Hashtag United 2
Maldon & Tiptree 1
Hashtag United made it 16 games unbeaten as a late strike from substitute Alex Teniola secured an 11th straight win for the Tags following a 2-1 win over Maldon & Tiptree.
Despite sitting 11 places below Hashtag before kick off, Maldon took a shock lead after just three minutes with George Smith coming back to haunt his old club. A Harry Phillips free kick was only half cleared by Hashtag as far as Smith, and the former Tag lashed a volley into the bottom corner for his second goal in as many away games.
The rest of the first half was very quiet at the Len Salmon Stadium with Hashtag unable to prove why they are pushing for promotion this season.
However the second period saw Jay Devereux's men come out a much better side and within 30 seconds of the half starting they had the ball in the back of the Jammers goal - only for the linesman's flag to come to Maldon's rescue. Percy Kiangebeni pinged a cross to the back post where Jermaine Francis was waiting to volley the ball back across goal, and the 20 year old's cross was slid home by Emmanuel Okunja, but unfortunately for Hashtag Francis was deemed to be offside and the goal was chalked off.
This proved as a wake up call for the visitors who five minutes later went close to doubling their lead when a Danny Nesbitt corner deflected into the path of Smith. The striker headed an attempt towards goal that had to be cleared off the line by Okunja.
This missed opportunity meant Hashtag were still in with a chance of getting a result, and 20 minutes from time the hosts levelled the scores. Okunja burst down the right wing and broke into the Maldon penalty area before drilling an effort across goal that nestled into the far corner thanks to a deflection off of Nesbitt. This goal ensured that the Tags would keep up their record of scoring in every home game since January 2022.
This gave Hashtag hope and eight minutes later the turnaround was complete thanks to a goal from top scorer Teniola. Matthew Wooldridge delivered a cross to the far post that was headed down by Toby Aromolaran to Teniola and the former Dulwich Hamlet striker was able to scramble the ball home from close range for his 12th goal of the campaign.
As the game entered its final stages it looked like Hashtag were the more likely of the two sides to score a goal and in the 87th minute Maldon goalkeeper Tommy Dixon-Hodge was called into action. A cross was only cleared as far as Hashtag skipper Max Cornhill who unleashed a rasping effort that stung the palms of the former Braintree Town shot stopper.
The game would finish 2-1 to Hashtag in a win that sees the Tags move up to top of the table in the Isthmian League North Division. Three points also means Hashtag remain unbeaten on home soil this season as the Tags record a fifth straight win over Maldon & Tiptree.
Defeat for the Jammers means Peter Taylor's outfit are now four games without a win following back to back 2-1 defeats away from home.
Hashtag United: Philp, Wooldridge, Reid, Anderson, Cornhill, Francis (Vukaj 86'), Aromolaran, Okunja (Teniola 72'), Halford, Miles (Carvalho 58'), Kiangebeni
Goals: Nesbitt O.G 70', Teniola 78'
Maldon & Tiptree: Dixon-Hodge, Willis, Mokwenye (Boylan 82'), Finneran, Gregan, Nesbitt, Jaggs, Coombes, Smith (Giddings 81'), Phillips (Bates 72'), Kemp
Goal: Smith 3'
By Nathan Williams
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