GREAT EFFORT BUT ROVERS STILL STRUGGLE IN FRONT OF GOAL

Great Wakering Rovers gave returning player/manager Dan Trenkel plenty to be positive about after this entertaining encounter at Burroughs Park.

Waltham Forest enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, taking the lead through Courtenay White’s deflected shot after 3 minutes.

Rovers best moments were coming through winger Julian Okai, and it was he who levelled the scores from close range on 23 minutes following Louis Godwin-Green’s long clearance.

Rovers sprang into life with Dan Williams, Michael Pindy and Dan Trenkel all going close.

After the break, Rovers took the lead on 47 minutes when Pindy fired home from 12 yards.

Waltham Forest responded when Manu Dagher forced Godwin-Green into a smart save, with the resulting corner kicked off the line.

Forest’s Antone Douglas then hit the bar with a thundering free kick before Dagher levelled the score on 72 minutes.

Both teams’ came close to a winning goal. Trenkel almost made it a fairytale homecoming but was denied by Aaron Omand in the Forest goal.

Man of the match: Julian Okai (Rovers)