by DAVID CHOPPING

LITTLE OAKLEY 3

HASHTAG UNITED 2

Thurlow Nunn League

division one south

AN excellent second-half comeback saw Sam Eldridge hit the winning goal eight minutes from time against a good Hashtag outfit.

Oakley came from behind twice and survived a penalty that smashed against the crossbar at the end of the first half.

In front of a large crowd, the Acorns started well and a long clearance from Lewis Wood found Stephen Polley, who squared to Greg Rodger to slice his effort wide.

Hashtag pushed numbers forward and were causing Oakley problems when a cross came in from Isa.

It whipped across the goal, with Luke Tynan rooted to his goalline.

Hashtag should have opened the scoring on ten minutes when, from Evans' cross, Couch, with a downward header, saw his effort bounce over the crossbar.

However, midway through the half, the visitors went ahead when Oakley were punished in giving away a silly free-kick which saw Isa deliver a great cross for Stamp to rise freely and head home.

A quick throw found Polley, who tested Cade-Watts at his near post, and, shortly afterwards, Wood fed Harry Mann, who was unlucky to find the side-netting.

Oakley felt unlucky when Polley broke through - only to be adjudged offside latching onto a long ball from Ben Gallifant, timing his run to perfection.

A better move by Oakley saw them rewarded with a corner.

From the corner by Lee Barrett, Wood did not get up enough to head the ball goalwards.

However, the goal was coming and Oakley levelled six minutes from half-time when Wood delivered a long ball over the Hashtag defence.

With Barrett and Mann free, the latter ran on to stroke the ball under Cade-Watts.

With the half coming to the end, Hashtag scored when Couch found space.

With Jamie Dobkin closing down, he could not prevent the ball flying past Tynan at his near post.

There was still enough time for the visitors to be awarded a penalty when, after good advantage played by referee Hastings, Couch went down under the tackle from Barrett.

Isa stepped up and smashed his effort against the crossbar, ending an exciting end to the half.

Oakley came out for the second half pushing forward more and tested Cade-Watts, making him pull off a great one-handed save to deny Mann.

Then Mann released Polley - only to see Cade-Watts push his effort around the post.

But on the hour, Oakley levelled when, wide on the right, Rodger took on Dakhnovskyy.

He left him standing, driving into the box, and found Polley to stroke the ball home.

There were moments midway in the half where neither team managed to break through.

The only chance fell to Rory Harman but he shot straight at the keeper.

With players tiring in the heat and due to the pace of the game, holes were being found and some clever substitutions made the difference as Oakley went ahead for the first time.

Eight minutes from time, Hashtag were stretched and the hard-working Mann delivered a dangerous cross into the area to find Sam Eldridge, who sidefooted home to get the ground rocking.

It was a long eight minutes which Oakley survived for a well-deserved win and a great team performance.

On Saturday, Oakley's first team entertain Lopes Tavares in the preliminary round of the Essex Senior Cup.

The reserves make their start to the season with an away trip to Wormingford and on Tuesday night they make a short trip to Lawford (6.30pm).