Sola 4 Forde 1

POSTNORD-ligaen, avdeling.3, Saturday 30th July 2016

Sola Stadion was the venue for my latest Norsk football outing and it was an important clash at the bottom of the PostNord-ligaen, avdeling.3 (Norway's third tier) as hosts and bottom side Sola took on second bottom Forde. 

The hosts knew defeat would leave them seven points adrift of their opponents so knew they had to take the game to the visitors and they certainly did that, hitting the post in the first minute and dominating the opening twenty five minutes or so and were two goals up as well thanks to Geir Dahle Hoyland's seventh minute goal, tapping home a cross after the visitors had given the ball away in their own third, and Vetle Myhre's eleventh minute strike, after the striker was played in and drilled low across the keeper into the far corner.  However the visitors managed to finally creep slowly back into the contest and on the half hour saw Kristoffer Haaland Iversen rifle home from inside the box and see his side only a goal behind at the break.

The visitors continued to see much more of the ball after the break as the hosts, who had only one league win all season, started to look nervous as they were the side now holding onto their lead.  But despite lots of visitors pressure on the hosts defence they were unable to find a leveller but with the game at 2-1 it was always in the balance and very tense amongst the home side.  They almost lifted the nerves when they hit the woodwork twice in two minutes but with seven minutes left they did manage to grab a third goal when Vegard Meling Nesse rifled home from the angle and the relief was palpable.  With the game sealed the hosts relaxed and started to play like they had done in the first twenty five minutes and they quickly added a fourth two minutes later when Morten Eriksen waltzed through the visitors defence, rounded the keeper, and slotted home and see Sola take only their second win of the season and move only a point behind Forde as a result.

Viking 5 Hinna 0

Friendly Match, Friday 29th July 2016

So Friday night football in Stavanger, Norway, and there was a bonus friendly between Tippeligaen side Viking and local Division Three side Hinna.  The match had come about after Viking's Saturday evening league match against leaders Rosenborg had been scrubbed until another date due to the fact the Trondheim side needed time to prepare for their Champions League second leg date in Cyprus against APOEL Nicosia.  Viking therefore needed some match time and local side Hinna came to the rescue and agreed to a short notice friendly game at the Viking Stadion, which is in the Hinna area of Stavanger, and was also free entry to all spectators.
 


Hinna have been struggling at the bottom of the Third Division Group Six with just three wins from their sixteen games, although they had won their last two.  However this would be a very tough test against Premier opposition but the first twenty minutes yielded a chance a piece for both sides before the hosts did finally open the scoring midway through the first half through Mathias Bringaker.   However the lower league side were making life more difficult for the hosts than people imagined they would in front of around 200 people in the stadium.  However the hosts then added two quick goals around the 35th minute, from Julian Ryerson and Bringaker again, as the hosts lead 3-0 at the break although the visitors did have their moments in that half and were doing ok.

 





 
Five minutes into the second half though Viking increased their lead to 4-0 when Patrick Pedersen, on loan from Rosenborg of all teams, headed home a cross from Tor André Aasheim. You would of thought the floodgates would open as the Division Three side tired as the game went on but to their credit they continued to battle and kept the hosts at bay, even saving a spot kick from Pedersen in the process.  However with about ten minutes remaining Samuel Adegbenro saw an effort deflect past the visiting keeper and make it 5-0 and although the last ten minutes saw Hinna try and get that ilusive goal, they just could not grab one, and saw the hosts run out 5-0 winners.  So although it was a confortable win for the Tippeligaen side the Third Division side gave a great account of themselves and should be happy with their efforts.  Viking will face a much tougher test next friday evening when they welcome Arsenal to their home.

Wadham Lodge 1 Hadley 0

Pre Season Friendly, Saturday 23rd July 2016

So the final weekend of pre season for many saw me over at The Matchday Centre, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow, for Wadham Lodge Vs Hadley.

For Lodge it’s been a pre season of re building after most of last season’s squad left for pastures new off season after the departure of manager Tony Ievoli. New boss and last season’s assistant manager Neil Day has spent alot of the summer getting players over to playfor his side and having acquired the services of the experienced Kevin Lucas as his number two, it has certainly helped the cause.

They were up against Spartan South Midlands side Hadley in this pre season encounter who are managed by ex Spurs and Chelsea star Mickey Hazard, and he had to deal with the small problem of having sixteen of his squad leave only days before this fixture. However he still had a decent set of players to choose from no doubt although it wasn’t ideal preparation for sure.

The game saw both sides create a decent opening in the first ten minutes or so but the hosts saw more of the ball and on 14 minutes got their noses in front when a ball played into the box from the right hand side found a hosts player who hit a shot which looped up into the air off adefender attempting to block the effort, and it found its way to the back post where another Lodge player managed to finish first time across the keeper and into the far corner.

