(Action from Walthamstow's 4-1 win over Heybridge Swifts in the Isthmian North)
Saturday 21st March
On a beautiful March sunny day I decided today was the day I paid a visit to Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow and make a day of it by taking in two games on the same grounds, I first watched Walthamstow U23 take on Sawbridgeworth Town U23 on the 3G surface at the venue in what was an Essex Senior Reserve Division matchup, and following that Walthamstow were taking on Heybridge Swifts in an Isthmian North contest over in the main stadium.
Let's first look at the lunchtime fare from the ESL Reserve Division...
Walthamstow U23 Vs Sawbridgeworth Town U23 (ESL Reserve Division)
This was a game towards the final few spots in the division, ninth against tenth in a league that only had thirteen sides competing in it at this stage of the season, Stow did have a seven point gap to their opponents today and knew a win could take them up to eighth spot, Sawbo couldn't improve their position whatever they did today, but they were looking to continue what had been a good run of recent form.
Since losing at White Ensign in late November six league games had passed with just one defeat, at second placed Billericay Town, and three of those games had been wins including a 9-1 demolition of May & Baker at the start of the year, so although the games were not coming thick and fast, the ones they had been playing were largely positive, Stow on the other hand had been rather inconsistent since the turn of the year.
In seven league games since new year they had won three but lost three, in a run where they would win a game then lose the next one, and their last outing was a 2-2 draw against Redbridge, so it really was what Stow side turned up in this fixture against a Sawbo outfit who had picked up eleven if their thirteen points this season in their last six games after a terrible run prior to that.
Well, the visitors did not start in this one, and were a goal down after just two minutes, losing the ball in a dangerous area and seeing the hosts square across goal where a powerful finish thumped in off the bar, and then moments later it looked as if Stow had won a penalty, but, the referee deemed the Stow player had dived, and was booked, much to the amazement of everyone watching. (This even included the visitors and the player who challenged the attacker, who said it was definitely a penalty, and the player fouled went off injured, fair play to the referee though who apologised to the hosts at half time for his error)
Anyway, back to the action, and Sawbo then struck the post twice as they tried to level the game up, Stow then struck the post themselves before they did double the lead on the half hour mark, the visitors just sat off the hosts and allowed them all the time in the world to pick a pass through and finish beyond the keeper, and then two minutes later it was three for the hosts and another error from the visiting back line, allowing the striker in to finish beyond a stranded keeper.
Sawbo did manage to finally take one of several chances they had created in the opening half, winning a penalty and firing this home, and they did hit the woodwork again just before the break, it had been a half of very poor defending from both sides in the main, but Stow had been the ones to take more of the opportunities that came their way and held a 3-1 lead at the break.
Any team talk at half time from the visitors went out of the window within two minutes of the restart as they conceded a penalty and this was dispatched and Stow now held a 4-1 cushion and surely they wouldn't let that lead slip, well Sawbo then missed more chances to reduce the arrears but were always in danger of conceding at the other end too, but just before the hour they did find a second goal which was a scrappy finish from close range to make it 4-2.
And with seventeen minutes to go it was 4-3, the hosts keeper totally misjudged a cross and allowed it to go over his head, which was was headed back across goal and rifled into the roof of the net at the back post, and now Stow only had a one goal lead heading into the final quarter hour.
More chances came at both ends, but this bonkers, attacking contest finally came to an end and saw Stow hold on to record the win, it had been a great advert for Reserves football, attacking wise at least, and a very entertaining watch too, breathless, and one of those games you didn't want to end.
Full time Walthamstow U23 4 Sawbridgeworth Town 3
Onto the second game of the day at Wadham Lodge, and it was Walthamstow's men's first team up against Heybridge Swifts in the main stadium...
Walthamstow Vs Heybridge Swifts (Isthmian North)
This pitted a Stow side who were 15th and eight points clear of the relegation spots against a Heybridge Swifts outfit who were third bottom and eight points from safety, so Stow knew a win would almost certainly give them enough points to survive, and defeat for Heybridge would make their already tough task of survival even more impossible then it looked prior to kick off.
Their has been a lot of off field problems at Scraley Road this season, and their preparation for this game wasn't helped when club skipper Connor Hogan was released by the club this week, which hadn't gone down with the player and supporters, whatever went on it wasn't an ideal scenario ahead of a must win game you felt, although eight losses in twelve since Christmas hadn't filled them with much hope but they needed to turn that form around from now if they had any chance of escaping the clutches of the drop zone.
Stow themselves had played ten games since Christmas and won half those and lost four of them, they had recently recorded back to back wins before holding promotion chasing Felixstowe & Walton United before losing to an in form Takeley last time out, but they were in a much better frame of mind than their opponents, and after only ten minutes Stow had grabbed the lead, a long ball was allowed to bounce, and Callum Ibe took the opportunity to lob the ball over a stranded Tommy Dixon-Hodge and find the net.
It had been a good start by the hosts but as the half went on Swifts began to cause problems of their own, and even saw a free kick whipped in by Joshua Colyer glance off the bar, but, in first half stoppage Stow grabbed a killer second when full back Jordan Peart rose to head home a corner and send the hosts into the break two goals to the good.
That goal certainly was a pivotal moment in the game, the visitors had been getting up a head of steam late in the first half and at 1-0 were very much in it, but that second goal really knocked the stuffing out of them, as did a third goal which came three minutes after the break, Connor Witherspoon fell over inside the six yard attempting to prevent Stow scoring, the ball hit his hand and penalty was given, allowing Brian Garzon to step up and net the spot kick.
Those goals either side of the break had pretty much ended this contest, a contest that was definitely over when Stow were awarded another penalty just before the hour mark when Demi Elegushi was brought down inside the box, and this time Charlie Heatley stepped up to smash home the spot kick and hand Stow a 4-0 lead.
Chris Regis and Heatley both had the ball in the Swifts net thereafter but were both correctly ruled out for offside, and Swifts did manage to pull a goal back with seventeen minutes left when substitute Ben McCrow cut inside before firing into the bottom corner and prevent the hosts from picking up a clean sheet, but it was a small blot on the hosts copybook as they recorded victory which takes them eleven points above the drop zone, and with only a handful of games remaining I feel Stow have enough points to be safe now.
The same cannot be said for Heybridge, they are still eight points from safety and drop to second bottom, and with only six games to go, it is going to take some effort for Swifts to survive now.
Full time Walthamstow 4 Heybridge Swifts 1
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