As I have a visit to St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, planned for tomorrow to watch Birmingham City, I decided to get my fix of Kent non-league football for this weekend, under the lights tonight, in the Kent County Premier League.

Kent United play at home at the Efes Stadium, Dartford. They are currently sitting in eighth place, having won five of eleven fixtures and having scored twenty two goals, whilst conceding thirty one. Kent United’s goals have flowed from Freddy Baker (5 goals), Harry Amaechi (5 goals) and Red Jenkins (4 goals). Manager Ian Jenkins will have known the three points available today would lift his side towards the promotion spaces.

Bermondsey Town have struggled since their relegation last season, from the Southern Counties East Football League. They came into tonight’s game in fifteenth place out of seventeen, having won just once in eleven games, whilst scoring just 14 goals and conceding 20 goals. Three players, Samuel Ugo, Andrea Carrerra and Kai Bichard, have all top scored with 2 goals for Bermondsey Town this season. Manager Stuart Wilson would have come into the game hoping for a win that would help kick start a league revival.

As early as the 12th minute Bermondsey Town were ahead, when powerful striker Tyriq Grant, fired the ball home spectacularly from the corner of the Kent United penalty area.

Kent United had a good chance on 34 minutes to equalise, when Fred Baker fired narrowly wide with the goal at his mercy.

At half time, despite pressure going forward for both teams, the score remained Kent United 0, Bermondsey Town 1.

In the 60th minute Kent United were finally level at 1-1, when left back Tom Friend pounced on a rebound to slot the ball home.

Three minutes later and Kent United were 2-1 ahead. A fine Fred Baker cross from the right, met the head of Harry Amaechi, who finished confidently to put the home side ahead.

In the 79th minute Bermondsey Town were level. Hard perseverance and a fine turn and shot in the Kent United penalty area delivered a goal for substitute Agbor Sobeh.

As the game moved into the final few minutes, it swung again as a red card was issued for Douane West who kicked the ball away unecessarily and then showed dissent, resulting in the referee showing him a red card.

In added time at the end of the 90, substitute Agbor Sobeh scored for Bermondsey Town, after breaking free and then following up on the rebound from a save by the Kent United keeper, sending the away team and support wild. I was caught out on filming this goal but recovered to film the celebrations. These celebrations however, led to the dismissal of Bermondsey Town skipper Kai Bichard, who received a second yellow for removing his shirt in jubilation. This meant for the final few minutes of added time the away side had just nine players.

The nine men were immediately besieged by Kent United and with 90 minutes + 8 on the clock the pressure realised a result. Centre back, Stefan Kempton, glanced a header from a corner into the net to salvage a late point, and igniting the home supporters as the match was tied at three all.

At full time both teams would have felt they had wasted the chance to secure three points. what was certain was that this had been a highly entertaining match to liven up a freezing cold Autumn evening. This was a real advert for Kent County League football, with quality finishing, tough tackling and some real energy.