Tower Hamlets 0 Stansted 6

Essex Senior League, Wednesday 28th January 2015

Six second half goals saw Stansted win at a canter against a young Tower Hamlets side at Mile End last night.   After a goal less first half were both sides had chances Stansted totally dominated the second half and on 49 minutes they were awarded a penalty after a shirt pull just inside the box but Dave Ratcliffe's spot kick was brilliantly saved by the keeper.  However the resulting corner from Dave Ratcliffe went straight in giving the away side the lead.   This lead was doubled on 54 minutes when the ball broke to Gary Rowntree inside the box and his good finish beat the keeper for 2-0.   The visitors were now rampant and on 63 minutes made it three when a free kick was headed home with ease by Callum Turner and it was four on 69 minutes when Callum Turner ghosted in behind a static Hamlets defence to finish from close range and grab his second of the game.  Things got worse for the hosts when they were reduced to ten men on 76 minutes for dissent and Stansted were to add two more goals before the end, firstly on 88 minutes when the visitors got in behind the Hamlets back line again and Callum Turner rounded the keeper and slotted home for his hat trick and secondly in stoppage time a ball struck in from inside box by Phil Siggins beat the keeper and went in for six although the ball did go through the net, causing some confusion in the crowd although it didn't matter by then as the game was already over as a contest.

Erith & Belvedere 1 Yaxley 0

FA Vase Fourth Round Proper, Sunday 18th January 2015

Erith and Belvedere put in a workmanlike performance to see of Yaxley to make it through to the last 16 of the vase in front of an eight year high crowd of 212 at Welling's Park View Road ground. It began well for the hosts as in the fifth minute Byron Walker burst away from his own area and ran down the left before cutting the ball back in towards Adam Marsh who turned and fired a first time shot past Butcher in the Yaxley goal. The visitors then had a good spell and saw efforts from Hook fly wide from distance and also see keeper Kamurasi make a decent save from Cotton, a theme that was to carry on through the match, keep the hosts a goal ahead. Yaxley were knocking the ball around nicely and almost levelled on the half hour when nice interplay found Hook who struck against the base of the post. Erith threatened through Walker again before it was the hosts turn to hit the upright although the resulting effort from full back Matthews looked more a cross into the box although it nearly caught out Butcher and hit the bar before going over. Three minutes before the break Yaxley had a great chance to level when Cobb was upended in the box but Hughes penalty was saved by the ever impressive Kamurasi diving to his left to beat the spot kick away. Chances were fewer and far between in the second half as the game became scrappy and physical with challenges going in from both sides as they fought to win that place in the next round. Both teams did create chances though and the best fell to Yaxley but on each occasion Cotton found a keeper in the name of Kamurasi in the way and he made two cracking saves to deny the Yaxley winger. The Deres defended for their lives as the clock ticked down and they dug in and held on for a brilliant victory and a place in tomorrow's fifth round draw.

Great Wakering Rovers 2 Thurrock 2

Ryman One North, Saturday 10th January 2014

My first game of 2015 took me to a bright and breezy Burroughs Park as Great Wakering Rovers and Thurrock did battle in the League.  Thurrock started the better and took a 2nd minute lead when a corner kick was played out to the edge of the box and Lewis Spence struck through a crowd of players past an unsighted Adam Seal in the Rovers goal and into the bottom corner.  Thurrock continued to create the best chances of the half but could not add to their lead and although the home side had a few openings themselves they would of thought themselves lucky not to be further behind at the break.  The second half was more scrappy and become niggly and more of a typical derby game and it was inevitable that a flashpoiny would come and it duly arrived on 63 minutes when Ross Wall and Lewis Sparrow clashed just inside the Rovers half and it ended with Wall aiming a knee at Sparrow and saw the Thurrock forward dismissed.  Thurrock had to do a lot of defending in the last twenty minutes although the home side lacked the cutting edge and Thurrock were looking pretty comfortable at the back thanks to a solid backline.  Corner's seemed Rovers best way for an equaliser and sure enough one such corner saw a mistake from the keeper gobbled up by Jay Nash who poked the loose ball over the line with five minutes left.  However two minutes later Rovers were caught napping at the back and the ball was squared to sub Kweku Ansah who slotted under Seal to give the visitors the lead again.  What happened a few minutes later will live long in my memory as another flashpoint inside the Rovers box saw Lewis Sparrow clash with Abs Thomson who looked to aim a headbutt at the Wakering defender and the referee duly sent off the other Thurrock forward.  As Thomson started to walk off he suddenly took a beeline for Sparrow and sprinted across the field and thumped the Rovers man in the face sparking a mass brawl between both sides.  It was an absolute disgrace and the Thurrock man must surely face a lengthy ban and fine for what is nothing short of assault.  Rovers Billy Radley was also sent off following the fracas after he had aimed a kick at Thomson following his assault of Sparrow.  Rovers were to have the last laugh though as in the seventh minute of stoppage time a ball into the box found Eljay Worrell who struck home from just inside the box to send the home players and fans wild and it was literally the last kick of the game and the points were shared although the talking point was all about Abs Thomson's moment of madness, which will surely land the striker in hot water.