Erith & Belvedere 4-1 Cobham

Erith & Belvedere got back to winning ways as veteran striker Steve White struck FOUR times to book Wayne Brown’s team a place in Monday’s FA Vase Second Round draw, writes Thomas Hawes.

The emphatic win ends Erith run of nine games without a win - ironically their last victory also came in a cup competition, when six different players scored in the 6-1 mauling of Herne Bay in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

However, things didn’t start well for Erith & Belvedere as the visitors grabbed an early lead.

With little over a minute on the clock, Deres defender Lee Morgan failed to deal with a ball over the top. This allowed a Cobham winger to race to the by-line and cut the ball back to Nathan Miles who couldn’t miss from six yards out.

Despite being third from bottom in the Combined Counties Premier League, Cobham came into the game on the back of consecutive victories, including a 3-0 home win against Colliers Wood United, who face the Deres in a London Senior Cup tie on Tuesday night.

Despite taking an early lead and having started the game lively, things were to go downhill for the Surrey side.

The first signs of things going wrong came after five minutes, when White and Mark Nougher had glorious opportunities to level the scores.

Erith were soon level though. Matt Bedford fed in White who guided the ball past Jay Gindre from 18 yards out at the first attempt.

The former Bromley striker, who was without a goal all season until scoring against
Greenwich Borough on September 23rd, scored his fourth goal in as many games. Things were to get even better for White.

Bedford and White were at it again after 17 minutes. The right midfielder and striker’s good link-up play was key in securing Erith & Belvedere’s place along with five other Kent League clubs in the second round.

Bedford chipped the ball to White who controlled the ball by the corner flag. White beat his man with ease and ran into the box, where numerous Deres players were waiting for a cut-back to tap the ball home.

Instead, White kept his composure and fired Erith ahead from the acutest of angles.

Erith continued to press for a third goal to put the game beyond any doubt, but it was Cobham who had the best chance of scoring before the interval.

After 40 minutes, a looping ball found Mark Knight unmarked between two Erith defenders.

The striker took a touch and attempted to lob the onrushing Deres debutant keeper Chris Arnold. Arnold, a recent acquisition from Erith Town, was pleased to see Knight’s lob go high and wide.

Erith started the second half well and won a free-kick in a dangerous area after 57 minutes. Referee Mr A Ajibola, was busy making sure everything was set for the free-kick.

Deres midfielder Mitch Crawley, who had received a booking in the first half, was becoming increasing impatient and decided to take the free-kick quickly. Mr Ajibola was having none of this and promptly showed a second yellow card.

It appeared as if it was going to be a case of Erith holding on for the victory, or at least make sure that they didn’t lose.

In truth, things didn’t change at all without Crawley’s presence and Cobham didn’t really threaten the Erith & Belvedere goal.

Ten minutes after Crawley’s dismissal, White thought that he had completed his hat-trick when he volleyed home spectacularly, only to see the offside flag go up.

After 70 minutes, Erith secured their place in the second round and White completed his hat-trick.

A lack of communication between the Cobham defence and goalkeeper saw White latch onto Wayne Brown’s through ball from just before the keeper could get there.

White charged to the goal and eventually tucked the ball into the empty net despite being under pressure from Cobham defender Duncan Evans.

White’s hat-trick was the first for a Deres player since Darren Adams struck three times in a
4-1 victory over Fisher Athletic in 2003.

To compound Cobham’s misery, the 10-men of Erith soon made it 4-1. Youngster Matt Johnson raced through, before being brought down by Gindre in the box. White stepped up and sidefooted his fourth of the match past a helpless Gindre.

Erith could have had a fifth after 80 minutes, albeit fortuitously. Vinny Durrant sped past three Cobham players and appeared to have wasted the opportunity as he mis-hit his cross.

The ball headed goalwards and appeared to have beaten Gindre but the ball bounced off of the bar and was cleared away. However, the ball was only cleared away as far as Matt Johnson. 

However, Johnson charged into the box, but his final shot was in truth very poor.

There was even enough time left for White to score again. Durrant crossed from the left and White found himself unmarked in the box. However, White couldn’t guide his header goalwards and missed out on scoring an amazing FIVE goals in a single game.

White was replaced by Darryl Wilson after 84 minutes and his man-of-the-match performance gave Erith a much needed confidence boost going into next week’s league fixture against favourites Whitstable Town.

ERITH & BELVEDERE: Arnold, Scowen (Martin 74), Durrant, Morgan, Brown, Crawley, Bedford, Johnson, Smith, White (Wilson 83), Nougher (Deane 74).
Subs: Braithwaite, Tague

COBHAM: Gindre, Joyce (Cox 45), D Evans, Hicks, Andrews (capt.), Rose, Miles, Davis, Knight, Tooley, Anderson (Wilson 60).
Subs: Gamble, C Evans

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