Friday night football took place at the Acclaim Handling Stadium when Erith and Belvedere entertained AFC Greenwich Borough in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division curtain raiser.

In front of a bumper crowd, it was the visitors who claimed the three points in a tight competitive local derby.

Arthur Penney misdirected his header wide from a Tom Jones corner as Greenwich started strongly before the Deres had a chance when Clarence Tambe pulled it back to Casey Dudley. His shot lacked power, though, and was saved easily by Javarn Pitterson.

Again, Pitterson was called upon to make a comfortable save when Alfie Bloomfield’s touch sent Tambe clear but he fired straight at the Greenwich goalkeeper.

At the other end, a threaded pass through sent Jones away and Deres’ goalkeeper Danny Alexander had to come out quickly to make the block before the signing from Fisher was picked out unmarked by Abel Vendrells-Parcerisa’s deep cross but he couldn’t head it goalwards.

His next effort, a free kick from out wide, was on target and Alexander had to be alert to make the save at the near post, and the Deres’ goalkeeper repeated his actions at the other side to keep out a shot by Austin Tanner.

One minute before half time, the hosts went ahead. Dudley nicked it through and Freddie Cray finished with aplomb.

Any thoughts that they had of going in ahead were quashed in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Jones was tripped by Freddie Baker in the eighteen yard box and a penalty was awarded. Stefan Payne stepped up and sent Alexander the wrong way to level.

Early in the second period Cray delivered the pass of the match to send Tambe away and his low centre across the face of goal was inches out of reach of the onrushing Baker. Ronnie McClean then sent Tambe clear and Pitterson made a brilliant save. It came out to Bloomfield but he could only force it wide.

It was then Alexander’s turn to make an excellent save when Olu Obilana eased across the edge of the penalty area and shot low towards the bottom corner.

Twelve minutes remained when Greenwich went ahead, Vendrells-Parcerisa worked his way to the bye-line and pulled it back to the far post for substitute Tanner to fire home.

Stefan Wright burst through for the Deres looking to mark his debut with a goal but fired well over before Payne shot across the face of goal, narrowly missing the far post, at the other end. Obilana had a shot saved in the last minute of regulation time and they saw out the four minutes of stoppage time without further alarm.

Erith and Belvedere: Alexander; Gondoh (Wright 55), Fletcher, Njoku, McClean; Cray (Lewis-Obeng (85), Morgan; Baker (Procter 72), Dudley (Sammoutis 55), Tambe; Bloomfield (C. French 65). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorer: Cray (44)

Yellow cards: Procter (80 foul), Fletcher (88 foul)

AFC Greenwich Borough: Pitterson; Shonibare (Panyi 54), Evans, Sesay; Penney, Horsley-McKay (Wylie 73); Vendrells-Parcerisa, Obilana, Pattison (Tanner 26); Jones; Payne. Subs not used: Komas, Mesorisa.

Goalscorers: Payne pen (45+4), Tanner (78)

Yellow cards: Obilana (foul 79), Wylie (90 foul), Payne (90+4)

Referee: Max Doyle

Assistants: Jack Heath and Bright Amedonu

Attendance: 820