There was a dramatic finale as Tunbridge Wells claimed all three points at Erith and Belvedere in the Presence & Co. Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.
Both teams were back in league action after their respective F.A. Vase successes eight days earlier. The Deres made three changes to their starting line up, and Wells made one.
It was the visitors who made the fastest start when Regan Corke got behind his man before cutting in, but he was crowded out and his shot was blocked away for a corner. There was chaos from the delivery and Wells had a shout for a penalty when a point blank range shot appeared to hit a hand however it would have been harsh had a spot kick been awarded.
After that the Deres started to enjoy more of the possession without penetrating their opponents defence. Ladic Melconian had a chance when they were awarded a free kick and he played a return pass with Joe Chalker before fizzing a shot just over from twenty yards. Then, Freddie Baker shot from the left hand edge of the area and his shot went inches beyond the far post.
However, Tunbridge Wells found some joy with throw ins as the half drew on and Corke fired over after the Deres struggled to clear a missile from Siji Akinlusi, then, one minute before the interval, they went ahead. A half clearance came out to Corke and his shot was saved by Charlie Cotterell as far as Jacob Feasey. He fired home from close range, and after checking with a cursory glance towards the assistant referee, he ran away to celebrate.
Melconian headed wide from a near post corner immediately after the start of the second half before Erith levelled ten minutes in. While Akinlusi was down injured, Chalker put it into the area and it fell kindly for Dieko Falade to half volley, powerfully, into the top corner.
Corke missed a great chance when firing beyond the far post after Cotterell could only push a cross into his path before they went back ahead. Erith struggled to get a free kick away and it pinballed around in the penalty area until falling for Harry Hudson to smash home.
Freddie Baker was unfortunate to be shown a yellow card as it was a clear case of mistaken identity before the Deres thought that they had levelled when George Bentley punched AJ Morrison’s at Sam Smith and it rebounded back into the net, but he had strayed offside.
Nine minutes remained when Erith’s Ryan Fowler talked his way into the sin bin until stoppage time, and the Deres could easily have been reduced to nine when Freddie Cray kicked out at a prone opponent and was fortunate to escape with a yellow card.
Smith smashed a shot across the face of goal as the game went into time added on then Erith won a corner with one additional minute remaining. Cotterell came up and it fell to him.
As he was lining up to shoot, a tackle came in that might have got some of the ball but was reckless and cleaned him out. A penalty was awarded and while Cotterell was receiving prolonged treatment there was a bout of pushing and shoving.
Four minutes after the foul, and with the Deres’ goalkeeper limping back, Baker stepped up and converted.
That looked to be the end but the visitors had other ideas and won a throw in on the right, level with the edge of the penalty area. Hudson hurled it in and Ryan Hine got enough on it to turn it over the line.
Seconds after the restart, the referee blew his final whistle to send the visiting supporters home happy.
Erith and Belvedere: Cottrell, Smith, McClean, Manktelow (Davis-Whitlock 74), Anderson, Morrison, Chalker (Fowler 66), Cray, Falade, Melconian, Baker.
Subs not used: Ford, Sanford, Springett.
Goalscorers: Falade (55), Baker pen (90+9)
Yellow card: Baker, Cray, Smith
Sin bin: Fowler (81)
Tunbridge Wells: Bentley, Hudson, Moir (Richards 74), Akinlusi (Bartlett 59), White, Hine, Shield (Nolan 83), Walder, Feasey (Gallagher 74), Unwin (Assam 90), Corke.
Subs not used: None.
Goalscorers: Feasey (44), Hudson, Hine (90+10)
Yellow card: Feasey, Walder, Hine
Referee: Byron Beard
Assistants: Christopher Bowdery and Rudin Perca
Attendance: 135