Deal Town 1-2 Erith Town
SCEFL, Premiere Division – 28th August 2021
Written by PAUL CARTER
The Dockers overcame the first half dismissal of Danny Phillips to pick up a well deserved three points on the Kent coast.
Despite Michael Power, Danny Gannon, Harry Lawrence, Tom Ash, Jack Fenton, Dan Palfrey Jack White and Andy Walker all being unavailable, Erith Town made a great start and dominated the opening twenty-five minutes without being to find the opening they were looking for.
The game turned in two first half minutes as Harry Gamble was booked for a foul in the 33rd minute, and one minute later Phillips was shown a straight red for retaliating to a challenge from behind, although the initial foul went unchallenged.
It then took a superb save from Jack Moore to deny Billy Munday as the hosts unlocked the Erith defence.
To be fair the bizarre decisions of referee Kane Dempster weren’t one way with Joe Reeves shown a yellow card after Fred Obasa ran the ball out in the 44th minute.
Obasa should have put the Dockers ahead on the stroke of half-time, but headed against the post from Steadman Callender’s cross.
The Dockers rarely looked in trouble despite a one man deficit which made it all the more frustrating that Alfie Foster was allowed to rise unopposed to head Deal in front on the 68th minute.
Fortunately, the response was swift as Callender burst into the Deal penalty area, only to be brought down as he rounded home keeper James Tonkin who wasn’t even shown a yellow card for denying the goal-scoring chance.
Steaders ensured it was of little consequence as he fired home from the spot.
Obasa ran his socks off up front, and with sixteen minutes remaining Adam Woodward put on the fresh legs of Alfie Eldridge with stunning results four minutes later.
The striker battled to hold up the ball on the edge of the home penalty area before laying it back to Gamble who curled the ball past Tonkin and in off the post.
Connor Coyne headed against the Erith bar as Deal pressed for a leveler in added time, but a draw would have been an injustice for the ten men.