Hamlets manager looking forward to tonight’s clash at Mile End Stadium

Tower Hamlets boss Ade Abayomi hopes the prospect of a local derby in the Essex Senior League with Sporting Bengal United tonight will see his squad raise their game.

Hamlets go in search of just a second league win this season and are the designated ‘away’ side for the derby clash against Bengal, with whom they share Mile End Stadium.

And having suffered 3-1 defeats in both matches last season against United, Abayomi is hoping Hamlets can restore some pride in the fixture.

“Last season, the two games we played against Sporting Bengal was one of their positives because they won both,” he said.

“They’ll be up for it again, but we’ve had good training sessions and hopefully we’ll get a bit more luck having played well, but not won.

“The boys will hopefully be aware of what it means to face your local rivals and it’s a game that I’m really looking forward to.”

Hamlets head into the match on the back of a 2-1 loss at home to Stansted on Saturday, despite Kerfala Kourouma firing them ahead in the 12th minute.

The Airportmen hit back, though, with goals from from Abdeen Abdul and Jack Isherwood earning them the win, leaving Abayomi to rue missed chances.

“We have to get over the loss and we have been working hard in training, so we’re working towards that,” he added.

“It’s a case of just not putting our chances away which has been costing us.

“We dominated the game against Stansted, but we were unable to score and hopefully we can change that tonight.”