Bloods prevail in scrappy affair

Jean-Baptiste Fischer’s near-post header, on his debut, secured a vital 1-0 victory for Saffron Walden Town away to Ilford, in a match which saw both sides reduced to ten players.

The midfielder, signed from Sittingbourne, met youngster Conor Hoskins’ corner midway through the first half, which was enough to see Walden over the line eventually.

Saffron Walden came into the match off the back of a hugely disappointing 3-1 home defeat to White Ensign the previous weekend, and it was confirmed during the week that midfielders Sam Deering and Eman Okunja would both face spells on the sidelines due to injury, although assistant manager Deering was named on the bench for the match.

Because of this, three new players were in the matchday squad: Fischer, striker Jason Chalk and Godson Mongwele, who started the match on the bench.

After a cagey start to the match on a poor pitch at Cricklefields, Hoskins’ left-footed corner on 25 minutes, at the end of a good five-minute spell for the Bloods, was met by an unmarked Fischer who guided his header into the far corner.

Walden, who by this point were in the ascendancy, then played a through-ball looking for the run of the influential Solomon Ofori, 1 on 1 with Ilford keeper Wilkinson Boateng, who brought him down just outside the penalty area, leaving the referee with no choice but to show Boateng the red card and leave Ilford, with no goalkeeper on the bench, having to field an outfield player in goal for the hour left of the match.

And just after Ilford’s Greg Akpele missed a golden chance to level the two sides at the break, Ofori was again brought down by an Ilford player on the stroke of half time, this time in the penalty area to give the Bloods a golden opportunity to go in two up at the break.

However, Jamie Hursit, fresh from scoring a penalty the previous week against White Ensign, failed to capitalise, scuffing his penalty wide, via the post, with virtually the last kick of the first half.

The second half started with Ilford on top, which was heightened when Chalk’s late challenge when pressing an Ilford defender was deemed to be worthy of a red card by the match referee, leaving Walden with a tougher task in defending their lead.

But despite Ilford knocking on the door for the remainder of the match against a very tired-looking Bloods side, they were unable to find a way through, with defensive players Tam Eyong, Tom Skelton, Ricky Modeste and captain Michael Turner particularly impressive in securing a vital win for John Hughes’ side, moving them up to fourth in the Essex Senior League table.

Next up for the Bloods is a tricky Tuesday night trip to Little Oakley, before hosting fellow promotion-challengers Barking on Saturday. Ilford, meanwhile, travel to White Ensign on Tuesday evening before welcoming Sawbridgeworth Town to Cricklefields on Saturday.

 

Ilford: Boateng, Ahmadi, Greenslade, Junior (Habib, 66’), Okafor, Akpele (Ukonu, 66’), Appiah (C), Utazi, Dousa, Wazola, Shobowale. Subs not used: Jatta, Konate, Amevor.

Bookings: Utazi. Red cards: Boateng.

 

Saffron Walden Town: Askew, J. Hursit, Modeste, Eyong, Skelton, Turner (C), Ofori (L. Hursit, 72’), Hoskins, Chalk, Fischer (Mongwele, 81’), Elongo (Da Moura, 90+1). Subs not used: Coton, Deering.

Bookings: Modeste. Red cards: Chalk.