Having scored early, Halls Athletic defended superbly to win their Southern Counties East Football League Division One match with SC Thamesmead.

When their back four was breached, Halls’ goalkeeper Harvey Olenga made some excellent saves.

Clever footwork by Frankie White created a chance for Sam Bayford and his shot was held comfortably by Michael Crabbe as the hosts started brightly. Olenga then made his first save from a looping header by Elvis Ifeanyi before Halls went ahead in the ninth minute.

Boca Omogbolahan had a shot deflected wide for a corner and Stephen Gbopo delivered deep for Will Oleh to finish with a low volley from close range at the far post.

Looking for a quick response Ryan Solan’s shot was deflected into the path of Andrea Carrera but he failed to muster the power to worry Olenga, then Carrera shot wide after Henry Phillips set him up with a short free kick.

Olenga was put under more pressure from a corner by Phillips and he pushed it out as far as Carrera whose header back looped over, then Henry Awokere got in behind down the inside left channel but Olenga read it and came out quickly to smother.

Another chance came and went for the Acre early in the second period when Jamie Williams picked out Daniel Palfrey who had lost his marker, but the centre back headed over.

Although Thamesmead had the lion’s share of possession, even after they made a triple substitution just shy of the hour mark, they struggled to break down a determined Halls defence. An example of that was when Asad Mohamed found Frankie Baughen down the right and Oleh did superbly to get across and force him to shoot wide of the near post.

As the game moved into the latter stages, Thamesmead threw players forward allowing the Acre to create openings on the counter-attack. Omogbolahan was unable to hit the target with a header from Korran Charles-Reid’s deep cross then Omogbolahan was brought down on the edge of the penalty area and Bayford’s free kick was tipped on to the bar brilliantly by Crabbe.

In the last ten minutes the match became even more stretched. Awokere had a shot for the Acre saved easily by Olenga then an Elvis Ifeanyi header looped over. At the other end, Omogbolahan played a one-two with Charles-Reid and his low shot was well saved by Crabbe.

Baughen tried to direct a header inside the far post but Olenga made an outstanding save to claw it away then the Halls’ goalkeeper made another brilliant stop to keep out Phillips’ powerful drive. Alfie Curnow delivered a deep corner that Mohamed headed into the side netting before Olenga was finally beaten by a Baughen shot that went inches past the post.

Two minutes remained when Halls’ captain Gergo Petrovics was sent to the sin-bin. However, despite having a one man advantage for the time left, plus six minutes of stoppage time, the Acre couldn’t create another chance and the hosts were able to celebrate their second league win of the season.

Halls AFC: Olenga; Doyle, Powell, Akintimehin, Oleh (Amadi 81); Charles-Reid, Bayford; White, Petrovics, Omogbolahan; Gbopo. Subs not used: Oladimeji, Copeland, Dadds, Martin.

Goalscorer: Oleh (9)
Yellow card: Gbopo (90+3 foul)
Sin bin: Petrovics (88)

SC Thamesmead: Crabbe; Cann, Ifeanyi, Palfrey, Solan (Butler 73); Geddis (Curnow 73), Phillips; Jeavons (Dennis 58), Williams (Baughen 58), Awokere; Carrera (Mohamed 58). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: Solan (42 foul)

Referee: Chandon Chapman
Assistants: Ryan Andrew and Kevin Brett

Attendance: TBC