Goals from Tony Cookey and Richard Kone saw Lopes Tavares to victory over White Ensign at Burroughs Park, ending the hosts brilliant eleven match winning run in the process and enhancing their chances of promotion as a result.
League leaders Ensign knew that a win would see them continue their club record breaking winning run, and also see the gap at the top extend to ten points, whilst Lopes knew they could still keep the title in their hands as a win would see them pull to eight points behind the leaders with four games in hand.
So, a big game at the top then, and it was the visitors who had the first openings when firstly Simon Bamidele sent a ball across goal before moments later a scramble inside the hosts box was eventually cleared by the home side.
The hosts responded when Brad Gates sent in a good ball which just invaded Connor Barnby who had he reached the pass would have been in on goal, before Ensign went close again as a lovely pass from Brett Munyard released Dominic Locke in down the right, but from an acute angle he could only fire wide of the far post.
Munyard then almost got in for the hosts but saw the ball get away from him, whilst down the other end Jeff Idemudia saw an effort deflect wide, and then Joel Appiah saw a header headed off the hosts line by Charlie Buffin as the game began to liven up.
Lopes then had a golden chance to take the lead when Cookey was sent clear, but his finish was miles over, before Ensign saw a Gates ball in headed wide by Andy George, then Lopes went close again as a ball in by Guerrero just invaded the incoming Carlos Indjai at the back post.
Good play down the left by Munyard and Gates saw the latter lay a pass over to Barnby, but his finish was off target, but three minutes before the break Lopes edged in front after a ball in from Bamidele saw Cookey send a brilliant header into the far corner beyond Nick Wilson, and it meant the visitors had a slender lead at the break.
Half Time White Ensign 0 Lopes Tavares 1
Lopes burst forward early in the second period but Idemudia saw an effort fly over, and with the visitors threatening a second Wilson had to save before the loose ball was fired off target by Guerrero.
Ensign then had a spell of their own and almost saw Munyard get on the end of a Barnby cross, but it was deflected just behind the attacker with keeper Wilkinson Boateng committed to the cross so was nowhere had the striker been on the end of it, and Boeteng then had to claw over a header from George.
Dave Limber, on as a second half substitute, then saw a header at the visitor’s goal cleared off the far post, and then Munyard sent a looping header over the Lopes goal soon after.
Munyard then found himself in on goal but saw his finish sliced horribly wide, and then Idemudia sent another long-range effort whooshing past the hosts net as the game entered the final fifteen minutes.
Boeteng was again called into action, tipping over a Jason Reynolds-Blanche header, before Limber saw a header blocked and then Locke then got in down the left but could only drag his effort wide of the far post.
Guerrero then sent a free kick wide for the visitors, but with twelve minutes remaining Lopes grabbed a crucial second when substitute Kone was sent clear, and he slotted beyond Wilson into the far corner to send the visitors wild with delight, and gave the hosts a mountain to climb if they were to rescue anything from this one.
Ensign then nearly shot themselves in the foot when they messed up a quick free kick which saw Lopes break two on one, but Kone saw his effort saved by Wilson before the keeper then had to punch away a cross from Appiah and then Kone fired another effort way over.
With four minutes to go though Ensign were handed a lifeline as Locke was brought down inside the box for a penalty, and Luke Skinner stepped up to bury the spot kick and the hosts had four minutes plus stoppage time to find a leveller.
The hosts though again almost gifted their opponents a clinching third when they sent a throw on straight into the path of Kone, but his effort was saved by Wilson, before Kone got in again after some quick feet, but his effort was brilliantly blocked by George.
The game ended on a rather sour note though as in stoppage time Skinner fouled Idemudia and as Skinner got up he appeared to stamp on his opponent, sparking a melee involving almost the entire playing staff and benches. Once the dust had settled Skinner was shown a straight red, whilst Idemudia was also dismissed after receiving a second yellow, and Lopes would end the game with nine as Indjai was also shown a second yellow for his involvement in the fracas.
Anyway, after those crazy few moments Ensign had one last chance to send the ball into the box, and another substitute John Hilliard sent in the set play and found his keeper Wilson, who had come up for the free kick, on the edge of the area, but his header at goal was saved by Boeteng and soon after the whistle went to confirm the end of Ensign’s winning run and a huge three points for the visitors.
Despite the defeat Ensign still have a seven-point lead at the top though and a ten-point gap to fifth, whilst Lopes remain fourth and eight points behind the leaders with four games in hand on them. Winning those games could be difficult though but it is still technically in their hands. And they still have to play Ensign at home too……oooooh
Full Time White Ensign 1 Lopes Tavares 2
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