Steadman Callender scored the only goal as Erith Town edged the three points against Lordswood.

Billy Marsh tested Mackenzie Foley with a clean strike from out wide in the first minute but the Erith goalkeeper was equal to it. At the other end Aaron Jeffrey drew a good save out of Tom Crump after he had pushed out a corner.

Foley saved Joshua Reid’s header from Olatumiwa Adegbuluge’s deep cross then Adem Ramadan set up Jeffrey but he fired well over. Harry Goodger went close to a debut goal for the Lords with a header from a corner before Ramadan’s free kick was saved comfortably by Crump.

James Miles clothed a shot wide after good work by Ronnie McClean then Foley was again called into action getting down well to save from Callum O’Shea.

As half time approached, Lordswood had a great chance to break the deadlock. Tom Ash inadvertently handled in the eighteen yard box and a penalty was awarded. Luke Medley stepped up but Foley guessed correctly to beat it out. He then did even better to recover and keep out the rebound.

After the break Jerome Jayaguru and Callender both had shots saved easily by Crump, before he had to work harder to save a deflected Jayaguru drive.

Just over fifteen minutes remained when the Dockers broke the stalemate. substitute Jamie Humphris pulled it back to Callender, his shot was blocked, but it came back to him and he buried it in the bottom corner.

Lordswood tried to get back into the match but could only muster a shot from Kyle Eam that was saved easily and a hook from Medley that was deflected over.

Throwing players forward, which even included Crump for a corner, left them short at the back and Humphris twice had shots saved in injury time.

Victory for Erith helped them get over their F.A. Vase disappointment while the Lords defeat leaves them still only five points outside the drop zone.

Erith Town: Foley, Jayaguru, McClean (Trueman 70), Goodchild, Jeffrey, Ash, Clover (Humphris 52), Miles (Melconian 63), Callender, Ramadan (Nosike 86), Carrington.

Unused sub: Udanoh.

Goal scorers: Callender (73)

Yellow cards: Ramadan

Lordswood: Crump, McDowell, Mvongo, Neal, Goodger, O’Shea (Eam 82), Adegbulugbe (Hallougi 77), Risdon, Medley, Marsh (Morgan 63), Reid.

Unused sub: London.

Goal scorers: None

Yellow cards: Marsh, Mvongo, O’Shea, Neal

Referee: Freddie Young

Assistants: Ashley Barnes and John Baigan

Attendance: 70