Tuesday night action this week came from Crofters in Sawbridgeworth as the hosts Sawbridgeworth Town took on local rivals Takeley in what is normally a fiercly competitive local derby.
The teams had already met in the league at Station Road this season and that ended in a 1-1 draw although the teams have had differing fortunes this season so far, Sawbo are yet to record a win whilst Takeley have won four of their six league games and remain unbeaten.
Despite this though a tight and competitive battle was expected although the hosts were caught cold immediately from kick off as a ball through saw Charlie Cole use his pace to get beyond the defence and smack an effort beyond Matt Pointer and see the visitors ahead after barely ten seconds of play.
It certainly was a flying start from the away side and four minutes later they incredibly doubled their lead and it’s a goal keeper Pointer will want to forget as a lofted ball forward towards the edge of the box saw the keeper come to claim the ball but the ball bounced high off the rock hard surface and sailed over his head, landing straight to the feet of Cole who duly accepted the gift to finish from the angle into the corner.
It had been a disastrous start for the hosts but to their credit they managed to regroup and mount a swift fightback and on twelve minutes grabbed a goal back when an effort from Reece Cosson from the edge of the box was hit into the ground towards goal and it bounced up into the six yard box where George Tubey managed to head home and reduce the arrears.
And six minutes later this crazy start to this contest continued when the hosts found an equaliser as a ball swung into the box saw Gavin Cockman rise to power home a header beyond visiting keeper Josh Knigh and wipe out Takeley’s early advantage. What a start!!!
The pace of the contest continued at a frenetic pace and Sawbo keeper Pointer was having a shaky start to this one, having been rescued twice by his defence, once either side of the hosts leveller. He was then rescued by his post moments later when Takeley full back Sean Sammoogan thumped a close range effort against the woodwork after Cole’s initial header had been blocked, and all this action had come inside the first half hour.
The visitors had created the majority of the chances but it was Sawbo who so nearly went in front two mins before the half time break as a ball across the box found it’s way to Cockman who somehow sliced wide of the target with the goal at his mercy and just the keeper to beat. However this breathless half of football ended all square and no doubt both sides could of done with the fifteen minute break!!
Half Time Sawbridgeworth Town 2 Takeley 2
The second half carried on pretty much the first half had ended tempo wise, frenetic, and ten minutes into the half Takeley managed to get their noses back in front again and it was a great goal too asReece Barrett bamboozled a defender with some brilliant skill on the edge of the box before finishing past Pointer to give the Station Road side a slender advantage.
Takeley were now aiming to add a fourth and restore the two goal lead they had early on in the contest and on the hour mark saw hosts keeper Pointer make a good save from George Powell‘s flick as the game continued at its 100 miles an hour theme.
As the game entered its final twenty minutes the hosts began to put some pressure on the Takeley defence as they searched for leveller but they found the visiting defence a solid nut to crack, however with ten minutes to go they almost breached it when a great floating ball over the top of the Takeley defence from Cosson saw Cockman run onto the ball but keeper Knigh came to save the effort.
The visitors were now a threat on the counter attack and Cole almost got in down the other end moments later but the bounce was too high for the striker and and Pointer managed to claim the ball on this occasion. It must be noted that the host keeper’s performance improved as the game went on after the shaky start he had endured.
As the game entered it’s final few minutes the hosts really tried to put pressure on the visitors back line but the away side stood firm and almost sealed the deal four minutes into stoppage time when another ex-Sawbo attacker, Mitchell Das, got in on goal but after rounding Pointer he blasted way over from an acute angle.
Would it prove costly? Well no as a couple of minutes later the referee brought this thrilling contest to a conclusion and Takeley had returned to the top of the league and opened up a two point cushion as well. For the hosts it’s three defeats on the spin and still no wins in the league so far. However judging on this performance the first one cannot be too far away.
Full Time Sawbridgeworth Town 2 Takeley 3
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