Two teams looking for their first league win of the season met when Lewisham Borough CFC hosted Bridon Ropes in the Southern Counties East Football League Division One.

Playing for the first time this season at their home, the Alex Yee Ladywell Arena, Borough were hoping to pick up their first point of the season while Bridon Ropes came into the match with two points, but also yet to play a home game.

There was a fifteen minute delay to the kick off time due to the late arrival of an Assistant Referee. Referee Daniel Davis then decided that the shirt donned by Lewisham goalkeeper Sam Dowding was too similar to those worn by the Ropes so a further seven minutes was added to the late kick off before a yellow t-shirt was found for the custodian.

As expected, the South East London derby was very competitive however, on a pitch with variable bounce, high quality football was difficult and chances were at a premium.

After ten minutes of the two teams trying to work each other out, the visitors went ahead. Jack Keen’s shot took a deflection and it dribbled just inside the post before nestling into the bottom corner.

Emmanuel Oshinowo flicked a long throw by the Ropes’ Adrian Brown beyond the far post before Lewisham’s Sineen Sineen fired over from twenty-five yards. Ten minutes before half time, Bridon Ropes were almost helped by another deflection when an Anthony Skordilis free kick was diverted just past the post.

Both teams had corners that came to nothing before the first end drew to a close.

Early in the second period, Jordan Samuel picked out Aidan O’Dwyer from a corner but the centre back was unable to get over it and it drifted wide. Ryan Crowder then sent Samuel in behind, however the angle was tight and his shot flashed across the face of goal. O’Dwyer got a cleaner header on another Samuel corner and was disappointed that he failed to hit the target, and that was as close as the hosts came.

Eight minutes remained when Bridon Ropes made sure of the points. Oshinowo slung it out wide to Skordilis and his low cross was bundled in at the near post by Joe Quinnear.

So well did the Ropes defence perform that their goalkeeper, Albert Penney, did not have a save to make and the hosts’ misery was compounded in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Crowder was sent to the sin bin for the remaining three and a half minutes before play was ended at six minutes past ten. 

Lewisham Borough: Dowding; Crowder, Tolufashe, O’Dwyer; Sajovic (A. Garcia 57, (Wells 69)), Carless, Okeke (Kabengele 46), Boothe; Sineen (J. Garcia 46); Makisi, Samuel (Austin 78).

Subs not used: None.

Goal scorers: None

Yellow cards: Boothe (13 foul), Carless (34 foul), Samuel (64 deliberate handball).

Sin bin: Crowder (90+5)

Bridon Ropes: Penney; Kemp, Leacock, Norcott, Brown; Mahmut, Skordilis (Akinwunmi 83), Schoeffer (Bestman 88); Keen (Quinnear 72), Kasai (Fahey 65); Oshinowo (Da Lomba 90).

Subs not used: None.

Goal scorers: Keen (11), Quinnear (82)

Yellow card: Kemp (43 foul)

Referee: Daniel Davis

Assistants: Felix Gralton and Daniel Wyatt

Attendance: TBC