Sporting Bengal United 1-7 Thamesmead Town - Senegal stopper prevents "frightening" scoreline

Despite his side being totally outclassed by the Kent League leaders, the Senegal born goalkeeper, who has been living in England for three years, was the only bright spark in the east Londoners’ team.

Thamesmead Town are now six points clear at the top of the Kent League table with only four games to play following their capital gains.

Sporting Bengal United, meanwhile, are a side that’s playing out of their depth, and remain rooted to the foot of the table with only four wins and four draws from their 29 league outings.

And when Thamesmead striker Richard Dimmock broke the deadlock after 601 seconds of this miss-match, that signalled the 100^th goal that Sporting Bengal United have leaked in the Kent League this season.

Dimmock was relieved when his scuffed shot rolled into the right-hand corner of the net, following Curtis Williams’ low centre.

Diagne, however, made six stunning first half saves to ensure the visitors went into the half-time break with just one goal.

The Barking based goalkeeper, made a comfortable low save from Rikki Cable’s right-footed drilled free-kick from 35-yards, before Dimmock’s opener.

And the impressive goalkeeper made another stunning save, diving to his left to turn Cable’s left-footed drive from thirty-yards around the post.

Diagne then prevented Williams and Dimmock from scoring before Harbingi Grant was played in behind the hosts’ defence by Dimmock but the former Greenwich Borough striker was denied by the goalkeeper’s legs.

And he made another save on the stroke of half-time when he beat out Cable’s rasping shot, which was flying towards the corner, following a knock down by Grant.

The only sight at goal that the poor home side created during the first half arrived after 35 minutes but Leon Ryan drove his right-footed shot from 25-yards past the diving Chris Conneally but also well past the far post.

Dominant Thamesmead also missed several other chances during the first-half but had to settle for just the one at the break.

The east Londoners began the second half spraying the ball around the pitch and their second chance arrived inside the opening four minutes.

But once again their shooting was woeful as Abul Hasanath’s right-footed shot from 20-yards went well wide.

Around the hour-mark, more chances came Thamesmead’s way, which included Cable drilling a shot into the side-netting and Dimmock flashing a shot just past the far post.

So it was no surprise when Thamesmead doubled their lead after 63 minutes.

Conneally had played the ball to substitute Danny Chapman, whose defensive splitting pass from right-back, was latched onto by Williams down the right.

Williams’ shot was blocked by Diagne and from the resulting corner, taken by Cable, James Brown was thwarted by that man again but Junior Baker’s left-footed angled drive found the net via Chris Rothon.

But Sporting Bengal United stunned the league leaders as they pulled a goal back with their first shot on target after 67 minutes.

Unleashing a right-footed drive from 35-yards, Franklin Osede found the bottom left-hand corner, creeping underneath Conneally's body.

Diagne guessed the right way but prevented Dimmock scoring his second from the penalty spot after 71 minutes after Cable was upended inside the penalty box.

And the floodgates opened as Thamesmead scored four goals in the last eight minutes as Sporting Bengal capitulated.

Cable scored his first in the 82^nd minute when his mazy run saw him beat four defenders before stroking the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

Then the striker dinked the ball over Diagne but the ball agonisingly bounced off the near post.

Williams got into the goalscoring act after 85 minutes, slotting the ball into an empty net after Dimmock’s shot was parried by the goalkeeper.

Cable went on to score his hat-trick with two goals in as many minutes at the death.

Dropping his shoulder to fool the goalkeeper, he comfortably made it six and then 22 seconds into stoppage time he slotted the ball into the net after strike-partner Dimmock had played him in.

Thamesmead Town manager Keith McMahon, speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  afterwards was full of praise for man-of-the-match Diagne.

“We just found out it’s his first game tonight for them, he can only play midweek,” said McMahon.

“We came in at half-time 1-0, it could have been seven! He’s made five or six great first half saves, especially the one from Rikki (Cable), top corner.

“Even in the second half he made some really good saves. It’s frightening what it (the score) could have been!

“They had a couple of good players, the little nine, Oli Rahman up front, he worked tireless and they tried to put us under a little bit of pressure but at the end we kept going but once we opened them up with a couple of goals cushion, the quality came through.”

McMahon was, however, disappointed with the only shot on target that his opponents could muster all night.

He said: “To be fair they didn’t really have a shot on goal, only (the) one that went under the goalkeeper’s body from distance, which he should have saved.”

McMahon felt the Mile End Stadium is not fit to host Kent League football, adding: “It’s dark out there, one of the darkest places I’ve been to, even darker than Greenwich Borough, again no
disrespect there but it’s very dark. We’ve just come and done a job.”

Speaking to Diagne afterwards, he revealed that he’s played for Senegal at youth level and can’t play football on Saturday’s because he works in a shop to provide for his girlfriend and one son - and family in Senegal.

He would, however, relish the chance to play at a much higher level than Sporting Bengal - and one tonight's display, with a better defence in front of him, he showed that Ryman League football, at least, is his level.

“I’ve played in a higher league but I need someone to help me and they will have to pay my fees,” Diagne said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

"It's going to be difficult for me because I’m living with my girlfriend, we’ve got one son, and I’m sending money to my family at home, so it’s hard for me, that’s why I’m working (and not playing football on a Saturday).

“I know I can play at a higher league because before I came here I was playing in the first division, like Premiership, when I was playing in my country.”

Sporting Bengal United: Pape Diagne, Chris Rothon, Tyrone Farrington, Hamza Sadouk, Shelim Shakir (Malik Hasanath 76), Lucas Lesporis, Franklin Osede, Sana Miah, Oli Rahman, Leon Ryan, Abul Hasanath.
Subs: Stephen Joseph, Siam Uddin, Jamie Crouch.

Goal: Franklin Osede 67

Thamesmead Town: Chris Conneally, Curtis Williams, Junior Baker (Laurence Collins 86) James Brown (Lee Dawson 86), Lew Watts, Lee Coburn, Scot Mulholland, Pedro Knight, Richard Dimmock, Rikki Cable, Harbingi Grant (Danny Chapman 53).
Subs: Sam O’Keefe, Femi Omogbehin.

Goals: Richard Dimmock 11, 71 (pen), Junior Baker 63, Rikki Cable 82, 89, 90, Curtis Williams 89

Booked: Richard Dimmock 87

Attendance: 53
Referee: Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Gareth Garrey (Deptford) & Mr Peter Gill (Bexleyheath)