FOOTBALL

Waltham Forest 2
Arlesey 1
(Ryman One North) AN injury-time own goal gifted Waltham Forest a deserved victory against Arlesey Town on Saturday.

The scores were locked until the 93rd minute when Michael Georghiou's cross was turned into his own net by Craig Reynolds.

Forest dominated the first half and took the lead with a superb team goal, Joel Etienne-Clark turning in the box and tucking away from Vinny Durrant's cross.

However, wasted chances and a rejuvinated Arlesey made for a tigther game after the break, and it was no surprise when Obi Nene equalised for the visitors following a goalmouth scramble with 15 minutes to go.

Forest felt they should have had a stonewall penalty and had Arlesey down to ten men when Obinna Ronaldson was taken down by former Forest captain Ryan Oliva when clean through on goal.

But it didn't matter as Reynolds headed into his own net at the death to give Forest the points.

Boss Ged Searson said: "We felt it was a justified result.

"It was one of the best footballing performances we have produced in the first half and we should have finished the game off then. We also should have had a couple of penalties.

"But the players were over the moon after the game. It puts us back on track again."

Forest face a busy Easter programme against teams below them in the table. They travel to Tilbury on Saturday and then host Ilford on Monday.

Six points from the two games would all-but guarantee Ryman League security for next season and Searson added: "We intend to go out and win both games.

"But we'll take it one game at a time.

"We know that, although the league says otherwise, playing the teams at the bottom are generally the hardest ones.

"These are the team that are really scraping for every point."