Mile End club tasted defeat in league opener after poor start and couldn’t take chances to get back into game

East London Advertiser: A Tower Hamlets player lets fly against Clapton (pic: Tim Edwards)A Tower Hamlets player lets fly against Clapton (pic: Tim Edwards) (Image: Archant)

Tower Hamlets manager Ade Abayomi was disappointed to lose their opening Essex Senior League match of the season, but pleased with their second half showing.

Clapton hosted the Mile End Stadium club on Saturday and scored twice in the first half to earn a 2-0 victory.

Hamlets had their chances to reduce the arrears, but failed to take them and tasted defeat on the opening day.

But despite that, Abayomi believes they faced a strong side in the Tons and can hold their head high.

He said: “It was a very tough game, I think Clapton will be a difficult team to beat this season.

“They’ve brought Fahad Nyanja back, he’s a good player and obviously it was not the start to the new campaign that we wanted.

“But we drew the second half and we had quite a few chances, although it was disappointing to start so poorly.

“The second half was a positive, we showed the potential we have, but we made too many mistakes at the beginning of the match.”

Abayomi revealed Hamlets had tried to bring in more experience to the club for the 2016/17 campaign.

Last season the Mile End outfit were famed for giving youngster a chance and that won’t change.

But they hope by having some senior guys around, it can help bring the talented teenagers on even more.

“We’ve brought a few more experienced players to the club this season to help out the younger guys,” said Abayomi.

“At the weekend we had one or two chances, we had two one on one opportunities to get back into the game.

“If you are two down and you pull one back, you get a boost, but when you don’t take your chances it just makes you more frustrated.”