Phoenix Sports bounced back from their home defeat last weekend to register all three points against Maldon & Tiptree thanks to a solitary goal by Vences Bola – Consolidating their position as leaders of Ryman League Div One North.

The hosts certainly looked the better side in the opening half looking the quicker and more confident and in the early exchanges Steve Carvell’s delivery from corners looked to be a likely source of goals.

Each inswinging corner sent into the visitor’s penalty area caused panic and in particular Lewis Mingle somehow managed to send a header over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

The Sports also showed pace especially down the left-side as Jason Goodchild intercepted a visitor’s corner to launch a swift counter-attack. Releasing Bola, the striker crossed to his fellow front-man Calvin Poku, but was unable to find the striker and the chance went begging.

The hosts and league leaders dominance was to tell just after the half-way point of the opening forty-five – Poku and Bola linking up well once again, with Bola shooting low past Daniel Wilks.

The goal seemed to inject a sense of urgency into the visitors and just shy of the half-hour mark home custodian Steve Phillips was called into action for the first time but Sam Newson’s shot was tame and straight at the ‘keeper.

Bola continued to be a threat to the visitors as Jack Hopkins glanced a cross on the left but it fell agonisingly wide of the far-post.

The visitors seemed to react better to the goal than the hosts and were unfortunate not to be all square in a phase of play with The Sports hanging on. Malden & Tiptree top-scorer Adam Hills found space on the left-corner twice in quick succession, his first attempt tipped over for a corner and subsequently seeing his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Dajon Golding.

And on the brink of half-time Liam Nash, also in the goals this season, got clear on the right-hand side and although his low cross evaded Phillips’ dive, captain Russell Bedford was on hand to clear the danger.

The Sports were so close to extending their lead moments into the second period as Ashley Probets saw his 25yd curling free-kick go just wide of the near-post.

The Sports’ warning forced the visitors into action and although they found space to shoot on goal, Phillips was comforted to watch any danger rise over his crossbar.

And despite an entertaining opening period the second half proved to be a cagey and disruptive affair – The Sports losing two players to injury in quick succession as, just after the hour mark, Carvell was helped off with what could be a bad knee injury and soon after second half substitute Christie Pattison, lasting only twenty minutes, was substituted himself.

With the visitors pushing for the equaliser The Sports looked to capitalise on gaps at the back and were unfortunate when Bola lobbed the stranded Wilks but could only watch as his effort fell narrowly wide of the far-post.

And Proberts was unlucky once more as his strike on goal could only be parried by Wilks but fortunately for the visitors the ball came back out off the angle of post and cross-bar, the ensuing danger cleared.

The Sports continued to push but were unable to create clear-cut chances to put the game to bed and remained more than resolute at the back giving the visitors nothing to give them hope to get back in the game.

In the final act of a frenetic finish the visitors piled on the pressure deep into injury time and in committing so many forward for a corner Bola broke clear. With two Sports players unmarked in the penalty area Dajon Golding blazed wide with the goal at his mercy.

 Phoenix Sports: Phillips, Bedford ©, Probets, Goodchild, Barry, Mingle, Hopkins, Carvell (McFarlane, 65), Poku (Pattison, 47; Sekhon, 71), Bola, Golding

Subs not used: Freeman, Kemp

Goals: Bola (23)

Malden & Tiptree: Wilks, Hammond, Claridge, Lock ©, Roast, Greenfield, Brampton (Kamanzi, 65), Agyermang (Henry, HT), Newson, Nash, Mills

Subs not used: Essuman, Haynes-Brown, Behan

Att: 78