Hullbridge Sports 5 Sporting Bengal 0

Shortstaffed Sporting Bengal ended up well beaten in their last match of the Essex League season at Lower Road.

The east Londoners travelled with only 12 players and were forced to play manager Imrul Gazi in goal.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes as the visitors experienced traffic trouble en route, but that did not seem to affect them as they held the home side at bay until two minutes before the break, when Charlie Little tapped in from a Aaron Hunwicks free-kick.

Hullbridge doubled their advantage midway through the second half when Luca Frankis tapped in from Little’s cross and it was 3-0 on 75 minutes when captain Jimmy Cox lifted a shot over Gazi.

Dean Wallace slotted number four into the left corner with four minutes remaining and Hullbridge completed their nap hand on 88 minutes when Cox blasted home again from close range.

And it was nearly six in the closing stages as Frankis saw a downward header bounce up on to the roof of the Bengal net.

A third successive defeat at the end of the season sees Bengal finish in 19th place, with 39 points to their name after winning 11 and drawing six of their 42 fixtures.

Sporting Bengal: Gazi, Alexander, Wickham, Noor, Da Silva, Hussain, Francis, Vaughan, Shiblu Miah, Carvell, Wright. Sub: Samad Miah.