Sporting Bengal United 0-2 Stow
Stow picked up another crucial three points on the road, in challenging conditions at Mile End. The stadium had survived the worst Storm Eunice could throw at it, but a couple of hours of rain before kick off made the pitch very heavy, and meant playing anything approaching football on it would be a challenge.
Looking to build on last week’s 3-0 win over Ilford, Stow started on top and could have been ahead just a couple of minutes into the game, when Samir Bihmoutine volleyed narrowly over at the back post, stretching for Connor Scully’s cross from deep.
The first half was all about Scully and Bihmoutine who were both being given far too much space down the wings. Scully delivered a number of teasing crosses in the first half an hour but the ball just evaded the Stow forwards in the box. The closest Stow came was just before half time when the Bengal keeper denied a good header from Bihmoutine.
In truth, the visitors created little, and the closest they came was a shot early in the first half which Tommy Fletcher blocked, and the rebound was smashed some way over.
Stow’s task got a lot easier five minutes into the second half when the Bengal keeper was given a straight red for taking down Callum Ibe on his way to goal.
And it didn’t take long for that decision to prove fruitful for Stow. Bihmoutine’s routine cross was fumbled at the front post by the stand-in keeper and Charlie Edwards was in the right place to poke the ball over the line.
The goal killed any spirit Bengal had left, and from then it was almost non-stop attacking from Stow. Half time substitute Jason Hallett saw a good effort deflected just over, before Ibe saw the same thing happen to his shot. Tommy Fletcher then had a shot somehow cleared off the line, and Bihmoutine had another header saved.
Hallett made sure of the points with 72 minutes played, running onto a perfect through pass from Tommy Spillane, rounding the keeper and rolling the ball home into an empty net.
Hallett had another couple of efforts well saved before time was up, but with a two goal and one man advantage, Stow didn’t have to exert themselves too much in the second half to make sure that the three points would be coming back to Wadham Lodge.
