Walthamstow 3-2 Saffron Walden Town
Stow progressed to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup and avoided a potential banana skin, overcoming recent Essex Senior rivals Saffron Walden Town.
For Stow, there was a first start of the season for Ali Njie, while former Stow skipper Adalberto Pinto skippered the visitors. However, Walden were missing the influential centre back Scott Doe, and another former Stow player, Eman Okunja in the middle.
Stow started the game brightly. Johnville Renee screwed a long-distance effort wide, before Kymani Thomas diverted a corner goal-bound, only to see his effort cleared off the line by Tom Skelton.
But Stow were soon ahead. Kymani Thomas popped a routine long ball over the top, which Walden centre back Darren Phillips dallied on, allowing Brian Moses to nick the ball and poke home through the on-rushing legs of keeper Jake Anderson. Moments earlier the barrell-chested centre back came off worse when trying to body Moses, and that clearly played in his mind as he panicked under pressure from the Stow forward.
It was now one-way traffic. Thomas had a shot deflected and Njie fired wildly over when well-placed, but Stow were soon two ahead. Skipper Ade Cole picked up the ball in midfield, surged forward and laid out wide to Thomas. Thomas has quickly established a trademark goal in E17, and this was once again on show as he cut inside and fired in low and hard with his right foot.
Walden’s team was pretty much the Romford side that won the FA Vase last season, and they showed their pedigree, immediately hitting back at the start of the second half. A long throw from Junior Luke (who had played for Stow some 13 years ago) bounced around the box, with Hassan Nalbant heading against the bar, only for Pinto to be most alert to the rebound and heading home.
All the momentum was now with Walden, as Nalbant headed over, Ricky Modeste (who had played for Stow as a youngster some 20 years ago) had a shot well saved, as did Ross Wall who picked out Hafed Al-Droubi in the Stow goal when well-placed.
An injury and a drinks break gave Stow a bit of time to regroup, and it proved to be key as on 78 minutes Moses again made the most of indecision from Phillips and headed over the stranded Anderson and in.
Louie Johnson then saw two good efforts saved, and Moses and Thomas both went close as it looked like the game was done as a contest.
But then on 87 minutes Lee Hursit swung a leg at a stow clearance and found the bottom corner of the Stow goal from 18 yards.
A massive 12 minutes were added on, but in truth, Walden failed to create anything meaningful as Stow stood firm to their barrage of long balls and long throws.
