VCD Athletic 3-3 Erith & Belvedere

Three late Erith & Belvedere goals saw the Park View Road side snatch a point from bitter local rivals VCD Athletic in an enthralling encounter at Oakwood, writes Thomas Hawes.

Mark Greatorex outclassed Erith left-back Joe Diggins before tucking the ball past Alan Hughes to give VCD the lead after just 8 minutes.

Despite having been on top territorially and chance-wise, Erith hadn’t managed to penetrate the Vickers defence in the opening quarter of the match and Vickers punished the Deres as Leroy Huggins fired home a neat volley to make it two goals from two shots for fourth placed Athletic after 24 minutes.

Richard Sinden latched onto a through ball and tucked the ball past the onrushing former VCD keeper Alan Hughes to make it 3-0 after just 51 minutes.

Substitute Micky Collins has been at fault for missing a number of opportunities in recent weeks, but there was nothing of the sort from the 36-year old striker as he nodded home a goal after 66 minutes to give the Deres hope.

On 89 minutes, the Deres added some respectability to the scoreline as Collins raced through on goal. Hyde charged out and made a good reaction save, but there was little that he could do as the ball broke to Nick Smith who side-footed into the empty net to make it 3-2.

Vickers had been guilty of time-wasting tactics and they were to pay for this as in the 4th minute of injury time Erith & Belvedere equalised to provoke ecstatic scenes amongst the Deres players and management.

Adrian Deane hoisted a teasing free-kick to the back post and Paul Gross was on hand to guide the ball past Hyde.

Erith & Belvedere welcome an in-form Sevenoaks Town to Park View Road next week, in what should be an interesting encounter.

The Deres enjoyed a 4-3 win over Oaks at Greatness Park in January, but recently Oaks have enjoyed a 4-game unbeaten streak including becoming the first side to beat Hythe Town at Reachfields Stadium in the Kent League this season.

The Deres are now unbeaten in six and stay in ninth, but have games in hand over Beckenham Town and Deal Town above them.

VCD Athletic: Hyde, Hogg, Hunt, Foley (capt.), Driscoll, Coburn, Abbott (Winchcombe 71), Greatorex, Huggins (Penny 88), Sinden (Ramirez 78), Probets.
Subs: Merridan, Parkinson.

Erith & Belvedere: Hughes, Crawley, Diggins, Morgan (Smith 62), Gross, Johnson (Chioma 68), Bedford, Berkley, Deane, White (Collins 55), Nougher.
Subs: Scowen, Murray.

Attendance: 115