Woodford Town substitute Ernest Okoh struck twice in stoppage time to break Great Wakering Rovers hearts as they were eliminated from the playoff semi final.

Harry Talbot gave the Rovers the lead from the spot with fifteen minutes to go after Callum Boylan was fouled in the box. However, Woodford Town struck twice in injury time as substitute Ernest Okoh netted in from a long throw and then tapped in after a counter attack to seal the hosts place in the playoff final at Takeley.

Rovers will spend will have to spend another season in the Essex Senior League despite their valiant effort.

They were without Bradleigh Rowland and Dominic Locke for the game as they were sidelined with injury.

KICKOFF:

The hosts began the game on top of much of the first half.

After the first couple of minutes, Micah Jackson was played through on goal and passed the ball into the net but was denied the opening goal as the linesman’s flag was up.

Rovers struggled to contain the ever growing Woodford Town as they were able to cut through the middle of the park and feed in their wide players.

Woodford Town continued to cause problems, and had a great opportunity of opening the scoring after twenty minutes. The hosts won the ball in midfield and a played over the top for Miles Mitchell-Nelson to run on and lob the ball over the on-rushing George Martin but Harrison Topliss managed to get back and hook the ball away off the line before Pedro Carvalho’s follow up struck the post and Martin managed to pounce onto the ball.

Jack McQueen was the first player of the night to go into the referee’s book after hauling down a player when Woodford were on a counter attack.

George Martin made a good save with half an hour gone when an unmarked Mitchell Nelson was played in but he stood tall to close the angle down and blocked the ball with his foot.

Rovers had a rare opportunity of the first half with eight minutes left of the first half and came very close. Callum Boylan was tripped on the edge of the box and Kingdom Dawson produced an excellent curling shot over the wall which cannoned off the post and luckily for the hosts, the ball was cleared away.

HALFTIME: Woodford Town 0-0 Rovers

It was the Rovers who began the second half in much better fashion and had several opportunities which forced the Woodford Town custodian Manny Agboola into action on several occasions.

With ten minutes gone, Bradley Bennett produced a long throw from the right which was sent into the box. The ball was headed on by James White and Callum Boylan attempted an audacious overhead kick back across goal which Agboola tipped away out of the top corner.

As time went on both teams went at each over.

After an hour, Carvalho smashed a left footed shot off the cross bar following a counter attack.

With fifteen minutes to go, Rovers were awarded a spot kick.

Rovers were on a charge and Harry Talbot flicked a ball over the top of the Woodford Town defence in run on and before he got his cross in, he was kicked and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Harry Talbot stepped up and smashed the ball into the bottom left to give the visitors the lead.

Rovers were up against it and Woodford Town gave it there all. Substitute Ernest Okoh fired his shot just over the bar, before Josh Steele watched his effort whistle just inches away from the inside of the post as another chance went.

As the game entered added time, Rovers continued to hold on and after two minutes in, a long throw into the box fell to Okoh at the back post and he rocketed his effort into the top corner to score the equaliser.

With the tie looked like it was heading to penalties, Woodford Town scored the dramatic winner.

As the 95th minute struck, David Gokou beat past his man down the left and ran on to deliver a dangerous cross across the face of goal, where it fell to George Okoh and he buried the ball into the back of the net.

Time wasn’t just done yet, with Rovers winning a corner in the dying embers of the game. Shaye La-Rose whipped in a corner from the right and George Martin who had come up forced Agboola into a good save to tip his header over the bar before the referee blew for fulltime.

FULLTIME: Woodford Town 2-1 Rovers

Congratulations to Woodford Town, we wish them luck in the final.

A tough one to take where the Rovers will spend another season in the Essex Senior League but they did us proud. However, they are not finished yet as they will now prepare for their second of three cup finals as they take on Little Oakley in the final of the Errington Challenge Cup at Witham Town on bank holiday Monday.

Up the Rovers!