Hashtag United 4 St Margaretsbury 1

Essex Senior League, Monday 5th October 2020 

Monday night saw me make the short trip to The Len Salmon Stadium as Hashtag United were back in Essex Senior League action after their FA Cup exploits as they hosted St Margaretsbury on the 3G at Bowers & Pitsea.

The Tags FA Cup exploits of course have grabbed the headlines recently, but their league campaign is probably more important in their progress as a club as they look to gain promotion to Step Four and the Isthmian League for next season, and they knew a win would take them back level with leaders Cockfosters, and a win by six goals would see them go top on goal difference, although just a win would do no doubt.

They welcomed a St Margaretsbury side to The Len Salmon who had had a mixed start to the campaign, with only one win in six and three draws too, that win coming last time out at home to Woodford Town, whilst previous to that they fought back from 0-3 down at home to Clapton to earn a point, but they knew Hashtag were a much much tougher proposition in this one and it would be a difficult contest.

But with the hosts having only 48 hours or so to recover from that tough FA Cup tie at the weekend against Braintree Town, some were saying that they could suffer a hangover from that, and maybe the visitors, who hadn’t played for almost a week might have the edge perhaps?

Well, the opening forty five minutes didn’t suggest this, as the hosts blew their opponents away, it all started in the 14^th minute when George Smith was adjudged to have been onside and he drove into the box before seeing his effort at goal deflect over keeper Graham Loki and drop into the net, and then seven minutes later and after the visitors had failed to clear a corner, Harry Honesty drove a left footed effort into the bottom corner from inside the box.

The Tags were in complete control and after a ball down the right saw Jesse Waller Lassen adjudged to be onside, a second tight call that had the visitors upset as they believed he was offside, just like Smith for the first goal, but no flag came and he squared a ball across to Smith and although his first effort was well saved by Loki, the ball came back to Smith and he swept home the rebound eleven minutes before the break and you felt the hosts could run away with this one.

St Mags had showed some fleeting moments in attack in the first period but they were largely on the defensive and were probably happy to just be three goals behind at the break, so as they went into the break they knew they needed to try and some how get a foothold in this contest to prevent the hosts from netting a big win.  Hangover, what hangover said the hosts???  It had been a super first half performance from The Tags that was for sure.

Half Time Hashtag United 3 St Margaretsbury 0

The visitors obviously had a frank discussion at the half and they certainly began the period the better, and eight minutes into it pulled a goal back when Kyle Roberts took advantage of some sloppy defending to cut into the box and fire and effort beyond Page, it was the perfect start to the half for the visitors and they could dream of a possible comeback, unthinkable at half time.

The hosts were certainly much more off the pace in the second period, maybe the endeavours of the weekend was finally catching up with them, but fair play to St Mags for continuing to play some good football and make this period of play a far more competitive and tight contest.

But for all the possession the visitors had, they didn’t really trouble Page in the Hashtag goal too much, and the hosts were never really in trouble despite suffering a rather sloppy half and getting nowhere near the levels set in the first forty five minutes of the contest.

The Tags still had a couple of good chances to make it four, Waller Lassen struck a free kick just wide, and then Toby Aromolaran, who was The Tags stand out player in this one after a superb performance, especially first half when he was at times unplayable, struck the foot of the post from inside the box.

With five minutes left though, Aromolaran was to turn provider for Hashtag’s fourth and final goal, when he capitalised on a mistake in the St Mags backline to square into the area and see Albie Keith fire home with keeper Loki stranded in no mans land, and Hashtag had their three goal cushion back.

Three points for Hashtag United then, with the damage being done in the first period, and the points take them level with Cockfosters at the top although the North London side have a better goal difference so still occupy top spot, whilst the visitors although showed much encouragement in the second period, they were blown away in the opening half and ultimately this is where they lost the contest.  They remain in 12^th with six points from their six matches so far.

Full Time Hashtag United 4 St Margaretsbury 1