Hashtag United 1-2 Walthamstow
Walthamstow picked up three points on Tuesday after a 2-1 win away at top of the league Hashtag United.
It’s a win that’s been coming, and Stow’s performance last night showed character and spirit to go in front and then hold onto the lead.
Manager Max Mitchell made a few changes to the side going into the game, with Luke Mewitt returning in between the sticks, Shaun Mavididi back on the left hand side and new signing Fatih Mustafa who made a big impact in the final third. His corner 12 minutes in was cleared away only as far as Nathaniel Orafu whose volley fell for Ricky Hayles, but he couldn’t get his shot on target and Hashtag recovered the ball.
Hashtag came very close to taking the lead when Misha Djemaili found Ellis Devereux in the six yard box who managed to miss and was smothered by goalkeeper Mewitt.
Up the other end, Stow took the lead just before the half hour mark. Ozzy Adeniji’s shot/cross from distance was flicked on by Joden Trickett into the path of James Collins who hit the post but the ball bounced off the back of goalkeeper Joseph Whitney and crossed the line to give the blues a deserved advantage.
It only took Stow two minutes to find their second of the evening through Joden Trickett. Fatih Mustafa played a lovely cross into the box which was headed on by Trickett and into the net to double Stow’s lead.
The hosts did have a chance just before half time where captain Jason Ring flashed the ball across the face of goal but no one in yellow was in the box to tap home.
Stow continued to dominate the game in the second half, producing some great play between each other. Jared Small played the ball into Mustafa who laid it back off for Small but his cross was too close to goalkeeper Whitney.
Hashtag did pull a goal back in the last minute of added time when Ellis Devereux tapped the ball home at the back post, but it was too little too late for the Tags who suffered their first league defeat of the season.
It’s a big three points for Walthamstow, which moves them out of the relegation zone. Stow are back at home for the next two games, starting with Lowestoft Town this weekend.