Bowers & Pitsea put nine (yes NINE) past local rivals Hullbridge Sports at Lower Road to leave the Pitsea side on the brink of promotion to the Ryman North.
I had (now famously) predicted that the visitors would find this a tough game and fancied the hosts to pinch a 2-2 draw as this being a local derby they may well raise their game for this one, but it was soon apparent that the visiting side meant business and on nine minutes probably should of had the lead when Chid Onokwai’s flicks across goal saw Tom Hine head home but the referee saw an apparent push and duly disallowed the effort.
However they did take the lead three minutes later when Dan Trenkel flicked a header across goal for Jamie Salmon to rifle home for the opening goal and two minutes later almost gave the hosts a route back into the game when a poor header back towards goal by Trenkel went straight to the hosts but they could not take advantage and Bowers were off the hook.
And just past the quarter hour mark they doubled their lead when another Trenkel flick on this time found Hine, who wasn’t to be denied his goal this time and slid in to finish past Dan Blockley in the Hullbridge goal. And then came a moment the young home goalkeeper will want to forget, as on 21 minutes a long ball towards goal from Alfie Hilton bounced over the keeper and just went over the line and the visitors had a three goal lead.
And then five minutes later the visitors made it four as a Vinny Durrant corner was headed in byOnokwai as Bowers were finding this way to easy against their local rivals and also were making my pre match preview look utterly ridiculous!!! The hosts were given a good chance to at least get some sort of foot into the tie when they won a free kick in a very decent position, but Sam Taylor struck it way over the bar.
It looked likely to get worse for the hosts with four minutes of the half remaining when Hine was brought down inside the area by keeper Blockley for a penalty but the keeper made amends by saving the spot kick from Onokwai, and keeping the scoreline down to just four for the visitors. It had been a half to forget for the hosts though whilst Bowers were in total control.
Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Bowers & Pitsea 4
The visitors came out to try and finish off the hosts once and for all and almost made it five seconds into the second half as after the ball had bounced around inside the box, Hine couldn’tt convert from close range, but eight minutes into the half the visitors did score their fifth as a Hine lob was pawed out by Blockley but straight to Salmon who volleyed home.
The hosts response was to go on an attack down the left hand side but Charlie Little’s cross was just too high for Bradley Morgan, who could only direct his header well wide of the target. Moments later and it was six for the visiting side, and the first of many for full back Durrant, who got in behind the home defence and slid a finish past Blockley with ease.
Bowers went on the hunt for more goals and just before the hour mark Onokwai breezed past a defender with ease but saw his effort saved by Blockley before Jack Gardner struck an effort at goal three minutes later but Blockley got down well to save. Moments after this Gardner again found himself with a sight of goal but he could only screw his effort across goal and wide.
Sports did on the odd occasion go on the attack and with just over twenty minutes to go Luke Hornsley struck a decent effort from the edge of the box, but it was straight at Martin Guest, who made a comfortable stop. And the came three goals in three minutes, all from Durrant. On 77 minutes it was seven heaven for Bowers as a long ball from James Stevens over the top sawDurrant run onto it and slide home before he made it eight a minute later and then with nine minutes to go grabbed his fourth of the game, following in to blast home a rebound after Blockley had made a decent stop from an original effort.
You thought at that point double figures would be a formality but the closest they came to scoring a tenth arrived just before the end when Rob Whitnell saw a header saved by Blockley. So Bowers now need just one win from their remaining two games to gain promotion into Step Four of the non league pyramid and they will also take the title if they win their final two games. It was a day to forget for the hosts, and for me as well, as I left the ground with one huge massive egg on my face!!! Predictions eh…..
Full Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Bowers & Pitsea 9
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