I was over at Roding Lane for an important relegation battle in the Essex Olympian Premier Division as Buckhurst Hill hosted Canning Town.
The hosts sat a point from safety with three games to go whilst Canning Town were five points above the drop zone but this was their last game of the season and they knew victory would see them safe where as defeat would make things very interesting indeed.
The hosts certainly started the game the better and in only the second minute saw visiting keeper Nick Wilson produce a terrific save from a hosts free kick as they home side looked to grab an early advantage.
However despite this positive start it was the visitors who edged ahead in the 11th minute when they were awarded a penalty after a defender was adjudged to have jumped over the top of an attacker and knock him to the floor, and Dean Pearson stepped up to convert the spot kick.
Buckhurst though continued to try and find a way through and midway through the half another long range effort saw Wilson catch it high above his head, but the hosts were certainly giving it a good go.
Just before the half hour mark the visitors mounted an attack and saw a cross flicked on towards the far corner and saw the defence head over own bar under a lot of pressure and then just past the half hour mark more good build up play from the hosts saw the final cross high and wide.
Four minutes before the break more good football from the hosts resulted in an effort from twelve yards being saved by Wilson down to his right to keep his side ahead at the break and maintaining their Premier Division status as it stood.
Half Time Buckhurst Hill 0 Canning Town 1
Five minutes after the restart the hosts continued on the front foot when they got in behind but the ball across the area split both attackers coming in and another chance went away and then just before the hour mark another brilliant reaction save from Wilson onto the post denied the hosts from close range.
Canning Town were having to dig deep now and in the 64th minute a effort driven through crowd of players saw Wilson beat the effort away but two minutes later the hosts suffered a set back, losing one of their centre half‘s for a second yellow card after bringing down Julian Edwards.
This seemed to galvanise the visitors and in the 71st minute they almost grabbed a second as a free kick was almost converted from close range but the keeper managed to get across to save and three minutes later another chance for the visitors saw a turn and shot well beaten away by the Buckhurst keeper.
The visitors should really have doubled their lead with ten minutes left as Edwards broke down the left and his squares ball across goal found an attacker but the effort from point blank rangewas straight at the keeper.
With five minutes left the hosts pumped a ball into the visitors box but saw a header saved down low by Wilson who managed to hold on under pressure but then a minute later the visitors managed to seal the points and survival when a deflected shot was well saved but Edwards was on hand to follow in to score.
So Canning Town are now safe whilst Buckhurst Hill are two points from safety with two matches remaining and know two wins will definitely see them survive. All to play for still as they say.
Full Time Buckhurst Hill 0 Canning Town 2
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