Essex Senior League, Saturday 29th July
Competitive football is back folks, and by the end of this contest, it most certainly was back, but more about that later. Great Wakering Rovers, who had been relegated back to ESL after suffering play off misery at the end of last season, were taking on Sporting Bengal United, who had returned to the ESL after a year out following play off delight at the end of last season.
Two contrasting ends to each other's season's then, but many felt GWR would be challenging for the top five and the play offs come the end of this campaign and were expected to begin this season with a comfortable home win over the East London outfit who play their games at Mile End Stadium of course.
Sporting are not here to make up the numbers though, and Steve Clark has got them well drilled and solid in defence, but has the players to hurt the opposition too, but GWRs young side, who saw off a young Southend United XI in their final warm up game prior to this first league game, should have had the ideal start when they won a penalty inside a minute of this contest after a clumsy foul inside the box.
Up stepped Jake Gordon to slot home GWRs first goal of the campaign, oh no wait, his penalty was saved by Sporting keeper Sidi Haidara, and the score line remained 0-0, and it would remain that way for the remainder of the half, not sure how as both sides created openings with both keepers being called into action on one than more occasion, the home keeper Luis Shamshoum pulling off a superb save from a header at one point.
GWR started the second half the better though and won another penalty after Steve Carvell had been adjudged to have committed a foul inside the box, much to his dismay, Gordon was taken off penalty duties after his first half miss, and Ben Search was handed the responsibility of taking this one, surely he would score, well no, as his 56th minute penalty was saved by Haidara, drama!!!
However, on the hour mark there was nothing Haidara could do when GWR finally got their noses in front when Gordon thumped a powerful free kick from the edge of the box at goal and although the keeper got a big hand on it, he could only parry it in off the post, Haidara would have been disappointed no doubt but the power was too much for him and the hosts now had a slender lead.
Sporting seemed to have lost their way a little and were clinging on a tad for a time after as the hosts looked like they could now go on and maybe win this one more comfortably, they had certainly been made to work hard thus far but another goal would surely have ended this contest, they had openings to increase their lead, Gordon actually hitting the frame of the goal with a corner on one occasion, but that second goal would not come.
Sporting brought on Shermandin Artmeladze to try and get back into the contest, and he was to have a huge say in how this game ended up, and with eleven minutes left he produced a moment of brilliance to bring the visitors level, driving at the box before firing an unstoppable effort from outside the box beyond the dive of Shamshoum, stunning the home crowd and players, they did not see that coming.
However the most dramatic end was to follow, almost farcical at times too, as deep into three minutes added on and after Jay Nash looked to have been fouled inside the visitors box, which even saw Bengal boss Clark saying that is a penalty against his own side, Bengal flew down the other end and saw substitute Alagi Juwara (I think, I kind of lost track of what was going on as so much was happening!!!) try go go round keeper Shamshoum and was brought down.
The bal rolled loose for Artmeladze, but literally seconds before he rolled it home for what would have been the winner, the referee had already blown for a spot kick, meaning it was a penalty and the goal would not stand, much to Artmeladze's disgust. He was absolutely fuming and in fact even though was supposed to be taking the penalty, he had stormed off to his bench to get some spray on his ankle, so left it to Sam Edwards to take the spot kick and win the game for the visitors.
Prior to all of this happening, Sporting had missed three golden chances to win it, and GWR had even missed a great chance too, could Edwards step up and score, well no as his spot kick was brilliantly saved by Shamshoum, but more drama as the assistant adjudged that the keeper had stepped off his line, so a retake was ordered by the officials, which rather upset the keeper unsurprisingly.
By now Artmeladze had calmed down enough (or so we thought!!!) to step up and attempt to win the game for his side, and sure enough he sent the retaken penalty high into the net, prompting visitors boss Clark to aim a celebration fist pump towards the home bench. which went down well, and saw Clark face to face with his counterpart between the two benches.
Whilst this was going on a melee ensued inside the GWR six yard box after the penalty had been scored, and saw the scorer, Artmeladze, conclude a crazy few minutes for himself by punching keeper Shamshoum and seeing him lay facedown inside his own goal, he was duly sent off and the keeper was booked for his part in the confrontation.
It had been a rather unsavoury few minutes and threatened to get out of hand, but thankfully the game did restart almost TWELVE minutes into three minutes of added on time, GWR did have a minute or so to try and force a leveller, but they could not and Bengal held on for a dramatic and very impressive victory on their return to Step Five football.
The hosts will be rather gutted to lose that one, but only had themselves to blame quite frankly, you cannot pass up the chances they had and expect to win games, but Sporting will be a tough side to beat this season and were more than a match for their opponents today, just a shame the game had to end the way it did as it was played hard but fair prior to that, competitive football is well and truly back!!! I need a lie down after all of that!!!
Full time Great Wakering Rovers 1 Sporting Bengal United 2
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