CROYDON FC 5 – 2 SC THAMESMEAD

A vital victory was obtained to put a decent gap in the league table between Thamesmead and the Trams.  Yet the struggling visitors looked livelier during the early exchanges and skied one over on but their frail confidence came to the fore after Croydon’s opener.

Good running by Andy Walker put David Green clear to continue his run of goals on seventeen and a minute later, with the bit between his teeth, Eldi Baze missed a glorious opportunity to net Croydon’s second.

That came on twenty-four as Jahquan Springer was sent clear by Baze who slipped the ball past the advancing goalkeeper. Green had an aberration three minutes later slicing wide of the far stick after being put clear by Walker.

Croydon’s third, courtesy of Walker, had a suspicion of offside from the stand but was clearly one that had to be judged at ground level and in line.

The enigmatic Tiwa Fujamade would have made MOTD2’s “two good, two bad” spot his own this evening. An air kick on thirty-three after he had gone wandering upfield  gave the visitors a glimmer of hope..

But just before the interval, Trams were awarded a free-kick on the right touchline. Henry Swann’s kick went towards the near post and was hammered against the bar, Baze being first to react to net the rebound.

On fifty-four, Springer created the chance for Baze to add number five before Fujamade made his mark. He was cautioned for time wasting and conceded an indirect free-kick from which the visitors scored. But either side of this, he produced two stunning reaction saves to keep out two piledrivers and whilst Trams may not be mathematically safe, they are almost there