Great Wakering Rovers suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Clapton Community on Saturday afternoon.

Julian Austin and Andre Odeku gave the hosts a deserved lead at halftime before Okwute Izuchukwu netted in the second half to condemn the Rovers to defeat.

The contest was astoundingly attended with well over a thousand backing the home side. A fantastic turnout at step 5!

Kickoff:

Both sides traded chances early into the first half.

Rovers had the first chance of the game. Kye Jude played a long ball over to Shaun Gittleson on the right and he delivered the ball into the box to Harry Talbot who did well to hold off and turn his defender before seeing his close range effort well saved by Jack Francis.

Rovers attempted to create more chances but failed to create any movement or any clear cut opportunities.

After that however, it was the home side who would cause trouble and make life difficult for the Rovers.

Kye Jude was cautioned for a miss timed challenge and George Marsh was called into action on 14 minutes when a cross in from the right found Samir Sedaoui in the box and saw his close range effort tipped away by the outstretched arm of Marsh before seeing the rebound flash over the bar.

Minutes later, they were forcing the Rovers into individual errors. Joel Akuwudike won possession on the corner of the box and fed the ball into the box which wasn’t cleared and Andre Odeku dragged his effort wide of the right post.

Midway through the first half on 23 minutes, the hosts made the breakthrough. Jack Banks was cautioned for a mistimed challenge thirty yards from goal and a long ball into the box was only headed away to Lewis Owiredu on the edge of the box. The forward skipped past his defender before cutting a ball across to an unmarked Julian Austin to poke the ball in at the near post.

Three minutes later, the hosts had a great chance to double their lead when a miss controlled ball went astray and Andre Odeku pounced and ran on through. Thankfully, George Marsh put the forward under pressure and managed to force Odeku to shoot just wide of the right post.

Minutes later, they cut through the midfield before playing through Odeku to run through but his near post shot was well saved by Marsh and he gathered the loose ball. Marsh was once again called upon again merely seconds later when a move down the left played the ball in behind and a cross into the box found Odeku who turned his marker before seeing his close range effort pushed away at the near post by Marsh.

Rovers were lucky to be further behind at this point and the home support was really playing their part for their team. With halftime just around the corner, it would become a mountain to climb as they hosts doubled their lead before the break.

What looked like a harmless pass back to goal by Thomas Barton caused a mix up at the back and Andre Odeku pounced to round George Marsh before passing the ball into the empty net.

Halftime: Clapton Community 2-0 Rovers

Marcus attempted to salvage the game with halftime substitutions, but ten minutes into the second half, the hosts all but rounded the game off with their third.

A long throw into the box was only cleared out to Andre Odeku on the edge of the box and he saw his effort blocked but the ball found landed at the feet of Okwute Izuchukwu inside the box and he blasted in to give his side a commanding lead.

Rovers had a good little spell on the hour mark however. A long throw into the box by Finley Ledger was headed just wide of the back post by Mitchell Arthur before Jahziah Blackford’s cross into the box was shot over by Harry Talbot.

With twenty minutes to go, Clapton had another opportunity to add to their score line when a cleared corner was played out wide to Rafael De Mata and his cross into the box rattled off the top right of the goal. Rovers failed to clear their lines as the hosts doubled ball found Flavian Stierlen on the edge of the box and his shot rebounded off the right post before Rovers finally cleared the ball.

With ten minutes left, Rovers won a free kick in the left. Shaun Gittleson whipped in a great ball into the box which was headed back across the face of goal by Kye Jude and Mitchell Arthur stabbed the ball in but the assistant referee’s flag was up.

Rovers went in search of a consolation goal and once again had a another opportunity on a counter attack when Dylan Lovely’s throw on found Harry Talbot to run in behind and found Riley Scopes on the edge of the six yard box. The midfielder flicked the ball over Jack Francis and attempted to prod the ball in but Adam Sidky made a superb recovery run back to hook the ball off the line which would all that summed up the Rovers luck on the day.

Fulltime: Clapton Community 3-0 Rovers

A bad day at the office, the result sees Rovers drop to 17th in the league but with still plenty to play for. Thanks to all the travelling supporters who made the trip.

It will now be a time to reflect for the lads and put the performance behind them as they turn their attention to cup action when they travel to National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday 13th October in the third round of the Essex Senior Cup before travelling to Hackney Wick on Saturday 17th.