SPORTING BENGAL ARE PROMOTED

Sporting Bengal best Romford in play off final

It was a cold, wet bank holiday Monday, but the weather was never going to ruin the excitement of a play off final.

Romford hosted Sporting Bengal, the home side started the better of the two, creating some half chances, forcing Sidi Haidara in action multiple times while never truly testing the Bengal goalkeeper.

The biggest chance of the game so far came from a Romford corner, as Pinto headed the ball past Haidara only for Jay Knight to clear the ball off the line! Dorrell then forced Haidara into a fine save on the half hour mark, but it would be Sporting Bengal who broke the deadlock.

Jay Knight glanced on a fantastic Carvell cross into the far corner of the goal to give his side the advantage. Romford did have the ball in the Sporting Bengal goal a couple minute after the opener but it was disallowed due to an offside flag from the official.

Romford’s best chance of the half fell to Morris as a failed clearance led to the winger finding himself free in the box and he unleashed a shot which struck the post, a huge let off for the Sporting Bengal defence. Jay Knight found himself being the hero again, as he cleared another ball off the line, this one somehow even better than the first!

After the interval it was Romford turn to clear the ball from their goal line, Patel’s shot was fumbled by Anderson in the goal and Carvell tried to bundle it past Anderson and Luke but the latter was able to turn the ball to safety.

Not long after this Bengal doubled their lead, Timi Joseph found himself in space and teed up a tempting cross which was gladly met by the head of Joe Gregory, the striker flicked the ball off his head into the bottom right corner. 2-0.

Moments later it was 3! A long clearance bounced over the head of the onrushing Anderson, leaving Patel with an open goal to make it 3-0.

Substitute Darren Phillips made an instant impact as he held off a couple Bengal defenders and laid the ball off to Dorrell who drove the ball into the net. 3-1.

Dorrell then went close again, heading just over the ball, but the Sporting Bengal defence held strong, winning the game 3-1 and sending Sporting Bengal into Step 4!

Congratulations to Sporting Bengal.

MOTM: Jay Knight