Advent Calender 2015: Day 8 – Waltham Forest 3-5 Maldon Town

Today’s match is quite a poignant one in Forest’s history, as it was the penultimate game in Forest’s first spell at Wadham Lodge.

Maldon were only in their second season back at Ryman Division 1 North, having previously been relegated. They finished 4th in 2006-7, and 9th in 2007-8.

Forest on the other hand, were fighting a relegation battle, and came into this match with Maldon having only won just one game out of the last 10.

The week before this fixture, Forest had held on for 102 minutes before eventual champions Dartford’s Jamie Coyle broke their hearts with a penalty given for hand-ball.

The game against Maldon had started with Forest looking much the stronger but a doubtful 11th minute penalty gave Ross Parmenter the easy task of putting his team ahead. Jamie Ricks doubled the tally after heading home a right wing cross.

The Stags hit back three minutes later with Calvin Petrie heading home for a debut goal. The fightback lasted only minutes as Hawes scoring from another cross that should have been dealt with by the home defence.

Two minutes later Gazemend Dauti popped up on the right of Maldon’s six yard box to slam another cross into the back of the net.

But normal service was restored when Frank Everett made the half time score 4-2 for Maldon.

The second half was a quieter affair but the Stags so nearly got a point; first through Dauti’s second goal and then by changing formation and mounting an onslaught on the Maldon gaol which so nearly bore fruit.

Eventually, Kevin Hawes’ 88th minute goal secured the three points for the visitors.

Went on to bigger things

Roberto Gagliardi La Gala is now a goalkeeping coach at Leyton Orient.

Disappeared from view

There were a number of players in this team which Ged Searson had perfroming above their natural level. Jordan Clarke, Jason Reynolds, Obinna Ronaldson, Matthew Love, Chima Obiji and Serge Mitanga all haven’t been seen since playing for Forest.