The Motormen started the new Essex Senior League campaign with their longest journey of the season up the A12 to face newly promoted side Little Oakley. Manager George Christou had managed to keep together most of last season’s side along with adding a few new faces making for a competitive squad for the months ahead.

It was a sloppy start for Redbridge who gave away possession allowing Oakley striker Greg Rodger to shoot however his effort was off target, Redbridge then broke forward and registered their first effort of the match when Ibrahim Kehinde curled a shot wide.

Little Oakley were looking to their full backs at getting forward and one of those in Mason Ridgway-Lumley put over a teasing cross which evaded everyone and drifted away for a goal-kick.

The deadlock was broken after 15 minutes , some hesitant defending by the home side presented the ball to Kehinde and he was able to find space and drill a low effort into the corner of the net past the despairing dive of Laurence Whymark.

That goal gave Redbridge a lift and they started to dominate proceedings as first Jake Brocklebank and then Herman Mwanza both had opportunities before full back Jack Roult battled his way through a couple of challenges before getting his shot away which Whymark managed to palm away to safety.

Oakley continued to huff and puff but were finding it hard to break through a well drilled Redbridge back line although they did have shouts of a penalty when Joshua Merritt fell to the ground under a challenge of Timothy Ogunrinde but the referee called the foul had taken place outside the area , the resulting free-kick however was poor and easily cleared to safety.

As the half neared its end the home side put together their best passing move of the match thus far which ended with a dangerous cross coming over from the left which almost found its target in Harry Mann but he just failed to connect with his head.

The second period began with Ogunrinde showing some great skill to beat his man before finding a cross which reached its intended target in Mwanza but the Redbridge front man failed to get the connection he would have liked and it allowed Whymark to gather the loose ball.

Defender Craig Hall then showed good composure to steal the ball off an Oakley player before playing it up field finding the run of Kehinde who was barged down as the referee pointed straight to the penalty spot, up stepped Brocklebank who made no mistake from 12 yards doubling his side’s advantage.

Kehinde appeared to have injured his shoulder in winning the penalty and was forced to leave the field being replaced by young striker Sonny Fish. Within a minute Redbridge had scored again , this time it was Roult who picked the ball up from the halfway line and continued to run at goal being allowed far too much space and with Oakley defenders seeming to hold off putting a challenge in he soon had the goal within his sights and calmly fired past Whymark.

That quick fire double from Redbridge was a real sucker punch to Oakley but to their credit heads never dropped and they continued to try and get themselves back in the game , they managed to do just that on 68 minutes when poor defending allowed Rodger in on goal and his powerful effort flew past Martin into the back of the net giving the home contingency something to cheer.

Redbridge in fairness could and should have grabbed another goal when substitute Fish agonisingly saw his fist effort drop wide of the far post with Whymark well beaten before another chance which this time he only succeeded in finding the side netting.

The full time whistle was then blown as Little Oakley had their first insight into Step Five football and will know the challenges which will lay ahead whilst Redbridge get off to a winning start and face another promoted side in Athletic Newham at the Oakside midweek.

report by Adam Silver