Boro made a quick return to Redbridge on Monday evening. Buoyed by the FA Trophy win over the same opponents on Saturday, and the FA Cup win over Brightlingsea the previous week, hopes were high the our league season would get up and running.
Tom made 3 changes to the starting line up, with a first start for Joe Waight, and returns for Reuben and Scott. Boro lined up:
Reuben Rabstien; Ebz Addo Kuffour; Alaa Oujdi; Jorge Djassi-Samsbu; J’Ardell Stirling; Manny Yeboah; Dan Carey-Evans; Fred Agyemang; Joe Waight; Richard Ennin
Subs; Derek Asamoah; George Aresti; Demmy Nicolaou; Caleb Dennis; Tommy Boxer
Boro started brightly and within a minute Fred’s near post run had forced a corner Fred would look like Boro’s likeliest threat throughout the half, but none of his opportunities were clear cut and defenders and keeper managed to snuff out any danger.
These chances seemed to be fleeting as Redbridge began to exert more control. Reuben and Dan hesitated with no attacker close by to take advantage, a floated cross, covered by a backpedalling keeper then bounced of the top of the bar and out, then a sloppy ball across the back was cut out and J’Ardell had to recover to clear. Scott was booked for kicking the ball away after a free kick had been awarded near halfway, his reaction said sorry, but the time between the whistle and the action justified the caution.
In this period Fred had one of those half chances and Joe had not been able to climb high enough to meet a corner, but most of the action was coming at the other end.
Reuben had to make a couple of regulation saves as Redbridge found their range but the goal Redbridge’s play deserved wasn’t long in coming.
Boro were caught at the back post as a wide cross was allowed to bounce to be headed back across goal into the far corner.
They tried to press home their advantage. Reuben parried a free kick away and Jorge was booked as he tried to stop another break, from another poor giveaway.
And 5 minutes before halftime it was two. Dan was one on one with an attacker as they approached the 18 yard box. He stuck a leg out and the forward tumbled. It was close, but the referee awarded a free kick, rather than a penalty to the left of the D. No matter, as the kick was struck with power and accuracy into the far corner, to put Redbridge in control.
Tom brought on Demmy and Derek, for Fred and Richard at half time and, as in the first half a Boro chance arrived quickly. This time Joe was in space to get up and head Manny’s free kick, but couldn’t keep it under the bar.
But on 50 minutes Boro’s night got worse. Scott narrowly lost a foot race towards a breaking ball and as the forward nicked the ball away dived in, caught him and promptly received his second yellow card.
The next 15 minutes were tough going as Boro tried to regroup. Redbridge were enjoying good dollops of possession without overly threatening or creating a good chance.
Boro’s attacks were more sporadic. Joe’s shot ballooned off a defender and a shot from the resulting set piece went over. A Manny free kick, following Boro’s best move of the match involving Alaa and Derek too, 25 yards out, got up and over the wall but lacked the direction it needed.
With quarter of an hour to go Caleb and George replaced Alaa and a limping Dan, and it heralded Boro’s best period of the game.
Ebz kept marauding down the right but crosses weren’t quite finding their mark and Joe was finding a bit more space. He forced the keeper into a couple of saves, first as he tried to place a ball round defenders into the corner, and then a snapshot from a loose ball in the area was beaten away.
Redbridge’s threat was still there, even if Reuben was rarely troubled and as we went into added time Boro were having the better attempts.
George’s beautifully driven 50 yard cross was just an inch too high for Derek and Joe couldn’t twist to direct another header from his cross on target. In the final throes Sambu got on the end of a corner but it was simple for the keeper.
So, in the league, it’s Played 4, Lost 4 and a disappointing night after the encouragement of both performances and results in the previous week.
Att: 160
