Ilford vs Maldon & Tiptree

Ilford v Maldon and Tiptree Ryman League 1 North 11 January


In a poor spectacle of a game, where the ball spent more time in the air than on the ground, Maldon and Tiptree 's gritty display gained a further 3 points that pushed them further away from the relegation dog fight at the bottom of the league. 

In a fairly even first half the poor playing surface meant that both teams tended to use the long ball rather than play anything along the ground. This tactic almost proved productive for the visitors in the fist few minutes when Wall put Yao through on goal but home keeper Budd saved with his legs and then kept out Yao's follow up effort. After 15 minutes Coyne, for the visitors, put a a good cross that Pearman just sent over the bar. Ilford responded with one of very few passing moves that finished with Glowacki just shooting over. Any clear chances on goal were few and far between but the home side carved out the best effort of the half when Glowacki's header hit the far post with Gabriel unable to profit from the rebound. Stevens in the visitors goal then had to react sharply to keep out Carter's shot before the same player put the rebound past the post. Just before the interval, Pearman, for Maldon and Tiptree was put clear of the home defence by Yao but his hurried effort went over the bar. ,

Half time Ilford 0 Maldon and Tiptree 0 

Maldon and Tiptree, with the wind and slight slope in their favour, put early pressure on the home defence and scored 4 minutes into the second half when Wall got on the end of a long ball out of defence to finish well into the top left corner, leaving Budd with no chance. Only one minute later Wall found himself in the same situation but this time his shot went wide. Ilford's keeper Budd, then did well with a diving save at Yao's feet after he had been sent clear by Wall's pass through the home defence before Wall shot wide after good work by Stevenson. Ilford's response was mainly confined to long high balls but Bansor was having a fine game in the centre of the visitors defence so there was little direct threat on the visitors goal. Maldon and Tiptree continued to look the more likely to score and Pearman was only just over with a long shot from Budd's misplaced kick out. Just on the end of normal time the visitors made the game safe when a swift passing move between Wall and Yao left Yao in the clear to convert from close range. In injury time Ilford's last effort was left to Opoka to shoot over from Glowacki's free kick. 


Final score Ilford 0 Maldon and Tiptree 2 

Maldon and Tiptree 

Stevens, Coyne, Bansor, Stevenson, Flanagan, Cousins, Milner, Coleman, Yao, Wall, Pearman

Unused Substitutes

Collins, Downs, Ladapo, Berquez, Antoine

Ilford.

Budd, Tomkins (Hazelwood 65), Kaphorous, Sonuga, Olatunbosun (Jarvis 84), Simpson, Gabriel, Glowacki, Carter, Opoka, Stamp (Abioye 75)

Unused Substitutes

Alexander