Injurytime Maina Goal Gives Soham Draw

Both Soham (12 games) and Great Wakering (11 games) came into the fixture on the back of long runs without a win, and for the second time this season the sides met with Rovers having changed their manager prior to the game, and in the reverse fixture recorded a 2-1 win at the Lane.
Rangers made just one change to the side which had lost away to AFC Hornchurch, with player-manager Rob Mason returning in place of Jaydon Charles, whilst new signings Peter Maina and Ashley Bankole were included on the bench.

Soham made a quick start to the game with Harrison making an early save to push Mason’s shot from outside the area wide of his far post, with the striker and Carden having further efforts before Mulready had an eleventh minute goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Moments later, Carden ran onto a long throughball to take it wide of Harrison to fire wide, with Mulready, Barker and Mason also having shots wide of goals. Other than a Gordon shot over the bar, Rovers attacks in the opening period were limited until they opened the scoring against the run of play in the 28th minute when Michael Ogbain, who had earlier come on for the injured Jamie Guy, received a long ball towards the edge of the area, with the sub cutting inside the defender to place low inside the near post. Shortly after, Gordon and Hall had angled efforts before Soham equalised when Simon Swinton scored direct from a low 25-yard freekick for his first goal of the season.

The hosts made the better start to the second half, and after Russell had cleared an early Ring shot off his own line, Wakering retook the lead in the 49th minute when Ogboin managed to get in front Groves to receive a forward ball, and make his way into the area and slot past Conroy. Two minutes later, the keeper pushed away a freekick with the ball falling to Pethers, however his shot was also cleared off the line by Horne. In the 56th minute, the ball was played into Swinton, with the captain having a shot blocked before following up to place wide. Moments later, Butterworth played in Ogboin, but Conroy made a low save to deny the substitute his hat-trick, before the keeper twice denied Gordon, firstly with his feet before tipping another shot over the bar. Soham made changes trying to get back into the game as Ramadan collected a cross-field ball to cut in and fire wide. As the game moved into stoppage time, Soham were reduced to ten men when Rob Mason received his second yellow card of the game for a foul on the halfway line. However in the fourth minute of added on time the visitors equalised for the second time in the game when Ramadan’s right sided cross was deflected into the path of sub Peter Maina, who fired a first time shot low past Harrison.

Soham Town Rangers
N. Conroy, C. Russell, J. Hall, S. Swinton (J. Kaye 68), J. Tennent, L. Groves, J. Carden, R. Horne (P. Maina 73), R. Mason, S. Mulready (C. Ramadon 73), C. Barker
Unused: J. Mochalski, A. Bankole

Great Wakering Rovers
A. Harrinson, J. Ring, J. Nottage, H. Kee, K. Jude, N. Beale, S. Butterworth, R. Evans, J. Gordon, J. Guy (M. Ogboin 21), S. Pethers
Unused: R. Burt-Allen, R. Fatt, J. Nzengo, J. Age

Score: (1-1) 2-2

Goals
STRFC: S. Swinton (), P. Maina (90+4)
GWRFC: M. Ogboin (28, 49)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: S. Swinton (32), R. Mason (78, 90), C. Barker (88)
GWRFC: J. Nottage (37), J. Gordon (53)

Red Cards
STRFC: R. Mason (90)
GWRFC: None

Attendance: 112