Sawbridgeworth Town
were denied back to back home victories and a huge three points after their
match at home to Ilford was abandoned with fifteen minutes remaining due to
floodlight failure at Crofters.
The hosts went into the game knowing a second win of the
campaign would take them just three points behind second bottom Clapton, whilst
the visitors were looking to go three games unbeaten.
The first chance of the game fell to the hosts as Botosan’s
effort was straight at Taylor, before the visitors then threatened down the
left through Trivelato, but the winger’s effort was kept out by Clarke.
Ilford then had a huge shout for a penalty which on replay
looked like a stonewaller it has to be said, and whilst they were still
claiming it, the hosts broke downfield and fed Bushell who ran through, cut
inside and fired home a left footed effort to give the hosts the advantage
after 16 minutes. The Foxes were understandably
annoyed but the hosts jubilant as they had edged ahead.
Ilford almost the immediately equalised but Akanbi’s effort
was saved by Clarke before he could only volley the rebound way over the bar,
whilst down the other end the hosts fired wide of the far post from range.
The Foxes then sent a dangerous ball into the mix but this
wasn’t connected with purposefully so the ball ended up rolling out for a goal
kick, and then from nowhere came a huge flashpoint which centred around a clash
between Sawbo defender Ndimbalan and Ilford forward Akanbi.
After the dust had sort of settled, Ndimbalen was shown a straight
red for something he said to Akanbi, who was also booked for his part in the
clash, but it meant the hosts would have to play with a man light.
Ilford then almost levelled after hosts centre half
McQuillan almost saw a looping header from himself find the net, but Clarke
managed to brilliantly claw away the ball and save his side from conceding.
It meant the hosts did get to the break with their lead intact,
but they knew they had a hard second half ahead of them with a man light of
course.
Half Time Sawbridgeworth
Town 1 Ilford 0
Sawbo had the first chance of the second period as Bushell
almost got onto the end of a ball forward, but keeper Taylor managed to just
about come and clear the danger, and then the visitors had a shot at goal but it
was straight at Clarke.
Their hadn’t been many chances to speak of in the second
period though but it was still a good battle between to honest sides, but in
the 71st minute the ten men doubled their lead as Bushell managed to
burst in on goal before firing past Taylor, and it looked like they were well
on their way to a big three points.
But with fifteen minutes left two of the floodlight pylons
went out meaning one quarter of the pitch was in darkness, and after a fifteen minute
delay waiting to see if the lights could be fixed, the referee had no choice but
to abandon the game, leaving the hosts frustrated.
It all means that the game will now have to replayed at a
late date which is tough on Sawbo but they at least showed they are capable of getting
themselves out of a hole after a dreadful start to their season, whilst for
Ilford it gives them another chance to put this right after a below par
performance here.
Sawbridgeworth Town 2
Ilford 0 (match abandoned after 75 minutes – floodlight failure)
No comments:
Post a Comment