Athletic Newham 0-2 Stow
Walthamstow picked up a crucial three points on the road against promotion rivals Athletic Newham, in a hotly-contested affair at the Terrance McMillan Stadium.
Stow opened the game brightly and were almost through on goal straight from kick-off, but Samir Bihmoutine’s run was just cut out by the Newham defence.
With the wind behind them, Stow continued to push forward, and thought they should have had an early penalty when Callum Ibe was pushed over in the box when through on goal. The referee was unmoved, as he was about 15 minutes later when Ibe was sent to the ground in exactly the same fashion.
But it was the home side who had the first real chance of the game; a cutting pass found Essex Senior League top scorer Richard Kone, though the Newham forward directed his shot straight at Richard Hayward, making his debut between the sticks in for the injured Amarildo Cekrezi.
Stow continued to press, and thought they’d taken the lead when Jason Hallett tapped in Harrison Carnegie’s cross, but the linesman raised his flag for offside. Shortly after, the Newham captain was sent to the sin bin for throwing the ball away after a decision went against him.
At the other end, Newham had another good chance, heading just wide from a corner.
When Ibe was taken down in the box for the third time on the stroke of half time, the referee had no choice but to point to the spot, but Wilkinson Boateng guessed the right way and saved Hallett’s penalty kick.
Despite being against the wind, Stow opened the second half with continued attacking intent and took the lead on 56 minutes with Jason Beck rising highest to send a looping header over Boateng and in; a carbon copy of the goal Stow scored against Newham at Wadham Lodge earlier in the season.
Ibe’s work-rate was causing the Newham back line problems all afternoon, and was almost through on goal, capitalising on a slip, but the defender recovered brilliantly to deny him.
At the other end, Hayward was called into action to pull off a superb diving save, stopping a long-distance effort from finding the top corner.
The moment that changed the game came with 20 minutes still to play. With Bihmoutine on the ground, a Newham player appeared to stamp on the Stow man, causing all 22 players and both benches to pile in. The game always looked like boiling over, but Stow kept their heads in the ensuing ruckus, and the Newham defender was given a straight red by the referee. For Stow, Adalberto Pinto and Hayward were both booked.
Despite being a man down, Newham always looked dangerous, but a committed defensive performance from Stow meant a fifth clean sheet in a row in the league was always likely.
And in the 98th minute, Stow got a deserved second goal, with substitute Tendi Quamina nicking the ball of a lackadaisical Newham defender, and slotting the ball coolly home.
Stow now travel to Sawbridgeworth Town on Tuesday, and in a strange turn, will hope Newham can pick up a result away to Stansted.
Image: ChazWalk96
