Harold Wood Athletic 0 Redbridge 4

Pre-Season Friendly, Tuesday 16th July 2019

Maskell was amongst the scorers as Redbridge hit four in the final half hour of their pre-season friendly at The Recreation Ground against Harold Wood Athletic to record victory in their latest run out prior to the season which starts in just over two weeks’ time.

The ESL Premier Division visitors had the first chance when they saw an effort tipped wide of the near post, before the EOFL Premier Division hosts then slid an effort wide of the far post.

Wood then headed wide, before Redbridge almost capitalised on a poor headed back pass but could only loft the effort wide of the near post, and then a long throw into the visitors area saw the keeper misjudge the flight of the ball, but the hosts could not force home the loose ball and the keeper gathered.

A brilliant ball into the hosts box saw the visitors glance a header wide, before Redbridge should have had a penalty for a foul, however the referee deemed it not a foul so played on, and then another super ball into the box from the visitors saw a looped header go inches wide of the far post.

The Motormen then gave the ball away in midfield and saw the hosts break forward, but they ended with striking an effort straight at the keeper, before Wood then had another good chance but saw a weak effort again go straight at the keeper.  The half though did end goalless.

Half Time Harold Wood Athletic 0 Redbridge 0

Redbridge came so close to taking the lead when seeing an effort tipped onto the bar, before a flowing move down the right ended with a poke at goal being saved by the hosts keeper.

Redbridge then somehow failed to take the lead when an effort was cleated off the line before a scramble eventually saw the ball squirm wide of the post, however just before the hour mark The Motormen did break the deadlock when Maskell powered home a header from close range.

Redbridge almost immediately doubled their lead when a close-range effort went just off target, but they did add a second in the 66^th minute when a cross from the right was diverted into the corner by an unfortunate defender for an own goal and the visitors had breathing space.

Redbridge then burst through but scuffed an effort wide, before the hosts broke the offside trap but the Redbridge goalkeeper coach, who had just replaced the keeper who had picked up an injury, made a fine save at the feet of the attacker.

The visitors then got in again but slid the effort across goal and wide, before Wood forced another save from the keeper coach of Redbridge, and then the visitors somehow missed from six yards out, hitting the bar when it looked easier to score.

Wood then saw a near post flick saved, before Redbridge then forced a near post save and then sent another effort over the bar, but with four minutes left it was three for the visitors as a cross was glanced home by a young trialist.

And that trialist added another in the 90^th minute with a very well taken finish to make it four for the visitors, and then nearly completed his treble but saw a more than decent effort brilliantly saved by the hosts keeper.  Redbridge though had put in a more than decent second half showing to run out convincing winners.

Full Time Harold Wood Athletic 0 Redbridge 4