Hashtag United 3 Redbridge 3

Pre Season Friendly, Monday July 19th

My fourth pre season fixture of the 2021/22 season saw me over at The Len Salmon Stadium in Pitsea for Isthmian North new boys Hashtag United's home game with Essex Senior League side Redbridge, the league Hashtag United had of course won promotion from to take their place in their new division for the coming season.

It was the lower league visitors though who made the biggest impression in the opening half, and after they had come the closest to breaking the deadlock when thumping an effort against the underside of the bar, from the resulting corner their No.2 fired home from inside the box just before the midway point in the first period.

And ten minutes before the break they doubled their lead when a lovely pass found No.10 in on goal and he fired home emphatically despite being chased down by a defender, and the Motormen had impressed thus far in this one and held a two goal cushion at the break.

Things livened up a bit early on in the second period when Tag's four and Redbridge's Sixteen came together which caused a bit of a melee, and then moments later the same thing happened again, resulting in a booking for the visitors forward, it had certainly added some juice to this one though, and shortly after all of this excitement Redbridge looked to have landed the knockout punch when No.10, who looked more than decent, shifted onto his left foot before curling home delightfully twelve minutes into the second period.

Hashtag though soon got themselves a lifeline when after a foul inside the box the hosts won a penalty on the hour mark, which was dispatched emphatically by skipper Ross Gleed, and then with just under twenty minutes remaining Gleed again found the net to bring the hosts right back into the contest after firing home a free kick from the edge of the box.

The Motormen almost curled home a fourth but despite this it was pretty much all Hashtag for the final quarter of the contest, but after the hosts had gone close and also struck the bar, it looked like Redbridge may hold on, however, with a minute of normal time remaining enter Carlos Flood who rifled home a superb effort from outside the box to bring the hosts level, could they go on and take an incredible win?

They had the chance to in stoppage time but blazed over from twelve yards after a loose ball fell to them, and it meant the game would end all square and bring to a close a very entertaining contest. Certainly in that second half their was no quarter given, and with three flashpoints there was certainly nothing friendly about it, but a decent watch nonetheless and a decent fightback from the hosts in the end.

Full Time Hashtag United 3 Redbridge 3