Woodford Town 2-3 Sporting Bengal United

Defeat for the Woods on a windy night at Ashton’s, means that the Essex Senior League title is now out of reach.

A dull first half saw zero clear-cut chance fall for either side in the opening forty-minutes, however, in the final moments of first half action, the game sprung into life!

With forty-three minutes on the clock, Alex Bolovan picked up a loose ball around thirty-five yards out from goal, drove forward at pace, before unleashing a rocket of a strike into the top corner, leaving Haidara with no chance. Yet another goal of the season contender from the Woods midfielder!

The visitors didn’t let that late first half goal bother them, and in fact, they replied with their own just a matter of moments later. Tanvir Ahmed scored the equaliser, meaning the scoreline was tied at the midway point.

Bengal began the second half the same way they ended the first. After only four second half minutes, Ahmed was amongst the goals again, giving his side the lead against Woodford, who could have secured a play-off place with victory tonight.

Just four minutes after falling behind, Miles Mitchell-Nelson levelled the contest with his second home goal in as many games. Dimitri Christou’s free kick found the defender inside the penalty area, he rose highest to head home.

Despite being pegged back, the visitors didn’t let their spirits die down. They went again in their search for a winner and took the lead with twenty minutes left. Carvell’s corner found Sarr in the danger zone, and he headed past Eddie Allan in the Woodford net.

In their attempts to hold onto their slender lead, Bengal were reduced to nine men deep into stoppage time. Substitute Edwards was shown a straight red card for a vicious tackle, before skipper Carvell was sin-binned.

Woodford looked to capitalise on their two-man advantage, and came ever so close to an equaliser with over one-hundred-minutes on the clock. A shot from the edge of the box was saved, Martins followed it up and cut it back for Luke Steele, who looked certain to score. Heroic last-ditch defending by Freddy Tandom kept the visitors in the lead, and secured all three points for them on the road.

Attendance: 229

Woodford Town starting XI: Allan (GK), Steele, Empochontsif, Mitchell-Nelson, Benoit, Soganile, Jewers (C), Bolovan, Christou, Okoh, Sollosi,

Substitutes: Kirwan-Meade, Martins, Brown-Johnson, Johnston, Painter

Report by Harrison Nathan