New Salamis 2-3 Stow
Walthamstow progressed to the third round of this season’s Isthmian League cup thanks to a 3-2 win over New Salamis in Haringey.
Only 65 hardy souls turned out for the game eschewing the temptation of the warm and dry and an evening of Champions League football. But they were rewarded with an end-to-end cup tie which either side could have won.
A much-rotated Stow side started on the front foot, with Percy Winter looking dangerous down the left. Ten minutes into the game he drove a teasing cross into the Salamis box, which was just about cleared, at the expense of a throw. Tamas Amgbaduba’s long throw was missed by everyone into the penalty area with the ball eventually falling to Tony Martin at the back post who lashed a half-volley narrowly wide.
Salamis were more comfortable on the ball, perhaps more used to the artificial surface. But in the early moments of the game, they were limited to long-distance efforts which Ashlee Jones dealt with comfortably in the Stow goal.
The deadlock was broken a quarter of an hour in. George Yanni won the ball in midfield, and lofted a perfect pass through to Dwade James. Stow’s front man beat his marker and drove a powerful curling effort which Sam Soutar could only deflect onto the post and in.
Without the pressure of a league game, both sides played with a certain amount of freedom, resulting in a free-flowing, fast-paced game.
This meant that Stow’s lead was short-lived. Three minutes after the opening goal, Salamis won the ball back in midfield, and were afforded too much space in the Stow box, giving Nathan Mandla an opening which he made the most of, finishing into the bottom corner with a delightful outside-of-the-boot finish.
Stow had a great chance to go back ahead when Yianni’s long-range effort was dropped at the feet of Marcus Painter, but Painter’s volley from a couple of yards out ballooned over.
Ten minutes after Salamis’ leveller, the turnaround was complete. Cem Poyraz was in the right place to drill into the bottom corner after a cut-back from the left hand side in a goal which was frustratingly simple for Stow to concede.
Painter, Martin and James all had chances for Stow before the break, but it was James who would make the difference ten minutes into the second half. Latching onto a perfect through ball from Winter, he deftly dinked the ball over Soutar and into the bottom corner, levelling the scores again.
From then on, it was real end-to-end stuff. Amgbaduba, Winter and Painter all went close for Stow, while Jay Rolfe had to be well-positioned to clear off the line after Josh Williams had rounded Jones.
With the game coming to a close and the prospect of penalties looming, Salamis thought they should have had a penalty. Poyraz was clean through on goal and taken out by the covering Stow defender. The referee signaled for a free kick on the edge of the Stow box, which ended up being a comfortable save for Jones.
But as the clock ticked over 90 minutes, Stow bagged the winner. Second half substitute Demaray Anyadike picked up a loose ball on the half-way line and turned Salamis’ right-back inside-out, before cutting the ball back to Painter who was lurking on the penalty spot, unmarked, and able to drive the ball into the bottom corner, past a hapless Soutar.
