A depleted Inglewood United side had to be content with a 0-0 draw despite out-playing National Premier Leagues leaders Bayswater City in trying conditions at Intiga Stadium. Played on a soggy surface and in driving rain, Inglewood, minus regulars Ryan Clarke, Scott Blackmore and Jason Colli, produced a commanding performance in which the only thing lacking was a goal or two.
Coach Graham Normanton had nothing but praise for his players’ efforts on a difficult afternoon. “It doesn’t matter what conditions are thrown at you, you’ve got to play in them,” he said of the weather. “It’s good to get back to some form at last. We’ve had a month where we’ve been indifferent but we should be playing like that every week.”
Inglewood did everything right in a dominant first half except stick the ball in the net. The first opening of the day came after 11 minutes when David Sesay rattled the crossbar after meeting a cross by Teeboy Kamara. Bayswater goalkeeper Devon Spence did well four minutes later to keep David Perich’s shot from inside the penalty area from entering his net.
Kamara and Sesay were asking all sorts of questions of the away defence. A delightful through ball just after the half hour by Andrija Jukic sent Greg Sharland on his way only for Spence to thrust out a glove and deny his opponent. Bayswater’s best chance of the period was a Gustavo Giron Marulanda header which Scott Witschge cleared off the line.
Bayswater came more into the game after the turnaround but Witschge, Joe Pullella, Shane Pickering and David Perich kept genuine chances to a minimum. And on the few occasions they were breached, such as when an error put Sahr Musa within sight of goal, gloveman Luke Martino came to the rescue. Ryan Francis came agonisingly close to stealing Inglewood victory after seizing upon a poor defensive pass.
The day ended on a sour note with striker Teeboy Kamara stretchered from the field with a suspected hamstring tear just minutes from the final whistle. “It’s disappointing,” said Normanton of the injury to Kamara. “He’s exciting and the type of player people come to watch, but it looks like we might have to do without him for a while.”
Match stats
Inglewood United 0
Bayswater City 0
Inglewood United: Luke Martino, Scott Witschge, Joe Pullella, Shane Pickering, David Perich, Ryan Francis, Andrija Jukic, Greg Sharland, Sean Browne, David Sesay, Teeboy Kamara (Jarrod McNally 86)
Bayswater City: Devon Spence, Adam Bachiller (Paul McCarthy 56), Trent Kay, Andy Reale, Chris Saldaris, Hassan El Yassiri (Sahr Musa 62), Brian Farrell (Damien Catalano 85), Jamie Coyne, Sam Mitchinson, Gustavo Giron Marulanda, Steve Burton,
Bookings: Burton (42), El Yassiri (44), Mitchinson (45), Kamara (48), Reale (92)
Dismissals: Nil
