Essex Senior League leaders Walthamstow FC moved four points clear on Tuesday night courtesy of goals from Charlie Cole and Jason Hallett, earning an easy three points at home against Takeley.
Stow Show Extra Quality
As top of the league Walthamstow kicked off against Takeley it was clear from the start it was going to be a case of who took their chances. Within two minutes, Stow had their first chance.
An in-swinging cross from winger Harrison Carnegie evaded every Takeley defender and found Jason Hallett who was composed enough to bring it down expertly but could only place his shot wide.
Adalberto Pinto was the next to threaten for Walthamstow as a mazy run from the centre circle saw him reach the edge of the box and rather selfishly fire well over rather than playing in left-winger Samir Bihmountine who would have been in on goal.
Takeley finally settled into the game after 10 minutes and nearly created a great chance to take the lead.
Good work down the left from pacey forward Kieran Southgate saw him race in behind the defence down the channel and with George Wappett completely unmarked in the box, it seemed destined for Takeley to take the lead. That was until Keegan Cole made a superb last ditch challenge to prevent the ball being squared across the box.
Threats Down The Right
The half then quietened down after it’s frantic start, with half chances going Walthamstow’s way. Centre-mid Charlie Edwards decided to showcase his skills as a winger as he twisted and turned inside the box and dug out a cross which Hallett got on the end of only to head wide.
Soon after Takeley nearly gifted Stow the lead. After a scramble in the box the ball fell to Takeley’s Theo Campbell in his own 6-yard box, the midfielder bravely took a touch towards his own goal only to see him have to clear the ball off the line to prevent Stow taking the lead.
In the 37th minute Stow finally took one of their chances. Carnegie who was again a threat down the right, cut inside onto his left and delivered an inch-perfect cross to the back post for onrushing Charlie Cole to stretch and tap in.
Takeley did well in spells but lacked that killer pass to create any clear openings. The front three of Takeley were lively and full of pace but struggled to make anything more notable happen in the first-half.
Second-Half Resilience
The second-half simmered down in comparison to the first with it taking a little over eight minutes for the first real chance which fell to Takeley.
Good work in the middle of the park allowed the midfield to play in forward Southgate who for the first time in the evening beat the offside trap and bared down on goal. Southgate perhaps rushed his chance and took his shot early from just inside the box but could only fire it straight at Stow keeper Cekrezi who held well.
Just before the hour mark the match was settled. A cross from the left was adjudged to have hit a Takeley hand, much to the pleasure of the ever noisy Stow Rabble behind the goal, and Stow were awarded a penalty. Up stepped ever-reliable Jason Hallett who dispatched it coolly into the bottom left, giving Stow a 2-0 lead.
From that moment it was a case of seeing out the match and not allowing any simple mistakes to let Takeley back into the game. Takeley’s biggest threat was Elliot Long, who was technically gifted with the ball and caused the Stow backline problems all night.
There were more cases of poor finishing as Long picked up the ball and drove at the Stow defence who backpedalled in fear and allowed Long to line one up from 20 yards, but the forward’s shot was taken poorly and fired well wide.
Seeing Red
Walthamstow would have grabbed a third if it wasn’t for the woodwork, and it would have been quite the goal too. After Edwards played an exquisite ball off the outside of his boot into the left channel for Carnegie to run onto, the winger collected and drove into the box and pulled it back to Cole who’s first time effort cannoned off the crossbar.
As the game went into its final minutes of extra-time the evening went from bad to worse for Takeley as they were reduced to ten men. Centre-back George Powell received a second yellow after picking up his first for what can only be described as handbags earlier in the match.
The second booking Powell and Takeley will perhaps feel aggrieved by, a seemingly good slide challenge on the edge of the box was perhaps too strong for the referee’s liking who gave a free-kick to Stow and gave Powell his marching orders, again much to the delight of The Rabble who loudly asked for a wave from Powell as he made his way off the pitch.
It finished 2-0 to Stow on the night, a professional and deserved three points which see’s Walthamstow extend their lead at the top of the table to four points with four games in hand.
