Essex Senior League: London APSA 3 Ilford 1

Fahad Nyanja’s brace helped London APSA claim the points against strugging Ilford at the Terence McMillan Stadium last night.

The visitors might have taken a first-minute lead as Ryan Gardiner’s shot hit the inside of a post.

And Ilford forced a series of corners in the early stages, with Charlie Brien firing over from 10 yards.

London APSA made the Foxes pay for those misses on 11 minutes as Jorge Sambu won possession and played in Nyanja for a curling 20-yard finish beyond Michael Green against the run of play.

The hosts doubled their advantage five minutes later as Bilal Bapu made a strong run and Vendel Nunes cut inside to tee up Sambu for a strong shot past the diving Green.

Nyanja was denied by a Green save on 21 minutes before debutant Cemal Agdelen won the ball and found Sambu, who combined with Nunes to create a chance for Carlos Djalo, who sliced wide.

Gardiner forced Manuel Selva into action at the other end, while Besmir Hoxhaj volleyed over just before the break.

But APSA went 3-0 up on the hour when Nyanja produced a composed fiish for his 14th goal of the season.

Ilford hit back on 66 minutes with a bizarre goal as Gardiner was adjudged to have kept the ball in play, despite APSA protests, and continued his run before firing past Selva.

But it was little consolation as the home side held on comfortably for the points:

London APSA: Selva, Steele, Bapu, Akande, Lopes, Adeyemi, Sambu, Agdelen (Ogunwole 60), Nyanja (Kahie 80), Djalo, Nunes (Thomas 89). Unused subs: Da Silva, Akanbi.

Ilford: Green, Beveney, Brien (Dobbs), Graves, Sinclair, MacDonald (Nelson), Pattison (Rix), Hoxhaj, White, Gardiner, Smith.

*London APSA play host to Clapton in the ‘Battle of Newham’ tomorrow.

The Tons were knocked out of the Gordon Brasted Trophy after a 4-1 defeat at Eton Manor last night.

Clapton’s cause was not helped as their goalkeeper was sent off for handling the ball outside the box and with no replacement on the bench, James Briggs was forced into emergency action between the posts.

Joseph Mula netted twice for Manor, with Kingsley Francis and Paul Inkpen also on target as Clapton suffered a third successive loss in six days, following league defeats against Bowers (1-0) and Sawbridgeworth (3-1).