Erith & Belvedere 1-1 Peacehaven & Telscombe - I could do without that replay because I wanted to prepare everybody for the Chatham game, says Erith & Belvedere boss Owen Jones

Erith & Belvedere 1 – 1 Peacehaven & Telscombe
Location	Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY
Kickoff	11/08/2019 15:00

ERITH & BELVEDERE  1-1  PEACEHEAVEN & TELSCOMBE
The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Sunday 11 August 2019
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

ERITH & BELVEDERE manager Owen Jones says he could do without Tuesday night’s FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay after being held to their third 1-1 draw in eight days.

The Deres drew K Sports and Erith Town to sit in ninth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, while Peacehaven & Telscombe lost 2-1 at home to Alfold before beating Little Common away by the same scoreline and are in eleventh-place in the Southern Combination top-flight.

After an uninspiring first half stalemate, Mark Shutt’s side took the lead ten minutes into the second half through Michael Lloyd’s drilled finish, but Erith & Belvedere fought back to earn a second bite of the cherry through Dutchman Arthur Feudjiro’s low strike.

“Poxy Brighton here we come,” said Jones with the prospect of having to make a 144 mile round trip after work.

“I was dreading it and then it’s happened. It happened last season and it’s happened again!

“If I’m honest, we didn’t take our chances and we didn’t shoot enough when the game opened up to shoot, so it’s no surprise the way the game was panning out.

“I’m happy we’re still in the Cup and we’ve got another chance now to get the job properly done.”

Goalkeeper Alieu Secka and centre-half Brandon Kilula stood out for Peacehaven & Telscombe and Secka pulled off a brilliant save after only 102 seconds.

Both sides played with three centre-halves and two wing-backs and packed the middle of the park, which ensured the first half was cagey for the 133 fans inside Park View Road.

Tony Hill whipped in a great free-kick from the right towards the far post for his fellow centre-half Reggie Yembra to plant his header towards goal from six-yards out, forcing Secka to dive to his right to claw out a save.

“That was a good save! A good delivery by Tony and if we had got that I think it would’ve settled us to go on and score more goals really,” said Jones.

Peacehaven & Telscombe’s centre-half Reilly Grant hit a long ball over the top of Yembra to put Charlie Lambert through but his right-footed shot on the turn from 22-yards, which rolled into the hands of goalkeeper Daniel Teeley.

“They’re always going to get opportunities. You could see that because they’re a good footballing side and they moved the ball quite well so I just think we kind of got sucked into the way they were playing,” explained Jones.

Baba Adeniran and Eric De Melo Calheiros linked up well down the right and after Kilula slipped, Calheiros cut the ball back for Kameiko Pope-Campbell, who teed up Adeniran, who drilled his right-footed shot over the raised fingertips of Secka and over the crossbar from 10-yards.

The away side hit a long ball over the top of the home side’s defence to release Lambert down the left-channel but he was never going to beat Teeley with an angled drive from distance.

Peacehaven & Telscombe created an opening in the 37^th minute when Jake Brocklebank collected the ball in the centre of the pitch some 30-yards from goal and clipped the ball over the head of left-centre-half Connor Dobson but Lloyd drilled his right-footed shot across the face of goal from 15-yards and Hill slid in to ensure the ball went past the foot of the far post for a corner.

Peacehaven & Telscombe should have smashed the deadlock when Lloyd sprinted into the box down the right and flashed a low cross towards lone striker Curtis Ford at the far post. He rolled the ball back for Brocklebank to drill his first time shot high over the crossbar from 15-yards.

The otherwise quiet Chan Quan cut the ball onto his right-boot and drove a low right-footed shot towards the bottom left-hand corner from 30-yards, which was comfortably gobbled up by Secka on his knees.

“I think he snatched at it really. He could’ve brought it on a bit more and maybe composed himself a bit more,” said Jones.

“I just think we usually get shots all over the place but for some reason we’re trying to shoot and we’re snatching at it or when we’ve opened up and not got ourselves into a position to shoot.

“I just think that with football, as soon as it opens up and you’ve got an opportunity to get a shot off, you should try to get the shot off without snatching at it.”

