Southend Manor 3 Ilford 2

Essex Senior League, Tuesday 6th October 2020 

Tuesday night saw me back over at Southchurch Park as goals from Liam Jarrett, Matthew Keiller and Ben Allen saw Southend Manor twice came from behind to defeat Ilford in their Essex Senior League contest.

Manor came into this one looking to bounce back from their disappointing loss on Friday night at West Essex and also repeat last Tuesday nights success at Southchurch Park against Sporting Bengal United, whilst The Foxes also suffered a big reverse last time out so were looking to bounce back with the points here. 

The game actually kicked off at 19:43, two whole minutes early, which is a rarity in the Essex Senior League!!! And early on it was the visitors who were applying the pressure, and on 12 minutes edged in front after a superb ball from ex-Manor attacker Mo Kargbo found Dion Lewis-Kirwan who curled a first time effort in off the far post for a well taken goal.

As the half went on though Manor began to grow into the contest and did strike the post, and with ten minutes of the half remaining found a leveller in spectacular style when Jarrett curled a beauty from range into the top corner to restore parity. 

Visiting keeper Josh Blackburn the made a brilliant stop to deny Joe Elliott, before Ilford almost went into the break ahead when a free-kick into the Manor area saw Jarrett almost head into his own net, but keeper Clinton Makayabo made a superb stop to keep the ball out, and the teams headed into the changing rooms level.

Half Time Southend Manor 1 Ilford 1

With the teams half time talks still ringing in their ears, Ilford restored their lead as barely a minute after the restart Yemi Adelani burst clear of the defence to slot beyond Makayabo, and The Foxes had edged ahead in this contest by catching Manor cold at the start of the half.

But this Manor side have bounced back from going behind twice before this season, so they knew this one was not over, and Ilford failed to push on and take control of this contest and just like the first half after a good initial start to the half for the visitors, Manor gradually grew into the half as it went on.

In fact most of the play was in the Ilford half and saw Manor put a lot of pressure on their opponents, but the defence and keeper Blackburn just about held firm, with the best chance falling to Allen who could only blast over from twelve yards or so.   Ilford did have their moments in the second period but the hosts defence and keeper Makayabo were equal to anything that came their way.

Then with sixteen minutes remaining Manor were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the box, but substitute Keiller could only send the spot kick wide, and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.  You felt it might not be Manor’s night after that.

But this young side kept believing and Keiller made up for that penalty miss with eight minutes of normal time to go when the ball sat up nicely for him around thirty yards out and he smacked a beauty over Blackburn into the net for a superb leveller, the second one Manor had produced in this game, and it was all square again.

Two minutes after that Manor were awarded another penalty after another foul inside the box, and this time Allen was given the duty of taking the spot kick, and he slotted into the corner and the hosts had turned this one around brilliantly. 

Ilford could not respond and fell to a third loss of the season which leaves them down in 14^th, whilst for Manor it’s another superb win and it sends them up to fifth after their fourth win of the season.  Brilliant entertainment indeed.

Full Time Southend Manor 3 Ilford 2