Southern Counties East round-up: Phoenix Sports falter to leave Erith & Belvedere on brink of title

Erith & Belvedere need just a point from their last three games to win the Southern Counties East Premier Division title.

The Deres’ match at Tunbridge Wells was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

But with second-placed Phoenix Sports beaten 3-2 at Whitstable, Matt Longhurst’s men stand on the verge of winning the league.

Their first chance to get over the line comes at home to third-placed Deal on Wednesday night.

That’s by no means a given, though with the Hoops, who face Punjab in the Kent Senior Trophy final on Sunday, still fighting for second place.

Francis Babalola put Phoenix in front at Whitstable but they trailed 2-1 to Jefferson Aibangbee double.

Mikey Dalton appeared to have rescued a point but James Jeffrey scored a last-minute winner for Town.

Erith Town’s hopes of finishing runners-up suffered a big blow with a 2-1 home defeat by a Canterbury side who kept their survival hopes alive with a second successive win.

Henry Arnold scored both City goals, including a 70th-minute winner, after James Miles had cancelled out his opener.

Stansfeld were the day’s biggest winners, Alfie Moynes with a hat-trick and Dan Parkinson, Harry Day and Ade Lahan also on target in a 6-0 victory over relegated K Sports.

Kennington also had their shooting boots on, running out 6-2 winners over Welling Town with goals from Max Sutton, Rajan Sahni, Liam Middleton (2), James Haylock-Ashdown and Mitchell Harman.

Lauris Chin and Nathan Palmer scored for Town.

Hollands & Blair ended a run of defeats with a 3-3 draw at Sutton Athletic.

Sam Wright and Ben Brown struck as Blair twice led twice, only to fall 3-2 behind, but Scott Porter’s side rescued a point in 77th minute.

Harry Lawrence, Theo White (penalty) and Conor Evans were the