Thankfully, the second half was much more enjoyable, compared to the stalemate during a boring first half.

“From the off, it seemed like a training game really,” admitted Jones.

“There wasn’t enough urgency and that what happens in games like that. People get opportunities because they didn’t really work it and it was just the way the game panned out.

“Everybody had a lot of the ball, it seemed like we weren’t hurting each other. It seemed to be like a really nice training game. They were nice, really nice lovely people and it just seemed all too nice.  There wasn’t, I didn’t see blood and guts and what you want for a FA Cup tie.

“I just said to them (at half-time) we had to pick everything up and do everything a lot quicker and move the ball quicker and support quicker and get our shape better in midfield and we should do it.”

Peacehaven & Telscombe’s left-wing-back Bradley Bant was guilty of the miss-of-the-season after 124 seconds into the second half.

Ford ran the right channel and fed right-wing-back Jake Le Grange on an overlapping run and he cut the ball back for Matthew Cheesman at the near post, who swept his first time shot towards goal.  Goalkeeper Teeley palmed the ball up and the ball dropped on Bant’s head and somehow looped his header over an open goal from inches away from the goal-line beside the left-hand post.

“We were blessed, that’s all I can say,” admitted Jones.

“We’ve got the right result because really he should’ve put that in. That would’ve been the end for us but we’re still in it. It was a very big let-off! Perhaps he was still smelling his fish and chips from Brighton.”

Feudjiro sprayed the ball out to Hill on the right and he whipped in a quality cross which was met by Adeniran’s diving header from the edge of the six-yard box, which was held by Secka diving to his right.

“At least he got there! It was a good cross in. There was a positive out of it really because at least it was on target and the keeper did well. He looked like a basketball player though, he was good,” Jones said of the impressive visiting stopper.

The stalemate was broken when Peacehaven & Telscombe scored with nine minutes and 35 seconds on the clock.

Substitute Michael Waller sprinted past Hill down the left and whipped in a low cross which flashed across the face of the penalty area for an unmarked Lloyd to drill his right-footed shot past the diving Teeley to find the left corner of the goal.

Jones felt holding midfielder George Jones and two central midfielders Quan and Feudjiro should have tracked back.

“Very good goal. They moved the ball well, like we should’ve been doing really. The opportunity came, the goal was open and I felt that one of the midfielders out of the three should’ve been on the edge really to stop, to block. All three midfielders seemed to have gone a bit too early.”

Centre-half Joe Smith came on for the final 15 minutes and his mistake Peacehaven & Telscombe a great chance to double their lead just 59 seconds following his arrival.

Visiting keeper Secka went route one and launched a big kick straight down the middle and there were two Erith & Belvedere defenders back and Ford.  Smith missed his header and Ford watched the ball drop over his shoulder before hooking his shot straight into Teeley’s midriff from 12-yards.

“Maybe because Joe just came on he wasn’t settled. It wasn’t very good defending really but to be fair Joe got himself through it and played well. Apart from that he played well. He gave away a couple of free-kicks but we expect that because of the pressure we were all under,” said Jones.

Erith & Belvedere were level just 32 seconds later as they grabbed a second bite of the cherry by scoring with 30 minutes and 38 seconds on the clock.

Teeley kicked the ball up field and good play from substitute Osita Isichei down the left saw him prod the ball inside to Feudjiro, who bulldozed past his marker, cut the ball onto his right-foot before placing his shot past the diving keeper to find the bottom left-hand corner from 20-yards.

Jones said: “What we should have been doing in the first half – shooting!

“He hit the ball well. He’s a good young lad. We’ve just got him in. His English is not good. He’s from Holland but his communication skills is murder. He does me in!

“When you look at pro football, I don’t know how these managers and coaches do it because I’ve only got one to deal with and he’s doing my head in!

“I’ve slaughtered him, having a go at him and then he comes up with that to be fair – he’s a very good player.”

Erith & Belvedere created a couple of late chances to grab the victory.

Hill floated in a free-kick towards the far post for substitute Jacob Kalonda to send his diving header towards the far corner from 15-yards, forcing Secka into diving to his right to hold onto the ball.

