Erith and Belvedere’s unbeaten start to the season ended with an F.A. Cup defeat at home to Chertsey Town.

They have won all four of their league games and had progressed through two rounds of the F.A. Cup, however, The Curlews presented the biggest challenge to the Deres so far this season and the game was ended as a contest before half time.

It took under five minutes for Chertsey to go ahead. A corner wasn’t cleared and a scramble ensued with Jake Baxter appearing to get the final touch as it found its way into the net.

Tony Halsey headed over from Gary Abisogun’s cross then Manous Gogonas feasted on some hesitant defending but fired over. Baxter dragged a shot wide and Darryl Harrison’s header from Andy Crossley’s corner was tipped over.

Crossley ran across to take the resulting corner from the other side and picked out Casey Maclaren who headed home powerfully.

Ethan Endacott saved from Baxter but was left exposed when Chertsey added a third. Crossley squared to Baxter and he moved it on to Abisogun who strode forward and finished clinically.

Tyler Anderson-Parr was Erith’s greatest threat and some brilliant skills on the bye-line by him left two defenders floundering but Nicholas Jupp was alert and cut out his pull-back

Five minutes after the break, Chertsey extended their lead when Baxter crossed and Marlon Patterson could only divert it into the roof of his own net.

Ollie Bate curled over for the Deres before Benga Ogunseye was unable to side foot home after more good work by Anderson-Parr. Anderson-Parr then had a near post shot saved before he combined with Bate to give Drew Allassani an opening but Jupp made a good save as he looked to curl it home.

Halsey went past an injured Rob Curtis easily but Endacott made a good save. Curtis was withdrawn immediately and was replaced by Tom McNamee.

Jupp was twice out quickly to block tackle Anderson-Parr and then Ogunseye before Lewis Jackson met a cross and headed into the ground causing it to loop up but Endacott managed to get back and tip it over.

The Deres were reduced to ten men with two minutes remaining when Bate limped off when all three substitutions had already been made.

Halsey had the last opportunity of the match but fired well over.

Although the defeat ends Erith and Belvedere’s F.A. Cup campaign, they will be back in knock-out tournament action again next week when visiting Lingfield in the first qualifying round of the F.A. Vase.

Erith and Belvedere: Endacott, Richards, M. Patterson (K. Allassani 57), D. Allassani, Curtis (McNamee 66), Barrett, ,Dasofunjo, Carew, Ogunseye (Willock 81), Bate, Anderson-Parr. Unused subs: Neary, D. Patterson.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Patterson, Bate

Red cards: None

Chertsey Town: Jupp, Gogonas, Welch-Turner, Lodge, Harrison, Rowe (Jackson 53), Abisogun, C. Maclaren, Baxter (Bitmead 63), Crossley, Halsey. Unused subs: Gallifant, K. Maclaren, Hurrell.

Goalscorers: Baxter (5), C. Maclaren (26), Abigosun (39), Patterson (50)

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

Referee: Dele Sotimirin

Assistants: Andrew Simmonds and Mark Jenkins

Attendance: 151