Erith & Belvedere 0-1 Rusthall - We're unbeaten, so everyone wants to beat us, so the pressure is on me because I need my team to keep performing, says Rusthall manager Jimmy Anderson

Erith & Belvedere 0 – 1 Rusthall
Location	Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY
Kickoff	07/10/2025 19:45

ERITH & BELVEDERE  0-1  RUSTHALL
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Tuesday 7 October 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

RUSTHALL manager Jimmy Anderson says there is pressure on him because he needs his team to keep performing after they put in a professional performance to beat league leaders Erith & Belvedere.
 

The Rustics’ climbed up six places into third in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, courtesy of striker Charlie Clover, 27, ushing his right knee to score his ninth goal of the season to seal a massive three points at Park View Road.

Rusthall are only three points behind the Deres but they do have five games in hand, as only four points separate the top eight sides in this ninth-tier division, as Erith & Belvedere suffered their fourth league defeat of the season.

“I’m over the moon, over the moon. That’s a massive three points, another clean sheet, yes, a huge win, huge win,” said Anderson.

“I felt like in the first half, it was a pretty even game. It felt like we had a couple of half-chances. Serine made one save.

“It’s tough, you’re coming away from home. It’s different. We’ve got a few injuries tonight, so we’re missing a few people and I had to change the starting 11, so Jack Low came in and he done really well tonight.

“I told the boys to grind out a result and get the job done and play our style of football as best we can and get me the win.”

Anderson revealed that Jesse Hammond and Ayodeji Owoeye were ruled out with “small injuries”, while 10-goal leading goal scorer Louie Clarke was ruled out through work commitments.

Erith & Belvedere manager Sam Groombridge said: “Disappointed, massively disappointed. Moments win games. I think we’ve had enough chances and they’ve threatened from outside the box but the one that’s gone in the box has ended up (going in), so we’ll watch it, we’ll have an honest chant on Thursday at training and we go again.

“I thought we’ve played well. I think we’ve shown how far we’ve come. Rusthall are no mugs. They’re a good team. I know Jim and I know Joe (Charlesworth, coach) and they’re well-organised. I know how they would play and I thought we done well in the first half particularly to stop that but better still, impose ourselves on the game.

“I’m gutted for the boys because I thought we’ve worked hard and I think they’ve deserved something from the game but that cutting edge we spoke about, I think that little bit more desire. The work-rate was there, the tempo’s there, the possession’s good. We just maybe need that cutting edge in both boxes.”

Erith & Belvedere created two shots on target during the game, while Rusthall created six, with the home side having seven attempts off target and Rusthall six.

Rusthall created their first opening after five minutes and 55 seconds, through route one football.

Goalkeeper Serine Sanneh hooked a drilled kick from the edge of his penalty area which sent left-winger Joshua Reid on his way, beating Erith & Belvedere’s right-back Scott Jarvis, cutting inside and his right-footed shot was held by goalkeeper Charlie Cottrell, low to his left beside his near-post.

“Josh Reid’s in really good form at the minute and I felt like if we were going to score today, something that Josh would do in the game, it would come from him,” said Anderson.

Erith & Belvedere created their first opening (13:56), following a left-footed free-kick from their left-back Ronnie McClean.

Recalled striker Danny Lear laid the ball off to right-winger Frederick Baker, whose low shot was cleared off the line by Robbie Bissett.

Groombridge said: It's unfortunate, it’s unlucky. It’s probably the first time we tested them in the game, 14 minutes in, but overall I was happy with the performance. It was just that final, final pass. Even in the first half, the final pass, the end product, just wasn’t there today.”

When asked what threats Groombridge’s side posed, Anderson replied: “Danny Lear, up top. He was their biggest threat.  In fairness, when he came out of it, I thought it was an absolute touch for us because first half he was a right pain in the backside to my centre-backs and he basically would run his socks off and he caused all sorts of problems.

“Obviously, I’ve had Danny play for me before, I know what he’s about and he was their biggest threat today.”

