Maldon & Tiptree 5-2 Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest left Maldon wondering how they ended up losing a match 5-2, after leading twice.

It was a pulsating encounter, where both sides forgot about their defensive responsibilities in search of goals.

Forest started the match the brighter of the two sides, and dominated the opening proceedings with Adrian Clifton going closet, but not quite getting enough on a Manu Dagher cross.

At the other end, Chris Bryan went close for Maldon, forcing shooting wide after bringing the ball down in the box.

With just under half an hour played, Forest took the lead with a good counter-attacking move. Luke Stanley was allowed to run through midfield, and he laid the ball out wide for Dagher. Dagher’s cross was low and deep to Corey Whitely who fired into the back of the net from just inside the box.

Soon after, it appeared that James Robinson kicked out at Stanley while he was on the ground. Robinson was given a talking to by the referee, but nothing else.

Aaron Omand was called into action more and more towards the end of the half, keeping Maldon out twice from close-range and then repeating the same feat minutes later.

On the stroke of half time, the home side levelled. A deep cross was knocked back into the centre of the goal at the back post and Jamie Guy made no mistake with the header.

Just like in Forest’s match with Hemel Hempstead, Forest took the lead within seconds of the re-start. Manu Dagher’s cross was met by Joel Palmer whose shot eventually found the back of the net after taking a deflection.

Maldon then enjoyed a long spell of possession, but without really creating anything. That was, until they levelled the scores again, James Robinson knocking the ball in from close range.

It was an end-to-end match, and Jamie Guy was guilty of missing two clear-cut chances for the home side, both with the goal at his mercy from about a yard out.

Forest did manage to counter attack, and Joel Palmer could have scored but his header was aimed straight at Joe Wright in the Maldon goal.

The came the turning point of the match. Jamie Guy thought he had scored, only for the linesman to rule out his goal for off-side. However, after discussion with the linesman, the referee overturned his original decision and awarded the goal.

From then on, the flood-gates opened, and Maldon scored twice in the dying embers of the match through Dave Wareham and Ollie Berquez.