On Tuesday evening Erith and Belvedere host Tunbridge Wells in the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup.
Currently, the Deres are in sixth place in the Premier Division while Tunbridge Wells are eighth with two points fewer having played one match less.
Neither were in league action on Saturday. Erith’s last game was on the previous weekend when they won two-one away to Faversham Strike Force. Tommy Whitnell put the visitors ahead in just the fourth minute and Freddie Baker added a second just after the hour mark. They looked good for a clean sheet until Brooke Tiernan scored for Faversham deep into stoppage time.
As a result of two consecutive postponements, Wells haven’t played since 22nd November when they won two-one at Holmesdale. D’Armando Lawrence put them ahead just shy of the quarter of an hour mark but Malachi Hudson equalised midway through the second half. Five minutes later, Thomas Penfold scored what turned out to be the winner for Tunbridge Wells.
There has already been a league meeting between the two clubs this season. In an explosive encounter at the Culverden Stadium in August, Macey Malyon put the Deres ahead in the nineteenth minute, however, two goals in two minutes just after the half hour mark put the hosts in control. Rory Ward and Regan Corke were on target.
Ward’s afternoon took a turn for the worse midway through the second half when dismissed but Wells went further ahead ten minutes later through a goal by Kai Neil-Gray. Kazeem Richards was also sent off deep into stoppage time and Ollie Milton scored for the Deres a minute after but it was too little too late.
Three meetings last season, two in the league and one in the Kent Senior Trophy, all ended in wins for Tunbridge Wells so they will want to extend the run while Erith will be looking to end it.
Before the match, there will be a reflection for former chairman John McFadden who died recently following a long illness.