The home side missed a glorious chance to take the lead (17;17) when winger Matthias Broomes lost the ball in midfield but showed desire to win the ball back before playing a one-two with Baker before drilling a left-footed drive towards the top right-hand corner from 25-yards.

Sanneh dived high to his left and got a strong hand to the shot to turn it over the bar and Anderson revealed the former England Youth International’s commitments with playing in the televised Baller League will not affect the 22-year-old playing for the club.

“I thought he (Broomes) was a big threat as well. He was really good for them but Serine’s, Serine, so as mad as it is, I expect him to make those saves – he’s that good,” said Anderson.

“He’s been selected for John Terry’s team, so it’s great for him.  It will be absolutely fine. He’ll be fine. It don’t affect us at all, so it’s all good for him.”

Groombridge added: “We know he’s a good keeper but again there’s two chances in the first 20 minutes – we should be scoring one!”

Erith & Belvedere were playing well during the first half – too many balls were overhit though - but they missed a glorious chance to score in the 26^th minute.

Attacking midfielder Ladic Melconian played the ball out to Baker on the right and the winger whipped in a quality cross from within the channel but Broomes nipped in front of Rusthall centre-half Daniel Blunn to knock his header across the keeper and past the far post from six-yards.

“This is how we’re talking after the game. There’s opportunities there we’re creating – just didn’t go in for us tonight,” added Groombridge.

Bissett was penalised by referee Alex Gordon for a foul on Baker and Sanneh lined up a three-man wall for McClean’s 30-yard free-kick.  The kick was driven into the wall and the ball ran to Ryan Fowler, whose left-footed shot on the turn rolled past the foot of the right-hand post.

Rusthall midfielder James Miles was outstanding, playing in various central midfield roles and was the driving force within the key area of the engine room.

Anderson said: “James Miles was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. He literally grabbed the game and second half he set the tempo by pressing their centre-back straight from kick-off and we go on and score an early goal in the second half – and it’s from him.

“His tempo, he manages to take pressure off of people. He’s phenomenal he’s a fantastic player and we’re so lucky to have him.”

The otherwise quiet Jack Kirby counter-attacked in the 40^th minute and played the ball to Miles, who played it back to Kirby, who stroked a right-footed drive from 25-yards towards the bottom corner, which was comfortably gathered at the second attempt by Cottrell.

“I don’t think either team was in control of the game, at half-time. I think it was too much like a basketball match. It will be interesting to have a chat with Jim with what he thought,” said Groombridge.

“But I think we played well. I thought energy wise, we were there, work-rate we were there. We just lacked that final penetration, that final ball.”

Anderson revealed that read his side the riot act underneath the stand at the interval.

“I can’t tell you what I said because it wasn’t good but I was very angry! I just felt like we were giving them far too much respect. We didn’t play our way. We weren’t clinical enough in the final third. We wasn’t winning the game in the heart of the team, so in the midfield, we needed to dictate how the game was going and we wasn’t dictating it in the first half.

“I just said to them, these are the type of places where you come, if you want to have anything at the end of the season, these are the types of places you come, you win and you get the job done.

“Erith & Belvedere at home was our first League win at home (3-1 on 30 August) and I said at half-time this is going to be our first away win.”

Rusthall scored the decisive goal, only 93 seconds into the second half.

Reid put in a cross from within the right channel into the centre and Clover used his right knee (as he attempted to hook the ball in), the ball looping across Cottrell to find the far corner, from eight-yards.

“Charlie’s massive for us.  He was top goalscorer last season and Josh Reid is Josh Reid at the minute, he’s superb, so I’m over the moon with the win,” said Anderson.

“Obviously, I wanted it massively as well. It’s our first away win of the season and it’s a tricky place to come. The pitch is quite small and the stands and everything seems to make it smaller.

“I felt like the way the game was going in the first half, I felt confident we’d win the game but I felt like it was a struggle today. I knew it was a struggle today.”

