Essex Senior League – Ground-Hop Day Match #3
Venue: Old Spotted Dog
Attendance: 106
2017-18 Season – Match 38
Saturday 11th November 2017 5.30pm KO
Hackney Wick: White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks
Wadham Lodge: Red Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks
Scott W reporting (Twitter: @ScottMHC14)
On a chilly evening at the Old Spotted Dog, the ESL ‘Ground-Hop Day’ came to a close as Hackney Wick took on an improving Wadham Lodge side in an important ‘six-pointer’ with both sides near the bottom of the table.
The visitors knew a win would take them off the bottom of the table, though Wick started the brighter of the two sides with winger Tajahn Figueroa denied by Wadham goalkeeper Stefan Botar whilst one-on-one five minutes in. Wadham had a good chance of their own with Jerome Mtumba mis-timing his strike from a narrow angle on 13 minutes. Soon after,Wick winger Jeffrey Idemudia’s cross from the right found forward Jordy Ndjeka though his shot was saved by Botar. The visitors got the important first goal through Mario Gnijaj’s close-range header at the back post on 22 minutes. Lodge sensed that more joy could be in the offing and after Gnijaj had a shot save, forward Dwade James doubled his side’s lead from the spot seven minutes later following a foul in the area.
Lodge continued to push forward and eleven minutes before the interval, full-back Akin Akinola’s powerful strike was saved by home goalkeeper Martin Arnauchkov though it then cannoned off the bar. Wadham winger Carlos Quintero was also an influence on his side down the left flank and he blasted a shot wide shortly before the break. Wick winger Idemudia piled in with a curling effort on the stroke of half-time though was denied well by Botar.
Half-Time: Hackney Wick 0 – 2 Wadham Lodge
The second half was admittedly somewhat quieter though evergreen forward Sherwin Stanley missed a decent chance eight minutes after the break. Wick forward Ibrahim Camara was denied by Botar soon afterward. Wick did halve their arrears with twelve minutes to play as Camara’s strike found the net.
Both sides made changes and this may have affected the tempo of the match though Wadham won’t mind as late on, James grabbed his second of the evening with a header past Arnauchkov to seal the points for his side and take them above Wick into 17th place while Wick drop to 19th spot.
Full-Time: Hackney Wick 1 – 3 Wadham Lodge
Camara 78’ | Gnijaj 22, James 29’ & 88’
Teams:
Hackney Wick
Martin Arnauchkov (GK), Simpson Mpalampa (C), Meer Ishanzadeh, Stephen O’Hara, Robert Kasanga, Sergo Sidibe, Jeffrey Idemudia, Jake Casey (Kareem Richardson 73’), Jordy Ndjeka (Saico Djop 61’), Ibrahim Camara, Tajahn Figueroa
Goal-scorer: Ibrahim Camara [78’]
Booked: Kasanga | Subs Not Used: Nassim Keniza, Kirk McPherson
Wadham Lodge
Stefan Botar (GK), Danny Palmer, Akin Akinola (Ben Masaku 61’), Jerome Mtumba (George Silver Mulonda 77’), Andrea Kostadinov, Eli Benoit (C), Mario Gnijaj, Gary Silvera, Sherwin Stanley (Rueben Akande 90’), Dwade James, Carlos Quintero
Goal-scorers: Mario Gnijaj [22’], Dwade James [29’ & 88’]
Booked: Quintero, Gnijaj, Silvera | Subs Not Used: Michael Appiah, Junior Ibweachu
Refree: David Merno | Assistant Referees: Martin Quinn & Alan Steward
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