Deres secure their Park View Road future

Erith & Belvedere boss Chris Cosgrove was full of praise for his hardworking striker, Nick Smith, after his side dumped Ryman Leaguers Ashford Town out of the FA Cup last Friday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The former Lordswood striker grabbed the Deres second goal during the 2-0 win at Park View Road in the preliminary round clash - his seventh goal of the campaign.

Erith & Belvedere, leading the Kent League table at the time, were reduced to ten-men after just 12 minutes, after Mark Nougher was sent off for “throwing a punch” at Ashford’s full-back, Tony Browne.

But a stunning 30-yard free-kick from Adrian Deane gave the Deres a 36^th minute lead, before Smith wrapped up the victory, on the counter-attack, in the final minute.

“It just shows that Nick’s persistence pays off,” Cosgrove said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the first of many Cup shocks over the weekend.

“He runs for 95 minutes out there and I think today he’s got his rewards in the end.

“He’s playing out of position obviously, when we had the man sent-off, we had to put him out wide.

“I thought he done a good job, work-rate done great.”

The victory sets up a trip to Ryman Premier League side Maidstone United, and Cosgrove is expecting a tough game against a side that are struggling in their new surroundings.

At present, the Stones only have Leyton below them in the table, and have won just one of their opening five matches.

“Very tough, it’s going to be a very tough game,” said Cosgrove. “Tonight was obviously a tough game, Ashford, one of the better teams in the league above, a lot of money, on paper they had a very good side.

“But Maidstone are the same. We’re going there as underdogs but one thing I can get out of them boys, they’ll give me 100%, they won’t stop and they’ll give it their best shot, win or lose, let’s see what we can do. It’s going to be tough, but let’s see.”

Reflecting on their win over Clive Walker’s Ashford, Cosgrove, who was forced to play with a 4-4-1 formation following Nougher’s red-card, was pleased with his players who adapted to the early shock.

“It was a big loss to us and a big blow, obviously it changed everything,” said Bromley based Cosgrove.

“When you lose one of your best ball players, after 12 minutes, it was a big blow to us, but it seemed to bring the best out of us.

“We changed it about a bit, completely changed the play, two banks of four.

“We won a lot of tackles and they’ve shown that they’ve got two strings to their bow.

“I think we’ve got plan B as well as plan A, we’re not just a pretty footballing side, we showed the heart is in that dressing room.”

Meanwhile, before Welling United’s 1-0 win over Bath City on Saturday, Mr John McFadden, the Erith & Belvedere chairman, and Wings’ secretary, Mr Barrie Hobbins, secured both club’s futures at Park View Road.

On the tenth anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Deres former headquarters at Park View, Belevedere, Cllr Ian Clement, leader of Bexley Council, signed a new fifty year lease before the Blue Square South clash.

“It is quite ironic really,” Mr McFadden told www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk.

"Exactly ten years after the fire at Park View, when we wondered if the club would still be around at the end of 1997, here we are ensuring that the club will be at Park View Road at least until 2057!

“We can look forward now, knowing that our new home is secure for the long-term future.”

Greenwich Borough visit Park View Road next Saturday, 8^th September (3pm) in a Kent League fixture.

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website:  www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk