Redbridge 3 White Ensign 2

Essex Senior League, Tuesday August 17th

Tuesday night saw me over at Oakside to see Redbridge take on ESL new boys White Ensign, and the hosts managed to survive a second half fightback from the visitors to claim their third win of the season in a very entertaining contest.

The Motormen have had a sold start, winning two of their four matches so far, although they had suffered their first setback of the new season at the weekend after they were beaten by many peoples tip for the title in Walthamstow, so they were looking to bounce back in this one against an Ensign side who had lost their opening two games of the season, both at home, against Stansted and also Walthamstow, which was a tough start for the Southend side.

The visitors though had knocked Sporting Bengal United out of the FA Cup in their last outing so at least had a win under their belts this term, but the first half saw them well off the pace as Redbridge seemingly had taken complete control of this contest by half time.

The hosts had numerous openings in the opening fifteen minutes before they finally broke through in the 19th minute when Tim Ogunrinde received a pass and then used his pace to get into position and fire a lovely left footed effort beyond Frankie Warboyes in the Ensign goal, and then six minutes later Redbridge had another as a wonderful cross from Jack Roult found the head of skipper James Barlow who planted a lovely header into the far corner.

Ensign boss Brett Munyard was less than pleased with his side, they had just not come out of the changing room so far and were so far off the pace it was worrying for the visiting management, and Redbridge were threatening to run amok, and should have made it three when Ogunrinde was bundled over inside the box for a penalty, however, Roh Norris sent his spot kick way over and into the catchment fencing behind the goal, a let off and maybe a turning point for the visitors?

Well, not really, because in first half stoppage time Redbridge did find a third goal when the brilliant Ogunrinde saw a shot from the edge of the box deflect beyond Warboyes and see him grab his second of the game and send The Motormen into the break 3-0 up and in total control of this game, Ensign were all at sea and starting a heavy defeat in the face for the second successive league match.

No doubt some choice words were said in that Ensign dressing room at the break, and it looked to have worked as just beyond the hour mark Ayo Odukoya, who was superb for the visitors in the second period, received a pass and he used his pace to charge into the box, cut inside onto his left foot, and fire an effort beyond Redbridge keeper Joe Palmer, and the visitors sniffed an unlikely comeback.

That soon turned into a real possibility though when Ensign pulled another one back ten minutes later when a ball into the box found it's way through to Luke Woodward and the striker sent a close range effort into the bottom corner, and it was now very much game on.

And they thought they had levelled when a cross was headed in off the post by substitute Zack Littlejohn, however the referee had seen an infringement and the goal was ruled out, much to Ensign's dismay, but the hosts were now clinging on to their lead, something that looked very unlikely at the break.

Connor Barnby then had a glorious chance to equalise, but sliced wide, and this only added to the visitors frustrations as Redbridge looked to run down the clock, and these frustrations got the better of another substitute Ollie Bell, who was sin binned late on meaning the visitors would finish with ten men.

So, it's a third win in five for the hosts who looked superb, especially first half, and Ogunrinde in my view was the star for the hosts, causing the visitors problems all evening down the left, whilst for Ensign it's three defeats from three now and ten goals conceded, and with the loss of Dylan Jones in the first half to what looked like a long term injury, it wasn't the greatest of evenings for them.

Redbridge are now up to third whilst Ensign are down in eighteenth, the hosts are without a game this weekend due to the FA Cup, whilst Ensign have a very tough task away at Isthmian North side Basildon United in the same competition, a free hit you may say, but they cannot play like they did in the first half in this one in that game otherwise the hosts could be out of sight in no time.

Full Time Redbridge 3 White Ensign 2