This was always likely to be a tight encounter as Sporting Bengal, after initially struggling since relegation from the Isthmian League North, have regrouped recently under the leadership of ex-Bridge assistant manager James Wakeling. In recent weeks, SBU have been one of the ESL’s form teams, including a victory at league leaders Little Oakley, and it was likely that they would be a difficult opponent for The Bridge, looking to bounce back after losing 1-0 last time out at Halstead Town.

In the end, this was a good win for The Bridge in a game that was as tight as expected, although the home side took a deserved victory after producing a dominant second-half performance following a fairly even first half.

SBU’s front three, Darnell Fuller, Elton Gjonbala and Daniel Rudolph McCullock, were a dangerous trio and tested The Bridge in the first forty-five but didn’t have the same impact in the second half. Their first half impact, though, saw the visitors go into the break with a 1-0 lead courtesy of Fuller, who finished a move in the 25th minute when a ball forward was headed on by Gjonbala, and the pacy Fuller finished well to give the visitors the lead.

As mentioned above, it had been a fairly even half with the visitors having more on target attempts, including an unintentional early long-range effort from Ashique Rahman easily caught by keeper Michael Bett and another Darnell Fuller shot just turned around the post by Bett that kept the margin at 1-0.

Bridge captain Darren Phillips stopped another Fuller attacking run, easing the Bengal man off the ball and injuring himself in the process. Phillips battled on before having to leave the field 15 minutes later after the injury forced him to leave the action.

Bengal had a couple of other attempts, a cross from Rudolph McCullock punched away by Bett and a Reece Simpson free kick that was straight at the keeper and didn’t cause concern. Hullbridge had chances too, and Bengal keeper Mackenzie Drew saved comfortably from Kelson McFarlane and, earlier, had more difficulty with an Ellis Devereux shot that he did well to turn round for a corner. Billy Willis hit an early shot over the bar, but the closest The Bridge came to a goal was when Jack Mochalski played a long ball forward and Jonathan Packer headed it past his advancing goalkeeper, Drew, and Kelson McFarlane placed his shot wide of the gaping goal.

All of this action resulted in a 1-0 lead for the visitors at half-time and a feeling that The Bridge needed to do more in the second half if they were to get anything from the game.
In the second forty-five, The Bridge did exactly that and were by far the better side and deservedly took the three points, and Bengal were unable to create any on target attempts in the whole of the half. In contrast, The Bridge created quite a few chances with Drew saving an early Leo Clark effort and Kelson McFarlane firing over when played in by Ellis Devereux. There was a feeling that a goal was coming, and soon it did when Kamel Sassi crossed to Leo Clark, and Drew saved Leo’s shot, but Ellis Devereux was the quickest to react and slotted home the rebound.

The Bridge were now in charge of the game with Bengal restricted to long balls that the hosts defended well. A Billy Willis free kick was headed on, and Jack Mochalski just failed to connect, and debutant sub-Patrick Da Lomba showed a nice first touch from a long ball before shooting wide. Ellis Devereux played Jack Unwin in, and Jack got to the ball just before keeper Drew, but the covering Jonathan Packer cleared the ball as it rolled slowly towards goal. From the resultant corner, Connor Hart fired over, but The Bridge pressure was taking its toll, and when Billy Willis turned on Kamel Sassi’s free kick, Da Lomba was first to react and slotted home.

Soon after, Da Lomba nearly got onto a through ball, but keeper Drew just got their first, but the flag went up for offside anyway, and as time ebbed away, Keiron Southgate went close with a shot that went just wide, although Michael Bett probably had it covered. One final free kick from Joshua Jackson was hit wide by Leonardo Carvalho Pedro at the back post, and the victory was claimed by the boys in blue and white.

A good win against an in-form opponent and a deserved three points built on that dominant second-half performance, and good to see the lads bounce back after the Halstead defeat. Lots of matches coming up, and it could be an exciting end to the season with involvement in two cup competitions, a quarter-final and a semi-final in the next couple of weeks.