On Wednesday evening, Erith and Belvedere meet Holmesdale in a Southern Counties Eastern Football League match at Park View Road.

After three league games without a win, four in all competitions, the Deres’ lead at the top has been cut to fifteen points, and they have played two games more than second placed Erith Town.

However, despite the blip, they are still in an extremely healthy position.

Their defeat at Punjab United, through Paul Vines eighteenth minute goal, was only their second loss of the campaign they have won twenty of their twenty-six league games played.

Visitors Holmesdale are also going through a difficult run having lost all three of their games played in February. They had no game on Saturday and their last outing was a one-nil defeat at Kennington, conceding in the thirtieth minute.

However, they have an eight point buffer between them and the bottom two, and have played three games fewer.

Back in October, when the Deres were in a rich vein of form, the Dalers pushed their visitors all the way with only a first half goal by Tyrell Richardson-Brown splitting the teams.

When the teams met at Park View Road last season, the Deres triumphed two-one with all three goals scored by substitutes. After a goal-less first half, James Dyer put the hosts ahead before Cian McCarthy levelled with fifteen minutes remaining.

A goal by Drew Allassani with one minute left on the clock decided the match.

It could be a tense encounter with both teams wanting the points, and to end there difficult runs.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.