Midweek Presence & Co. Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division football took place at the Acclaim Handling Community Stadium when Erith and Belvedere hosted Lordswood.
Both teams came into the game wanting the three points for different reasons. The Deres hoped to boost their challenge for a play off place while the visitors were looking to move out of the relegation zone.
Three days earlier, Erith had progressed to the last sixteen in the F.A. Vase when defeating White Ensign away on penalties. They made two changes to their starting line-up against Lordswood with Baker and Anderson replacing Sam Smith and Danny Lear.
At the same time, the Lords lost at Tunbridge Wells and made three adjustments. Goalkeeper Conor Beattie replaced Harrison Firth, Ashley Sains came in for Fynley Rutherford, and Callum Peck started ahead of Danny Keyte who dropped to the bench.
Playing up the slope, the visitors had the first chance of the match with a twenty yard shot by Elliott Duncan that drew a good diving save out of Charlie Cottrell. Tommy Whitnell then had a half chance for the Deres but he lofted it well over.
Jack Embery got in behind the Erith defence that had stopped looking for a non-existent offside flag, and Cottrell was again called into action standing strong to beat out his shot before Callum Peck’s long shot was held comfortably by the Deres’ goalkeeper.
Joe Chalker delivered a deep cross that Tyller Davis-Whitlock headed over for the hosts and it was another Chalker centre that resulted in the opening goal five minutes before half time. This time he crossed low and it struck a defender before coming out to Tunde Aderonmu who made no mistake with his first time shot.
Early in the second period, Embery looked certain to score but AJ Morrison got back and made a brilliant last ditch tackle then Lordswood had an overload only for Duncan to go too soon and net after straying offside.
Whitnell sent Aderonmu through at the other end and his low shot was kept out brilliantly by the outstretched right leg of Conor Beattie. The Lordswood goalkeeper was soon in action again when saving well from a Davis-Whitlock effort.
Whitnell then glanced a header wide of the near post before Duncan shot wide as the game went end to end.
Five minutes remained when the visitors levelled. Duncan collected it down the left hand side and cut in to the corner of the penalty area before curling it in off the far upright.
Smelling blood, Charlie Plummer had a shot beaten out by Cottrell and as Duncan followed up he was brought down in the penalty area. Fearing the worst, the Deres were relieved that the offside flag was up. Embery then had a shot half saved by Cottrell and as it rolled towards goal, Duncan poked it home but once again he was thwarted by the assistant referee’s flag having gone too soon.
That was as near as either team came to scoring again and the teams had to settle for a point apiece which was probably a fair result.
Erith and Belvedere: Cottrell, Chalker (Pinto 44), Morrison, Fowler, Curtis, Anderson (Cheeseman 75), Baker, Cray, Aderonmu (Lear 80), Whitnell, Davis-Whitlock.
Subs not used: Smith, Ford.
Goalscorer: Aderonmu (40)
Yellow cards: Anderson (24 foul), Cray (78 foul)
Lordswood: Beattie, Jones, Miles, Thomson, Sains, Plummer, Peck, Holness, Embery, Duncan, Kpaka (Wright 65).
Subs not used: Keyte, Jeffrey, Lovejoy, Mulrooney-Skinner.
Goalscorer: Duncan (85)
Yellow cards: Holness (45+3), Plummer (90+4)
Referee: Demetri Anastasiou
Assistants: Ronald Albert and Andrew Stanford
Attendance: 120