Unusually, an Erith and Belvedere away game took place at the Acclaim Handling Stadium when they played Bexhill United in the Isuzu FA Vase first qualifying round.
As the ‘hosts’ play their home games at Bexhill Cricket Club, they are unable to play at that ground until September so it was agreed that the game would be played at Erith’s home ground.
It took penalties to decide the tie in Bexhill’s favour, but the Deres will be wondering how they didn’t win it. The corner count was fourteen to two in their favour, and they had plenty of good chances. It wasn’t all one way, though, and the team from Sussex had a few opportunities of their own.
There were less than five minutes on the clock when the Pirates went ahead. Whether intentional or not, only Jack Shonk will know but what looked like a cross dipped over Danny Alexander and inside the far post.
Casey Dudley fired over for the Deres from twenty yards then Luke Donaldson did likewise at the other end after doing well to make space for himself.
Freddie Baker sent in a brilliant low cross that Clarence Tambe couldn’t turn home as the Deres enjoyed a period of sustained pressure. Sixteen-year-old Joe Wilson delivered a corner that Bexhill goalkeeper Finlay Holter could only parry and Kyle Holden cleared off the line with a spectacular overhead kick.
Tambe then got in behind and Holter made himself big to make an excellent save. It broke loose and Joshua Tucks’ attempted clearance was blocked back towards goal by Freddie Baker causing Holter to stick out a foot to keep it out.
Still the Deres came forward, and Alfie Morgan set up Alfie Bloomfield whose eighteen-yard shot was straight at Holter. At the other end, Luke Donaldson sent Shonk in behind and his shot went just wide of the far post. Stefan Wright then got down the wing and delivered a dangerous low cross, but no Erith attacker gambled to get in for a tap in.
Early in the second period Morgan sent Tambe through, but Tuck’s pressure was sufficient to cause the Erith man to loop his shot wide, then Wright went close after another good run by Wilson. Baker shot over from thirty-five yards before Bexhill’s Max Hollobone attempted a curler that was deflected wide.
Just after the hour mark, the Deres levelled. Substitute Jack Low was played through and he finished emphatically.
Both teams went close when hitting the woodwork soon after. Wilson picked out another substitute, Connor French, with a pinpoint cross and his header was tipped onto the bar and over, although a goal-kick was awarded. Then, at the other end, Hollobone’s shot hit the inside of the post and flew across the six-yard box and went beyond the other post.
Billy French headed wide from a Wilson corner then Connor French shot from a tight angle and just missed the far post. In the final minute, Holter made a brilliant save from a Connor French header, and it was on to penalties.
Both sides scored their first five then Danny Alexander saved Bexhill’s sixth only for Erith to strike the bar with their next one. Another three each were converted to make it eight apiece. The Pirates then put away their next one before Holter went the right way to make the save and it was they who progressed.
Bexhill United: Holter; Welch, Tuck, Brand, Marchant (Coombes 71); Holden; Donaldson (Scarles 77), Playford, Hollobone, Latuske (Penn 71); Shonk. Subs not used: Riddles, Ovenden.
Goalscorers: Shonk (5)
Yellow cards: Marchant (56 foul), Scarles (88 foul)
Erith and Belvedere: Alexander; Gondoh (Low 46), B. French, Fletcher, Wilson; Wright, Morgan; Baker (C. French 62), Dudley (Lewis-Obiand 77), Tambe; Bloomfield (Procter 71). Subs not used: Harper.
Goalscorer: Low (61)
Yellow cards: Dudley (45+2 foul), Low (84 foul)
Referee: Greig Walker
Assistants: Levente Erdosi & Alexander Seaman
Attendance: 105
Images courtesy of Keith Gillard