Two first half goals from Joe Hall helped Ilford to a battling win over Greenhouse Sports at Coles Park on Monday night, virtually guaranteeing a fifth placed finish as a result.
The hosts knew that a win would guarantee that they would finish outside the bottom three in the ESL next season but in the opening exchanges they were totally overrun by their opponents and they should of fallen behind on only 5 minutes when Joe Hall found himself clean through on goal for the visitors, but saw his effort brilliantly saved by Bruno Carvalho.
The visitors went close again on 10 minutes when a cross from Carl Mullings was miscontrolled by a defender trying to cut the cross out, but Hall could only put his effort over the bar. However the visitors were to finally turn their dominance into a goal when they took the lead a minute later when Hall tapped home a loose ball at the far post after Carvalho had saved Mullings sliding effort but could only parry to the far post where the Ilford forward was waiting.
Ilford looking dangerous every time they came forward and moments later more indecision in the hosts defence saw the ball fall to Luke Thomas who could only blast over and then on 17 minutes Hall got in down the right hand side for the umpteenth time of the contest but his cross was horribly miskicked well over the crossbar.
Moments later a very fragile looking hosts defence yet again failed to deal with a ball into the box but again the visitors passed up the opportunity as Mullings dragged the loose ball wide of the far post. However the Foxes were to double their lead on 19 minutes when after Mullings was brought down by Garrett Kelly inside the box, Hall converted the penalty for his and Ilford’s second, and increase their firm grip on proceedings.
If the Foxes had of been five goals up in the first twenty minutes the hosts could not of complained as they had been totally outplayed but they did get their first shot at goal in anger just before the half hour mark when Lefter Antzaris fired a free kick well over the crossbar and then with seven minutes of the half to go Abduljalil Serrar drilled an effort straight at Ilford’skeeper Chris Clark as the hosts began to creep back into the contest. However it was a contest that Ilford still had firmly in control as they went in for the half time break.
Half Time Greenhouse Sports 0 Ilford 2
The Foxes went straight onto the front foot at the start of the second period but saw a Thomas effort go straight at the keeper before the hosts had a shot a goal when Serrar fired a free kick straight at Clark. Six minutes into the half Antzaris curled a free kick just over for hosts as they began to try and crank up the pressure on the visitors but the Foxes still looked dangerous up front and on 53 minutes saw Mullings get onto a bouncing ball but hit his effort straight at the keeper when he really should have scored.
Rafael Simoni then struck an effort just wide for Sports but Ilford went even closer to a third moments later when Mullings struck a loose ball inside the area against the hosts bar. Just before the hour mark the hosts were screaming for a penalty when Serrar went down under a challenge but this was not given by the officials and then moments later Simoni flashed a great ball across Ilford’s area as they looked for a route back into game.
The hosts were doing most of the attacking and on 66 minutes Edurahim Oyemakinde ran down the left hand side before cutting in but drilling an effort straight at Clark but Ilford were always capable of hurting the hosts on the counter and on 71 minutes great play from Thomas almost saw his deflected effort creep in at the far post but was just tipped wide and then three minutes later Mullings saw his overhead kick go just wide.
Greenhouse thought kept applying the pressure on the Foxes and on 79 minutes broke the Ilford resistance down amid controversial circumstances. The hosts won a throw on the near side and they took it, but saw the linesman flag for a foul throw. However the referee chose to ignore his linesman and allowed the hosts to play on and saw the ball played across to Serrarwho curled a lovely effort past Clark, cuing furious protests from the visitors, who surrounded the referee for a couple of minutes.
The game certainly now was very much alive and moments later Greenhouse wanted a penalty after they thought a foul had been committed inside the area and then came a golden chance for Sports when a cross into the six yard box saw a point blank header go straight at Clark. Had it gone either side of the keeper it would have been 2-2, it was a great chance and should of be taken.
Ilford were now really having to dig deep but almost sealed the points a minute from time when Mullings broke down the right hand side, but his weak effort was easy for the keeper. Then a minute into stoppage time Simoni poked an effort just wide for the hosts as Ilford were now clinging on to their fragile looking lead but their nerves were finally calmed four minutes into stoppage time when they sealed the points as Mullings pounced on a defensive slip to run in and poke home.
Greenhouse had given everything in the second half after they had been outplayed for the majority of the first period, whilst for Ilford they really had to dig deep and be resolute to take that win after looking like they would cruise to victory in the first period. A good enjoyable game and a good honest battle under the lights was had.
Full Time Greenhouse Sports 1 Ilford 3
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