Erith & Belvedere won this Kent derby and progressed on the road to Wembley with a hard-fought victory albeit in a penalty shootout against Bearsted this afternoon.

The game itself was not a classic as both sides were probably not at their best and Erith were excellent with their penalties as they scored all of them.

The game started with Bearsted on the front foot trying to avenge their defeat of two weeks ago when in the 10^th minute Adam Turton’s corner to the back post found Connor French, but his header went over the bar.

A minute later Sam Stace picked up a loose clearance and his shot from 25 yards went just wide. Then in the next minute French controlled the ball and put Eniola Hassan in the area, but his shot went over the bar.

Another chance came in the 19^th minute when Jesse Darko crossed to the back post for Hassan whose shot was saved by Charlie Cottrell’s legs.

Erith suddenly clicked and started to get back into the game, but it took until the 43^rd minute for their first real chance when Joe Chalker in the area saw his shot saved by Frankie Leonard for a corner.

Half time arrived and both camps would be happy that they were still in the game but would like to be a bit more clinical when chances come.

The second half started with Erith having the first chance when Ladic Melonian in the area saw his side foot effort go just past the post.

In the next minute Bearsted nearly scored when French Stretching in the area forced Cotterall to save it. A minute later Dan Melvin saw his header from a corner fly over the bar.

In the 60^th minute Bearsted in a breakaway should have taken the lead when Stace running from his own 18-yard box to Erith’s 18-yard box and then laid the ball into the path of Hassan but once in the area his shot from 15 yards was saved by Cottrell.

In the 71st minute Darko saw his 25-yard shot tipped over the bar by Cottrell. Erith again found another gear and had three good chances to take the lead when in the 77^th minute Chalker saw his 20-yard effort go just past the post. Then in the 87^th minute Chalker saw his low cross palmed away by Leonard but straight to Max Manktelow but from 15 yards shot wide.

The last half chance of the game came in the second minute off added on time when a free kick into the area came back of the crossbar and the ball bounced around the area before being cleared. The final whistle went and this tie would be settled by a penalty shootout.

Penalty 1 Darko scores 1 nil

Ronnie McClean scores 1 all

Michael Hagen saved 1 all

Donnell Anderson scores 2-1

Robbie Roberts scores 2-2

Melonian scores 3-2

William Johnson-Cole missed 2-3

Manktelow scores 4-2 & wins the game

      Bearsted:

1.    F.Leonard       2. A.Turton  3. J.Nurden  4. J.Palmby   5. S.Flisher  6. D.Melvin

7.      E.Hassan (85)     8. B.Lewins (85)  17. C.French (62)  10. S.Stace  11. J.Darko

Subs Used:  16. R.Roberts (62)  9. W.Johnson-Cole (85)  15. M.Hagen (85)

Subs Not Used:  12. F.Daniels  14. M.Okundaliaye

Bookings:  8. B.Lewins (51)

        Erith & Belvedere:

1.   C.Cottrell          2. S.Smith  3. R.Mcclean  4. D.Parkinson (4) 5. D.Anderson   6. A.Morrison

7.      J.Chalker  8. F.Cray     9. T.Whitnell (73)  10. L.Melonian  11. F.Baker

Subs Used:  M.Manktelow (4)  12. T.Davis-Whitlock (73)

Subs Not Used: 14. E.Kambala  15. L.Gnekrice  17. F.Springett

Bookings:  8. F.Cray (27)

Referee: Mr M.Williams

Assistants:  Mr B.Stevens  & Mr L.Judd

Att: 106

Images courtesy of Bearsted FC