George Humber’s brace helped Erith and Belvedere see off Colliers Wood United in a feisty F.A. Vase 2nd Qualifying Round tie.
In so doing, Humber became the first Dere to record a brace in the 2020s as his club recorded their biggest victory so far this decade to take them into the first round and the next tie on 31st October.
There was less than a minute on the clock when the hosts went ahead. Henry Dasofunjo played a delightful ball through and Humber finished in style.
The Deres bossed the next twenty to twenty five minutes. Humber drew an excellent save out of Lewis Gallifent then Klaudio Krasniqi went on a long run and although Gallifent could only beat it out, the visitors were able to scramble it away.
Humber fired over from a tight angle before he created another shooting chance for Krasniqi but he shot wide. Humber then had a shout for a penalty but the referee wasn’t interested and it came out to Tim Beckford who could only smash it into the side netting.
Having survived that spell, the visitors started to come into the game but although they enjoyed more of the possession, they struggled to break down an obstinate Deres defence. Mario Embalo shot across the face of goal and when Archie Drewett burst down the wing Dasofunjo showed the desire to get back and make a block. Just before the break, Leo Onusu put a shot into the high street as Colliers Wood failed to trouble Rilwan Anibaba in the Erith goal.
Coming into the game, the Woods had the worst disciplinary record in the Combined Counties League and they did nothing to improve their record early in the second half when the referee finally lost patience with their manager Adam Willis, and his abusive behaviour, and sent him to the stand.
Suleimane Djalo had a shot blocked by Rob Curtis before the Woods’ substitute Ali Fofanah twice failed to beat the Deres’ defensive wall with free kicks.
On sixty-eight minutes, Erith scored the crucial second goal to give them a two goal advantage for the first time this year. James Hawkins burst down the left wing and left his man in his wake before squaring selflessly for Humber to slot into the empty net.
Leon Bishton shot well wide for the visitors before Tim Beckford put Humber away but he couldn’t get a clear shot away. Searching for his-hat-trick, Humber drew another good save out of Gallifent soon after.
Fofanah let fly again for the visitors and it was going well wide before it hit Leon Bishton but he was still unable to divert it on target. Then, at the other end, the Deres’ substitute Guyliano Mpungi was thwarted by a brilliant save by Gallifent.
Two minutes remained when the visitors had their first and only shot on target but Anibaba dived full length to hold Nathan Mampono’s shot.
As the game moved into injury time, the visitors’ lack of discipline again got the better of them and Embalo was dismissed for an off the ball incident. Despite that, there was still time for further action and Bishton’s diving header went just wide for Colliers Wood then Beckford couldn’t quite reach Mpungi’s teasing pass for the Deres.
However, Mpungi still had time to put the icing on the cake with an outstanding finish from Jamie Taylor’s pass moments before the final whistle.
Erith and Belvedere: Anibaba, Adeyemo, Hawkins, Patterson, Curtis, Barrett, Dasofunjo (Mpungi 73), Moore (Taylor 73), Beckford, Krasniqi (Nosike 90+), Humber.
Unused subs: Smith, Springett, Mpungi, Orisatoki.
Goalscorers: Humber (1), (68). Mpungi (90+)
Yellow cards: Curtis, Taylor
Red cards: None
Colliers Wood United: Gallifent, Willis, Drewett (Fofanah 57), Queensborough, Cisse, Blankson, Campbell (Bishton 69), Djalo, Onusu (Alabi 69), Mampono, Embalo.
Unused subs: Dyett, Orris, James, Nyame.
Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: J. Willis.
Red cards: A. Willis (Manager), Embalo.
Referee: Lanray Alapafujah
Assistants: Richard Myers and Steven Perry
Attendance: 146
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.