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Saturday's ESL Round Up

Saturday's ESL Round Up

Peter Dudley25 Jan 2015 - 14:36
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Top two both win whilst Clapton and Forest draw, Basildon win and Tower Hamlets win on return from suspension

Premier Division
Bowers & Pitsea P-P Enfield 1893

Match postponed due to a waterlogged pitch

Clapton 1 Waltham Forest 1
Another big crowd at the Dog saw Clapton and Waltham Forest draw 1-1 in the top of the table encounter. Forest's Holder hit the bar before the same man have the visitors the lead when after Clapton failed to clear, Holder rifled home through the keeper from the edge of the box and this was enough to give them the half time lead. Clapton then hit the post themselves before they were given a penalty although some feel the home player went down a bit too easily but a penalty it was and this was converted by Warren Mfula with 15 minutes left. Clapton dominated but failed to add a winner and so the points were shared.

Eton Manor 2 Basildon United 4
The Bees left Cappershots with all three points after coming from behind to defeat Eton Manor 4-2. United's player/manager Craig Gillam put the visitors ahead after ten minutes but the game exploded into life in the second and saw the home side add two goals to lead 2-1 before the visitors fought back and goals from Craig Gillam (his second), Jordan Williams and Mike Finneran completed the comeback and grabbed the win for the Gardiners Lane side.

FC Romania 1 Barking 3
FCR's poor form continued as they were beaten at home for the third time in a week by second placed Barking. It did look like the old Romania were back early on as they had been around Blues box a lot and a corner had been pushed on to the post by the keeper although the visitors missed two great chances as well, a free header from a free kick put over then another free kick went straight at the keeper. Barking wern't to miss their next chance however as they took a one goal lead when Romania lost the ball inside the Blues half to James Barlow who ran over half the pitch past challenges to fire home. The home sides task was then made even more difficult when they went down to ten men for the second time in three games for bringing down a visiting player whilst through on goal. The resulting free kick found the net but was disallowed for a foul on FCR's keeper. The visitors were missing good chances to extend their lead whilst the home side were having a lot of the ball in or around the visitors box but they were doing very little with it and were in danger of being caught on the break as they were playing a high line. The home side were a bit more threatening at the start of the second half and almost levelled when a shot was spilled but the keeper just got to the rebound first but the visitors were also dangerous and went close again when after the home defence got themselves in a tangle the visitors had a chance to punish but could not force the ball home. Another chance went begging for the visitors before the inevitable happened as the home side levelled when a free kick was spilled by the keeper and the rebound was duly tapped home. Parity didn't last too long though as Barking regained the lead when a low ball from the left byline was flicked on and fired home by Joe Killingback from six yards and then they had a chance to seal the deal when they were awarded a penalty which was taken by Ben Turner and although the initial kick was saved, Turner was first to react and scored from the rebound. FCR had one more chance before the end when a free kick from the right on the edge of the box saw an effort on goal forcing the keeper to beat the ball out at his near post. So the points go to the visitors who extend the gap between themselves and the home side to eight points.

Greenhouse London 2 Tower Hamlets 3
A very youthful Hamlets side fought back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at Cricklefields against Greenhouse London in their first game back since the suspension in December. It didn't start well for the visitors when James Andersen put Greenhouse ahead after 30 seconds although Hamlets responded immediately to make it 1-1. Hamza Sadouk then put Greenhouse back in front again but this young Hamlets side, with an average age of 17/18, showed determination and courage to get an important three points by turning the match round with two goals to win the game and give the club something to smile about again.

Hullbridge Sports P-P Stansted
Match postponed due to a waterlogged pitch

Sporting Bengal United 1 Haringey Borough 4
Haringey maintained their nine point lead at the top thanks to a 4-1 win at bottom side Sporting Bengal. Borough almost led inside ten minutes but did lead at the interval without having shown great urgency thanks to a rocket of a cross shot into the far top corner from the edge of the penalty area unleashed by Cornel Cornea after 13 minutes. Sporting did have a chance of their own in the first half when the ball trickled along the goal line in all honesty it was a dire first half. The home side were playing some nice football where as the visitors were missing chances and just could not add to their lead. Thus the score stayed 1-0 until the intoduction of Darrell Cox midway through the second half and within minutes of his arrival he had unfussily tucked away two low close range efforts in the 71st and 75th minutes. A horrible mix-up in defence gifted Sporting Bengal United a 79th minute goal, a chip from the edge of the area from Sayid Ahmed, but it never looked likely to be more than a consolation and Anthony McDonald wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time with a precise cross shot low into the corner to continue Borough's march towards the title.

Takeley P-P Ilford
Match postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

London Senior Trophy Quarter Final
Corinthan Casuals Reserves 1 Barking Reserves 3

Reserve Shield Quarter Final
Thurrock 3 Redbridge 1

Reserve Division
Southend Manor 0 East Thurrock United 2
Stansted P-P Hullbridge Sports
Takeley 3 Canvey Island 7

Further reading