Erith and Belvedere coaches claimed the bragging rights with victory over their friends playing for Selkent coaches in front of a healthy crowd at Park View Road.

However, the real winners were all who helped to raise awareness and funding for the Tommy Crush Foundation and Mike Memorial.

Tommy Crush was a teenager who sadly took his own life through depression and the foundation has been formed to try and raise awareness and funding to support teenagers vulnerable to suicide. Tommy was a keen football referee having also played for Footscray Lions and Long Lane.

Mike Memorial is a men’s football team that raise money and awareness for men’s mental health names after Mike Strong who also took his own life.

The Kent F.A. have been pioneers in training individuals across the youth sections of their clubs and leagues to recognise signs of poor mental health, eradicate the barriers to seeking support, and carry out signposting to professional bodies.

Their Mental Health Champion’s programme is being monitored by the Football Association with a view of rolling it out nationwide.

Selkent scored the first goal of the night and might have increased their lead before the Deres scored three unanswered goals. Selkent then hit the bar before Erith added a fourth before the break.

The Deres added three more after the break before Selkent pulled one back. It became eight two before three good goals reduced the arrears.

Paul Springett, an Erith and Belvedere, was heavily influential in arranging the game and played the first sixty five minutes in the yellow kit worn by Selkent before finishing the game in the Deres’ blue and white kit.