Sporting Bengal United 0 Athletic Newham 2

Essex Senior League, Wednesday January 26th

I was over at Mile End for the third time in recent weeks on Wednesday evening and saw late first half strikes from Benjamin Bodipo & Rasheed Salau help Athletic Newham to victory over struggling Sporting Bengal United.

The hosts have only tasted victory once all season, that was way back on September 4th, and have only gained one point since that win in their sixteen league games since then, with that last point coming on October 23rd, so a run of fifteen losses in sixteen, and on a run of nine successive defeats since that draw.

It's not all doom and gloom though, as their last two games have seen them only lose by a goal and have netted five in those two games, although they still lost those games, so defending is still an issue, or lack of concentration at key moments, but no doubt Steve Clark will be encouraged by what he has seen recently, despite the results, and he would have drilled that into his side as they welcomed an Athletic Newham side stunned by a loss to Clapton at the weekend so could they provide the same shock as The Tons did at the weekend perhaps?

Athletic Newham in contrast were looking to put that very disappointing result behind them and get back to winning ways here, and most people were expecting this to happen, and they knew if they could pick up the points they would go above Saffron Walden Town, who they play at Catons Lane on Saturday, into fifth spot on goal difference and be in touching distance of the top four with games in hand in those above them.

Despite that loss against Clapton though the visitors had been unbeaten in the league since the end of October against leaders Walthamstow, so a run of six games, and they had also made history by reaching the Last 16 of the FA Vase too so no doubt the result against Clapton was just a flash in the pan, or so they hoped anyway. If they played well in this one at Mile End then no doubt they would come out on top you would have thought.

The first period played out how most expected, with the visitors creating all the openings, but found hosts keeper Kevin Rrushi hard to beat, Richard Kone, their star player who many higher league clubs are looking at, had a brilliant chance to put his side ahead but saw his point blank effort saved by Rrushi, whilst there were other close shaves at that end as the hosts just about held on to the 0-0 score line.

However, five minutes before half time Athletic Newham's frustrations were eased as they managed to find the net as Bodipo took aim from twenty yards out and saw keeper Rrushi dive over the ball and see it find the bottom corner, the keeper would have been disappointed with the effort but it was a decent strike and a deserved lead for the visitors.

And right on half time one became two as Newham doubled their lead as a cross to the far post saw Salau totally unmarked and he duly finished past Rrushi from close range and left the home defence looking at each other and wondering who was supposed to be picking him up etc etc, it was just the sort of confusion that has been there downfall all season, and they now had a mountain to climb in the second period.

To Sporting's credit they really battled hard in the second period and as a result a much more competitive half ensued, yes Athletic Newham should have added to their lead, they managed to head against the bar on one occasion, and Kone, who was not having his best game, sliced wide after bursting through and rounding Rrushi, but he had overrun the ball and couldn't hook it back from what was an impossible angle, meaning Sporting survived again.

The hosts though did at least end the game well, and did manage to test visiting keeper Wilkinson Boateng with a stinging shot which the big keeper managed to beat away, but they could not find the net and it meant the visitors would see out the game and grab a vital three points in their battle for promotion, making that game against Walden at the weekend very important, if it wasn't already.

For Sporting another loss but Clark can take positives from the second half spirit showed, but spirit and determination won't get them points, only wins will do now if they are to make a miracle escape, they take on St Margaretsbury at home on Saturday hoping the wins start there, although it's hard to see them grabbing enough of them to have any chance of not finishing bottom of the pile, but we will see as they say.

Full time Sporting Bengal United 0 Athletic Newham 2