Friday 1st November, 2024 | Buckhurst Hill 2 – 2 Ilford FC | ESL Premier League | Attendance : 85
By Anthony Mercer
Buckhurst Hill and Ilford shared the spoils in a game that was lacklaste for a long period, but finished with a bang.
Manager Mark Williams made a few changes with Mo Otuyo returning between the sticks and also saw a debut for Ellis Lawson and a first start for Rigers Kabashi.
The first half lacked purpose and it took 22 minutes before Daniel Izekor had an effort that went wide from a shot from the edge of the area.
Ilford did take the lead on 40 minutes when Abdul Shobowale crossed into the box and found Daniel Izekor who bundled the ball home.
The second half did start the same way the first half finished, with little action. It took Buckhurst Hill 65 minutes for the first effort of the evening when Archie Hammond fired wide. The home side then came into the game, following the introduction of substitutes and it was then Buckhurst Hill who were on the front foot. On 82 the all important equaliser came when Tyreece Robertson worked hard and crossed into the box and the ball was teed up for Suley Zuhdu on the edge of the penalty area to crash home.
With the game going into added time and the referee advising there would be an additional 11 minutes both sides stepped the game up. Three minutes into added time, Ilford thought they had found the winner when Izekor fired home from inside the box. 5 minutes later, Ilford were reduced to 10 men when Emmanuel Wazola was shown a straight red for a foul. The game continued and in the 15th minute of added time, Buckhurst Hill drew level when George Thompson shot towards goal and visiting keeper Wilkinson Boateng’s could only parry into his own net, to the disappointment of the visitors.
Surprisingly the game continued for an additional 4 minutes, before the referee called an end to the proceedings.
After the game, a disappointed Mark Williams commented on the game “A point gained or 2 lost. 1st half we failed to hold the ball and created little. Ilford had the better of the game but until just before ht we were over run and they scored. Yet again in the 2nd half we came out with purpose and were much better. We made some changes on personnel and formation and then dominated possession and we finally made the breakthrough late in the game when Suley drove home a Tyreece cross. We then went looking for the winner but gave away a free kick and par for the course didn’t clear our lines and Ilford took the lead on 90 + 3. Ilford wasted a lot of time during the game and the referee added on the time. We then equalised on 90+15 and and could have won it after their keeper dropped 2 crosses. A point gained in my opinion but we have to be better holding the ball higher up the pitch.
TEAM :
Otuyo🧤, Foyewa, Lawson, Kabashi, Harris, Gregory, Tacine, Williams©️, Thompson, Zuhdu, Robertson
SUBS :
Willison, Hammond, Ismaili, Padington
