There are usually goals when Bridon Ropes and Sporting Club Thamesmead meet, and Monday night’s Southern Counties East Football League Division One encounter at the Meridian Sports and Social Club followed the trend.
Although the hosts went two up in the first half, the Acre pulled one back before half time and struck four times in the second period to go top of the league.
Wale Odedoyin had the first shot of the evening that was block-saved by Adeshinayo Awoniyi before the hosts had their first opportunity when Theo Hayford put Emmanuel Oshinowo in behind. Michael Crabbe was out quickly, though, and made an excellent block.
Clever movement by Patrick Geddes allowed him to get his head on the end of a corner by Ronnie Suttie but he headed over, then a free kick by Suttie beat Awoniyi only to come back out off the post. Asad Mohamed shot wide from twenty yards, however, it was the Ropes who drew first blood. Charlie Russell-Vick delivered a corner, Salim Alleyne’s header was pushed up and out by Crabbe, and Maxim Taflaj was on hand to prod it home.
Odedoyin headed over from a Lewis Cann cross before the hosts went two up. David Makisi crossed and Yedidja Kossi headed home.
Two minutes before half time, the Acre pulled one back. A Jamie Williams corner wasn’t cleared and Mohamed laid it back to Owen Jeavons to fire home from twenty yards.
Early in the second period Geddes headed wide of the near post before Riley Butler came to Thamesmead’s rescue by heading off the line after Russell-Vick went round Crabbe and sent a cross-shot towards goal. Makisi fired wide of the near post then Geddes had a shot pushed over by Awoniyi as the game went end to end.
Mohamed was too high with a free kick before the visitors levelled. Awoniyi scuffed a clearance and Jeavons collected it, took a couple of touches, and struck it sweetly inside the far post from twenty-five yards. Three minutes later, the Acre went ahead. Williams was sent clear and his brilliant finish gave Awoniyi no chance.
Good combination football between Jeavons and Lewis Cann gave Odedoyin another opportunity but he was off target. It was not all one way, though. Abdulai Turay was sent through and Crabbe made a brave save. It came out to Kossi whose first time effort flew wide.
Butler stabbed past the post after chaos in the Ropes’ penalty area before Awoniyi clawed a Suttie corner out from under the bar.
In the final minute of the regulation ninety minutes, Thamesmead added a fourth. Frankie Baughen delivered a free kick, Awoniyi pushed it up under pressure, and Butler nodded home from a foot out.
Hassan Omar then committed a bad foul that caused a mass bundle. When the fuss died down, the hosts’ defender was dismissed for the challenge and Cann cautioned for his part in the aftermath.
Despite that being deep into stoppage time, there was still time for Andrea Carrera to fire a free kick over before he added a fifth goal in the tenth additional minute. Awoniyi tried to dribble it out but was tackled by Baughen. He then squared it for a tap in that Carrera accepted gratefully.
That rounded off a good night for the visitors while the Ropes will be looking for a quick response as they aim to start pushing up the league table.
Bridon Ropes: Awoniyi; Omar, Boateng, Taflaj (Bedir 46); Russell-Vick (Kouassi 69), Mansor (Adisa 52), Hayford, Alleyne, Makisi (Turay 66); Kossi, Oshinowo (Samuel 90+4).
Subs not used: None.
Goalscorers: Taflaj (33), Kossi (40)
Yellow card: Mansor (49 foul), Bedir (90+1 foul)
Red card: Omar (90+6 violent conduct)
SC Thamesmead: Crabbe; Cann, Ifeanyi, Butler, Suttie; Geddis; Jeavons (Solan 74), Williams (Canty 90), Mohamed (Curnow 70), Ikuesan (Baughen 83); Odedoyin (Carrera 90+6).
Subs not used: None.
Goalscorers: Jeavons (43), (64), Williams (67), Butler (90+5), Carrera (90+9)
Yellow cards: Odedoyin (72 foul), Cann (90+6 ungentlemanly conduct)
Referee: Jack Owen
Assistant Referees: Silvester Aina and Brian Kennedy
Attendance: 102
Pictures supplied by Steve Blunn.