Lordswood & Erith served up an exciting game to showcase the Southern Counties East League as both sides went for it. There was excitement, controversy, bookings, a sending off and it ended in a score draw.
The game was only six minutes old when Erith had the first half chance of the game when Ollie Milton in the area saw his weak shot saved by Tom Crump.
Four minutes later Lordswood had their first half chance when James Jeffrey in the area saw his shot easily saved by Mackenzie Foley. Another chance came in the 21st minute when Callum Peck on the left cut into the area, from an acute angle his shot was saved.
In the 35th minute Lordswood could and maybe should have opened the scoring when a long diagonal pass found Josh Reid on the right wing, he raced into the area on his own and from 10 yards his shot was saved by Foley.
A minute later another glorious chance came when a corner to the near post was flicked on by Jeffrey to Joel-Mewael Odentau but from three yards under pressure he skied his shot over the bar. The last chance of the half came in the 38th minute when Ladic Melconian 20 yards out tried his luck, the ball went just over the bar.
The second half started with Lordswood getting the first chance when skipper Archie Risden 25 yards out saw his shot go just over the bar a minute later Melconian latched onto the ball and from 20 yards his shot was saved at the second attempt by Crump.
Erith thought they had taken the lead in the 55th minute when James Dyer 25 yards out saw his curling effort beat Crump but not the post as it came back into play.
In the 68th minute Reid’s day got worse as not only did he get booked but was sin binned for ten minutes. In the 72nd minute Milton on the back post saw his shot saved by Crump for a corner. In the very next minute the corner to the near post was flicked on and Milton on the back post fired home.
Lordswood then upped the pace and went for the equaliser, in the 76th minute Callum Peck’s free kick from 25 yards was saved and two minutes later Jay Harris saw his shot go over the bar.
The Lords got their equaliser in the 80th minute when Peck was put through on the left, went into the area and his low cross was put in by Jeffrey.
The controversy was that in the run up to the goal Erith felt that there was foul further up the field. The remainder of the game was end to end as in the 90th minute Dyer saw his shot from eight yards go over the bar when it seemed easier to score.
In the fourth minute of added on time Harris had his shot pushed away by Foley, the next minute Milton on the left cut in, his shot was saved by Crump then another bit of controversy came in the sixth minute of added on time when Reid on the left was challenged for the ball, went off the pitch injured but crept back onto the pitch where the referee booked him meaning it was his second and was sent off. The final whistle went and both teams deserved a point a piece.
Lordswood:
- T.Crump 2. H.Broad 3. D.Sama (79) 4. J-M Odentau 5 .R.Kareem 6. A.Risden
7. J.Reid 8. Q.Green (58) 9. J.Jeffrey 10. A.Kuchkov (66) 12. C.Peck
Subs Used: 14. J.Harris (58) 15. D.Falako (66) 22 D.Ajao (79)
Subs Not Used: 16. Yj Ogundipe 17, L.Mvongo
Bookings: 7. J.Reid (68, 90+6) 9. J.Jefferey (90+4) 6. A.Risden (90+7)
Sent Off: 7. J.Reid ( Two Yellows )
Erith Town:
1. M.Foley 25. A.Leach (45) 3. J.Trueman 24. J.Jayaguru 5. R.Mahal(84) 15. A.Jeffrey
17. J.Chalker 22. L.Melconian 9. J.Dyer 10. H.Taylor 23. O.Milton
Subs Used: 2. J.Holland (45) 6. T.Ash (84)
Subs Not Used: 19. R.Mcclean 18 R.Slater 11. H.Arnold
Bookings: 5, R.Mahal (33) 24. J.Jayaguru
Referee: Mr D.Tornbom
Assistants: Mr T.Colyer & Mr P.Goodwin
Att: 150