In an evenly matched Presence & Co. Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division encounter, Erith and Belvedere and Holmesdale shared the points.
At the start of the game there was only one point between the two teams and it was no surprise that this match was tight. Had there not been a moment of madness in each penalty area in the second half, the game may well have ended goal-less however a spot kick apiece meant that neither defence recorded the clean sheet that they deserved.
Bobby Dunn shot well wide of the far post for the Deres in the opening moments before their goalkeeper, Charlie Cottrell, did well to stop a corner from going straight in. Erith’s Ollie Milton shot over from a tight angle before the visitors again caused problems from a dead ball situation when Micquelle Murray headed over when meeting a diagonal free kick.
Rob Strachan, the Deres’ skipper, sustained a head injury and was twice side-lined for lengthy periods as he was bandaged up and in their second spell of being short-handed they were indebted to Matthias Broomes for clearing off the line at the end of a goalmouth scramble.
After the half time break, Strachan came out in a third different numbered shirt, and with a much more effective head bandage.
Jason Goodchild, who had only come on as a substitute in stoppage time, conceded a needless penalty three minutes after the restart when fouling Dunn in the area. Milton stepped up and, although Charlie Wealands went the right way and got a strong hand on it, his shot had sufficient power to find the bottom corner.
Callum Keeble brought down a long pass well for the Dalers but snatched his shot wide before they had a shout for a penalty. Cottrell was unable to hold substitute Malachi Hudson’s shot and when he dived forward to claim the loose ball, fellow substitute Kayden Turner-Bernard went down. However, the referee was not interested.
Ladic Melconian came close to increasing the hosts lead when his low twenty-five yard drive whistled inches round the post.
Macey Malyon was introduced as a substitute for the hosts but his participation only lasted for two minutes when he handled the ball intentionally in the area and was sent off. Hudson took the responsibility and converted confidently from the penalty spot.
He then struck a free kick that deflected off the defensive wall and ballooned up causing Cottrell to claim while being bundled into by Ali Mansaray.
Although they had a one man advantage, Holmesdale struggled to break down an obdurate defence. Goodchild volleyed wide and their last chance came and went when Hudson pulled it back to Turner-Bernard who dragged his shot wide.
As a result of the draw, Holmesdale remain in sixth place with the Deres back in eighth.
Erith and Belvedere: Cottrell, Davis-Whitlock, Warwick, Strachan, Broomes; Fowler, Melconian (Morgan 79); Baker (Day 79), Dunn (Malyon 71), Milton (Lear 85); Borders.
Sub not used: Sahni.
Goalscorers: Milton pen (48)
Yellow card: Fowler (45+4 foul), Melconian (77 foul) Davis-Whitlock (81 delay of restart)
Red card: Malyon (73 handball)
Holmesdale: Wealands; Lugboso (Hudson 51), Mansaray, M. Murray. Musoke; Clarke (Goodchild 45+4); Williams (Elliott 71), Keeble, Medhurst (Turner-Bernard (59), Palmer; Heywood-Oriugun.
Unused sub: Mbola.
Goalscorers: Hudson pen (74)
Yellow card: Williams (66 foul)
Referee: Grant Steele
Assistants: Jamie Gray and Harley Webster
Attendance: 99