Basildon United 3-3 Walthamstow

Walthamstow fought back from three goals down at the break to earn a point at Basildon United, but will be frustrated in the manner of their first half performance which let them down.

Walthamstow started on the front foot, and could have been ahead as early as the sixth minute, but Joe Alatise’s touch wasn’t quite enough to divert Bilal Sayoud’s corner over the line.

With a quarter of an hour played, the tide turned in favour of the home side. A cross was only diverted as far as Nidal Berri, who poked home from close range.

Finn Rushton in the Stow goal had to be alert to save well, but he will feel he could have done better for Basildon’s second. Stow were sleepy in defence, allowing a short corner to be taken. A long-distance effort was saved by Rushton, but only to the feet of Nathan Best who made it 2-0.

Three minutes later Best made it three, getting the wrong side of Ali Njie and slotting home.

Some stern words were no doubt had in the Walthamstow changing room at the break, and they had the desired effect as Vinny Murphy’s side came out of the traps flying for the second period.

It took just four minutes for Stow to reduce the arrears, with Louie Johnson controlling the ball and unleashing an unstoppable volley all in one fluid movement into the back of the net.

Stow continued to knock at the door, and Tayo Oyebola was looking particularly dangerous down the right wing.

Johnson could have got his second, but his penalty was well saved my Max Spence after Suley Zudhu was bundled over in the box. It mattered little for Stow though, as from the resulting corner Oyebola stabbed the ball over the line from close range.

With ten minutes to go, Stow levelled, Johnson this time getting his second after a header back across the box from Oyebola.

While Stow were now getting through the Basildon defence at will, they couldn’t find a way past Max Spence, who was in inspired form in the Bees goal Time after time he thwarted the Stow front line.

In the end, Stow had to settle for a point, having taken their eye off the ball for the first half.