Sawbridgeworth Town 1 Redbridge 4
Essex Senior League
Saturday 25th November
Report by Scott Lanza
Redbridge kept themselves firmly at the top of the table after a master class at Crofters on Saturday. It was a performance that saw the Motormen dominate for large parts of the game with the defence also standing firm when required.
However it was the Robins who had the first chance when Toby Cleaver placed a glancing header narrowly past the post in the opening minute. Two minutes later and the Motormen fired up their engine with Reside Coxi-Sebastfao using his pace to get behind Sawbridgeworth’s defence with his shot being tipped over by Matt Ponter. Tommie Turner then delivered a cross from the right flank that Ponter came out to claim, clattering into Matt Frew in the process. Jonathon Mbamara had a shot cleared off the line – even though the referee then awarded a free kick to the hosts having spotted foul in the build up.
It had been a solid start by Redbridge and this continued when in the 12th minute Brian Moses had a shot charged down by Ponter with the resulting corner being scrambled clear by the Robins defence. Liam Thomas then hit the cross bar with a header from yet another Redbridge corner and Moses then almost found Coxi-Sebastfao with a speculative through ball which may have caused the hosts some problems had the connection been made as the Robins found their defence stretched.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 29th minute when Turner had a shot blocked with Moses pouncing on the rebound and then going down under a challenge. The referee awarded a penalty which Moses duly despatched to give Redbridge a well deserved lead.
Lewis Greene had to pull off a save to deny Daryl Doolan soon afterwards and the Redbridge keeper also had to claim a Billy Skinner cross. But it was the Sawbridgeworth defence that were having to put in a hard working shift as the Motormen continued moving forward. Martin Tuohy showed some great skill to get a ball down and then sent over an inch-perfect pass to Turner that needed Louis Monk to block before clearing. And just before the break Coxi-Sebastfao worked his way into the box, laid off Moses whose shot was blocked by Ponter.
The second half started with Moses climbing above his marker to head an effort that was hooked off the line by Lewis Deamer. It was an early indication that Redbridge were not going to rest on their laurels and in their next attack extended their lead when a ball into the box was rifled home by Eljay Worrell.
Sawbridgeworth very nearly reduced arrears when Keke Orth darted into the Redbridge box and hit a low shot that Greene saved. Deamer then managed to hit the back of the net but the goal was chalked off as the linesman’s flag was up for an offside.
But Redbridge then went through the gears with Moses going close with a towering header. On the hour Moses weaved his way past the Sawbridgeworth defence before slotting the ball past Ponter.
Skinner drilled a shot from distance that wasn’t too far from hitting the net and James Mays went even closer when his long range effort sailed past Greene but dipped just a little too late, n on the top of the net rather than under the cross bar. Greene also had to be at his best to keep out a Mark Robinson effort, following up that great save with an even better one to deny Orth.
Tuohy rounded up the Redbridge scoring in the 84th minute when a ball across the box reached him and he finished the move by scoring from close range.
Having put on a great attacking display which had been backed up by a well marshalled defence that kept Sawbridgeworth chances at a premium, it was perhaps a shame that when the hosts were able to pull one back it came via an error. Green, who had shown safe hands all afternoon momentarily seemed to lose concentration, causing him to fumble the ball straight to Leon Lewis who gobbled up the opportunity to at least score a Sawbridgeworth consolation. However other than that mishap it had been a top class performance from a Redbridge side who are posting their title intentions as we enter the midway stage of the season.
Sawbridgeworth Town: Matt Ponter, Danny Wickenden, Louis Mink, Lewis Deamer, Matt Frew (Capt), Tom Jelliman, Daryl Doolan (Mark Robinson 68’), James Mays, Billy Skinner (Leon Lewis 85’), Toby Cleaver, Keke Orth.
Scorer – Leon Lewis (89’)
Redbridge: Lewis Greene, Courtney Homans, Eljay Worrell (Capt), Shaun Harris (Malaki Toussaint 75’), Liam Thomas, Jonathon Mbamara, Tommie Turner (Jacob Dingli 63’), Patrick Duggan, Martin Tuohy, Brian Moses (Calvin Poku 65’), Reside Coxi-Sebastfao.
Scorers – Brian Moses (29p, 60), Eljay Worrell (51’), Martin Tuohy (84’)
