Champions Deal Town won their second game since being crowned SCEFL kings with a comfortable 2-0 win over Erith Town on a bitterly cold April evening at the Charles Ground. 

After Wes Hennessey put the Champions ahead in the very first minute, Jamie Kennedy’s goal early in the second period made it a comfortable evening for Steve King’s side whilst Adam Woodward’s Dockers will now have to beat Snodland Town on Thursday if they are to challenge for a home Play Off Semi Final. 

Both sides showed signs of playing a lot of games in April and the game had very much an end of season feel about it, especially after Hennessey was on hand to turn home Alfie Foster’s flick from a long throw at the back post. 

Ollie Martin almost equalised as a corner crashed into the outside of the near post, before the same player almost turned provider with a terrific cross that needed any touch to go in as it flashed across the face of goal. 

The visitors thought they had two good shouts for handball in the box as the first half continued, but Referee Bone waved both away.  

Alex Smith will have been disappointed not to test Erith keeper Mackenzie Foley when brilliantly found by Tom Chapman, before the visitors finished the half with ten men as striker Harry Taylor was sent to the sin bin for protesting a referee decision. 

The game was as good as over early in the second period when Kennedy capped a good personal game by squeezing home the second for Deal from the acutest of angles.

Aaron Millbank was denied a third by a really good, brave Foley block before any flow the game did have was curtailed by several changes. 

Despite that though, the visitors did finish strongly – sub Omotunmise Akanni prodded wide with his first touch; Tom Walters’ brilliant curling centre was inches too far in front of Martin and Jerome Jayaguru will have been disappointed not to have hit the target from a header – but it was clear long before the final whistle that their attention had already turned to Thursday’s meeting with Snodland Town. 

Deal go onto receive the Champions Trophy on Saturday when they play their final game of an amazing season at home to Stansfeld.

For Woodward and Dockers, at 3pm Saturday, they will be looking and hoping as their Play Off opponents will be decided. 

DEAL TOWN – Molloy, Hammond (Reeve), Penny, Alex Green (Murray), Foster, Munday, Tom Chapman, Millbank, Smith (Wilkinson), Hennessey, Kennedy (Miller) 

Sub – Oni 

ERITH TOWN – Foley, Walters, Ted Green, Jayaguru, Mahal, Jeffrey, Goodwin (Lovell), Melconian, Martin, Taylor (Miles), Carnegie (Akkani) 

Subs – Dyer, McGeehan 

REFEREE – Mr. Bone