There were fireworks galore at the Acclaim Handling Community Stadium on the fifth of November when Erith and Belvedere played Hackney Wick in the London Senior Cup.
Having gone in at half time two-nil down, the Deres’ players may have been subject to a rocket at half time but they sparkled in the second period to progress to the second round.
Less than a minute had passed when the visitors thought that they should have been awarded a spot kick. Issa Sidibe tumbled in the penalty area, however, referee Richard Myers was uninterested.
High pressing by the hard working Wickers rushed the young Deres early on but once they started to settle they caused a few problems of their own. Jesse Rowe delivered a corner, Harvey Mead knocked it down, and Freddie Cray struck it cleanly but Teddy Gervaux-Baena was behind it to hold on well.
Rowe then laid it back to Cray and his fizzer was just too high. Sidibe headed over from a corner for Hackney before they went ahead in the twenty-first minute. A poor Erith corner was headed away at the near post and Noah Ferraz burst away. He weighted his pass perfectly to Leo Lopate and he slotted home clinically.
Twelve minutes later, the Wickers doubled their lead when Shan Haynes played Sidibe in and he gave Deres’ goalkeeper Danny Alexander no chance with a superb finish.
Lopate might have made it three but his shot came back out off the upright before he had another chance when he headed wide from Haynes’ deep cross. Sidibe then burst through but his touch was too heavy and Alexander read it and claimed at his feet.
Just before half time, the visitors had one more chance when John Silva’s deflected cross looped to the far post and Sidibe twisted to send a great header goalwards only to be denied by a brilliant tip over by Alexander.
Immediately after the restart, the Deres, who had come out early for the second period, caught their visitors cold and pulled one back. Alfie Morgan surged through and fired into the bottom corner.
Arnold Mengi launched a shot for Hackney high into the sky, landing it in Danson Park before they restored their two goal lead despite being temporarily down to ten men. Sidibe was receiving treatment on the sidelines when Silva delivered a free kick that Lopate met with a clean low volley that gave Alexander no chance.
Three minutes later, the Deres pulled one back when Freddie Cray’s free kick whistled into the far corner.
Harvey Mead came close to equalising when his first time volley went just past the angle of bar and post before only an excellent save by Alexander kept Lopate from completing his hat-trick.
Surprisingly, the Wickers then took their lively front man off and with Sidibe already having been substituted, their threat up front was lessened greatly.
One of the Deres’ substitutes, Danny Lear, looped a header just over before another equalised with thirteen minutes remaining. Matthias Broomes squared and Thomas Borders controlled it before passing it home.
Five minutes later, the Deres went ahead when Gervaux-Baena blocked a shot from Lear and Borders was in the right place to slide it home.
Gervaux-Baena saved a Ronnie McClean free kick before he made an excellent double save to thwart Borders who was looking for his hat-trick.
An away trip to Woodford Town in the second round is Erith’s reward for winning with the winners of that match hosting AFC Wimbledon U21s in round three.
Erith and Belvedere: Alexander; Morgan, Anderson, B. French (Fowler 56), Broomes; Warwick; Rowe, Cray, Baker (Lear 46), Mead (McClean 64); C. French (Borders 64).
Sub not used: Bourne.
Goalscorers: Morgan (46), Cray (55), Borders (77) (82)
Yellow card: Anderson (26 foul), Warwick (50 foul)
Hackney Wick: Gervaux-Baena; Ferraz, Thompson-Shaw, Maklowski, Haynes (Valencia Cedeno 73); Loufi; Brown, Mengi (Sebaihi 64), Silva (Olorunishola 64); Lapote (Anderson 64), Sidibe (Adeojo 54).
Unused subs: None.
Goalscorers: Lopate (21) (52), Sidibe (33)
Yellow cards: Mengi (54 foul), Brown (78 foul)
Referee: Richard Myers
Assistants: Rahji Shrinarine and Max Cowles
Attendance: 49