LEWISHAM BOROUGH 1 – 2 CROYDON FC

Our sequence of six successive away games opened with a short trip up the railway line to Ladywell Arena where we encountered obdurate visitors scrapping for points to ensure their own survival. 

We did not produce a vintage performance but at this time of the season, winning ugly is what counts and that we did, in my view scraping through.  But there was a bright start to the game with us attacking early on before matters degenerated slightly.

Boro went close on seven having been allowed to run through, the shot being blocked for a corner and when we didn’t clear our lines, they clipped a shot wide of our right upright.

Defensively, we appeared disjointed with no-one grabbing the back row by the balls and organising them, too many loose balls leaving us in trouble. But the Borough couldn’t take advantage for the most part.

Our opener arrived on twenty-seven, a ball out to the right flank to  Ted Dwyer. who played it into a phalanx of legs in the six yard area. Tom Barton shot against the upright and Pat Ward was on hand to pop it over the line. Arguably slightly against the run of play but we have been due a modicum of luck.

But our lead was short-lived. Following more indecision, an awkward bounce on thirty-four and the ball found its way in for the equaliser. A bad goal to concede from a defensive standpoint. Red Jenkins shot from distance on forty-four but his decent effort found the home custodian.

The second half had hardly started when we were awarded a free-kick wide on the right flank and roughly level with the eighteen yard area. Barton curled it in low and in this case, it was the home defence who failed to clear and Keiron Rufus squeezed the ball home.

That was the end of the scoring as both teams huffed and puffed and weathered goalmouth scrambles, no-one having the ability to put their foot on the ball and dictate play.

Barton frustratingly shot across the face on seventy-eight when arguably he should have done better and when the final whistle sounded, it was with a modicum of relief for three hard won points coming our way.

Croydon: Penny, Walters, Friend, Rufus, Clark, Jenkins (White), Dwyer (Dale), Spencer (Macmillan), Palmer, Barton (Akinwunmi)),  Ward (Petrou)

Match Report: Steve Tyler

Pictures: Nigel White & DC