Essex Senior League: Greenhouse 3 Sporting Bengal 2

Sporting Bengal ended their Essex Senior League campaign with a last-gasp defeat after a five-goal thriller at Barking’s Mayesbrook Park.

Greenhouse substiute Tairwo Aliu claimed an injury-time winner for his side, after Bengal had twice battled back to get on level terms.

It was the home team who started the better and went ahead in the 10th minute through striker Ephraim Oyemakinde, who fired first time into the bottom left hand corner after being put through by Abdeldjalil Serrar.

Greenhouse then controlled the match, keeping hold of the ball without creating any real efforts on goal, and it wasn’t until the 40th minute when Sporting Bengal created their best chance of the half.

Winger Mohammed Abdisamad beat two Greenhouse defenders before squaring into the box, but none of his team-mates were close enough to get a strike on goal.

The visitors would get a better chance, though, when they were awarded a penalty in the 44th minute after Abdisamad was fouled by Garrett Kelly.

Forward Tunde Adewunmi sent Greenhouse keeper Bruno Carvalho the wrong way from the spot to ensure it was all square at the break.

The second half was all Sporting Bengal and 10 minutes after the restart they were awarded another penalty as Richard Ojo handled in his own area.

Discussions took place between Bengal forwards Adewunmi and Jeffrey Noubissie over who would take the penalty, with the former pulling rank after scoring in the first half.

But this time Greenhouse keeper Carvalho guessed the right way and saved Adewunmi’s penalty to his right.

This would not stop the visiting side’s pressure and a long clearance from centre-back Toib Adeyemi almost caught out Carvalho who had to tip over.

Greenhouse were not in the game at this point and the only way they would make a breakthrough was to get the ball into the path of striker Oyemakinde.

This happened in the 69th minute as the tireless front man chased down a clearance from his defence and caused Bengal defender Jordan Meikle to slip, which allowed Oyemakinda to get through on goal and he dispatched his shot into the bottom right hand corner past Lewis Lockyer.

Sporting Bengal then had the ball in the net from a corner, but Meikle’s header was disallowed as the defender appeared to have fouled Greenhouse defender Ojo.

They would get a deserved equaliser with four minutes left, though, through Noubissie, who got a faint touch on to a fantastic cross from winger Prince William to send the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

The action-packed match wasn’t finished there, however, and another long ball from Greenhouse defender Ojo found man of the match Oyemakinde, who flicked it over Adeyemi before running through on goal.

Oyemakinde then unselfishly squared for fellow striker Aliu, who gave Lockyer no chance as he fired into the bottom right corner of the net.

Sporting Bengal: Lockyer, Williams, Ngulube, Borozan, Adeuemi, Meikle, William, Kahie, Adewunmi, Singh, Abdisamad. Subs: Burns, Khan, Noubissie, Crane.