vcd090405

Shippey shares the spoils

V.C.D Athletic came into the game looking to consolidate third place after some good recent results, including away wins at Beckenham Town and Ramsgate.

On the other hand they faced a team second from bottom, who it seems the season could not be over quick enough, after most recently a 6-0 home drubbing by their other local rivals Thamesmead Town.

Erith Town were surprisingly quick out of the blocks and with their chairman's notes  in the programme asking for his players to stand up and be counted, it looked as though it worked a treat.

Matt Russell, the former V.C.D striker latched on to a mix up in the V.C.D defence to fire home from the six yard box after just ten minutes.

V.C.D looked rattled and it took a while before they started to play but somehow found themselves level after 25 minutes when Hogg fired home from close range.

V.C.D took advantage in the first 10 minutes of the second half after Erith's influential captain Alan Hanlon was taken off with a suspected broken wrist and in the shuffle round Hogg had netted again to coolly volley home number two after some slack defending.

Erith needed a change and on 71mins it came with Steve Shippey replacing Stephen Johns and Shippey found himself in the unusual position of centre midfield.

V.C.D would know all about Shippey who spent most of the pre-season training with them before
returning to Beckenham Town then making the switch to Erith.

However, they were unable to stop last season's top scorer for Beckenham making it 2-2 after just five minutes of being on the pitch.

He turned Miah inside out before curling a 25 yard belter into the top corner hitting both posts on the way in.

Erith pushed for the winner and were unlucky not to seal all three points when Russell from a Wayne Grizzle flick raced away from the V.C.D defence only to mis-hit a square ball for Shippey who was waiting to tap in a simple goal.

All square at the finish and a very entertaining game by all accounts.