So the day had finally arrived, the first day of the new season, and I was at the Matchday Centre to see hosts Wadham Lodge take on Stansted in their first ever outing in Senior Football.
Lodge had been promoted from the Essex Olympian last season and so were embarking on their firstESL campaign and were hoping for a good start. They came up against a Stansted side who had had a solid season last year and were looking to start this one in much the same way.
The hosts flew out of the traps and could of scored after only 2 minutes when a all into the box resulted in the ball bouncing around inside the area before it fell to the hosts but the effort was volleyed just wide from a few yards out. However two minutes later the hosts were awarded a penalty when after good work from Charlie Georgiou down the right saw him twist and turn past defenders before being brought down inside the box Steven Ellery stepped up to convert the penalty via the keepers hand into the corner for an ideal start. Wadham Lodge 1 Stansted 0.
On 8 minutes Lodge carved out another chance as a free kick into the dangerzone was headed wide as the hosts dominated. Two minutes later they should of scored a second when another cross saw attacker beat keeper to the ball but head over the target. It really could of been a bigger lead for the hosts by this stage than just the one they had as the visitors were still in the changing room so to speak.
The visitors did have an effort at goal from distance fly wide on 17 minutes but they had rarely threatened the Lodge half let alone their goal in the first twenty minutes of the game. It therefore came as a surprise when Stansted levelled the match on 21 minutes as from nowhere a simple long ball forward split the Lodge defence right down the middle and saw Olly Fortune run into the ball and slot past the onrushing keeper. Wadham Lodge 1 Stansted 1.
It took Lodge a few minutes to clear their heads after this setback but just past the half hour mark their was more danger inside the visitors box but the ball ended up going out for goal kick. The game had become a bit more even since the Stansted leveller and eight minutes before the break only great Lodge defending stopped the visitors from getting on end of another long ball forward and then two minutes after this Lodge had a strike from the edge of the box fly wide of the near post. However as the half came to a close both sides could not find a goal so they went in level at the break.
Half Time: Wadham Lodge 1 Stansted 1
Lodge came out the better side in the opening exchanges in the second half and six minutes into it they almost retook the lead as an Ellery corner was headed against the bar before being scrambled away and then the visitors broke up the other end and saw Fortune all alone inside the six yard boxbut he got his feet in a tangle and the chance had gone.
On 56 minutes a good turn on the edge of Stansted’s box saw the hosts strike a decent effort at goal but the visiting keeper saved well. It was good football all round. A few minutes later another good effort from the hosts flew just wide as they looked to get their noses in front once again. Moments later Stansted had an effort from twelve yards saved by the hosts keeper it what was a warning to Lodge that Stansted were still a threat if given a chance.
This was almost witnessed on 77 minutes when the visitors went mighty close to taking the lead when a great strike from distance came back off the bar with the keeper totally beaten. Then a minute later came a big let off for the visitors as a ball forward towards the right edge of the box saw the Stansted keeper lose out to the attacker and in trying to retrieve the ball handled outside the box although it only resulted in a booking for the visiting stopper, much to the disbelief of the hosts. The resulting free kick saw the keeper spill the set piece but managed to regather the loose ball just although he got a kick in the head for his troubles resulting in some treatment being applied.
With two minutes of the ninety to go another free kick from Lodge saw a looping header end up on the roof of the net, this was after Stansted had dragged an effort wide moments before. It seemed as though it would finish a draw until one minute into stoppage time a great run along the goal line from Lodge’s Charlie Georgiou saw him dance past a couple of challenges before he hit a powerful effort in off the bar from an angle to score a great goal and send the hosts wild with delight. Wadham Lodge 2 Stansted 1.
This wasn’t the end of the action though as five minutes into stoppage time tempers flared after a tackle on a hosts player saw others pile in and a melee ensued resulting in a red card for the visitors for an apparent head butt. It certainly wasn’t the end to the game we all wanted but the second half had been more physical and so you could feel the tension had been building.
Finally after nine minutes of stoppage time the referee blew for full time and Wadham Lodge had the win they craved. Overall they deserved to win this game but it took a late goal to finally achieve this. A decent game to start the season though, lets hope for more of the same in the coming months.
Full Time: Wadham Lodge 2 Stansted 1
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