Motormen on wrong end of exciting clash at Oakside while Foxes knocked out of cup

Redbridge conceded four goals for the third consecutive match to suffer defeat against Thamesmead Town last night (Tuesday) in the Ryman North.

Motormen joint-manager Dave Ross had called on his side to start picking up points in their battle to survive.

The Oakside surface survived a 1pm pitch inspection and despite recent 4-2 and 4-1 defeats to Cray Wanderers and Bury Town, the hosts were confident going into the match.

But that was soon checked as former Romford captain Jack Barry scored the opener for Mead with two minutes played.

The visitors doubled their advantage eight minutes later when Theo Fairweather-Johnson beat Callum Chafer in the Redbridge goal.

Ross and Ricky Eaton’s men did respond, however, in the 21st minute when Charlie Portway kept up his good form by finding the net.

And suddenly the momentum was with the hosts as Portway scored his second just past the half an hour mark – his sixth goal in his past four games.

It remained level until half time when Jay Knight and Timi Dorgu were brought on in place of Billy Drake and Stephen Good.

Mead went back ahead nine minutes into the second period when Fairweather-Johnson grabbed his second.

Ross introduced Carlos Espinto Santo with 13 minutes left to try and produce an equaliser.

But Barry scored again 10 minutes from time to put Thamesmead in control going into the final exchanges.

The home side were again given brief hope when Knight scored in the 82nd minute, but they ran out of time and suffered a 25th league loss of the campaign.

Motormen remain 22nd in the table and are five points adrift of Waltham Abbey, who occupy the place above the drop zone.

Redbridge: Chafer, Matthews, Sackey, Parish, Good (Dorgu 46), Kabashi, Coxi-Sebastfao, Ditkevicius, Drake (Knight 46), Portway, Prince (Espinto Santo 77).

Unused substitutes: Belindir, Cornelius.

Attendance: 55.

****

Ilford were beaten 3-2 at Basildon United in the quarter-finals of the Essex Senior League Challenge Cup.

Bradley Warner scored a hat-trick for the hosts and hit the winner seven minutes from time to disappoint Allan Fenn’s side.