Groombridge added: “The one cross they’ve probably made and our full-backs have been tremendous all night one-v-one but one cross has come in and has unfortunately somehow ended up in the goal.

“I think it was Charlie Clover, maybe even chested it in, I’m not sure.  Did it come off his knee?  Right, ok then. It’s hard to see from where we are, disappointing.

“I think we can stop it before it gets there but I don’t want to knock any of the lads because I thought they were tremendous tonight. Yes, I’m disappointed to concede.  I thought the goal tonight, we should’ve done better, as a collective.

“Rusthall are a good team. We contained them in terms of chances. They’ve been scoring (29 goals after tonight, highest scorers in the division). I was confident tonight. I thought we’d keep a clean-sheet but unfortunately just run a big short.”

The Rustics’ came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half and they went close to increasing their lead, just four minutes and 15 seconds in.

Kirby played the ball out to Reid, who cut inside and teed up Kirby, who curled his right-footed shot from 25-yards around the diving Cottrell and just past the foot of the far post.

“We’ve got so many options up top in a sense of trying to score goals. It isn’t just one player, so that’s the beauty of the squad and the team that we have so many people who can produce the goods,” added Anderson.

Erith & Belvedere had their moments too, however, as Frederick Warwick floated in a cross into the penalty area, the ball was knocked down by the 25-year-old Lear and Fowler’s first time shot from 22-yards sailed over the top of the left-hand post.

Just past the hour-mark, McClean delivered a free-kick just outside the centre-circle and Robert Strachan came up from the back to go very close with a free-header, which sailed across Sanneh and just past the far post.

“Yes, again, maybe we can throw bodies at it and be a little bit more clinical. I think it’s gone across a few players but like I say, we’ll watch it back,” added Groombridge, who was interviewed immediately after stepping off the pitch after his side’s post-match pitch debrief.

Miles, now operating in the centre of midfield (as apposed to starting the second half in a front three behind Clover and beside Kirby), fed the ball into Bissett, who travelled some 20-yards before feeding Reid, who took a couple of touches before stroking a right-footed drive flashing across the keeper and past the far post with his third touch, 20-yards from goal.

“That’s what I mean, when they’re all clicking, they’re a handful.  Jaevon Dyer’s come back from an injury, so he’s come back on tonight. Louie Clarke’s missing, so the list goes on. We’ve got good competition,” added Anderson.

Groombridge added: “I thought we kept them out of the box pretty wide, that’s not to say they didn’t have chances – they did have chances.”

Rusthall were playing very well during the second half and Strachan was penalised for fouling Jack Low and Cottrell lined up a three-man wall for the resulting 66^th minute free-kick.

Centre-half Bissett stroked a left-footed free-kick, which bounced in front of Cottrell, who dived to his right to push around the post for Rusthall’s fourth of five corners.

Anderson opted to play with just Clover up front for the final 20 minutes and even pushed holding midfielder Frank Griffin in the number 10 role.

The impressive Reid linked up well with Kirby and Reid’s right-footed shot was held low down by Cottrell beside his post.

Erith & Belvedere substitute midfielder Bobby Dunn swung in a corner from the right – their third and final one – whjich was met by centre-half Frederick Cray, which he headed down and past the far post in the 77^th minute.

McClean threw the ball short to Dunn, who whipped in a quality delivery from the left- flank towards the near post for substitute right-winger Tyller Davis-Whitlock to guide his free header and past the far post – a glaring miss (33:16).

“Unfortunate again, lacked the finish,” came Groombridge’s response.

“We are creating chances, yes, listen, I think we ‘ve come a long, long way and like I say, I  think we deserved something from the game today.

“I think it was two of the top teams arguably in this division that will be up there or there abouts at the end of the season.”

Anderson added: “To be fair, they had two really good chances, like two really good chances, where I felt they should’ve taken one of them.

“The cross at the end, what hits the post, obviously, I don’t think he’s meant it but he’s crossed it and it’s hit the post. It could’ve gone in but as mad as it is sitting here now, if you look at the pitch, I just feel like the lighting is really mad here, maybe I’m being wrong. I think he lost it in the floodlights.”