After twenty five first half minutes the players stopped to have a water break due to the warm conditions in East London, and up till this point the hosts were definitely edging the contest although Hadley had gone close on a couple of occasions, and were no way out of this contest.

The water stoppage seemed to favour the visitors as they began to see more of the ball and slowly gain the upper hand, and saw another two openings fail to breach the hosts defence. As the half drew to a close Lodge finished strongly although they too could not find a second goal. So all in all Lodge started well, Hadley had a good spell after the water break, and the hosts ended the half well, so kind of even as the players trudged off to the changing rooms for a half time rest.

Half Time Wadham Lodge 1 Hadley 0

Whatever was said in the visitors dressing room at half time seemed to revitalise the players as they most certainly came out with purpose and drive and pushed the hosts onto the back foot. The first quarter of the second half saw Hadley dominant but they were unable to convert their pressure into goals.

The hosts were battling well though and remained solid in defence and were certainly showing their boss qualities when up against a lot of attacking pressure from their opponents. Hadley continued to still be the better side as the game entered it’s last quarter although the hosts continued to dig in and were competing well as they still held that 1-0 advantage.

The last ten minutes did see the home side start to see more of the ball as they came back into the contest but Hadley thought they had levelled when ramming home from twelve yards….but it was flagged offside, which kind of summed up their day in front of goal.

The final few minutes saw both teams have decent efforts on goal but both were twarted by the keepers, and the last rights saw a Hadley free kick overshoot their forwards, which was sadly for the visitors in keeping with how their final ball had been in this one, not good enough.

So Lodge take a hard fought victory in a very good workout for Neil Day’s side, and he would of no doubt learnt much from this display today as he looks to make a good fist of it in the coming months. No doubt he has some good players to work with and with a small amount of tweaking can more than compete in the ESL this season.

Full Time Wadham Lodge 1 Hadley 0

Southend Manor 0 AFC Hornchurch 0

Pre Season Friendly, Monday 18th July 2016

So on a beautiful summer’s evening I was over at my local club Southend Manor as they took on Ryman North big boys AFC Hornchurch in their latest pre seasonouting.

The ESL side have been building a decent squad under Stuart Marshall and are looking to push for a top ten finish this season, a vast improvement on the past couple of seasons. There pre season has gone well so far, with some encouraging performances, but this would be their toughest test yet, against a virtual AFC Hornchurch first team.

The hosts were missing six first team players and it was clear to see the visitors strength over their lower league opponents early on as the first quarter hour of the game saw the Urchins providing the greater attacking threat and saw their best chance, a shot across the goal, go inches wide. Manor were battling well though and digging in pretty soundly though.

As the half went on the visitors continued to have the better of the play and kept the hosts pinned back in their own half for the majority of the first half as they looked to stamp their authority on the contest.

However despite the visitors having plenty of chances they were unable to break through against a stubborn Manor who had dug in well against strong opposition.

Half Time Southend Manor 0 AFC Hornchurch 0

It looked as though the pattern would continue early in the second period as the visitors went close on a couple of occasions but after this Manor began to grow into the contest, asserting a bit more pressure on their higher level opponents.

As the half wore on Manor grew in confidence and caused the Hornchurch defence some alarm on occasions but they didn’t really the keeper in all honestly. However it was a much sterner test for the Urchins in the second period no doubt.

As the game entered its final fifteen minutes the game remained goal less and although the hosts were playing much better in this half it was the visitors who had the better openings and should of possibly had a penalty after what looked like a clear foul inside the box and then in the final ten minutes a close range header was somehow tipped over by the hosts keeper.

But neither team could find the opening and so it finished 0-0 although it had been a very decent workout for both sides. Yes AFC Hornchurch had the better openings but the hosts gave a great account of themselves, especially second half, and can take great heart from this.

Full Time Southend Manor 0 AFC Hornchurch 0

Double Header at the Clack sees wins for Barking and Wingate & Finchley

Pre Season, Saturday 16th July 2016

So my latest Pre Season schedule took me to Dagenham and the Robert Clack SchoolLeisure Centre and the lovely 3G facility at the centre. It was a double header as two ESLsides continued their build up to the season,which is now only two weeks away.

Barking were first up at 12:15 against Essex Olympian Premier Division winners from last seasonKelvedon Hatch. Following that it was London Bari’s turn to take to the pitch against Ryman League side Wingate & Finchley at 16:15. It would no doubt be a tough test for either side,especially for Barking as they kicked off in the midday heat. Anyway here is what happened in those encounters:-

Game One 
Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 6
The Blues hit six on the 3G at the Robert Clack School Leisure Centre against last seasons Olympian Premier champions Kelvedon Hatch in scorching conditions in Dagenham.

