Essex Senior League: Bethnal Green 1 Hullbridge Sports 3

Bethnal Green United boss Kirk Whitelock was a frustrated man following his side’s 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Hullbridge Sports on Saturday.

The Greens went into the game on the back of two victories and a draw, but despite coming back from 1-0 down to tie the scores level just before the break, Whitelock’s side paid the price for poor finishing, much to the manager’s dismay.

“It was a very disappointing game and has often been the case since I have been in charge here, we played well but ended up on the losing side,” he said.

“However, that is football and that is something that we just have to deal with.

“They scored against the run of play in the first half, and then we managed to pull a goal back through Darryl Wilson.

“And then with the last kick of the first half we miss a sitter that would have sent us in 2-1 up at the break and buzzing.

“Instead, they come out the blocks in the second half and get an early goal and then we get caught high up the pitch and they score the third.

“At one point we thought we had got it back to 2-2, but the linesman, much to the shock of the crowd, put his flag up for offside.”

And Whitelock refuses to lay the blame at the door of his players, insisting that he is trying his hardest to work with what he has at his disposal.

“We were down to the bare bones of a squad on Saturday,” he said.

“Some players were missing through injury, others through illness, but it then becomes a case of ringing up other players that are registered to the club and asking them to come and play.

“The lads that played on Saturday gave me everything they had and I think the scoreline slightly flatters Hullbridge to be honest.

“But football is a funny old game and if you don’t take your chances then the opposition often punish you.

“That has been the case too many times since I took over here.

“We create lots of chances but for some reason just can’t put the ball in the back of the net and it is not good enough.”

“It would have been great to have gone four games unbeaten, but sadly it wasn’t to be.”

Whitelock must now pick his troops up for this weekend’s short trip to London APSA, and the Greens boss is looking forward to having more players available for the last league game of the season.

“I am hoping to have some players back in contention,” he said.

“However, we also have some starters missing, like Jay Leader, who has probably been our best player this season.

“There are three or four key men that will be missing, but we have to deal with that.”

In terms of the future, Whitelock is certain that if the current Bethnal Green squad can stick together, then there will be good times ahead.

“With the talent in the squad and the experience that the players have taken from this season, the future is bright for the club,” he said.

“It’s one of only two clubs in Tower Hamlets and is like one big family. I’m sure that there are bigger and better things for this club to go on to in the future.”