Jammers get back to winning ways

Maldon and Tiptree FC v Thamesmead Town FC Ryman League One North Saturday December 20 2014

Maldon and Tiptree were down to the bare bones with four first choice players out but were able to give débuts to Johnathon Nzengo and to recent signing Moses Ashikodi.

The home side dominated the first half with Tunde Adewunni's good work down the left giving Johnathon Nzengo an early scoring chance but he hit his shot over when well placed inside the area before a good passing move from the Jammers ended with Moses Ashikodi shooting well over from the edge of the area. The home side continued to be wasteful in front of goal and after Nathan Koranteng and Ashikodi had combined well to give Alex Anderson a chance he hit wide when again well placed inside the area then Adewunni just missed Ashikodi's good cross in front of goal. Ashikodi again featured and made good space for himself but shot over again from the edge of the area before after 34 minutes the visitors at last got through the strong home defence to create their first chance but Rob Carter's low centre from the by line flashed across goal with no attacker able to get a touch. After 38 minutes the home side were rather unfortunate not to take a deserved lead when Nzengo dribbled into the penalty area but saw his goal bound shot blocked then from the rebound Ashikodi saw his over head kick cleared off the line.

Half time Maldon and Tiptree 0 Thamesmead Town 0

Fears that the Jammers would be made to pay for their first half misses seemed to be coming true as Thamesmead made much the brighter start to the second half and almost took the lead but home defender Bouamrane stopped a goal bound shot on the line before the visitors full back Michael Spencer shot wide from 15 metres. The home sides nerves were calmed after 57 minutes with their first goal when Adewunni kept possession and held the ball up well before passing back to Nathan Koranteng who fired a good effort into the corner from just inside the penalty box. Two minutes later the visitors almost gifted the home side another goal but Thamesmead keeper Rob Budd just kept out his own defenders header with a desperate dive when centre back Callum McGeehan sent the ball towards the corner of his own goal. The reprieve was short lived however as the home side got a second goal after 60 minutes when Koranteng's astute through ball put Adewunni in to hold off his defender to make the space to fire past Budd from inside the penalty area. The goal seemed to fire Thamesmead up a bit as they raised their game to put some pressure on the home side with Richard Butler heading a long cross wide before the same player should really have done better with another header, this time from a corner, but he put his close range effort from in front of goal wide. The home sides re jigged defence was holding out well with Gavin Greenfield and Bouamrane Youcef doing some sterling work at the centre of things. The home side should have increased their lead after a similar incident to the one in the first half but after Adewunni played Koranteng in to go clear his goal bound shot was blocked before Alex Anderson's effort from the rebound was stopped on the line. Late pressure from the visitors caused a few anxious moments for Maldon and Tiptree but Tyrus Gordon-Young saw his shot well saved by home keeper Tom Warren then Spencer shot over when well placed before Gordon-Young put what looked a good chance wide when he put his looped effort from close range past the post. Towards the end of the game Thamesmead substitute Rashid Kamara shot over then in added time the home side should have added a third goal but after Nzengo had taken on Sam Ashford's header to go clear his effort was blocked by the advancing Budd.

Full Time Maldon and Tiptree FC 2 Thamesmead Town FC 0

Maldon and Tiptree FC

Tom Warren, Hayes Thomas, Mitch Hunter (Matt Pooley 50), Ruddock Yala, Bouamrane Youcef, Gavin Greenfield, Johnathon Nzengo, Alex Anderson (Sam Ashford 78), Moses Achikodi, Tunde Adewunni, Nathan Koranteng

Unused Substitutes

Alex Andrews, Oliver Devenish

Thamesmead Town FC

Rob Budd, Michael Spencer, Ashley Roberts, Jack Hopkins, Callum McGeehan, Farai Hallum, Richard Butler, Derek Duncan, Tyrus Gordon-Young, Rob Carter, Leslie Thompson

Substitutes

George Benner, Lee Coburn, Adem Ramadan, Rished Kamara, Ben Troare