Essex Senior League, Monday 31st July
I popped to Cricklefield for the Essex Senior League's only Monday night game this week as the second round of matches got underway in the season, and it saw Ilford host Sporting Bengal United on a lovely sunny evening in Seven Kings.
The Foxes were looking to bounce back from an opening day defeat at home to Halstead Town, whereas Sporting were looking to build on their excellent win at Great Wakering Rovers in their opening encounter of the season although hoping for less drama than they experienced at the end of that one!!!
It was the visitors who certainly did most of the running in the opening half hour, and if it had not been for Ilford keeper Tim Pitman, the hosts would have found themselves at least three goals down, one particular save from Steve Carvell, whose effort seemed destined for the bottom corner, was very special, but as the half went on the hosts did carve out some openings of their own.
And despite being on the back foot for the majority of the half, it was Ilford who edged ahead five minutes before the break when a lovely ball in from the left by Josh Boxall saw Mohamud Kaudeer get across his marker to convert a first time effort beyond Sidi Haidera in the Sporting goal, and it was to get even better for the hosts right on half time when Boxall again was the provider, sending a lovely forward pass into the path of Joe Lilly who applied a neat finish and sent the hosts into the break two goals to the good.
Ilford needed to keep it tight at the start of the second period, a Sporting goal could certainly put them under a lot of pressure, but the visitors did manage to pull one back just two minutes into the second period when Shermandin Artmeladze, fresh from two goals at the weekend, drove into the box and rifled an effort beyond Pitman to reduce the arrears, not what Ilford wanted but the perfect start to the half for the visitors.
And in the 56th minute came a moment Ilford keeper Pitman will want to forget, a hopeful ball towards the box seemed routine for the keeper to gather on the edge of the box, but he let the ball squirm from his grasp and allowed substitute Elliot McGovern to nip in behind him to slot into the unguarded net, it was a real shame for Pitman who had been having a superb game up till that point.
This leveller began a mad five minute spell which saw the hosts fall apart and concede a further two goals as their half time lead had now turned into a two goal deficit, Sporting grabbing the lead just before the hour mark when defender Damiola Olusesi waltzed past defenders before getting into the box and fired a superb effort past Pitman, and then just two minutes after that a ball into the box was brilliantly controlled by Alagi Juwara into the path of Artmeladze who sent a effort past Pitman for his second and Sporting's fourth.
It was a crazy few minutes, and a ruthless visiting side were now in total control, and ultimately that period of play was enough for them to take a second win in two and go top of a very early ESL table, a very satisfying start to their campaign then, whereas for Ilford that is two defeats now and seven goals conceded, both at home, they certainly have some work to do going forward that's for sure.
Full time Ilford 2 Sporting Bengal United 4
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