2-1… you wouldn’t think that a simple number combination could have such an impact but when 2-1 to your team becomes 2-1 to theirs it does. In the last two weeks, as you know, The Bridge have taken six points from two games with two 2-1 victories. This week, our visitors Ilford did a “Bridge” and won 2-1 at Lower Road halting The Bridge run of wins before it had really got into full swing.

Ilford have to be congratulated, I guess, for two wins in a week. At home to, an admittedly out-of-form GWR, and this one at Lower Road. It's a massive effort for a non-league team to win two games in four days, and it sees them move up to 12th in the ESL table. For The Bridge, we have to go again at home to Halstead and start building another run as we remain in 17th.

To be honest, for much of the first half, an Ilford win looked unlikely and in fact, the only shot that they had on target was when they scored in first-half injury time. Greg Akpele had a shot go wide early on but that was all Ilford could muster and The Bridge didn't offer too much more although they were getting crosses in and Sam Carter headed wide from a Billy Willis free-kick early on.

The game then settled into a congested midfield battle, where the aforementioned Mr Carter was very much in the thick of it. The midfield battle was interrupted by loud shots for a Bridge penalty but the referee was having none of it, although there was more to come from him later. A Connor Hart cross saw Darnell Williams connect and shoot wide before a Bridge free-kick was scrambled away by the Ilford backline. A long-range Louis Bragg shot was comfortably held by keeper Wilkinson Boateng before a Bridge short corner was headed clear and Ilford finally threatened goal with a deflected shot from Ahmed Dousa and the resultant corner was headed clear also.

As the game neared half-time, a Jack Nolde free-kick was pushed away by Boateng and Ilford scrambled away the rebound. Boateng was in action again, saving from Louis Bragg before Greg Akpele saw a shot go wide at one end and Piers Hatcliff’s shot went over the bar at the other. Piers then had a shot saved and, as I momentarily glanced away, I presume so did The Bridge defence as Mohamed Habib was suddenly free in the box and stroked home the opening goal in first half added on time.

1-0 down as the second forty-five began, could The Bridge stage a comeback? Well, despite a couple of early efforts, initially no, and Ilford had the ball in the net again but it was time for a bit of drama as the goal was ruled out for offside. The consensus of opinion was that it was the correct decision but the Lino didn’t raise his flag and the goal was only ruled out after a discussion between the Ref and Lino. Thankfully, with no VAR at this level, the decision was made and it was on with the game.

If we did have VAR however, the next decision would probably have been a Hullbridge penalty as Piers Hatcliff was fouled and a free-kick was awarded but the foul was clearly in the area and I probably had a better view than the referee, and didn’t need any VAR lines to tell me it should have been a pen. Unfortunately, the ref was making the decisions, so my view was irrelevant. The free-kick was saved and Ilford kept their lead but decisions like this change games and had a big influence on this one.

Mo Habib was lively for The Foxes all day and his cross-shot flashed wide before Darnell Williams broke through and lobbed Boateng but the ball drifted wide and then The Foxes extended their lead when a cross was blocked but The Bridge couldn’t clear the danger and Joel Appiah made it 2-0 to the visitors. As has happened before when they’ve been trailing, The Bridge then suddenly kicked into gear and started pressing for a goal to get them back in the game. Piers was firing in crosses and shots, Darnell was trying to get on the end of through balls, Beau Macdonald joined the assault and finally, after 74 minutes Darnell converted a Piers cross and it was 1-2.

Similar question, could The Bridge complete the comeback and the answer was, unfortunately, no. Chances came and went for the home side and the visitors staged a few breakaways that could have increased their lead but in the end, that familiar 1-2 scoreline stayed the same, only this week there were no Hullbridge cheers.

Should it have been a draw, probably, but credit to Ilford, they battled to hold on to the lead they had established and made it two wins in a week. The Bridge, well we almost fought back and we will move on and go again next Saturday and for no other reason than we need the points and…

A congested midfield had Sam right in the middle of the battle and he did everything he could to haul The Bridge back into the game. He won most of his battles on the day and he deservedly wins the MOM award for an outstanding effort.