2:37pm Thursday 11th March 2010
By Craig Rodhouse
Waltham Forest 2
Maldon Town 1
Ryman League Division One North
Waltham Forest put to bed a three match winless run as they ran out comfortable winners against Maldon Town at the Cricklefield Stadium on Wednesday night.
Prolific forward Danny Gabriel headed what turned out to be the elusive winning goal on 33 minutes, cancelling out former Leyton Orient forward Jack Jeffries’ 28th minute strike after new signing Luka Frankis had powerfully headed home his first goal for the Stags after 19 minutes.
The Stags started brightly and a free-flowing move presented lively winger Luke Hornsley with a great chance to give Forest the lead with just 30 seconds on the clock, however his shot was well blocked on the line and the chance went begging.
Forest were dominating the early proceedings and Gabriel was given the chance to add to his 17 league goals this season when he was laid on by strike partner Frankis, but his shot was blocked by the Maldon defence.
The onslaught continued with Peter Smith coming close with a 20-yard strike on eight minutes and captain Ian Walsh heading Des Thomas’ corner just over four minutes later.
It took the visitors 13 minutes to create their first chance of the night, with central midfielder James Abbott’s free-kick evading everyone, including Stags goalkeeper Sam Tanner, who was relieved to see the 18-year-old’s effort fly over his back post.
The hosts’ set pieces were causing the Maldon defence all sorts of problems and the visitors’ resistance was finally broken on 19 minutes when Hornsley’s teasing corner was powerfully headed past Jack Smelt in the Maldon goal by Frankis.
It could have so easily been two for Frankis and Forest on 27 minutes, when some good hold up play from Gabriel presented the young forward with a glaring chance to double his tally, however he somehow contrived to blast the ball over from 10 yards out.
It was a chance that the Stags would live to regret, as Maldon went straight down the other end to equalise, with former West Ham and Orient youngster Jeffries placing a shot past Tanner who, despite getting a hand to the strike, failed to keep it from nestling into the far corner of his net.
There was controversy on 33 minutes when Stags forward Gabriel reacted angrily to the referee’s award of a free-kick and not a penalty when he was fouled on the edge of the area. However, the decision turned out to be immaterial as Gabriel headed home the resulting free-kick from Thomas’ cross to regain the lead for Forest.
The second half started slowly with the poor pitch invariably disrupting the team’s usual passing game and it took until the 54th minute before Forest made their first opening.
Midfielder Thomas, who excelled throughout the contest, had caused the visitors many a headache from his set pieces, but he opted to slide a quick free-kick through to Gabriel, which caught the Maldon defence off-guard. The striker sent a cross into the box which rattled the bar before bouncing clear.
Abbott was a stand-out performer for Town and he should have levelled the scores again on 59 minutes, when another surging run from the midfielder was picked out excellently by a team mate, however Abbott somehow managed to screw the ball wide from eight yards.
Gabriel was causing all sorts of problems in the Maldon defence and could have doubled his tally had it not been for a couple of great saves from Smelt. The striker’s powerful shot looked to be heading for the top corner on 68 minutes before being comfortably saved and, just two minutes later, Gabriel’s curling effort was expertly tipped round the post by Smelt to deny the forward grabbing his second of the evening.
It was then the officials’ performance that took centre stage at the Cricklefield Stadium, with a couple of dubious decisions. First, on 70 minutes Gabriel was adjudged to be offside after slotting home Hornsey’s excellent through ball. An incensed Gabriel argued it was in fact his striking partner Frankis that was positioned beyond the last defender and argued that the goal should have stood.
Frankis was brought off on 75 minutes for Rob Carter and the lively forward would play a big part in the final 15 minutes. Firstly, a tricky run from Carter resulted in a foul and a free-kick being awarded right on the edge of the box, with some Stags players believing that contact had actually been made inside the area.
The Forest defence were coping admirably with everything that Maldon threw at them, with Captain Walsh bravely blocking a number of Maldon efforts to keep the score in the home team’ favour.
Substitute Carter was at it again in stoppage time. The Stags’ final free-flowing move of the game presented the forward with a guilt-edged chance to finish the game. The lively Gabriel produced a cheeky back heel to thread the ball through to full back Ben Gracey, whose cross was pounced upon by Carter, but the substitute’s diving header flashed just wide of the mark.
Maldon had offered very little going forward in the second period, however it was panic stations in the Stags defence in the final minutes as they pushed forward for that elusive equaliser.
It took a great save from Tanner in the final minute of the game to secure the points for Forest, the goalkeeper bravely blocking a barrage of attempts from Maldon, before the ball was eventually cleared and the referee brought an end to a very exciting game of football.
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