A Louis Clarke brace
helped Tower Hamlets come from behind to defeat Leyton Athletic at Mile End to
pull the hosts further clear of the bottom two whilst dropping the visitors
deeper into trouble in the Essex Senior League Premier Division.
Hamlets came into this one ten points clear of the bottom
two knowing a win would put more daylight between themselves and Barkingside
and Leyton Athletic, whilst the visitors knew a win would only do, ten points
off third bottom Manor and two behind second bottom Barkingside before kick-off.
And the visitors had the perfect start to this one too, as
after just two minutes of play a free-kick laid across to Pedro Simao saw him
thump a wonderful long-range effort into the top corner via the keeper’s hand,
and the visitors had the lead.
Could they build on this perhaps? Well not really as in the 9th
minute Hamlets fought back to equalise when a ball over the top saw Clarke run
onto the ball and volley home first time to bring the hosts level, it had been a
decent opening at Mile End.
Hamlets almost got in on goal soon after, but a poor touch
allowed the keeper to come and claim, whilst down the other end Leyton got into
a good shooting position but the effort was dragged wide.
A long ball into the hosts box saw the visitors volley a
first-time effort wide, before down the other end Hamlets fired an effort miles
over the visitors goal after getting into a decent position.
A flick-on from the hosts then found themselves with a
brilliant shooting chance, but for some reason they took an extra touch which
allowed the defence to intervene, before a loose ball then fell to Hamlets
inside the Leyton area, but the resultant volley was fired just over the bar.
But shortly before the break the visitors should have taken
the lead again but saw a close-range effort somehow struck against the post
before the ball was cleared away, it was a golden chance and one that the
visitors could not afford to pass up.
The visitors then produced some good football and it ended
up with them getting into another good shooting position but again the finish
was lacking and wayward, and it meant the sides went into the break all square
with everything to play for still.
Half Time Tower
Hamlets 1 Leyton Athletic 1
Hamlets began the half by seeing an effort being blocked by
the visitors, whilst down the other end sloppy defending from the hosts allowed
the visitors an effort at goal, but again it was way over the target.
In the 49th minute though Hamlets took the lead
as another ball into Clarke saw him fire home a left-footed effort and now the
home side had the advantage in this one.
The hosts looked to try and build on this and a quality pass
almost released them in on goal but luckily for the visitors a covering defender
got back to make sure they did not have an effort at goal, whilst a ball to the
Leyton back stick almost found Luke With.
And then another Hamlets attack saw Clarke, on a hat-trick
now, cut inside and fire a left-footed effort just wide of the far post,
although after this spell of pressure the visitors started to do the pressing.
Leyton fired an effort wide before they fired another effort
wide from long-range, and then after a loose-ball had fallen to the visitors
inside the hosts area, a brilliant block thwarted them, and then a deep cross
saw the home sides keeper almost drop the ball into the net, before a defender
was on hand to run the ball away from danger.
With time running out Hamlets had a couple of chances to
seal the points, firstly seeing a dink over the keeper go just wide, and then a
two on one situation saw a poor ball squared straight into the keeper’s hands.
But it mattered not as Hamlets held on for the three points,
taking them thirteen clear of the bottom two now, whilst for Leyton they remain
ten points from third bottom Manor and two behind second bottom Barkingside
with ten games remaining, and with a worse goal difference then both too, it’s
a big blow to their chances of finishing outside the bottom two.
Full Time Tower
Hamlets 2 Leyton Athletic 1
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