Non-League and Academy football writer

On Wednesday evening I was in attendance at the Mile End Stadium to see Tower Hamlets’ Thurlow Nunn League – Eastern Counties League Division One South fixture against fellow East London side Clapton Community FC, in what promised to be a good game of football. I’d watched Clapton Community FC last Saturday, when they hosted Wormley Rovers at their Old Spotted Dog ground. That game finished in a 2-2 draw. Tower Hamlets’ last game before Wednesday’s match, was against Harlow Town, a game which they narrowly lost 3-2. However, they would pick up a point on Wednesday evening against Clapton Community FC, in what was a very competitive game, in my opinion. It finished 2-2 on the night, with that result meaning that Clapton Community FC extend their unbeaten run to a very impressive 13 matches. During the opening stages of the match, Clapton Community midfielder James Briggs tried to test the Tower Hamlets goalkeeper from distance. His low effort wasn’t gathered at the first attempt by the goalkeeper, but it was later gathered at the feet of another Clapton Community player (Terry Amoafo), with there being a big early penalty shout from the Clapton Community players. Soon after that chance, an inviting cross into the Clapton Community penalty area was claimed well by goalkeeper Jack Francis. Before a cross from the Tower Hamlets number 11, was just missed, inside the Clapton Community box by the Tower Hamlets number seven. And then a couple of minutes later, a good long throw-in from Terry Amoafo, into the Tower Hamlets box, was met by the rising Fionn Glancy, but his resulting headed effort on goal was saved by the goalkeeper.

The Tower Hamlets number 7 had a headed effort following a throw-in into the Clapton Community box, saved by Jack Francis. Then at the other end of the pitch, Noah Adejokun hit a low effort on goal from the edge of the Tower Hamlets penalty area, but their goalkeeper was able to gather the effort on goal relatively comfortably. There was a penalty shout soon afterwards by some of the Clapton Community players and supporters, for what looked to be like a handball by one of the Tower Hamlets players, following a corner-kick, which was delivered into their penalty area. However, Clapton Community FC would find an opener before half-time. A well worked move by the away side saw Fionn Glancy find Terry Amoafo on the right flank, he then delivered a good low cross into the Tower Hamlets penalty area, to find Noah Adejokun in space. The Clapton Community forward hit a low first time effort on the Tower Hamlets goal, which resulted in him finding the bottom right corner of the goal. Tower Hamlets started the second half well. Following an effort on goal from their number 13, which was saved and then gathered by Jack Francis, Tower Hamlets managed to draw level soon after that effort on the away side’s goal.

After a headed effort by a Tower Hamlets player was blocked by a Clapton Community defender inside their penalty area, the ball fell for the Tower Hamlets number seven, whose powerful low effort went past Jack Francis and into the goal, to make it 1-1. After the game had got started again, Tower Hamlets started to grow in confidence. Their number eight hit an effort over Jack Francis’ goal, from the edge of the Clapton Community penalty area, in what was the latest chance that they had created in the second half. However, it was the away side who regained the lead, not too long after Tower Hamlets had equalised. It came from a set-piece on the left flank, which was delivered into the Tower Hamlets box by James Briggs. The ball was headed on by Terry Amoafo, with the ball falling for Fred Taylor, whose effort from inside the box on the half volley went past the Tower Hamlets goalkeeper and into the goal at pace. However, Clapton Community’s lead didn’t last long, with Tower Hamlets finding their second equalising goal of the game. It was from a great back-heeled volleyed effort from a Tower Hamlets corner-kick by their number 11, which left Jack Francis with no chance of making a save as it found the back of the goal, to make it 2-2.

An effort from Fred Taylor inside the Tower Hamlets penalty area, was blocked behind for a corner-kick by a defender. Then a couple of minutes later, Noah Adejokun hit an effort over the home side’s goal, from the edge of their penalty area. Clapton Community FC were noticeably going for all three points, more than the home side were. Jack Francis was called into action around five minutes later, as he did well to push behind the Tower Hamlets number seven’s deflected effort on goal from the edge of the Clapton Community box. Clapton Community FC substitute Joel Akuwudike hit an effort over from distance, before a good run with the ball from Tower Hamlets’ number 13 towards the edge of the visitors’ penalty area, resulted in him hitting a low effort wide of Jack Francis’ goal. Clapton Community FC then went on a good forward move with the ball, which ended with James Goldring having an effort blocked well by a Tower Hamlets player, on the edge of their penalty area. I enjoyed this game of football, as it was a good East London Derby match. However, I think that Clapton Community FC will be more disappointed with only getting one point from the game, than Tower Hamlets will be, given the away side’s great form and placing in the league standings. However, both sides gave their all, and for the neutral spectator it was a good game of football.