An Isthmian League outfit should keep tabs on Secka as he put in a fine performance here today and is playing one level lower than he should be.

Hill squandered a glorious chance to win it inside stoppage time but his right-footed free-kick from 28-yards bounced into Secka’s gloves for a comfortable save.

“Jacob was unlucky with that. A good free-kick so at least we started to get shots on target and work the keeper.

“Tony hit it like Bambi, I thought it was Bambi taking the free-kick. I was expecting him to put it in the back of the net because he’s done that quite a few times for us but he didn’t catch it right to be honest.”

When asked about being held to three 1-1 draws from their first three outings of the new season, Jones has challenged his men to prove that they are Step Five footballers after winning promotion along with Welling United at the end of last season, as well as winning two cup competitions.

“The problem that we’re finding is an adjustment from last season where I’m trying to get them to understand they’re a Step Five side playing in the Premier League and you’ve got to act, conduct and be like a Kent Premiership player and I still think half of us have got Step Six mentalities still,” revealed Jones.

“When you’re playing Step Six last season we would’ve got back and won this game, that happened many times because of how we was.

“We weren’t ruthless enough. We’re still doing all the same mistakes but you can’t, you have to be more direct and positive in your play and your decision making has got to be spot on at these levels and unfortunately the decision making wasn’t today.”

Jones admits to not wanting to play the replay at Piddinghoe Avenue on Tuesday night (19:30), especially as they travel to title-favourites Chatham Town in the League next Saturday (15:00).

“My thoughts are, I don’t want to be there – but I am.  I’m expecting a win and a nice bag of fish and chips. If it goes to extra-time and penalties we’ll be ready for that but we don’t really want it to,” Jones said of the replay, which is expected to go all the way, going by Erith & Belvedere’s statistics.

“When we played Saltdean last season, I thought Saltdean were the better side. We drew down here one-all and I think if we can keep tight and just work them again, like we did for the last 25 minutes, I think we’ll do it, I really do!

“Poor old Chatham. They’re going to feel the wrath of Erith & Belvedere,” Jones said laughing.

“Chatham are a very good side. I watched them yesterday (losing 2-1 at Cray Valley in The FA Cup).  I just hope that it doesn’t take a lot out of us because it’s a big game to have. We could do without that replay because I wanted to prepare everybody for the Chatham game. 

The winners will scoop £2,250 in prize money, while the losers will receive £750 and Chertsey Town or Cobham will host the winners in the Preliminary Round on Saturday 24 August.

“We’re still in The FA Cup, Chatham are out of the FA Cup, I take that all day,” said Jones.

“The FA Cup means a lot. It means you get some money, don’t you, so that will be good for us.  It didn’t really dent Chatham’s pockets did it when they lost. We could do with that money, that will be nice. It will be nice and it means a lot.

“It’s good for the lads because when they go to work or talk to their family and friends they can say they have played in The FA Cup and I think they should be proud to be playing in that.”

Erith & Belvedere: Daniel Teeley, Eric De Melo Calheiros (Jacob Kalonda 59), Guyliano Tresor Mpungi (Joe Smith 75), Reggie Yembra, Connor Dobson, Tony Hill, Arthur Feudjiro, George Jones, Kameiko Pope-Campbell, Baba Adeniran (Osita Isichei 57), Chan Quan.
Subs: Gravlyn Kwtondo, Lewis Mitchell

Goal: Arthur Feudjiro 76

Booked: Joe Smith 88

Peacehaven & Telscombe: Alieu Secka, Jake Le Grange, Bradley Bant, Reilly Grant, Brandon Kilula, David Amarteifio, Matthew Cheesman, Charlie Lambert (Michael Waller 45, George Olulode 80)), Curtis Ford, Michael Lloyd, Jake Brocklebank.
Subs: Lucas Tyrell, George Leach, Callum Wiltshire, Lawrence Sanded

Goal: Michael Lloyd 55

Booked: Jake Brocklebank 90

Attendance: 133
Referee: Mr David Lunani (Bromley)
Assistants: Mr Tony Woods (Bexleyheath) & Mr Ashley Barnes (Bromley)