Report
Waltham Forest produced a well-rounded mature performance to advance to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup at the expense of Hoddesdon Town.
Forest were dealt an early blow, with Rheo Josephs tweaking his hamstring in the warm-up, but news that Jeff Hammond would return well ahead of schedule boosted the home side.
It was a scrappy opening to the game, with neither side really able to control the game. Hoddesdon looked quick and dangerous on the break, without ever really forcing any clear chances.
And it didn’t take long for Forest to assert their quality. Jack Fowler floated a perfect ball over the top to Correy Davidson who controlled before firing in off the post in the third minute.
Ten minutes later Forest’s lead was doubled by Davidson finishing coolly past Luke Peirce, but it was Brian Moses who created the goal, superbly holding up a high cross before poking the ball through to Davidson.
The game was getting increasingly niggly and hotly contested, indeed eight yellow cards would be shown during the game.
Five minutes before half time Davidson almost completed his hattrick, forcing Peirce to parry, but only into the path of Jordan McKenzie who finished from a tight angle.
As they’d done in most of their games so far, Forest controlled proceedings once ahead, and kept Hoddesdon well at bay.
Ross Clemo was shown a second yellow card after tugging down Moses when homing in on goal, though the yellow car was probably the softest of the total given out throughout the match.
Hammond rounded off a fine afternoon for Forest, rounding the keeper and rolling home in the driving rain after some quick passing from Prince Madu and Moses.
The visitors did hit the bar in injury time, but only really tested Harrison Seetah once in the 90.
Forest will now host Stotfold in the next round, who defeated Welwyn Garden City 3-2.
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