Saturday 1 October 2022

Redbridge 6 Clapton 0

Essex Senior League, Friday 30th September

Oakside was my venue on the final day of September with some friday night action in the Essex Senior League, and it saw Redbridge net six in a demolition of Clapton to go to the summit of the division in style.

The hosts have had a great start to the season, in their seven league games so far they had won five of them and only lost one, and sat second in the table on goal difference, that one league defeat came had come in mid September at Woodford Town, but despite this rare setback they had won seven of their ten competitive games netting plenty of goals too.

In contrast Clapton have had a difficult start to their campaign, losing four of their six league games so far, and sitting second bottom in the division, with their only win coming at Ilford in mid September although that did show they could get results if they wanted to, however, since that win they had lost three in all competitions conceding an alarming seventeen goals in those games too, so no doubt the hosts were licking their lips.

It was imperative the Tons had a good start, but after only seventy seconds they were behind as they could not clear their lines and hosts defender Joe Elliott side footed a beautiful effort from just inside the box into the far corner with so much calmness and composure, and the home side had the perfect start, whereas for the visitors it was not what the doctor ordered that was for sure.

In awful conditions at Oakside the hosts perfect start got even better just before the quarter hour mark when a lovely slick move saw a ball in from the left goal right across the six yard box and perfectly into the stride of Michael Pindy who rammed home an unstoppable finish from close range, and you feared for Clapton at this point as they looked likely to be in for a long night in the wind and rain battering the ground. 

The Motormen were definitely in the mood for goals, and just before the half hour mark they added a third when another error from the visitors, a cross field pass that was intercepted by the dangerous Pindy, saw him drive into the box before a lovely square pass across the box into the path of Samraj Gill saw the Redbridge attacker produce a lovely finish and punish that error to the max.

The prompted Tons boss Ross Weare into making a change, he had not been impressed at what he had seen so far, and that latest mistake from his side was the final nail in the coffin, however, three minutes before half time came the goal of the night as the hosts added a fourth as a ball into Miles Peterkin saw the attacker flick the ball around his marker, roll him, before he sent a first time volley across goal into the far corner, it was Bergkampesq and certainly had people applauding in the stands, it was a super goal and the hosts had cruised this contest thus far.

No doubt Weare had a few choice words to say to his Clapton side, they certainly had a lot of soul searching to do in that dressing room, and they had to prevent this game from being another embarrassing score line, but they were up against a rampant Redbridge who were full of confidence, although it took them till the midway point of the second half before they added a fifth.

This came after many changes for both sides one of those, Tony Martin, got himself on the scoresheet after he applied a deft finish into the far corner to a Solomon Ogunwomoju pass in from the left hand side of the box, and with two minutes remaining Martin added another when he was sent through on goal, and he duly rounded keeper Alex Reed before slotting home to complete a decent night for the hosts.

It also sent The Motormen top of the division, three points clear of second placed West Essex and with their goal difference much improved too, whereas for Clapton they remain second bottom with just four points from seven games, and with twenty three goals conceded in the last four, it's going to be a worry for boss Weare going forward, much work to do on the training ground that is for sure.

Full time Redbridge 6 Clapton 0









   

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