Essex Senior League Errington Challenge Cup Preliminary Round, Wednesday December 1st
Mile End was my venue for Wednesday night for an Essex Senior League Errington Challenge Cup Preliminary Round contest between Sporting Bengal United & Stansted, and goals from Jack Mitchell, Michael Salako and a late Igor Furtado own goal saw The Airportmen through, setting up a home Round One tie with Redbridge.
The very sparse crowd that did turn up to see this one were all expecting a comfortable win for the visitors, well at least I was anyway, after the hosts rather poor campaign so far, rock bottom of the division, oh and the last time they met, Stansted netted nine at Hargrave Park, and since that horrific night for the hosts they have one point from four games, conceding thirteen and have failed to score in their last three too.
The Airportmen on the other hand are having a good season and sat fourth in the division and are well in with a shout of a runners up spot (Walthamstow will most likely win the league, its who can finish second behind them) along with several other contenders, although their recent form had been mixed, although as said most expected them to win this one.
And the visitors had the ideal start after just two minutes when a poor bit of keeping from Kevin Rrushi, coming way out his goal to just outside the box to try and win a tackle and failing, saw the ball end up with Mitchell who ran into the box and fired into the net where the keeper should have been, and Stansted had been gifted the lead.
Fair play to the hosts though, as rather than fold and allow the visitors to run all over them, they actually competed well with their opponents who were frankly not really 'on it' thereafter it has to be said, and the hosts best chance in the half was a free kick which visiting keeper James Dillon superbly tipped over.
The Airportmen though did have some openings after that early goal and were always a threat when they came forward, and eight minutes before the break doubled their lead when a ball headed back into the six yard box saw Salako pounce and prod home from close range despite Rrushi's best efforts to keep it out, and The Airportmen were well on their way to winning this tie.
A rather subdued second period followed, both sides making some changes to give minutes to other players no doubt, Sahr Bongay was particularly dangerous for the visitors down the left and gave the hosts a lot to think about, but at 2-0 Stansted knew if the hosts were to find a route back into the game things could get tricky.
They almost did just that as well when a deflected effort was brilliantly saved by Dillon, however the visitors were always fairly in control of matters throughout despite not being at their best, and could have grabbed a third had Sporting keeper Rrushi not made a couple of decent stops. but in stoppage time at the end of the game Bongay, who I mentioned earlier, sent in a decent ball from the left which was turned into his own net by defender Furtado at the near post.
A result that was expected then, although the hosts did compete well and at times cause the visitors some alarm, but as said Stansted were fairly in control for the majority and they will now welcome Redbridge to Hargrave Park for a First Round tie in this competition.
Full Time Sporting Bengal United 0 Stansted 3
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