Essex Senior League, Good Friday (15th April)
Good Friday of 2022 saw me take in two Essex Senior League contests and saw Redbridge's hopes of the play offs severely dented after a late Oakley penalty, whilst my first visit to Ashton's saw Woodford denied all three points after a stoppage time volley from Cockfosters.
Redbridge 1 Little Oakley 1
Game one of two came from Oakside as 1pm as The Motormen were in search of maximum points in search of that coveted second spot they were now battling Saffron Walden Town for the play off spot they needed to achieve to keep the dream of promotion to the Isthmian League.
The Motormen started the day in third and behind Walden on goal difference, so a win was really a must for the hosts who were on a three match winning streak coming into this one as well with all of those wins being 3-1 and against some big sides like Stansted (who have now dropped out of the race for second), Enfield and then Stanway Rovers.
These two had actually met on the opening day way back in July 2021, and you guessed it, Redbridge won that fixture 3-1, seems to be a rather popular score line doesn't it, and another success of that nature would have done Redbridge no end of good in their pursuit for second, however Oakley have shown this season they are not an easy nut to crack.
They sat in sixth prior to kick off after a more that solid campaign and are one of very few sides to not only beat champions Walthamstow this season but also keep a clean sheet in doing so and that was in the midst of a superb run from January 8th to March 26th where they went on an eleven match unbeaten run of which ten of those were wins, and at that point were certainly dark horses for second.
Two defeats in three since ended those faint hopes, although the one game they did win they stuck eight past a sorry Sporting Bengal United, and they probably should have beaten Walden last time out but after taking the lead saw their lead slip as they fell to a 2-1 loss, so Redbridge would have to be on their guard in this game that was for sure.
Warm conditions and a concrete like surface greeted both sets of players, although the playing surface was looking in good nick for so late in the season, and The Motormen could not have asked for a more ideal start too as they took the lead after just three minutes when after a Tim Ogunrinde effort had been blocked, Michael Pindy was on hand to turn the loose ball home, and Redbridge now had something to build on.
And they really should have built on it too, and probably should have been three or four goals up but could not take the chances that came their way, whilst Oakley did have occasional moments themselves but it was the hosts who were creating the best opportunities, but whilst the game remained at 1-0 it would only take a moment to see that lead evaporate.
Oakley spent a lot of the game frustrated, this was not one of their best performances of the season although Matt Carmichael did say to me before the game they had quite a few players missing for various reasons so this was very much a patch up job for his side, so maybe that had something to do with it, who knows.
It looked like things would get worse for them just before the hour mark when after attacker Mason Lumley had been fouled, he said too much to the referee and was duly sin binned meaning his side would have to play the next ten minutes with a man light, but Redbridge could not take advantage of this and once he came back on and the game got closer to it's conclusion, Oakley started to put more pressure on the hosts who were getting deeper and deeper.
The question was this, could Redbridge hold on or even seal it on the counter, or would Oakley find a late leveller and really harm the hosts play off aspirations? The answer came in the 89th minute when a free kick floated into the box saw Harry Mann adjudged to have been brought down in the box and a penalty awarded (I felt the penalty award was a little soft but you cannot give the referee a decision to make so can see why he gave it as well).
Mann himself picked himself up and slammed the spot kick emphatically into the bottom corner, and Oakley had managed to get out of this one with a point that they probably did not deserve, but they dug in and battled hard and would have been delighted with their efforts and result in the end, and you have to commend them for that.
The Redbridge this was a bitter bitter pill to swallow, it's a game they should have won but did not, and the point really hands the advantage over to Walden now for second place and the play offs, yes the hosts are now second and a point ahead of their rivals, but they have now played a game more and Walden take on relegation threatened Sawbridgeworth Town at Catons Lane on Saturday knowing a win really puts them in the driving seat with a game to go.
The Motormen will now hope Sawbo can do them a favour in that one, but whatever happens George Christou and his side can be very proud of what they have achieved this campaign, it's been a superb one for sure and far exceeded most peoples expectations.
Full time Redbridge 1 Little Oakley 1
Woodford Town 1 Cockfosters 1
My second game of Good Friday's double header saw me at Ashton's Playing Fields for only my second time, but my first time visiting the main stadium, as the time before I saw a Sunday game on one of the back pitches, and it happened to be Town's last home game of the season as well, so I got here in the nick of time!!!
So what of the ground, I have heard many comments of it being too far away from the pitch, the stand being too low, the noisy supporters being irritating etc etc, well yes the pitch is a little too far from the viewing area, but apart from that I didn't find it too bad, and the support only added to the atmosphere so fair play to them, and the staff in a very nice clubhouse were friendly and the two ciders prior to kick off certainly helped on a warm early evening.
Now when I saw the reverse fixture of this one back on the opening day of the season, Cockfosters dismantled Woodford that day 6-1 although it could easily have been double figures for the rampant hosts, but since then Shane Baptiste and his staff have done a super job of turning things around.
They had managed to reach 51 points so far in their campaign, sitting 15th in the table but miles clear of Ilford one place below them, and only a handful of points away from the top ten, so a very commendable effort from the hosts who many had written off after a terrible start to their campaign.
Cockfosters season probably hasn't turned out quite how they would have liked after that electrifying start, many of us had them finishing top six for sure, but even after saying all that, they still were inside the top ten and a strong finish could see them get very close to that top six, so all in all not a bad season at all for the North London visitors.
So what of the game then which ultimately didn't have anything riding on it, well the hosts form had not been great of late, their last win came on the 4th March, so that was six winless games and four defeats, whereas Fosters had been on a seven match unbeaten run in all competitions which included reaching a cup final too, however that run was ended last time out when they fell to a surprise loss at Sawbridgeworth Town.
Sadly the game didn't really get going until late on, the first half saw both sides have their moments in attack, but neither side could find a breakthrough in a goalless opening forty five minutes, and the second half was pretty much the same for the majority, Fosters did force a decent stop from hosts keeper Eddie Allan's legs, whilst the hosts somehow fired over from close range down the other end.
But with ten minutes remaining the game finally had a goal and something to cheer about when Town full back Montel McKenzie ran onto a loose ball and fired an effort into the far corner despite a despairing dive from keeper Neo Donoghue, and that cued mass celebrations between players and fans in front of the far end of the stand where they all congregate, and it looked like it would be enough for the home side to end that winless run.
But, just as it looked as if Cockfosters were falling to a second successive defeat, up popped substitute Bailey Stevenson, volleying home superbly four minutes into stoppage time to rescue a point for the visitors. Stevenson had been heavily involved after coming on just past the hour mark, so the goal capped a decent showing from him.
This didn't damper the atmosphere though, and all in all a rather inept game ended in exciting fashion, so as they say, all good things come to those who wait!!! That point also sees Cockfosters rise a place to eighth in the standings whilst Woodford remain 15th as their home campaign ends for the season.
Full time Woodford Town 1 Cockfosters 1
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