Holmesdale 2-4 Erith & Belvedere

Attendance 109

Scorers:

Holmesdale: Steven O’Rourke (9), James Dadson (85)

Erith & Belvedere: Tom Maycock (45), Paul Gross (48), Nicky Smith (60), Marlon Button (67).

On a day that was more suited to laying on the beach, The Dalers started the Kent League campaign against one of the title favourites.

E & B came to Oakley Road with many new signings and they started about proceedings in a very high tempo with plenty of movement on and off the ball but lacking the penetrating pass and on 9 minutes the Dalers broke quickly down the right for Dadson to cross to O’Rourke steaming in from midfield to finish with a right foot shot off the far post.

This seem to shock E & B and they came at the Dalers with a more positive approach but the Dalers held firm with the defence holding on with some last ditch tackling.

On 25 minutes the Dalers should have 2 up after breaking through the middle O’Rourke had his shot cleared off the line.

The Dalers suffered a cruel blow right on half time as Maycock turned and finished in the box, 1-1 at half time.

The second half started brightly for E & B and 0n 48 minutes Paul Gross slipped in to fire them 2-1 up, Shortly after the Dalers had a chance from Ray Tolfrey’s free kick but John White just headed over the E & B cross bar.

E & B continued to pile on the pressure and scored a third on 60 minutes from Nicky Smith and added a fourth from Marlon Button on 67 mins with a wicked deflection (aka Parker & Shilton) to leave Murley stranded in goal, 4-1.

A Tom Creasey volley from an excellent cross from Beckett tested Wallis, but E & B looked solid at the back until the 85^th minute when Dadson was put through to round Wallis and slip the ball into the net 4-2.

To their credit the Dalers to not give up the cause throughout the 90 minutes and deserve a lot of credit for the effort they all put in, they have not got an easy start to the season, away to Croydon on Wednesday night followed by Greenwich Borough at home on Saturday both again are looking to win the title this season.

Holmesdale:

Murley, Jones, Bushell, White, Tolfrey (C), O’Rourke (Crofts), Dadson, Nicoli, Creasey (Stocks), Beckett (West), Hughes. Unused Prime, Greenslade.

Erith & Belvedere:

Wallis, Bedford, Deane, Maycock, Gross, Farley (C), Johnson, Berkley, Hassett, Smith, Button, Benayente, Fitzpatrick, McKenna, Morgan, Crawley.