Southminster St Leonards 1 White Ensign 0

Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Saturday 28th December 2013

I made a visit to King George Playing Fields in Southminster today to see their team take on Southend side White Ensign.  On paper this looked like a straight forward home win for Southminster as they were second in the league with just two defeats all season while Ensign were second bottom with just 4 points and one win all season.  But this is football so we should of known better!!!   It was the home side who started the better however and took the lead on 12 minutes when a corner (which is incorrectly awarded) was swung deep towards the back post and the ensign keeper came for it but totally misjudged it and the ball flew over him and was headed into the net by Southminster captain Michael Palmieri for the opening goal.  Greig Taylor, top scorer in the Essex Senior League last season for Takeley, had a good chance midway through the half after a defensive mistake left him 18 yards out and he cut inside but saw his effort fly high and wide.  Ensign's final ball in the first half was poor and their only effort was a shot straight at the home keeper.  The away keeper made a great one handed save also during the half from a long range effort towards his top corner but Ensign did finish the half stronger and as the half ended 1-0 to the home side there wasn't much in it in what was becoming a scrappy game.  The second half wasn't a whole lot better to be honest but Ensign played a much bigger part in the game.  Sadly both teams passing and finishing or final ball was poor as heavy legs started to take over as the half went on.  Ensign were pushing more players forward in search of that illusive goal leaving gaps at the back but Greig Taylor was not having one of his better days up top for Southminster and was being well marshalled by the Ensign back line.  Ensign were starting to create some chances by this stage and Ensign full back Danso was delivering some awkward balls into the penalty area, two of which could of been converted but both were passed up.  The home side broke on a few occasions but the final ball or finish just wasn't good enough.  In the last minute of stoppage time Ensign won a free kick on the edge of the D and it was a well struck free kick but the keeper held onto it well and made sure Southminster ran out 1-0 winners in this very tight well fought battle.

Chelmsford City 2 Bishop's Stortford 1

Skrill South Division, Thursday 26th December 2013

Boxing day took me to Melbourne Stadium for a Skrill South Division clash between The Clarets and Stortford.  City had been trying to turn around a poor first half of the season in recent weeks following changes in management and staff.  Stortford have had a decent season to date so you would have fancied a close fought match.  However after an early half chance for Stortford the remainder of the half belonged to the home side as they played some awesome attacking passing football that time after time ripped the away side to shreds.  Luke Callander, signed from Heybridge Swifts last month, was a handful and he was the man whose double helped Chelmsford into a 2-0 lead at the break.  The first goal after 14 minutes was an exquisite move when Smith's wonderful crossfield ball found the dangerous Ward and his ball inside to Callander was struck first time by the striker past the outstretched arm of the keeper for a wonderful goal.  The second goal came on 25 minutes when Aaron Greene set up Luke Callander who struck low and hard into the corner after picking up a fortuitous ricochet to make it 2-0 to City. They could and should of added to this and could of easily been five up at the break such was their dominance. The second half was a far more even affair although City did have their chances to finally kill off the away side once and for all. But they failed to do this and on 78 minutes a cross from Harry Baker found Enver-Marum inside the six yard box and he headed past the keeper to make it 2-1 and game well and truly on. City now had their backs to the wall and the final ten minutes belonged to the away side but Chelmsford battled hard to hold onto the goal lead. Twice in the last five minutes they hacked headers off the goal line and then Stortford headed wide with one final chance right at the death. So City end up clinging onto all three points after dominating for most of the afternoon but hold on they did and this is another three points to turning the season around they will hope for sure.

Tower Hamlets 2 Southend Manor 1

Essex Senior League, Wednesday 18th December 2013

In a game played in appalling wet and windy conditions Manor fell to another narrow defeat at Mile End Stadium last night. If truth be told the margin of defeat could of been greater as the home side took control in the second half with the wind in their favour and but for some brilliant goalkeeping by Lawrence Priddle it would of been more. Manor were slow to start and Tower Hamlets pushed them back for the first fifteen minutes or so, without really threatening to much. Manor then started to get a foothold in the game and caused the home defence some problems of their own, Charlie Little with an effort just over the bar and another chance were the ball was played across goal but too far in front of the onrushing substitute Tom Pullen. Indeed Pullen had come on after 15 minutes for the unfortunate Max Drury, who had been out for 5 weeks with a shoulder injury. He had to go off with a leg injury this time round after a heavy challenge with an opposing player on a very slippery pitch, but lets hope its not to serious an injury. Hamlet threatened with a header just over the bar from a cross and as the half went on it seemed it would end goal less. However in the 43rd minute Charlie Little picked the ball up about 25 yards out and unleashed a blockbuster of a shot that flew past the keeper into the goal for a 1-0 half time lead for the away side. After this though Tower Hamlet's took control of the game as Manor had to deal with the wind and the rain into their faces and struggled to get the ball into the home sides half. On 53 minutes the home side levelled when from a cross Kamar stooped low to send a looping header over Priddle and the defender on the line to make it 1-1. Hamlet continued to attack and Priddle made two or three decent saves to keep the score at 1-1. Manor occasionally tried to break out and have an attack of their own but found this difficult to do. On 74 minutes it was 2-1 to the home side. Wilson got in behind the Manor defence catching the right back Reynolds unawares and smashed his effort past Priddle. It was a deserved lead for the home side it has to be said. Manor hung in and forced a couple of corners but just could not find that finishing touch towards goal. The referee then blew for full time despite only playing 43 minutes in the second half but to be fair everyone had had enough of the conditions by this stage!!! So it ended 2-1 to the home side.

Greenhouse London 2 Southend Manor 1

Essex Senior League, Saturday 14th December 2013

Manor went down to a 2-1 defeat at Greenhouse London this afternoon after a controversial 88th minute goal from Mica Mackangou sent Manor to their first defeat under new boss John Higley.
The first half wasn't much of a game if truth be told and the only noteworthy chances of the half were for Manor when Robbie Lewis had an effort from inside the box which was comfortably saved and then at the other end Priddle had to be alert to save at his near post.  Manor had the better chances of the second half, first of all Rhys Fatt got behind the defence but couldn't bring the ball under control. Then Fatt got in down the right hand side again but his effort curled just wide of the upright. Then a ball across the box found Charlie Little at the back post but his effort was well saved at the near post. 
Predictably it was Greenhouse who took the lead on 72 minutes with their first real attack of the second half. Mica Mackangou shrugged off his marker before bearing down on goal and smashing past Priddle to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Manor weathered a brief Greenhouse storm and then drew level themselves on 79 minutes when a ball was played into the path of Dave Reynolds and his left foot effort curled past the keeper into the top corner for a great equaliser. Manor had a golden chance to take the lead soon after when a ball across the six yard box someone eluded Fatt, any touch would of been a goal but it somehow ended wide for a corner. Then on 85 minutes referee Jerome Francourt dismissed Greenhouse defender Simone Attili for a second booking but then on 88 minutes the moment of controversy. A shot at goal hit a Greenhouse player on the head and out for a goal kick, but referee Francourt decided it was a corner!!! Surprise surprise from this 'corner' Mica Mackangou managed to get his head to the ball six yard's out and it went past Priddle via a deflection to give the home side the lead once again. Manor could not muster a chance to level so it was Greenhouse who ran out winners this afternoon.