Erith and Belvedere continued their unbeaten start to the season but couldn’t find the goal to beat AFC Croydon Athletic.

As a result, they will have to go to Croydon on Tuesday night with the victors progressing beyond the F.A. Cup Preliminary Round.

Surprisingly. they got off to a slow start to the first half with Ibrahim Kallon firing over for the visitors in the early exchanges.

Gradually, though, the Deres grew into the game and Calum Willock flicked on a long ball to Ollie Bate who turned and volleyed but Oshane Brown was out sharply to cut down the angle and make a great block.

Rob Curtis headed wide from a corner before Kazzeem Richards let fly from far out but his shot was well off target. Another Marlon Patterson corner found Reece Barrett but he couldn’t keep his header down, then Paterson tried his luck with a free kick around the Trams’ defensive wall but it flew well over.

Tyler Anderson-Parr gave Jordan Boateng a torrid afternoon and brought two excellent saves out of Brown then, just before half time, Patterson put a clever free kick beyond the Croydon back four but Bate was unable to get any power in his shot and Brown saved easily.

After the interval Henry Dasofunjo clattered the bar with a first time shot from a tight angle before Brown saved from Drew Alsasani when he got on the end of another Patterson free kick.

Dead ball situations continued to give the Deres hope and Willock headed a Patterson corner wide.

Jerome Green reminded the Deres that there was still danger at the other end and curled just over from outside the penalty area. Soon after he had an even better chance but blazed wide when the Deres’ defence turned off.

Nathum Green then returned a Rilwan Anibaba punch back first time but it went wide and Croydon thought that they had won it in the final minute. Under pressure, Anibaba could only palm it into his own net but was relieved to be saved by an offside flag.

No further chances were created and the teams will do it all again on Tuesday night.

Erith and Belvedere: Anibaba, Richards, Patterson, D. Alessani, Curtis, Barrett, Dasofunjo (K. Alessani 77), McNamee, Willock (Ogunseye 71), Bate, Anderson-Parr. Unused subs: Carew, Pell, Medhurst, K., Neary.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: D. Alessani, Murphy (manager), McNamee

Red cards: None

AFC Croydon Athletic: Brown, Boateng, Young, Bradley, Kalloh, Mengi, J. Green, Eshilokun, Greenwood, Nwoku (Bloomfield 76), N. Green. Unused subs: Oduncu, Francis, Lika, O’Connor, Travers.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Bradley, Greenwood, Eshilokum, N. Green.

Red cards: None

Referee: Sam Laidler

Assistants: Alison Wade and Simeon Joseph

Attendance: 230