Clover, Reid, substitute Thompson Adeyemi all linked up down the left before substitute winger Jaevon Dyer skipped past three defenders before driving his right-footed shot across the keeper and past the left-hand post.

Rusthall left-back Kareem Rahman then released Clover in behind (Cray) before cutting towards the left-by-line and cutting the ball back for Reid, who poked his shot past the foot of the near-post as the home side shut the gate inside the six-yard box.

Erith & Belvedere went close to grabbing a late leveller (44:57) when Reid  delivered a right-footed cross from 40-yards, which deceived Sanneh, the ball sailing over his right shoulder and clipping the outside of the far post.

Groombridge admitted: “Listen, I’m a firm believer you make your own luck and it wasn’t with us tonight.”

Anderson said: “Thankfully, it hit the post and came away. It’s just three points today, but it’s three points. It’s a huge three points, don’t get me wrong. I’m not playing it down. It’s massive. To come way from home to get three points but it’s just three points in the direction we want to go in.

“You’ve just said to me, are we one of the better teams in the League? We’re unbeaten, so everyone wants to beat us, so there’s pressure for that.  We’re winning games, we have a winning formular at the minute so teams are trying to stop us from playing.

“We’re one of the only teams that want to play football. I’m open enough to say that. I don’t enjoy the long-ball stuff, so we play football.  Most goals we score are either tap-ins or we work the play.

“Yes, so the pressure is on me because I need my team to keep performing. There’s no taking the pressure off me at the minute.”

Groombridge, meanwhile, has promised to make changes for Sunday’s home Kent Senior Trophy tie against Welling Town, which kicks off at 16:00.

Welling Town are sitting in the bottom four in the First Division table, having picked up two wins and a draw from their opening nine games.

Lear (dead leg), Harry Day (ligaments) are on the treatment table.

“Listen, Rusthall are having a good season. They’ve had a good start to the season. Like I say, our focus is on us, not other teams and we’ll go back to the drawing board,” said Groombridge.

“Last time (we lost against) Fisher, I think we spoke and it wasn’t a good enough performance. Tonight, I think the performance was ok, it was good but we just lacked that cutting edge I think, so we’ll re-group, we’ll go again. Last time we got a reaction (winning back-to-back games 1-0 against Kennington and Stansfeld) and I’m sure we’ll get a reaction this time.

“We’ll rotate slightly, we’ve had some heavy legs out there but we’ll be respectful to the opposition, respectful to the competition and it’s all to play for, for the lads for their shirts.

“A crowd of 198 is nice for the club and the chairman (Paul Springett) and his wife. The work they put in behind the scenes. I think we’re playing good football and we’re entertaining to watch.

“It’s probably too much off a basketball game but that’s going to happen when we’re encouraging those lads to play.

“Listen, we’ve split the season down into increments and we’ll be there or there abouts hopefully towards Christmas and then who kno3s from there. We know what this League’s like.”

Anderson, meanwhile, is taking their home tie against First Division side Sheppey Sports seriously and wants to bring the silverware to Jockey Farm Stadium in April.

“There’s a long old season ahead but we’ve got another tough game on Saturday. We’ve got Sheppey Sports at home in the Cup so that will be tough.

“They’re going to come and it’s a Cup game that we want to do well in, so we’re going to try and then obviously I’ll be getting interviewed by you again on the 18^th and we’ve got Tunbridge Wells at home. It’s another tough game.

“I’ve seen the results tonight and Phoenix have gone to Fisher, a really hard place to go, let alone on a Saturday but on a Tuesday night and won 3-1 and we’ve got Phoenix at home (in our next League game on Tuesday 21 October), so that’s a massive game now but first and foremost, we’ve got to worry about Sheppey.”

Managed by George and Ian Batten, Sheppey Sports are in the bottom three in the First Division table, having picked up one win and three draws from eight league games and Rusthall are clear favourites for the tie.

