Non-League and Academy football writer

Sporting Bengal United were looking to respond to a 4-0 home league defeat to Haringey Borough on Saturday afternoon, when they welcomed Brentwood Town to the Mile End Stadium on Wednesday night, in an Isthmian League North Division fixture. Recently promoted side Sporting Bengal United started this match in 16th place (after 13 league matches played) in the league, going into this game on Wednesday. They faced a Brentwood Town side who started this match in tenth place in the league, after 11 league matches played. This step 4 match was won 2-0 by Sporting Bengal, who deserved their win, managing the game really well throughout. An early effort from 25 yards out from the home team’ goal, by Andrew Freeman, would deflect over the Sporting Bengal goal, off of a defender. From the resulting corner-kick, Daniel Ogunleye would glance a header over the goal, at the goalkeeper’s near post.

In what was a bit of an uneventful start to the game, there was however, to be some more decent chances during the first half of the match. After a Steven Carvell free-kick (close to the edge of the Brentwood penalty area) had hit the wall, the ball then came to Conor Darwish, whose effort went over on the follow-up. Some more chances would then come the way of Brentwood, who were seeing a bit more of the ball in the final third. After Marlon Agyakwa had whipped an effort wide (from the edge of the Sporting Bengal box), across goal, Mekhi McKenzie would then turn on the ball inside of the home side’s box, before having a low effort on goal which was saved by Sidi Haidara.

One of the most notable goalscoring chances of the first half would arrive for Brentwood Town, a couple of minutes after their first effort on target of the game. As Jesse Olukolu surged forward with the ball down the right flank, managing to get in behind the Sporting Bengal defence, before then taking the ball to the edge of their penalty area. From there his powerful low effort went across the goal and just wide of Haidara’s right-hand post. After a quiet spell in the game, the next chance would arrive just before half-time, with Romel Aarons-Royal heading an effort against Sidi Haidara’s crossbar, after meeting a free-kick delivery from the left flank, into the centre of the Sporting Bengal box.

Early on in the second half, Sporting Bengal goalkeeper Sidi Haidara would do well to push a well delivered corner-kick right in front of his goal, away to the edge of the penalty area, from where Mekhi McKenzie would then loop an effort over his goal. Soon after, at the opposite end of the pitch, Joe Gregory would glance a header wide of the Brentwood goal, after meeting Steven Carvell’s cross into the penalty area. However, after Sidi Haidara had comfortably gathered Mekhi McKenzie’s header on his goal, in what was a difficult chance for the Brentwood forward, Steve Clark’s Sporting Bengal side would take the lead in the game soon after. Steven Carvell’s fine pass out found Tanvir Ahmed on the right flank, who then passed the ball across to Brandy Makuendi, just inside of the Brentwood penalty area, and the Sporting Bengal player would powerfully and clinically finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

Following the opening goal of the game, the pace of this contest would pick up a bit more. Following Jesse Olukolu’s effort from the edge of the Sporting Bengal box, which had gone over Haidara’s goal, the home team would then go forward with the ball down the opposite end of the pitch. With Steven Carvell powering an effort just wide of the Brentwood goal, from 23 yards out. Sidi Haidara was once again called into action, a couple of minutes later, this time pushing behind Mekhi McKenzie’s effort on goal, from the left-hand side of the Sporting Bengal penalty area. Another good chance for the visitors would follow, as Daniel Ogunleye took the ball to the left-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, before seeing his low effort on goal be saved by the feet of Sidi Haidara, as a Brentwood player would then hit an effort over the goal from the edge of the penalty area.

Sidi Haidara had been making some important saves, and he would make another one in the 76th minute, to tip over Mekhi McKenzie’s looping volley from the centre of the Sporting Bengal penalty area, after meeting a good cross. However, just under two minutes later Sporting Bengal would double their lead. Steven Carvell would find the run of substitute Rian Patel, in behind the Brentwood defence. Rian Patel would take the ball down the left-hand side of the Brentwood penalty area, before (it was two versus one inside of the box) squaring the ball across to Joe Gregory, despite the best efforts of a Brentwood defender to stop the ball. Gregory would then powerfully find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Melvin Minter with no chance of saving his effort, 2-0.

Very late on in the game Steven Carvell would hit a powerful low effort on the Brentwood goal, which was gathered by Melvin Minter, before Keith Rowland’s Brentwood side gave it another real go to get a goal back in the game. Sidi Haidara would make the save of the match, doing ever so well to push behind Lee Noble’s powerful effort on goal from the right-hand side of the home team’s penalty area, and then a couple of moments later a clearance from a Sporting Bengal defender would hit the crossbar, before the full-time whistle went. However, this was a very good and big win for Sporting Bengal United, and a deserved clean-sheet as well. This was the first time that I’ve seen Sporting Bengal since last season, and I was very impressed with how well organised they were, and also how they managed this game against Brentwood Town.

The way in which Sporting Bengal United, as a team, would manage this game on Wednesday was superb. Every single player on the team fulfilled their role very well against a very good Brentwood Town side. It was a real team performance from the home side, with notable performances from Tanvir Ahmed, who as well as getting an assist, he would show great balance to his game on the right flank, Steven Carvell, Adejola Lehan, and Joe Gregory, just some of the very good performances from Sporting Bengal. And just on Steven Carvell, he is such a quality player who tonight played his part in both goals, making some fine passes from deep. However, Sporting Bengal United goalkeeper Sidi Haidara was my player of the match for this game, although there were a number of contenders for this award. Haidara would make some fantastic and hugely important saves during the second half, as well as commanding his penalty area well and confidently throughout.