On a bitterly cold and wet Wednesday evening, Bearsted claimed all three points at Erith and Belvedere.

Coming into the battle to earn a Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division play-off spot, the Bears were sitting in the final spot with Erith one place behind them, level on points, albeit having played four games more.

Michael Hagan had an early chance for the visitors when Jarred Trespaderne sent him clear down the right but he shot early when he might have taken an extra touch and Danny Alexander was able to deflect it round the post.

Scott Jarvis had the Deres’ first effort with a shot that fizzed over then Tom Borders spun and shot eight yards out and Frankie Leonard made an excellent reaction save.

Just shy of the half hour mark, the visitors went ahead. Reuben Jones found space down the right and slid Jake Embery in and his clinical finish gave Alexander no chance. 

Freddie Cray blasted high into Danson Park from twenty-five yards for Erith before Borders beat the offside line and looked to line up a shot but Jones raced across to make a brilliant last ditch clearance.

Hagan fired over having been sent clear by Embery then Trespaderne screwed a twenty yard effort high and wide before the first half came to a close.

Freddie Baker was introduced for the Deres for the second half and he stung Leonard’s palms before Borders nicked possession away from a hesitant defender and laid it off to Cray. He took his time when lining up his shot only to fire well over.

Dithering on the ball wasn’t confined to the Bearsted defence as Hagan caught out a Deres’ defender and tried a chip towards the far post that just missed the angle of upright and crossbar.

Casey Dudley drew another fine save out of Leonard with a shot from the edge of the area that was tipped over then the hosts’ wide midfield player drove just over from Matthias Broomes’ cross-field pass.

Sam Stace missed a great chance to score the crucial second when firing wide of an empty net from wide left, thirty five yards out, when Alexander was left stranded outside his goal. It was then Erith’s chance to come close when Scott Jarvis crossed deep just out of the reach of a stretching Harry Day.

Seven minutes remained when Bearsted scored again to give them breathing space. After chaos in the Deres’ penalty area, it fell kindly for Phil Headley. His powerful drive was beaten out by Alexander but only as far as substitute Billy Lewins, and he bundled it home gleefully.

Another Bearsted replacement, Nathan Light, fired wide before Cray was again unable to keep his shot down. Broomes had the last effort of the match with a shot that hit Headley on the back and looped over the bar.

Victory moved the Bears up to third whilst the Deres dropped a place in the table on goal difference.

Erith and Belvedere: Alexander; Jarvis, Fletcher, Strachan, W. French (Broomes 76); Morgan (Auta 76); Brand (Baker 46), Fowler (Whitnell 63), Cray, Dudley; Borders (Day 63).

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow card: Fletcher (67 foul)

Bearsted: Leonard; Jones, Headley, Blake, Flisher; Palmby, Wisson (Light 84); Hagan (Jimoh 66), Stace (Mitford 84), Trespaderne (Lewins 75); Embery (Clark 84) .

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: Embery (29), Lewins (83)

Yellow cards: Trespaderne (74 foul), Lewin (88)

Referee: Matthew Charles

Assistants: Max Cowles and Thomas Marshall

Attendance: 84