Erith & Belvedere 4-5 Wealdstone - Brave Deres suffer late heartbreak

ERITH & BELVEDERE 4-5 WEALDSTONE
London Senior Cup Fourth Round
Wednesday 16^th January 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

ON THE day that Kevin Keegan returns to manage Newcastle United, Kent League side Erith & Belvedere produced yet another thrilling game at Park View Road that even the Geordie legend would have been proud off.

Playing against a Wealdstone side that’s currently fifth-from-bottom in the Ryman Premier League - two division’s above them - a weakened Deres side fought back from 3-0 down after 27 minutes to eventually claw it back to 4-4, scoring four goals in a devastating twenty minute spell, before suffering heartbreak late on.

The Stones arrived in Welling having made only three changes to their side that lost at Heybridge Swifts in the Ryman Premier League last weekend.

But the Deres were faced with a defensive crisis, without the services of Michael Gonzague, John Farley, James Holder, Chris Hill, Paul Gross and Christian Parker at the back.

Despite being in fifth place in the Kent League table - 13 points behind leaders VCD Athletic - it was Erith & Belvedere that looked like scoring first.

Ricky Hardie headed a free-kick across the face of goal and his partner at the back, Lee Morgan couldn’t steer the ball past Wealdstone’s second choice goalkeeper, Daniel Carr.

Erith & Belvedere goalkeeper Matt Bromby prevented Andre De Lisser from scoring after he was played in by Alex Campana but Wealdstone broke the deadlock after fourteen minutes.

Striker Peter Dean shrugged off his marker before racing towards goal and his shot bounced off the far-post but right-winger Campana was on hand to slam the ball past two defenders on the line.

The impressive Campana almost doubled the lead when his right-footed volley screamed past the near-post.

Good skill on the left-hand side by Deres young winger Nathan Bell set up a chance for Lee Benavente, who failed to seize the moment, but Morgan was on hand to send a right-footed volley over.

But Dean doubled Wealdstone’s lead after 24 minutes, stabbing Campana’s whipped in cross from the right past Bromby at the far-post.

Wealdstone were totally outclassing their hosts at this stage and the Deres looked dead and buried when Dean stabbed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner, punishing poor defending, just three minutes later.

But two goals inside 125 seconds brought Erith & Belvedere back into life.

Matt Johnson netted the first of his two penalties with 32 minutes on the clock, firing into the bottom left-hand corner from the spot.

And a blunder from Carr, when he spilt the ball on his right-hand side of the penalty area, gifted Aiden Pursglove a chance, and the striker squeezed the ball into the bottom far corner from a tight angle.

Despite the hosts clawing their way back into the game, Wealdstone made it 4-2 just three minutes before the break when Campana rifled the ball into the roof of the net after Bromby’s error.

A vast majority of the fans missed Erith & Belvedere’s third goal - just ELEVEN SECONDS into the second half.

Giant striker Benevente latched onto a ball over the top of Wealdstone’s defence, shrugged off two defenders before stabbing the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

And with five minutes and 55 seconds of the second half complete, Erith & Belvedere equalised for the first time in the game - remarkable!

Stones goalkeeper Carr should have been sent off when he pulled down striker Pursglove, who looked certain to score after breezing past the goalkeeper.

The referee Mr Ahcene Wahiaoui, who referees in the backwaters of the Suburban League, decided not to issue any card to the goalkeeper, who had received treatment.

His punishment, however, was to pick the ball out of his net, as Johnson’s second penalty - his tenth goal of the season - flew into the roof of the net.

This levelled left Wealdstone shell-shocked and this was the first time in this extraordinary game that the Kent side dominated proceedings but they squandered an excellent chance to take the lead for the very first time when Pursglove beat the defence but shot straight at a relieved Carr with the goal at his mercy.

Against teams from a higher division you must take your chances and in the last five minutes Morgan headed Matt Johnson’s corner agonisingly past the far-post from six-yards - but Wealdstone scored the winner with 43:33 second half minutes on the clock.

The dangerous Campana whipped in another cross from the right and Dean’s initial shot brought a fine save by Bromby, but the striker fired home the rebound.

The brave Deres gallantly tried to force extra-time with the woodwork denying them twice.

Johnson’s right-footed free-kick from thirty-yards struck the bar and substitute Ashley Dunkley hit the left-hand post.

But it will be Wealdstone that face Blue Square South outfit Fisher Athletic in the quarter-finals.

On Saturday, Erith & Belvedere welcome Deal Town to Park View Road. For £6 you’ll receive excellent value for money as 53 goals have been scored in their last eight home games.

Erith & Belvedere: Matt Bromby, Matt Bedford, Michael Scowen (Sam Friskey 74), Andrew Browne, Ricky Hardie, Lee Morgan, Nick Smith, Matt Johnson, Lee Benevento (Steve Weatherly 74), Aiden Pusglove (Ashley Dunkley 69), Nathan Bell.
Subs: Michael Golding, Sam Friskey.

Goals: Matt Johnson 32 (pen), 52 (pen), Aiden Pursglove 34, Lee Benevente 46

Booked: Aiden Pursglove 52, Lee Benevente 57, Andrew Browne 73, Sam Friskey 81

Wealdstone: Daniel Carr, Andre Delisser, Lee Chappell, James Gray, Marcus Gross, Ryan Ashe, Alex Campana, Lee O’Leary (Chris O‘Leary 90), Stephen Hughes (Daniel Campbell 74), Peter Dean, Graeme Montgomery.
Subs: Jon Nichole, Keita Karamoko.

Goals: Alex Campana 14, 42, Peter Dean 24, 27, 89

Booked: Marcus Gross 52, Graeme Montgomery 78

Attendance: 73
Referee: Mr Ahcene Wahiaoui (West Ham, east London)
Assistants: Mr Tony Aslam (Sheperds Bush, west London) &
Mr Gordon Manning (Bromley, Kent)