points.”

Both sides are in Challenge Cup action in midweek, with Bearsted, with four wins in a row, travelling to Whitstable Town, while Erith & Belvedere travel to First Division side Tooting Bec 24 hours later on Wednesday night.

“A tough game. I’ll speak to the gaffer and see what we want to do. We’ve got boys that need minutes, so we’ll have a strong side out for sure. We’ll probably look at resting a few because a few probably need a little bit of a break and there’s boys that need minutes. It will be a strong side but we’ll be going there to try to win the game,” said Jones.

“We’ve still got a few boys coming back. A few boys that have had longer-term injuries.  A few that have been ill and coming back and a few that have been away.

“We’ve got a squad of 25-26 once they’re all fit but we only had 18 to pick from today so fingers crossed come Tuesday we might have a few more bodies back but we’ll cross that bridge on Monday.”

When asked about the title race, Jones said: “We’ve played them (Whitstable Town) already and drew with them and competed really well in that game so it’s always going to be difficult. I mean the budgets are miles apart in terms of their side compared to ours.

“What we’ve got at the minute is a bit of belief, a bit of confidence and it will be a tough game – we have them in a couple of weeks and we end up playing them twice and getting them done in the league, when we still haven’t played some teams once yet, so that’s a bit strange.

“But it’s probably one of them, you probably want to get a top side out of the way and then you can concentrate on everybody else.

“I said before the game. I said everyone who wants to play you, wants to knock you off top spot and you’ve got to have the confidence and the belief that you’re going to stay there and I think that’s what I said to them.

“That was my kind of team talk today. I said I wanted to address Tuesday, I wasn’t happy with Tuesday. I was happy with the three points but I wasn’t happy with the performance.

“For me, if you’re top of the league, you play like you did today, where you have a bit of arrogance, you have the confidence and you have the belief that you’re going to stay top, rather than you’re not sure – but I’m pleased with what we had today so I’ll go home happier today.”

Tooting Bec sit in fourth-place in the First Division table, having picked up 23 points (seven wins, two draws and three defeats) and lost 4-1 at home to Croydon today.

“We’ll go there to win the game. We want to stay in these competitions. We’ve got a squad of around sort of 20 and we’ll go to win the game” said Groombridge, who was asked about the promotion race.

“At the moment, we’re taking game-by-game. We didn’t go too far ahead. We want to be in the mix come Christmas, most importantly February but we need to pick up results in those in and around us but at the minute we’re kind of falling short.

“I think that’s from a clinical perspective from all over the pitch, not just the front players, so we’ll look to both, address that in the games coming forward.”

Bearsted: Lucas Brookman, James Bessey-Saldanha, Luka Radojevic, Jack Palmby, Ryan Blake, Sonny Jackson, Richard Jimoh (Ashton Mitford 75), Aidan Clark (Daniel Melvin 78), Jake Embery (Michael Hagan 86), Samuel Stace, Jarred Trespaderne (Adam Turton 46).
Sub: Reuben Jones

Goals: Jarred Trespaderne 13, Danny Alexander 32 (own goal), Jake Embery 39, Frederick Cray 67 (own goal)

Erith & Belvedere: Danny Alexander, Scott Jarvis, Ronnie McClean (Tom Borders 70), Ryan Fowler, Robert Strachan, Frederick Cray, Matthias Broomes, Frederick Warwick (Alfie Morgan 46), Harvey Mead (Ladic Melconian 46), Danny Lear, Frederick Baker (Tyller Davis-Whitlock 59).
Sub: Charlie Cottrell

Goal: Robert Strachan 7

Booked: Ronnie McClean 68, Alfie Morgan 90

Attendance: 99
Referee: Mr Tyler Diminieux
Assistants: Mr Adam Aylward & Mr Joseph Murray