Redhill 2 Cobham 2 - Thursday, 18th April 2024
Redhill were still holding onto fourth place in the Premier South table after Thursday night's 2-2 draw with Cobham at Kiln Brow. But to keep a play-off spot the Lobsters were now looking at having to win their last two games of the regular season - away to Knaphill on Saturday and Fleet Town next Tuesday - and hoping that Tadley Calleva and AFC Croydon Athletic dropped points in their remaining fixtures.
The Lobsters are on a good run, now unbeaten in five, and once again they were on the front foot from the start against Cobham, a useful mid-table side who had held champions Farnham Town to an away draw just two days earlier. Tyrese Sutherland's low left-footer was deflected behind for a corner in the first 30 seconds, Reuben Duncan put a free header over the bar from another corner and Hammers 'keeper Rourke Pickford plunged to his right to palm away a worthy effort from Nathan Hogan.
On 25 minutes Redhill took the lead. Hogan used his trickery near the left touchline to work himself enough space to curl in a right-footed cross that ended up in the net via a defender's head. Cobham were very much in the game and put plenty of attacks together themselves in a breathless second half. Referee Brendan Walsh awarded them a penalty but then changed it to a free-kick a yard outside the box after consulting with his assistant. Luke Roberts leapt across to save Derick Hayford's kick but was beaten by an almost identical shot from another free-kick, this time taken by Jordi Sada-Paz, that brought the Hammers level on the hour.
A poor challenge from behind by Cobham's Jake Boyer on Adam Grant on 72 minutes earned him a red card and Redhill's Hogan also saw red for his part in some pushing and shoving that followed. Then the Lobsters looked to have grabbed all three points as Alex Keating notched his sixth goal in four games near the end. But disaster struck as Redhill conceded a penalty three minutes into added time, Ryan Marklew blasting his spot-kick beyond Roberts' despairing dive.
Man of the March: Eoin Fraser
David Barber