On Saturday, Erith and Belvedere entertain Deal Town in a Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division fixture.

There is just one point between the teams, with the Deres in sixth place in the league and Deal in fourth. Current form would suggest that the visitors are slight favourites having won their last four games, scoring fifteen goals and conceding just one. 

On Tuesday evening they beat Canterbury City three-nil. Billy Munday put them ahead in the tenth minute and the score-line remained the same until they added two more in two minutes just past the hour. Rene Rivera and Ben Chapman scored the goals. 

Meanwhile Erith hosted Tunbridge Wells and suffered defeat after taking an early lead. Freddie Cray put them ahead in the first half and they missed a host of chances after that. They were made to pay for it when conceding two in two second half minutes and they were unable to find an equaliser.

For once, Danny Lear was not on the score-sheet. His five goals in the last four games has been matched by Munday for the Hoops, so both teams’ defences will need to be on their mettle.   

When the two sides met at the Charles Sports Ground in mid September, the Deres suffered another defeat after leading. Luke Rooney put them ahead in the first half but Jack Paxman levelled six minutes after the break. The game appeared to be heading for a draw until Troy Howard scored three minutes into stoppage time.

Saturday’s game promises to be equally tight and it could be a tense affair.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.