Suley Zuhdu nets 97th minute winner as Buckhurst Hill snatch all three points in their Essex Senior League contest at Parsloes Park against Athletic Newham
Written By Peter Dudley – Pedro’s Local Footie Fix
Essex Senior League, Saturday September 14th
Mid September and the second weekend of the month saw me over at Parsloes Park for the second time this season and two more sides doing battle on the main pitch at the state of the art facility in Dagenham, and it saw Athletic Newham host Buckhurst Hill in an Essex Senior League contest.
This was one of five matches taking place in the division today, and their was also an Emirates FA Cup tie involving one of league sides, more on that and the other four league games later in a brief round up of the action, but the main focus was on the game I was attending, it had large significance for the hosts as this was their first home game at their now new home after finally leaving The Terrence McMillan Stadium behind.
They join the likes of May & Baker and several Essex Alliance League sides to call this ‘home’, it’s certainly a magnificent hub for the community and with plenty of sides using it for their games, football is always on at the venue, which is also good for the locals who can go and either watch these sides and support them, or when those sides are not playing can participate themselves in various programmes there for sure, so a very useful facility indeed.
Newham’s first game there competitively saw them welcome Buckhurst Hill, Newham were sitting in sixth coming into this one and only outside the play off places by a point, and they did have two games in hand as well, athough they did see their unbeaten league start end at Great Wakering Rovers in midweek when they were defeated 3-1, that off the back of their first defeat in all comps against Amersham Town in the FA Cup, although sandwiched in between those two defeats was a 2-1 win at Frenford.
Opponents Hill sat down in 16th place in the division having lost four of their seven games so far, although in the two games I’d seen of them so far this season, a 2-0 win at Saebridgeworth Town (their only league win so far this season) and a 2-2 draw at White Ensign (they conceded a 98th leveller in that one) suggested to me they were probably better than that 16th place suggested.
They had also defeated Cockfosters 3-1 in the Vase too this season, although they came into this contest off the back of a 1-0 loss at Hullbridge Sports, a side Newham had dismantled 6-1 at the same ground last month, but it would be interesting to see how Newham’s attacking prowess would match up against a tough and well drilled Hill side who themselves had plenty of weapons to hurt their opponents.
And it was the visitors who drew first blood in this one, just before the half hour mark saw a ball towards the back post hit the arm of a defender which was punished with the award of a penalty to the visitors, much to the dismay of the hosts, George Thompson duly then stepped up to convert the spot kick and Hill had the advantage, although it was an advantage that was only to last nine minutes.
This was because a lovely long ball from George Rankin split the visiting defence and allowed goal machine Jaime Obama Nvumba to run onto the pass and loft a lovely effort over Muhammed Otuyo in the visitors goal and find the net for what was his ninth goal already this campaign, it also meant the sides went into the break all square.
Hill though were to regain the lead early in the second period as when 55 minutes on the clock a ball fired into the area straight at Tyreece Robertson saw the attacker control a cushioned pass back into the path of Thompson who rifled a lovely powerful effort beyond home keeper Lindrit Beqiri and into the roof of the net, meaning the hosts would have to come from behind once again to try and grab something from the contest.
This hosts certainly tried all they could to get back to parity thereafter, and with ten minutes remaining they made their pressure tell when finding a leveller, as after a handball on the edge of the box, Alex Kozak smashed home an unstoppable free kick to set up a grandstand finish to what had been a brilliant entertaining contest it has to be said.
Momentum was with the hosts you felt, and most of us thought their would be only one winner, but football continues to throw up surprises doesn’t it, and in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Oliseh Okuguni played a lovely through ball to substitute Suley Zuhdu who made no mistake by slotting beyond Begiri into the far corner and send his side wild with delight, they had soaked up a lot of pressure in this one, especially second half, but they had dug in and then snatched a point right at the end, leaving them very happy indeed.
It was utter despair though for the hosts who will be scratching their heads on how they lost this one, but it’s a second league defeat in three now, whereas it’s a superb battling win for Buckhurst Hill who now have two wins in the league this season, oh and I have seen both those wins too, just saying…..
Full time Athletic Newham 2 Buckhurst Hill 3