So Wednesday night saw me over at Kitchener Road, Walthamstow, for a match betweenWaltham Forest and Sawbridgeworth Town in the Essex Senior League.
Hosts Forest had started the season with three straight wins, scoring eleven goals in the process, whilst Sawbridgeworth Town were unbeaten having drawn their opening two games so this proved to be a tight and potentially exciting encounter.
Forest made their attacking intentions clear from the off when Moses stung the palms of Sawbokeeper Ponter with a fierce shot from outside the box whilst Sawbo fizzed one over the top, although it was given offside, as the start of the match was a fairly even affair.
Forest then went close again as Moses danced his way through three or four tackles to bear down on goal but Ponter again saved, this time with his legs, to thwart the hosts giant striker before Davidsonfollowed up and could only send his effort way over the crossbar.
As the game passed the quarter hour mark the hosts were beginning to crank up the pressure on the visitors defence but the Sawbo back line were able to deal with what was thrown at them thus far. Balls into the visitors box were causing some issues though and one such moment saw the loose ball come out to Mohammed whose effort was well wide of the target though but Forest were definitely looking more of an attacking threat.
Davidson whipped another dangerous ball in minutes later which almost found a team mate but saw keeper Ponter just get to the ball first was his fist to clear the danger. So although the half saw the hosts look the livelier going forward, Sawbo seemed fairly comfortable in the game as the half ended goal less.
Half Time Waltham Forest 0 Sawbridgeworth Town 0
The second half saw the visitors immediately look much more of a threat up front and they started the half on the front foot, seeing a long throw cause some issues and then one of the resulting corners go right across the face of goal.
Forest continued to look spritely up front and just before the hour saw another Davidson cross cause a scramble inside the box until the flag went up for offside and then moments later the hosts headed wide well when placed.
However on 63 minutes Sawbo created arguably their best chance of the game as a defence lapse presented the ball to Fortune about six yards out but his point blank range effort saw saved by Seetah’s legs and the chance was gone. It was a golden chance and tippified the visitors much improved attacking prowess in the second period.
The next moments of action saw the hosts scream for a penalty although in my view it was never a penalty in a million years and then see the visitors go up the other end and poke an opening well wide of the target as both teams looked to try and gain the advantage.
As the game entered it’s final twenty minutes or so Forest began to crank up the pressure although they were finding the visitors a tough nut to crack. One of the Forest coaching staff was sent from the dugout as the hosts began to look frustrated at not being able to get a breakthrough and the hosts saw Maxwell almost get in on goal but his control was poor and the chance went away.
Their was a flash of lightning behind the goal after this which looked menacing and angry and the hosts were to feel aggrieved and angry with ten minutes or so remaining when a Davdison corner swung into the near post saw keeper Ponter just about keep the ball out but on a second look it appears the ball did actually cross the line, hence the strong and fierce claims of a goal from the hosts, which fell on deaf ears.
However instead of letting this moment affect them, the hosts scored with their next attack as after some pressure from the visitors on the hosts backline, Forest broke down the other end and saw Moses play Rheo Jospeths in on goal and the hosts player slid a decent finish beyond Ponter and in off the post for the breakthrough with seven minutes to go.
Sawbo committed a few more men into attacking positions thereafter in an attempt to find a leveller and Forest almost sealed the deal but saw Davidson slice wide before Corriera saw an effort saved by Sawbo keeper Ponter. Fortune then was inches away from connecting with a far post cross up the other end before Cosson saw an effort deflected inches over the hosts bar as they looked to snatch a point.
They were unable to though and Forest took the points in a very hard fought win over the visitors. The hosts therefore made it four wins from four and are still the only side with a 100% record in the league this season as they move into third. For Sawbo this was their first loss of the campaign but they showed more then enough in this one to suggest they can be more than competitive this season.
Full Time Waltham Forest 1 Sawbridgeworth Town 0
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