Erith & Belvedere 3 Hythe Town 1

Erith & Belvedere made it five league wins on the spin after a 3-1 victory
against Hythe Town on Saturday, writes Thomas Hawes.

 

Despite a below par performance by Wayne Brown’s sides standards, goals from Anton Innocent, Leon Braithwaite and debutant Austin Berkley sealed all three points.

The Deres started positively, dominating the opening exchanges and it was
no surprise when Anton Innocent headed home Mark Nougher’s sublime cross to give the Deres a sixth minute lead.

After ten minutes, the home side looked certain to score a second when Tommy Martin’s free-kick eventually found it’s way to Leon Braithwaite, but the former Trinidad & Tobago international couldn’t find the back of the net.

Hythe had a rare chance to equalise after Lee Winfield’s free-kick was headed on target by Dan Fisk, but the Deres shot-stopper Ricky Hall, who hadn’t conceded a goal for some four hours of Kent League football, was alert to the threat.

Hythe had another opportunity to level the game soon after, but Damien Abel saw his shot saved by Hall.

Despite Hythe’s opportunities, the Deres dominated the first half and perhaps should have been winning by more than one goal at the interval.

However, Hythe, without top-scorer Richard Sinden who made his Ashford Town debut in their 1-0 win at Corinthian Casuals today, could have been level if only Damien Abel had composed himself having found a gap in the Erith defence to slot past Hall with just seconds of the first period remaining.

The Deres began the second half uncharacteristically and allowed Hythe to pressure them and can count themselves fortunate not to have conceded.

The home side soon got into their rhythm again and added a second on 61 minutes when Braithwaite capitalised on an awful blunder by Town keeper Paul Rogers, Braithwaite blasting home from literally centimetres out.

Erith attacked for a third goal to seal victory, but it didn’t arrive and Hythe punished Erith when Abel fired home from six yards out. It was going to be a nervous last ten minutes for the Deres.

The Deres could have regained their two-goal advantage with just five minutes remaining but Anton Innocent somehow missed an open goal after  Braithwaite had beaten Rogers in a race for the ball.

Innocent actually had enough time to walk the ball in, but the ex-Wimbledon player could have walked the ball into the net!

Innocent’s missed boosted Hythe’s hopes that it was their day, but in the end they were to be undone by sheer class.

Berkley, a former professional who was once signed by Glenn Hoddle for Swindon Town, came on as a second half substitute and embarked on a mazing run which culminated in a neat shot from 12 yards out which left the keeper absolutely no chance.

The win keeps Erith & Belvedere in pole position for the race for third place. The Deres next game is on the 15th of April when Herne Bay visit Park View Road before a tantalising encounter against Beckenham Town the following Saturday.

Erith & Belvedere: Hall, Gibson, Murphy (Spinks 87), Tague, Brown, Crawley, Martin, Innocent, Braithwaite, White (Berkley 72), Nougher (Lockwood 85).