So Monday evening saw me over at Mile End for an ESL clash between Tower Hamlets and Sawbridgeworth Town. The two sides had contested a keenly fought Gordon Brasted clash only a week or so ago and the visitors ran out narrow winners so another tight affair was expected.
The Robins were unbeaten in the league and sat 2nd as a result whilst Hamlets have been struggling to apply the finishing touch in a few of their games hence they had been on the end of some defeats and sat towards the lower reaches of the table. The first chance indeed went to the visitors on 2 minutes when Jason Todd was slipped into the box and he saw his effort tipped over by Hamlets keeper Andrei Stinca.
The visitors continued to attack and on 7 minutes saw Charlie Cole strike wide from distance in what was a warning of what was to come two minutes later when the visitors hit the front when Charlie Cole ran at the Hamlets back line twisting and turning before firing a bullet shot into the bottom corner with his left foot past the despairing dive of Andrei Stinca for a decent goal. Hamlets 0 Sawbo1.
The hosts tried to respond and on 17 minutes Samuel Olanipekun tried his luck from long range but it was well wide and three minutes later in another Hamlets attack the ball broke to Anthony Ikenwe on the edge of the box but he could only hit his effort just over the bar.
On 26 minutes the visitors won a free kick over on the right hand side and from this the ball was cleared to the edge of the box were Sawbo centre half Harold Craston could only volley his effort well over the bar and then just before the half hour mark Hamlets went down the other end and Randall Williams cross sees Harry McLean head straight at keeper Scott Byrne.
The next chance fell to the visitors just past the half hour mark when a ball was laid back to Terry Samuels whose whipped first time effort went just wide with keeper Andrei Stinca struggling to get to the shot. On 35 minutes a poor ball from the visitors across the pitch was intercepted by Harry McLean who could only slice his effort well wide from distance but moments later the hosts levelled up the match when Samuel Olanipekun got the ball just outside the area and struck home past Scott Byrne into the bottom corner for another decent strike. Hamlets 1 Sawbo 1.
However the hosts were not level for very long as five minutes before half time a deep cross towards the back post saw keeper Andrei Stinca come to claim the cross but totally misjudge the flight of the ball and he was left in no mans land as it sailed over him and left Charlie Cole at the back post to beat his man to the ball and head home for the visitors. Hamlets 1 Sawbo 2.
Very frustrating it must have been for the hosts after they had got back into the game only to concede again. But it was Charlie Cole’s brace that had the Robins in front at the break.
Half Time Tower Hamlets 1 Sawbridgeworth Town 2
Hamlets had the first sight of goal in the second half six minutes into it when a corner came out to substitute Rory Harper whose effort was blasted way over the bar and then four minutes later came the worst attempt at goal I’ve seen for some time when after Hamlets won a free kick in a great position on the right side of the area Samuel Olanipekun hit a woeful effort miles off target, thumping the ball hard and way too high across goal and high and wide and off the the fence surrounding the running track at the Mile End Stadium.
A minute later the visitors nearly made the hosts pay for these misses as a after they won a free kick Charlie Cole crossed for Terry Samuels whose glancing header came off the foot o f the post and then moments later another free kick into the Hamlets box sees Samuels again glance his header just wide.
Then came a good period of pressure from the hosts as they looked to get back into this contest and on 63 minutes Samuel Olanipekun turned his marker on the edge of the area before seeing his effort go well wide. The hosts were playing some good stuff but sadly no end product which had been the story of their season so far.
On 69 minutes more Hamlets pressure saw the ball scrambled clear by the Sawbo defence to Anthony Ikenwe whose effort was well blocked as they continued to put more and more pressure on the back line of Sawbo. The visitors were still dangerous up front though and on 76 minutes Hamlets gave the ball away to Cole whose cross saw keeper Andrei Stinca and Sawbo’s Dan Norton go for the cross but the keeper punched clear and won a free kick anyway.
With nine minutes left Charlie Cole shifted the ball onto his left foot before striking an effort toward’s the bottom corner but Hamlets keeper Andrei Stinca turned the ball round the post brilliantly to keep his side in the contest and gave his side hope they could maybe nick a draw at the end.
With three minutes to go a long throw into Sawbo’s box saw a very weak header from Samuel Olanipekun go straight at keeper Scott Byrne in another wasteful moment in front of goal and then deep into stoppage time Hamlets substitute Nana Tandor lashed an effort wide from way out in what was the final chance of the match.
Sawbo then battle gamely to the three points whilst the hosts Hamlets will rue more misery in front of goal as they had a lot of the possession and played some good football at times but as in their other games they had no end product. A good battle though at Mile End and well done to both sides.
Full Time Tower Hamlets 1 Sawbridgeworth Town 2
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