Visitors Manford Way fought back from a goal down at the break to score three second half goals and take the points, giving them a slight chance of winning the Essex Olympian Premier title, whilst denting opponents Harold Wood Athletic’s chances of the title themselves.
This was the visitors final league game of the season and they started the evening eight points ahead of opponents Wood with the hosts having five games in hand, so the visitors knew a win would increase that gap for now and put the pressure on the hosts. Both teams had a shot at goal in the first ten minutes, firstly on three minutes when Manford drilled a free kick just wide and then secondly when the hosts first effort at goal on ten minutes flew a foot or so over the target.
On 12 minutes the hosts keeper saw a backpass hit a bobble in front of him and caused a mis kicked clearance although this was miscontrolled by the visitors and the hosts were let off. Then a minute later came a big moment in the game when the hosts got clear of the defence and saw the keeper come out to try and tackle but in doing so brought the forward down outside the box and after the referee had discussed with his linesman, choose to only book the keeper, when many would of seen red. It was a huge call and a massive let off for the visitors.
This only seemed to spur on the hosts though and they began to take control of the contest and midway through the half an attack down the right saw a cross almost sneak in at the near post, but it hit the side netting before Manford went down the other end and sent a cross to the back post, eluding the keeper but saw the visitors head over. Three minutes later the hosts should of taken the lead when a ball flicked into the dangerzone was volleyed over from right in front of goal.
Just past the half hour mark the hosts headed against the bar before then seeing a looping effort also hit the bar and the keepers hands in one go as he tried to reach up to tip the effort over. And then on 34 minutes the hosts finally managed to break through when Dan Gillardwas sent clear and he rounded the keeper, who had come right out of his goal, and thumped the ball into the empty net for a deserved lead.
It was a lead that was almost doubled five minutes before the break when a long throw was flicked on by a defender but then volleyed just wide by the hosts. However they went into the break a goal up and looking fairly comfortable so far.
Half Time Harold Wood Athletic 1 Manford Way 0
The visitors needed a response and they certainly came out in the second half with much more bite about them and five minutes into the half felt they should of had a penalty kick after what looked like a trip inside the area but the referee said no. Manford continued to put pressure on the hosts and in the 57th minute grabbed an equaliser when Lee Meadows met a corner and sent a bullet of a header into the top corner.
The visitors were now right in this battle now and on 65 minutes so nearly capitalised on a keeper error as a shot was spilled but the stopper managed to regather just ahead of the oncoming pressure, and then down the other end a similar situation saw the visiting keeper just about hold on but he was caught in the process and suffered a bloody nose, forcing a lengthy stoppage for over five minutes.
He was eventually ok to continue but was almost beaten with just under twenty minutes left when he saw a header from the hosts headed off the line by a defender and this proved pivitol when barely a minute later the visitors went up the other end and took the lead as a powerful shot was not held by the keeper and Pete Tyler followed in to score the rebound.
With five minutes left the visitors got in down the left again but saw a shot across goal tipped wide brilliantly and then the hosts felt they were hard done by for the second time in the match when they thought they had found an equaliser as a ball across goal was tapped home, but the linesman’s flag had gone up for offside although it looked like a very tight call indeed.
This was compounded a minute later when the visitors went up the other end and sealed the points and the win when a shot parried across goal went into the path of forward Reece Tranter who tapped home into the gaping goal and give his side a two goal cushion. The referee then added on over ten minutes of injury time, following that lengthy treatment to the visiting keeper earlier in the half, but this brought no more noteworthy action and the visitors celebrated an away win in their final game.
Manford Way have 52 points ahead of White Ensign, who have also finished their season, on 48 points. Then come nearest challengers Kelvedon Hatch on 45 points, but with four games remaining, ahead of Harold Wood, 41 points with five games remaining, and finally Springfield in fifth on 40 points, also with five games remaining. Two of Hatch’s games are home against Harold Wood and Springfield, so those games will go a long way to deciding the destiny of the title. Proves to be an entertaining end to the season, at least Manford Way have given themselves a slight chance after a great second half comeback here whilst Wood will try and get this one out of their system and go again at the weekend. All to play for as they say!!!
Full Time Harold Wood Athletic 1 Manford Way 3
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