Last match   1st team

11th May  2013

Forest Hill 5 – 4 Erith 147 FC

The last match of the season proved to be a thriller at Ladywell Arena . Erith were placed second in the division one table before kick off, requiring a win to still have a chance of the league tiltle. But  they had to contest the match with Forest Hill and they knew it was going to be a tall order…..and so it proved. Erith donned their new white and green strip prior to the respect hand shake, but it was quickly realised that a kit clash was on show, as the home side wore their white kit too. Erith decided to revert back to their original home kit by changing into the red and black shirts.

Both sides tried to impose themselves in the early stages of the game, but as usual this season, it was Forest Hill who had the upper hand in terms of possession and moving the ball freely from back to front and left to right. It was no surprise when an Erith defender handled in the box to deny a goal scoring chance. The referee pointed to the penalty spot without hesitation. Darrell Francis stepped up and  cooly slotted home. 1-0.

Against the run of play, Erith squared matters 5 minutes later  with an excellent 25 yard strike after some defensive frailities.

After that it was, for the most part, Forest Hill who controlled the game when Mikele Maytil was put through, to score past the oncoming keeper.
20 minutes after the interval the home side extended their lead when Stephane Koffi drilled his angled shot  after an uncleared corner.

In the 70th minute Forest Hill failed to kill off the game when two  consecutive chances were spurned and that in itself inspired Erith to  really up the tempo, aiming to get something out of the game. To their credit the away side pushed and probed,  then gained themselves a free kit, just outside the penalty box. The  shot was well struck and Erith reduced the deficit to one goal. The ascendancy was now with Erith as they sensed more opportunities to equalise.

In the 80th minute Erith gained another free kick, 25 yards out, and remarkably scored from that too. With the score line all square at 3-3, Erith went all out in searh of a winner, only to be hit on the counter attack when Ashley Sinclair crossed the ball in a crowded box for Darrell Francis to hit the ball first time to restore the lead. Now 4-3 with 5 minutes to go, surely that must have been it…..but oh no .

Erith still had hope and heart, and Forest Hill just had to see it out, but the injured keeper couldn’t prevent Eriths’ equaliser from a deep cross and finish low into the corner.

With 2 minutes left the never say die spirit of the Forest Hill midfield gained an advantage with a cross into the box for Darrell Francis to seal the victory with another goal and a well earned hatrick.  it surely was an excellent  football match, full of  excitement from start to finish…..

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