Motormen rue Missed Chances

Redbridge were beaten 2-1 at home to St Margaretsbury but certainly had their chances in the match.

The two sides met one another for the first ever time as Redbridge looked to bounce back from their heavy midweek defeat at Sporting Bengal United.

The away side took an early lead with the first chance of the game after just four minutes played, Quincy Egbejale fouled Michael Morgan and from the resulting free kick Matthew Mitchell stepped up to shoot but he stepped back allowing Charncy Dash to take the strike and although Lewis Greene in goal got a hand to the ball the shot had too much power and nestled into the back of the net.

St Margaretsbury came forward again and Dan Ferrigno played a nice lobbed pass into the area finding Dash who did well to control the ball and get his shot in on target however it was easily gathered by Greene.

Morgan then broke forward bearing down on goal but was only able to find the side netting as yet another chance went begging as Redbridge had yet to wake up in the game. They did almost however score with their first opportunity as Terrell Miller did well on the right wing putting over a deep cross met by the leaping Calvin Poku but his headed effort was superbly tipped over the bar by Brad Robison in the St Margaretsbury goal.

Controversy followed as Glody Nsamu went down injured to the ground and ass the Redbridge players stopped expecting the free kick play was allowed to continue allowing Dash to find himself all alone with just Greene to beat but the keeper did well making the striker go wide and although he still managed to get a shot in Redbridge skipper Daniel Smith was on hand to clear the ball and prevent a certain goal. Nsamu was unable to carry and would eventually go to hospital for his injury as he was replaced by Bryan Kyungu.

A good chance then fell the home side's way as Miller was put through and although his shot was saved by feet of Robinson the ball went straight out to Kyungu who skipped past his man only to see his shot deflected just wide of the upright

Redbridge continued to create good chances as a long ball was pumped up field which both Larry Asare and Robinson both went for with the goalkeeper losing out , Asare seemed certain to score but a defender raced back on the line and made the clearance .

St Margaretsbury then attacked as Morgan got to the by-line pulling the ball back for Dash who connected well but his shot was saved by the diving Greene

Asare then tried to catch Robinson off guard when he looked to cross before then shooting at the near post but the keeper was not to be fooled and made the save before Stevenson got in at the near post crossing the ball across the area but nobody in a blue shirt was to be seen.

The first chance of the second half fell to the home side as Vinny Murphy laid the ball into the feet of Poku who found Kyungu , he ran into the box beating two players but could only find the side netting.

St Margaretsbury then had a corner which was swung in finding the diving head of Taylor Wild which required Greene to tip over the bar for another corner. In almost a carbon copy of the first chance Green again had to be on hand to make the save this time from Matthew Mitchell as the ball looked to be aiming for the top corner.

Jack Stevenson and Asare both then had chances but were to be denied before Murphy and David Greene went into a challenge in which the referee deemed the St Margaretsbury player had gone in too heavy and gave him a straight red card.

The ten men however never let their numerical disadvantage stop them from attacking and with the next chance doubled their lead when a misplaced clearance fell to Ferrigno and he ran into the box before unleashing a fierce shot which beat Greene.

With time running out for the home side Murphy tried his luck curling in a free kick which was always going wide before substitute Cassidy-Sinclair did well on the right flank before putting over a cross finding Phil Lowen unmarked in the box but his headed was turned away by a diving Greene.

Into injury time and the home side continued to push forward as a corner was put in resulting in a scramble in the penalty box before the ball found its way into the path of sub Patrick Duggan who shot the ball first time from 25 yards which beat Robinson and crashed down off the cross and across the line.

It was the midfielders first appearance of the season after being out with injury and he showed just what Redbridge had been missing however unfortunately it came a little too late as the away side were able to hold on for the victory which meant the home side fell to a 5th consecutive home defeat.

report by Adam Silver