Saturday, 29 September 2018

Harwich & Parkeston 1 Wormley Rovers 2

Eastern Senior League South Division, Saturday 29th September 2018


Wormley Rovers came from behind to net an 87th minute winner, seeing off Harwich & Parkeston at The Royal Oak in Dovercourt to pick up their first league win of the season and also inflict the hosts first defeat at home in the league too.

Harwich came into this one with three wins and two draws at home so far this season, whilst Wormley were yet to pick up a win at all in their eight league games so far, although the hosts had lost last time out away at in form Hashtag United whilst the visitors had come into this off the back of two disappointing home defeats, so maybe they welcomed an away game.

But as I said Harwich are a much better side at home and had won their last three at The Royal Oak, and after ten minutes they had the lead in this one as a cut back saw the ball driven at goal and then helped on its way into the corner of the net, and you thought another home win was on the cards.

Wormley though responded well to going behind and almost got behind the home side defence after a brilliant defence splitting pass, and then saw an angled header go straight at the hosts keeper.

And as the half went on Wormley were having a lot of possession but were lacking conviction in the final third, and the hosts almost made them pay for this by almost doubling the lead when hesitation between keeper and defender allowed the hosts to nip in and score, but a hand had been used so the goal was chalked off.

Harwich then fired another effort wide but then came three decent openings for the visitors, firstly when a lofted effort was tipped wide, before the resulting corner was then volleyed inches wide, before a decent run into the box was blocked on route to goal as Harwich were hanging onto their lead.

Wormley squandered another two openings, one where they blasted over from close range, as the home side could consider themselves fortunate to still be ahead, but they twice nearly doubled their lead before the break as they ended the first half well, however the whistle came and Harwich did hold that slender lead still.

Half Time Harwich & Parkeston 1 Wormley Rovers 0

The opening quarter hour of the second period saw Harwich go close a couple of times, firing a free kick wide of the post before seeing an effort from an acute angle kept out by keeper and woodwork as the home side looked to double their advantage and take control of this contest.

But on the hour mark the visitors found a way though as after the keeper had made a save, the ball looped up and was headed back across goal for an easy close-range header by Davy Edmee, and the game was all square.

As the game entered the final quarter hour you felt both sides still had a chance to win this one, and the hosts had two great chances to edge in front again as they saw a brilliant long range effort thump against the underside of the bar before a headed rebound looped over, and then another long range effort was beaten away before the rebound was converted, only for the flag to have gone up for offside.

Down the other end and the visitors headed an effort into the side netting, before the hosts burst into the box but saw another effort saved, and then with three minutes of the ninety remaining Wormley won a penalty after a cross was handled, and although the keeper saved Kyle Head’s spot-kick, Head kept his, erm, Head to smash home the rebound, and the visitors had that lead.

Frustration was apparent to see amongst the hosts, and a show of dissent by one to the referee saw a straight red pulled from the pocket, meaning the hosts would finish the game with ten men. 

The visitors then had a chance to seal the points, but dragged wide, and then the hosts frustrations grew bigger still when they wanted a penalty after what they thought was a foul on them, however the referee deemed it the other way and gave a free-kick to the visitors, much too the dismay of the hosts.

And with the last kick of the game the hosts volleyed way way over the bar, with the whistle being blown before the ball had been retrieved, and the visitors had grabbed all three points in what was a very entertaining contest.  Harwich are eighth whilst Rovers are up to third from bottom and only a win or so away from the top ten, it’s tight down there!!

Full Time Harwich & Parkeston 1 Wormley Rovers 2








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