Redbridge 0-1 Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest completed a seasonal double over Redbridge, running out 1-0 winners in a match which could have gone either way.

The Redbridge pitch played to form, and with less than an hour to go before kick-off, there was some doubt as to whether the game would go ahead. In the end, a combination of some agricultural shovel work, a roller and a great amount of sand helped get the game underway.

Redbridge had the first chance of the match, with a ball being played across the six yard box with only seconds on the clock, but there was no one on the end of the cross to poke the ball home.

From that early scare, Forest began to dominate proceedings. Adrian Clifton went close first, heading narrowly over from a Douglas corner.

Moments later, Dmitri Larin broke the deadlock, heading in at the near post, from another Douglas corner.

The woodwork proved to be a useful signing for Redbridge as the match went on. First to be denied by the post was Chris Taylor whose effort from outside the area just clipped the outside of the post.

Redbridge were proving useful on the counter, and should have done better mid-way through the first half, but the forward contrived to slice the ball high and wide with the goal at his mercy.

As the game began to develop, Forest could well have been out of side.

Luke Stanley – who had plenty of joy out wide – cut inside and curled a shot towards the top corner. His effort was stopped by a fine diving save from the Redbridge ‘keeper, who tipped the ball onto the bar and out for a corner… or so both sets of players and the crowd thought. Instead, a goal kick was signalled.

Forest then had a very boisterous shout for a penalty turned down. The experienced Nikki Beale hauled Chris Taylor to the ground, almost removing Taylor’s shirt in the process, but the officials remained unmoved.

Taylor then broke through on goal, only to shoot high and wide when trying to cross the ball in the area. Despite no Redbridge player being within two feet of Taylor, a corner was awarded.

Forest began the second half as they ended the third, forcing numerous saves from the Redbridge ‘keeper and exploiting the shaky home defence.

Manu Dagher had several chances in the second half, and was first kept at bay by another fine diving save from the Redbridge stopper who was keeping his side in the game.

After robbing the home left-back, Luke Stanley was brought down in the area, but again, the officials stood their ground and waved play on.

Dagher then went closer still, after his shot from a yard out was somehow cleared off the line by Beale after the ball had been cut back by Retkoceri.

Redbridge manager Steve Portway was clearly of the opinion that he could do a better job than some of his players, and brought himself on.

Arian Retkoceri hit the crossbar for Forest, before Portway missed an open goal for the home side, somehow firing wide despite only being a few yards out.

The final encounters of the match proved to be end-to-end, with a fingertip save keeping out second half substitute Tim Monsheju.

As Forest wound down the clock, they won a series of corners. However, work experience signing Monsheju showed his lack of experience, firing a poor corner straight to the man on the Redbridge front post.

The home side launched up field, and a slip from Douglas gave the home side a golden chance of salvaging a point, but the forward fired wide wide with only debutant Davies to beat.

Forest saw out the remaining couple of minutes without too many more problems, and secured their first win after weeks of trying.

On another day, the match could have finished with either side winning by five or six goals, but Forest will take the three points which takes them 13 points above the bottom trio.