On reflection the positives are -
(1) with some hard work at the back, Rob's brilliant display and a slice of luck thrown in the Town kept a clean sheet against one of the title challengers
(2) the Town didn't lose at home.
(3) with nine league games left there is still a chance a top five position can be attained.
Market, backed by a good away following, were much the sharper going forward throughout the ninety minutes and had the better chances to win the game. They had a good shout for a penalty in the opening minutes when Mark Kirby appeared to handle the ball in the box. Was it ball to hand or hand to ball?? (0.20 to 0.40 on the video) If it was given it may have been slightly harsh.
Market had two good chances in the first half to score with Rob Blackburne making good saves from each effort. In the second half they had several more chances but failed to hit the back of the net which most probably would of got them the three points they needed in their title race against East Thurrock United.
Town with Leon Osei, Bryan Hammatt, Stuart Blackburne and the returning Walid Matata all in the starting XI did have a few chances to score with Osei's shot in the first half coming on a Needham defender's head in the first half and Matata's ball across goal in the second half which Hammatt unluckily couldn't get a touch on, the home side's best chances.
FINAL SCORE - 0-0
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Yesterday's Ryman North results
AFC Sudbury 0 2 East Thurrock United 306
Enfield Town 0 0 Needham Market 223
Grays Athletic 4 0 Waltham Forest 217
Great Wakering Rovers 2 7 Brentwood Town 95
Harlow Town 2 1 Thamesmead Town 184
Ilford 1 0 Cheshunt 41
Maldon & Tiptree 0 0 Wingate & Finchley 66
Potters Bar Town 1 2 Romford 137
Tilbury 0 2 Redbridge 72
Ware 0 1 Waltham Abbey 141
Current League Table
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
1 East Thurrock United 32 24 4 4 70 31 +39 76
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2 Needham Market 30 22 5 3 73 34 +39 71
3 Brentwood Town 32 17 7 8 63 43 +20 58
4 Wingate & Finchley 31 15 8 8 52 44 + 8 53
5 Maldon & Tiptree 32 14 8 10 57 52 + 5 50
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6 Harlow Town 30 15 4 11 42 42 0 49
7 AFC Sudbury 30 14 6 10 61 52 + 9 48
8 Enfield Town 31 14 5 12 58 39 +19 47
9 Romford 28 14 5 9 45 37 + 8 47
10 Heybridge Swifts 30 12 8 10 57 42 +15 44
11 Waltham Abbey 30 12 8 10 55 41 +14 44
12 Grays Athletic 28 12 7 9 47 36 +11 43
13 Potters Bar Town 31 11 6 14 48 57 - 9 39
14 Thamesmead Town 29 10 5 14 36 48 -12 35
15 Great Wakering Rovers 31 10 4 17 49 65 -16 34
16 Cheshunt 30 9 6 15 41 55 -14 33
17 Redbridge 29 7 7 15 35 57 -22 28
18 Ware 30 8 4 18 37 61 -24 28
19 Tilbury 31 8 2 21 32 56 -24 26
20 Ilford 30 5 6 19 28 57 -29 21
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21 Waltham Forest 29 3 7 19 25 62 -37 16
East Thurrock's 0-2 win at AFC Sudbury make the race for the title finely balanced with the table toppers five points away from Needham Market who have two games in hand. At the bottom of the table Carl Paul's goal for Ilford in the final moments against Cheshunt secured the Foxes a valuable three points. Waltham Forest are now bottom by five points but do have two games in hand over their East London rivals. Both teams are to visit Goldsdown Road on the 26th March (Waltham Forest) and 23rd April (Ilford).
Midweek fixtures (all Tuesday 15th March) AFC Sudbury v Tilbury Enfield Town v Heybridge Swifts Redbridge v Grays Athletic Romford v Ilford Thamesmead Town v Needham Market Ware v Harlow Town Enfield Town's remaining League fixtures 15/3/2011 HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS 19/3/2011 Romford 26/3/2011 WALTHAM FOREST 02/4/2011 REDBRIDGE 09/4/2011 Ware 16/4/2011 Thamesmead Town 23/4/2011 ILFORD 25/4/2011 Cheshunt 30/4/2011 TILBURY
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