Waltham Forest 2-2 Newham
Waltham Forest were denied three points by a resilient Newham side at Wadham Lodge.
Despite coming back from behind, second half goals from Jose Agua and recent signing Mekki Moussa were not enough to seal a victory. Vlad Sighiatan equalised for the visitors with the game ending 2 – 2.
It looked like the Stags’ difficult run of late would come to an end but, after letting their lead slip, a point is all they could take from the match.
“I think knowing that promotion is out of our reach this season has affected our concentration recently which has put us on the back pedal during the last month or so,” said Manager Turgot Esendagli following the final whistle.
The Walthamstow side have now gone eight games without a win which has seen them slip down to 8th in the league table during recent weeks. With just four league fixtures remaining, they will be hoping to get back to winning ways quickly if they are to seal an above mid table finish.
Within minutes Forest’s goal was tested, though goalkeeper William Hunt dealt with the danger confidently. After making a few errors in recent weeks, the young goal keeper looked assured as he rose acrobatically to deny a Newham effort that was destined for the top left corner. Luke Ifil later struck the ball well at the other end with a first time effort, though, he too was denied by the keeper.
It was the visitors who were first to break the deadlock after Fabio Miranda drove the ball into the roof of the Forest net from just inside the box. The left midfielder almost doubled Newham’s lead with a curled effort towards the far post but this time Hunt tipped the ball wide for a corner. At half time, Forest had created few clear chances.
After the break, Esendagli’s side looked a completely different team with Ifil and Hulusi Mustafa pulling the strings from midfield. After eight minutes, their equaliser came through a great piece of team play. Solomon Ofori picked up the ball in a wide left position before cutting inside to pick out Mustafa, who has not featured much this season. The central midfielder’s left footed cross found Jose Agua who controlled the ball with his chest then fired it past the Newham goalkeeper.
Though, the Forest Manager was the first to admit his side needed shaking up a bit after a poor first half performance, “In the changing room [at half time], I told the players that, looking from the spectators’ angle, it was a poor game to watch and that I didn’t enjoy it myself at all. We needed to pass the ball more, to keep possession of the ball in order to dominate the second half. This would make the game more enjoyable to watch and I felt if we could do that, goals would definitely come. Going into the second half, I gave them a task to make a minimum of ten passes before we reached to the opposition goal area – unless, of course, they won the ball in the opposition’s half where they can attack more directly.”
Minutes later, some good fortune came Forest’s way. Right back Ibrahim Sari’s wayward pass soared high into the air, eventually falling to Mekki Moussa who was unchallenged in the box. The striker’s deft touch towards goal was spilled by the keeper and the ball eventually found a way into the net to edge the home side in front.
Following a brilliantly weighted Ifil through ball, Moussa should have doubled his tally when Agua unselfishly laid the ball off to him just yards from goal. This time however the striker failed to connect with the ball properly, slicing his effort wide.
Forest would pay for their earlier mistake in front of goal when Newham’s Jamal Nelson won a physical battle for the ball with Kemarr Salmon in the corner. The striker picked out his partner Vlad Sighiatan with a low cross who then directed the ball across goal and into the top corner.
Although still in search of their first win in almost two months, Esendagli was positive about his team as they look forward to next season, “Despite an up and down season, we have developed solid partnerships, all over the pitch, in our team that are now really used to playing together. Looking forward to next season, we have already spoke with these players that are staying with us and we aim to build the team around them. By bringing in another five or six good, experienced players, we hope to be in a better position to compete for promotion.”
The Stags’ next test is at home to London Bari who, after four games without a win, are going through a rough patch of form themselves. They currently sit 14th in the league table. Both sides will see the upcoming fixture as an ideal opportunity to take maximum points meaning it is bound to be a fiercely competitive affair. Forest came out on top after their previous meeting back in October, winning that game 3 – 2.
