Tooting win convincingly again to move into 2nd

Tooting made it 22 goals in the last 5 league games this evening, a scoring spree that has not been bettered in consecutive league matches by a Terrors’ side since 1958, and in the process, notched up their 5th consecutive league win to reclaim 2nd place in Ryman League South with a performance that was more hard fought and workmanlike than it was dominant.

As has been the case of late, Tooting were out of the blocks again very quickly, taking the lead in only the 3rd minute when Eddie Dines came towards the near post at the edge of the six yard box to turn in a Jordan Wilson cross delivered from the right hand side. The home side had an excellent opportunity to equalise 9 minutes later but fortunately for the Terrors, their former team mate Mike Salako sent his unchallenged header wide of goal.

On 14 minutes, the persistently dangerous Mike Dixon sent a powerful shot just over the crossbar and 60 seconds later, Billy Dunn missed a good opportunity when he saw his shot following a good run go wide of the post. Dunn then went close again after 33 minutes with a shot that went just over after a pass from Claudio Hoban. Six minutes later the Terrors went two in front after Mike Dixon scored with a low drive after being set up by Chace O’Neill. A minute later, Matte Pierson made a sharp save from Marcus Elliott to keep the two goal lead intact. In the final minute of the half it should have been three when Taurean Roberts broke through but in the end, ‘keeper Chris Haigh made a relatively easy save.

The first real opportunity of the second half came on the hour mark as the home side forced the Terrors back deeper and deeper into their own half as Marcus Elliott again forced a good save from Matte Pierson, this time from a header. Just when it looked like The Wasps were fighting their way back into the game, Chace O’Neill, pressing forward, intercepted a bad pass played across the face of the East Grinstead penalty area and set up Taurean Roberts who was running in from the left hand side and this time made no mistake in striking the ball left footed, beating ‘keeper Haigh to put the Terrors three up. Seven minutes later it was four as a surging run down the right from Jordan Wilson saw him play the ball across towards the 6 yard box where it was met and turned in by substitute Danny Bassett to put the game beyond the reach of the hosts.

Unfortunately for Tooting they were not able to keep a third consecutive clean sheet as substitute Alex Arif scored a consolation goal for East Grinstead on 88 minutes from a corner conceded following a great block from Quincy Rowe. The final action of the game saw a second yellow card for former Terror Leo Mazzone after a crunching tackle on Chace O’Neill right on the edge of the box after he’d been played in by a neat back heal from Jordan Wilson.

Photo credit: Sam Conquest

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