The Rezzers were determined to put behind them the disappointment of losing three points following an administrative oversight earlier in the season.

A home game with a useful Westerham side would prove testing.  However,  it was Orpington who had the first chances - Bill Scamp, with a turn and shot from twenty-five yards, was just over the Westerham bar.  This was closely followed by a goal mouth scramble which saw an O’s attempt cleared off the line.

The first Westerham attempt came on 16 minutes when Matt Cox’s curling free-kick was well held by Stewart Copeland in the O’s goal.  But two minutes later, Darren Shelton, Matt Noad and Jed Wilders combined well down the right for the home side, only for the eventual shot to be cleared.  A further sorté down the right led to a Matt Noad cross which Bill Scamp stooped to head over.

Westerham began to turn some of their possession into serious attempts on goal - Ryan Scott’s deep cross was headed wide by Graham Crawford.  The visitors attacked again - Andre Brown set up Crawford again but the forward’s shot was again wide.  And Stewart Copeland in the O’s goal had to be alert to keep out Dom Panvert’s long range effort - forcing the shot round the post for a corner.

Meanwhile Jed Wilders was enjoying his penetrating runs down the right - Once again he linked up with Shelton and Noad to produce a shot that was just wide of the target.  By now, the action was moving from one to the other - Stewart Copeland did well to hold onto Nick ?’s volley from twenty-five yards.

But it was Jed Wilders who, having made his way into the Westerham penalty area, was brought down by Ryan Scott and a penalty awarded.  Jed took responsibility and calmly despatched the spot kick to give the O‘s a 1-0 lead at the interval.  Although not before Dom Panvert tried to pull Westerham level with another long range effort, which was just wide of the goal.

Fewer efforts for both sides in the second-half.  But Orpington had to manage the second-half without captain Danny Sandford having picked up an injury in the first forty-five minutes.  However, Orpington’s John Duplock seemed to cause the sort of problems that Jed Wilders was causing in the first-half - his low cross was met at the far-post by Wilders whose shot came back off the upright.  But the visitors seemed to about to equalise when Graham Crawford beat the O’s off-side trap.  However, in drawing Copeland, the forward shot over the bar.

O’s central defender, Danny Gorman took a free-kick, thirty yards out - his curling shot over the wall was parried by Dave Salako in the Westerham goal and cleared away for a corner.  Orpington maintained the pressure and from the corner, Jack Lynch headed wide.  With seventeen minutes remaining, Orpington won a free-kick on the left five yards out from Westerham’s penalty area.  With everyone expecting a cross or perhaps a curling shot to the far-post, John Duplock fired the ball into the near-post and found the gap to make it 2-0.

Ten minutes later and it was 3-0 when Bill Scamp fed Jed Wilders out on the right.  Wilders’ cross was headed in at the far-post by substitute Gary Gorman.

But Westerham were not to go without a goal - Graham Crawford placing his shot just inside the left hand post.

The win keeps the O’s top but with the chasing pack hard on their heels.

Orpington Reserves: Stewart Copeland; Ryan Canty, Danny Sandford (John Walker, 46), Danny Gorman, Joe Champ; Jed Wilders, Matt Noad (Gary Gorman, 69), Darren Shelton, Jack Lynch; John Duplock, Bill Scamp.

Westerham Reserves: Dave Salako, Matt Cox, Ryan Scott (Andy Day, 75), Chris Harvey, Michael Dunmore, Craig Howard, Dom Panvert, Simon Smith, Nick ?, Andre Brown (John Paul Colleray, 68), Graham Crawford

Phil Alder

Orpington FC