Rochester United went top of the SCEFL First Division after scoring two late goals against Tooting Bec.
Goals from Liam Wilkins, Pat Ward and Mack Reilly give Rochester the win with the visitor’s goal was scored by Kai Udondem. Both sides were also reduced to ten with a red card in each half.
Rochester started the game on the front foot with Aston Freeman going in behind the defence, but defenders defend well. The first real effort on goal fell to the home side, Conor Watson produced a quick fire cross in the box. The ball falls to Mack Reilly and the forward fires over.
Just after the ten-minute mark, Tooting have their first meaningful attack with a long ball to their forward Dariush Heravi, the ball bounces over the defender as they misjudge the bounce and the forward is through on goal. The defence recover and manage to defend the attack and clear the ball. With eight minutes to play before the half time interval Rochester was reduced to ten, Harvey Brown was sent to the showers after a bad foul.
Half time 0-0
Within two minutes of the restart Rochester were awarded a penalty. Freeman was played through on goal Sidney Reed brings him down and the referee points to the spot, the defender was only shown a yellow card. Freeman steps up to take the spot kick and the keeper saves his effort and defenders clear the rebound.
Seven minutes gone of the second half and a huge chance for Tooting to take the lead. A lovely strike by Sirak Negassi and his effort from distance strikes the crossbar and goes over.
In the 57th minute Rochester have the ball in the net, good passing around the box ball falls to Ben Wyness his effort goes in but is ruled out to be offside. Just after the hour mark Tooting Bec are reduced to ten. Ozion Bowen who was booked in the first half received his marching orders after bringing down Mack Reilly.
Sixty-five minutes gone and Rochester take the lead, a lovely driving run from Dan Lott and he plays the ball across the face of the goal and an unmarked Liam Wilkes shoots and the ball goes through a couple of defenders and ultimately the goalkeeper.
Out of nowhere Tooting Bec equalise. A long ball towards Udondem, the onrushing Chris Swift in goal misjudged the bounce of the ball and the forward taps home. Tooting almost took the lead; tricky winger Nile Waite was denied a certain goal by a great save from Swift.
After a few wide efforts from Mack Reilly and Aston Freeman and now entering injury time Rochester get their second of the afternoon. A ball is played to Ben Wyness and his low pass across the face of goal falls to Pat Ward and with the help of the cross bar the ball hits the back of the net.
Tooting don’t have time to recover as from the restart and a couple of passes the ball falls to Pat Ward again and he drives at the one defender stopping him from running through on goal. To Pat’s right was Mack Reilly so Pat lays him off and Mack calmly slots home in the bottom corner to make it 3-1 to the home side.
Full-time Rochester United 3-1 Tooting Bec
Att: 155
ROCHESTER UNITED
Swift, Wyness, Lott (Webb 66’), Payne [C], Currie (Loynes 45’), Bray (Ward 82’), Wilkins, Watson (Akhazzan 66’), Freeman (Thomas 90+5’), Brown
TOOTING BEC
Oakes, Bowen, Kale (Turner 66’), Sokhal, Reed, Bojanov, Waite (Boxall 66’), Black, Heravi [C](Udondem 66’), Neziri (Tedros 81’), Negassi (Ogbanufe 66’)
Imagines courtesy of Rochester United