Tony Martin netted an 84th minute winner as Redbridge made it four wins on the spin after winning a thriller against Hadley at Oakside in their Essex Senior League encounter.
There was an early opening for the hosts when a cross was sent across the dangerzone but missed by the incoming traffic, then down the other end keeper Florent Gislette had to beat away an effort from the visitors.
The hosts then had a great chance to take the lead when a decent ball in from the left found Taylor Tombides but the forward could only send the ball over from close range, and then the visitors saw a couple of efforts blocked before the hosts got in again but a poor square ball allowed the visitors to clear.
Neat one touch play then saw the visitors almost get in behind but the ball ran on just too far and allowed Gislette to gather, but the visitors then had a great chance to take the lead in the 17th minute when Solomon Ofori was fouled by Gislette inside the box, but, Alfie Bartram saw his spot kick saved and the game remained goalless.
Hadley the sliced wide as the opening twenty minutes had been action packed to say the least although their were still no goals to show for it, and then a long range effort from the hosts was well fielded by visiting keeper Alex Gavriloaia as the game approached the half hour mark.
Ofori then manged to get in for the visitors, but as he tried to round the keeper, Gislette whipped the ball off his toes and thwarted the visitors, and then came a two-minute spell that turned the game in favour of the hosts.
In the 34th minute a brilliant reverse through ball found Tombides in the clear, and he finished beyond Gavriloaia emphatically to give Redbridge the lead, and then two minutes later they doubled their lead when Darnell Bromfield let fly from range and see Gavriloaia make a mess of trying to keep it out and see the ball find the net, and the hosts suddenly had a two goal cushion.
Hadley then almost pounced on a defensive clearance which struck someone and fell into the path of them, but keeper Gislette managed to get in the way to prevent the visitors from netting, but in the 45th minute Hadley grabbed one back when a shot from Stephen O’Hara hit the post before hitting keeper Gislette and tricking over the line for an own goal.
It meant the hosts went into the break with a one goal lead and ended a quite breathless half of football.
Half Time Redbridge 2 Hadley 1
The second half carried on in the same vein and Hadley almost levelled immediately when sending a cross into the six yard box but this was cleared, and then from the resulting corner the ball struck the post before the loose ball was fired wide of the same post.
The hosts then sent a glancing header towards goal which was claimed by Gavriloaia as there was no let-up in the pace of the game, and then good football from the hosts ended with an effort flying over the bar.
The tempo continued to be at 100mph and the hosts missed a sitter at the back post to make it 3-1, before Hadley then sent a dangerous ball across the dangerzone, it was hard to keep up with the pace of the contest even from the stands at times!!!
Another decent opening then came for the visitors, but the half volley went over the bar, and with the away side knocking on the door for an equaliser a good cross from the left was glanced wide of the far post.
Hadley the drove forward again through Ofori, and his ball towards goal almost found a teammate, but the ball dribbled just about through to Gislette who claimed, and then the Motormen got in down the right but the ball across was poor and cleared.
Hadley then flashed another ball across the area before the return ball in just went past the far post, but with eleven minutes left Hadley levelled when a cross from Luke Jupp found substitute Jason Rice who glanced home into the far corner, and you felt the visitors could go on and win this one.
The visitors did prod a decent effort at goal soon after but Gislette saved, and then with six minutes of the ninety remaining Redbridge regained the lead to everyone’s surprise when a flick found Martin who swivelled and struck a left footed effort into the far corner.
Could Hadley find another goal to prevent only a second loss in the league this season, well they almost converted at the back post as the game entered a minimum of six minutes of stoppage time, and despite applying a lot of late pressure the hosts stood firm to hold onto the win and take all three points in a superb contest.
It all means Redbridge have now won four games in a row to go eighth in the division, whilst Hadley slip to fifth after only their second loss in fifteen league games.
Full Time Redbridge 3 Hadley 2
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