After a rare defeat in their previous game Erith and Belvedere returned to winning ways with a Wednesday evening victory over Holmesdale.

Although they won by four clear goals, the victory wasn’t as straightforward as it might appear and the scoreline was harsh on the Dalers.

In the first half, Lee Roots’ team frustrated the runaway Southern Counties East Football League leaders with a well drilled defensive performance that restricted the Deres to long range efforts.

Nathan Palmer saw Holmesdale goalkeeper James Boughtflower off his line in the first minute and tried a thirty-five yard chip but Boughtflower got back to tip it away. Palmer was thwarted by the Dalers custodian again shortly after when a first time effort was saved comfortably.

Ryan Palmer then got in behind but shot straight at Boughtflower before Nathan Palmer got to the bye-line but had his shot saved from a very tight angle when a pull back might have been a better option.

Tyrell Richardson-Brown then created an opportunity for Bradley Ryan but he shot well wide.

Emmanuel Oduguwa was off target for the visitors before George Monger drew one more comfortable save out of Boughtflower just before half time.

Three minutes after the break, the Deres went ahead. Lewis Chambers sent in a long throw, Rob Strachan nodded it on, and Danny Lear smashed it home from ten yards.

Four minutes later, Erith scored again. While a Holmesdale was down injured, the hosts took advantage of the extra man and Ryan crossed deep for Richardson-Brown to finish at the far post.

Louie Reid-Newth hooked over for the Dalers after a Luke Adams long throw was half cleared before Nathan Palmer again tested Boughtflower.

The Holmesdale goalkeeper was in action again shortly after when making a diving save from Strachan’s header but there was nothing that he could do with twelve minutes remaining to stop Erith from adding a third.

Nathan Palmer crossed deep, Richardson-Brown headed it back and substitute Tunde Aderonmu finished.

There were three minutes left when the Deres added a fourth. Another deep Nathan Palmer cross picked out Ryan and the former Welling United midfielder finished from close range.

To their credit, Holmesdale kept going until the end and James Shield shot just wide after good work by Herve Mbongue.

Victory for the Deres extended their lead to sixteen points while the Dalers remain in sixteenth place.

Erith and Belvedere: Molloy, R. Palmer, Morrison (Walker 63), Chambers, Snelling, Strachan, Richardson-Brown (Tijana 79), Monger (Ward 66), Lear (Aderonmu 74), N. Palmer, Ryan.

Unused sub: Constable.

Goal scorers: Lear (48), Richardson-Brown (52), Aderonmu (78), Ryan (87).

Yellow cards: None

Holmesdale: Boughtflower, Shield, Rawsthorne (Bearman-Oythe 79), Styles, Emmanuel, Reid-Newth (Ntumba 81), Sata, Oduguwa (Manktelow 63), Adams (Mbongue 66), Obasa (Pope-Campbell 79), Semazzi.

Goal scorers: None

Yellow cards: None

Referee: Rhys Jeffrey

Assistants: Matt Pollington and Stephen Hughes

Attendance: 69

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.