Holbeach United 2 Erith & Belvedere 3 (aet)

FA Vase 5th Round Proper, Saturday 14th February 2015

So it was take two after last weekend's postponement due to a frozen goalmouth put paid to the original tie.  The game started at a frantic pace and after three minutes the hosts had the lead when a long ball out from the back caught the Erith defence cold and allowed the pacey Dubi to latch onto it and lob the advancing Kamurasi who had come charging out of his goal and see the ball nestle into the corner of the goal.  However the visitors didn't have to wait long for the leveller when on 13 minutes tricky winger Walker got in behind the home defence and lifted the ball past Conroy into the far corner to make it 1-1.  Chances came and went for both sides in a very entertaining first half hour and then on 34 minutes came a defensive mix up at the back for the hosts to give Erith the lead.  A hopeful diagonal ball into the hosts penalty area saw centre back Miller head the ball back to where he thought his keeper Conroy was but he had come out to get the ball and so the ball rolled into the net for an own goal and a 2-1 half time lead for the Kent side.  The second half was more scrappy and chances were less frequent but the game boiled over on 68 minutes following a poor challenge from Deres Striker Marsh on Cartwright right in front of the main stand which had the home fans calling for a red card and both sets of players pushing and shoving although the resultant yellow card for Marsh could have been seen as a let off.  However this seemed to fire up the hosts and they levelled two minutes later when a defensive mix up allowed Tigers midfielder Duffy in to slot past Kamurasi and make it 2-2 with twenty to go.  Holbeach put the Erith defence under pressure in the closing stages but extra time it was.  The only good bit of play in the entire half hour of extra time came in the 100th minute when Deres sub Wilson put a super ball in from the left and found who else but Marsh who side footed home first time from twelve yards to send the Kent side ahead once again.  The hosts could not muster a decent effort on goal and their afternoon was made even more miserable when sub Nolan was shown a straight red for a foul near the corner flag in stoppage time.  After six or seven minutes of added on time the referee brought this tie to an end and it's Erith & Belvedere who will take on North Shields at home in the Quarter Finals in two weeks time.