After the Blues had missed an early chance the Olympian side stuck on two minutes when a simple ball in behind the Barking back line saw Hatch run onto it and smash home for an early advantage.

The Blues though continued to be dangerous going forward and on nine minutes found an equaliser when James Peagram got in after a good pass and smashed his effort past the keeper. And then within a minute of the leveller the ESL side struck again when John Bricknellfired a brilliant shot home from the edge of the box left footed into the bottom corner.

It had been a frantic start to this encounter and it was Barking who were creating the bulk of the chances although Hatch did hit the bar from range after sloppy play from the Blues. However going forward they were causing the Hatch defence all kinds of problems and it was no surprise when they increased their lead on 21 minutes when Peagram again was played in and after beating the offside trap beat the keeper easily for Barkings third. Cue a drinks break due to the very hot weather.

If their was one weakness in the Barking side it was their defending, as they were missing some key defenders for this one, and just past the half hour mark Hatch grabbed one back as the Blues defence went to sleep again and allowed Hatch in to slot home past an exposed keeper.

Barking though did get through to the break ahead and although they had created lots of openings, sloppy play at the back had allowed the Olympian side to keep it close and have their own chances.

Half Time Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 3

Hatch initially threatened at the start of the second period, getting in behind the Blues back line on a couple of occasions. But they failed to make anything of these openings and thereafter the Blues took over the contest and just before the hour, Patrick Elbi, who had missed a sitter moments before, made it four for the Blues when he ran onto a ball through from Steve Willisand slotted home with aplomb.

Barely two minutes later they had a fifth when the ever influential Ben O’Brien powered home a header at the back post from a corner giving the Hatch keeper absolutely no chance at all.

Midway through the half came another water break, which was much needed for players and spectators as it was a scorching day indeed. Barking should of been further in front but lead 5-2 with around twenty minutes left.

But with just under fifteen minutes left the Blues did get a sixth as a good move ended withBricknell flicking home with the outside of his right boot to net his second of the game.

Thereafter the Blues could of scored many more as Hatch looked a beaten side but somehow the scoreline stayed the same after some pretty guilt edged chances went begging for the ESL outfit, however they ran out convincing winners in the end with six goals to show for it.

Full Time Kelvedon Hatch 2 Barking 6

After a two and a bit hour break, which allowed me to pop round the corner and have a nice meal in a local cafe, I was back for the late afternoon contest and here is how that one went:-

Game Two
London Bari 2 Wingate & Finchley 3
A battling Bari side went down to a narrow defeat against Ryman Side Wingate & Finchley on the 3G at Robert Clack.

The game was delayed by fifteen minutes until 16:30 and it wasn’t long before the first goal arrived as in the 4th minute Wingate took the lead as a ball over the top found the pacey Reece Beccles who nipped the ball past the oncoming keeper and saw the ball trickle over the line.

In all honesty though the first ten minutes were all played up the other end as despite the goal Wingate were being pegged back and saw Bari create four good chances including one which came back off the inside of the post.

However on 12 minutes Wingate doubled their advantage when Rob Hastings produced a terrific finish from twenty yards out with the outside of the boot as the Ryman side showed their clinical touch in front of goal, unlike their opponents who had squandered theirs.

As the game reached the half hour mark Wingate began to see more of the ball and still held a 2-0 lead although this was largely down to Bari’s wastefulness in front of goal in the first twenty minutes or so.

However with two minutes of the half to go Bari finally found the net when a through ball saw them round the keeper and slot home for a deserved goal and meant the ESL outfit only trailed by a goal going into the break.

Half Time London Bari 1 Wingate & Finchley 2

Bari were given clear instructions on the sidelines during the break but these went our of the window two minutes into the second half as Wingate re established their two goal advantage as Beckles broke the offside trap to slot home his second of the game.

As the game reached its hour mark Wingate had had a couple of good chances to add to their’s lead but failed to convert either of those chances although they still held a 3-1 lead.

Bari had rarely threatened the Ryman sides goal in the second half although with fifteen minutes left they had a decent penalty shout for handball although it looked more ball to hand, but apart from this Wingate look fairly comfortable with their two goal cushion.

However the ESL side began to assert some pressure on the Wingate side for the first time in the half and saw a decent penalty shout turned down yet again and also saw a ball flashed across the six yard box as they looked for a second goal and a route back into the contest.

And with a minute left Bari scored a great goal after good one touch passing saw the ball played into the box and fired first time beyond the keeper. Bari had certainly upped the tempo towards the end of the game but soon after the battling ESL side heard the final whistle and had fallen to a narrow loss against a decent Wingate side in what was another entertaining game of football.

Full Time London Bari 2 Wingate & Finchley 3