“I’m going to take it very seriously because I want to win it (the Kent Senior Trophy).  I want to win every game, I’m not going to shy away from it. Who goes into games trying to draw or go and get a point?

“I came here to win tonight and I will be going on Saturday to win a game, so I will pick my strongest team possible.  If I’m being honest with you, I don’t have any weaknesses in the squad, so it will be a strong side that I’ll put out.”

Erith & Belvedere are at the summit with 24 points (seven wins, three draws and four defeats) from 14 games, while the play-off quartet tonight are Bearsted (22 points from 11 games), Rusthall (21 points, six wins, three draws, from nine), Sutton Athletic (21 points from 13 games) and Snodland Town (21 points from 13).

However, only four points separate the league leaders and eighth-placed Holmesdale – who will jump into second-place should they win their 13^th League game at bottom-side Stansfeld on Wednesday night.

Anderson, meanwhile, has dismissed claims that Rusthall are favourites for the mouth-watering FA Vase First Round home tie against Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 18 October.

“It’s a cup game and it’s a derby, so it’s a really tricky game. There’s no favourites in that. They will think they’re favourites because they’re the bigger club, apparently, so we’ll see.

“No, there’s no talk (about the FA Vase derby), it was all tonight. The chat this morning in the group chat, throughout the week.  We didn’t train last week, I gave them 10 days off. We’ve had a few injuries, we’ve been on this run.  The boys needed a rest and sometimes it’s better to not train and over-think stuff sometimes and it will be the same with the next game.

“They need to rest and recover, that’s the thing. Everyone talks about get back to the training ground but these boys work, they’ve worked all day today, they’ve performed like that. They’ve got work tomorrow, some will be up at five or six o’clock in the morning. They need to rest so it’s important they get their recovery right and we try to win another game on Saturday, that’s all it is.”

A 19-club Premier Division, five clubs have played 12 League games, four have played 13, three have played nine, 10 and 11 and the leaders have played 14, which gives the League table a lop-sided view and not really knowing where all the teams really are/should be. The Isthmian League re-arrange League games within six weeks of a postponement. This League tends to re-arrange games for March.

Anderson said: “In a weird way, I feel like it maybe helped us having the break but we have games-in-hand. Erith have played their games, they might say they prefer to have the points. We need to catch them, so yes, we have games-in-hand but there’s no guarantee we’re going to win those games-in-hand.

“We just need to keep taking it game-by-game and all it means is we’ve played nine games this season and got 21 points.  My chairman (Dean Jacquin) will be happy because normally the first thing is ‘you need to get 30-35 points for safety’, so we’re on track for that.

"No one's told me we're one of the better sides. I don't need any praise. It's game-by-game and no one's told us that we're good. We have to be good on the day and I know what I've got in my squad, the qualities I have but we're 'little old Rusthall', so we'll continue to be 'little old Rusthall'.

Erith & Belvedere: Charlie Cottrell, Scott Jarvis, Ronnie McClean, Ryan Fowler (Alfie Morgan 72), Robert Strachan, Frederick Cray, Matthias Broomes, Frederick Warwick (Bobby Dunn 72), Danny Lear (Tom Borders 54), Ladic Melconian (Tommy Whitnell 60), Frederick Baker (Tyller Davis-Whitlock 60).

Booked: Tyller Davis-Whitlock 89

Rusthall: Serine Sanneh, Louis Anderson, Kareem Rahman, Frank Griffin, Robbie Bissett, Daniel Blunn, Joshua Reid, James Miles, Charlie Clover, Jack Kirby (Thompson Adeyemi 79), Jack Low (Jaevon Dyer 70).
Subs: Matthew Blundell, Louie Clarke

Goal: Charlie Clover 47

Booked: Daniel Blunn 41, Frank Griffin 59, Thompson Adeyemi 85

Attendance: 198
Referee: Mr Alex Gordon
Assistants: Mr Ashley Overbury & Mr Liam Broom
Observer:  Mr Howard Collins