Non-League and Academy football writer

In what was both Fairlop Rovers and Sporting Bengal United Reserves’ final Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture of the season, both sides met on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, at Broadfields Sports Ground. Fairlop Rovers had avoided finishing in the relegation zone with a win on Saturday, and they started this game in ninth place in the Senior Division standings. With Ryan FC’s significantly better goal difference, regardless of how this game would finish for the away side (unless they won 18-0), Sporting Bengal United Reserves, they would finish the season in the relegation zone, in 13th place in the league table. This step 7 fixture would end in a 2-2 draw.

Sporting Bengal United Reserves player Reda El Ghaibouz’s early powerful low effort, from the edge of the Fairlop box, would be well parried by goalkeeper James Crowe, in what was the first effort on target of the game. Both sides would manage to create some good openings during the first half, but the next real chance of this contest would take quite a while to arrive. However, Sporting Bengal would go on to take the lead before half-time, when they enjoyed a good spell in the game. For the opening goal of the game, Sporting Bengal player Ashden Phillip would receive the ball on the edge of the Fairlop box, before hitting a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, after getting the ball out of his feet well, 0-1.

Following on from that goal for Ashden Phillip, the creative Sporting Bengal forward would meet Steven Bohan’s looping cross into the Fairlop box, before hitting an excellent overhead kick effort off the top of the crossbar. Just before half-time, and Steven Bohan would win a penalty after being fouled by the outrushing James Crowe, inside the Fairlop box. And for his goal from the penalty spot, he would calmly roll the ball into the goal, 0-2.

Ashden Phillip would, after getting to a loose pass during the opening minutes of the second half, take the ball inside of the Fairlop penalty area, where one versus one with the goalkeeper, his effort was saved by the outrushing James Crowe. But, Fairlop would respond well. And shortly after Stefanos Ladoukakis had hit an effort wide of the Sporting Bengal goal, from the edge of their box, Fairlop managed to get a goal back in the game. Delphin Moorat, would play a short pass across to Jack Kibblewhite, who from just inside the penalty area, would see his powerful effort bounce off the goal-line after hitting the underside of the crossbar. With Freddie Bose quickest to react inside of the box, as he powerfully headed the ball home on the follow-up, 1-2.

The instrumental Delphin Moorat would soon draw Fairlop Rovers level in this game. Delphin Moorat would run onto the ball following a lofted ball over the top of the Sporting Bengal defence, before entering the penalty area, where through on goal with Arshak Sargsyan, he would finish low into the goal, 2-2. There continued to be chances created by both sides during the remainder of this match. The next chance of the game saw Delphin Moorat receive the ball out on the left flank, and he would knock the ball forward and go around a defender, before entering the Sporting Bengal penalty area and hitting a powerful effort across goal. However, Arshak Sargsyan would make a brilliant save to turn his effort behind for a corner-kick.

The final chance of this game, in what was a much improved second half performance from Fairlop Rovers, would come the way of the home side. With Freddie Bose getting to a long ball inside the Sporting Bengal box, before Delphin Moorat would hit an effort on goal which was saved by Arshak Sargsyan, with his effort on the follow-up going wide of the goal. This was a game of two halves, in my opinion. With Sporting Bengal United Reserves impressing during the first half, as Fairlop Rovers improved significantly during the second half to get a well earned point. Delphin Moorat wins my player of the match award today, with honourable mentions going to Ilyas Ahmed, Ashden Phillip, and Freddie Bose, for their respective performances.