Centre half Andy George netted a stoppage time
winner to see White Ensign to all three points at The War Memorial Ground against
Little Oakley, sending the Southend side top of the Eastern Senior League South
on goal difference in the process.
The hosts were under the stewardship of new boss Matt Carmichael
for the very first time and were hoping this would breathe new life and impetus
into their side after going five league games without victory after beginning
the season well, but they were up against a good Ensign outfit who sat second
and knew a victory could take them top on goal difference.
The opening fifteen minutes brought little in the way of quality
and goalmouth action, and the closest anyone came to scoring was when a visitor’s
cross was almost converted by a host’s defender who in trying to clear the
cross sliced it over his own bar.
Ensign then flashed a decent effort across the Oakley six
yard box as they looked to get their noses in front, but it was the hosts who
did just that in the 19th minute when a long throw into the box
caused chaos inside the visitors backline, and after the ball had been headed
against the post, Rodger was there to volley home from close range and put his
side into the lead.
Oakley then saw a ball cleared off the line after visiting
keeper Parkins caught the ball but then on the way down dropped it onto the
head of an opposing player and saw the ball bounce towards goal before being
cleared, and then skipper Limber almost netted an own goal after his header
nearly beat his keeper Parkins who managed to claim the ball.
After this though the remainder of the half certainly
belonged to Ensign, and after they saw another decent ball into the dangerzone
invade all, player-boss Munyard should levelled but saw his point-blank effort
brilliantly saved by hosts keeper Joyce.
The visitors continued to knock on the door and saw Joyce
punch clear a dangerous free-kick before Locke saw a downward header saved by
the home keeper to keep his side ahead.
And three or so minutes before the break Ensign saw centre half George
thump a free header straight at Joyce as Oakley made it to the break a goal to
the good.
Half Time Little
Oakley 1 White Ensign 0
The early exchanges of the second period saw Mayhew run onto
a flick on but fire into the Ensign side netting before the hosts attacked
again and almost got on the end of a brilliant cross but see visiting keeper
Parkins get there in the nick of time to clear the danger, whilst down the other
end the visitors headed wide.
Oakley again threatened and saw Rodger loop a header just
over the visitor’s bar before Mayhew burst in down the right but before he
could pull the trigger saw a recovery tackle from the visitors to thwart
him. Ensign then went down the other end
but again missed the target as they saw a header go way over, but it was a good
battle this one.
But in the 69th minute Ensign found an equaliser when
centre half George rose to send a powerful header in off the bar and set up the
final twenty minutes perfectly. The
hosts almost re-took the lead when a decent header was pushed away by keeper
Parkins, and the resulting corner was headed wide as Ensign managed to remain
level in this contest.
So could anyone find a winner? Well Oakley so nearly found one it seemed at
the time when substitute Eggericks went clean through on goal and with keeper Parkins
stranded out of goal, the striker someone sent his lobbed effort wide of the
post and Ensign breathed a sigh of relief.
And then Ensign thought they had blown the chance to win it
when McWee headed against the bar from point blank range, and it looked as
though it would end all square, that was until deep deep into added on time
when George got across his marker to glance home a header into the far corner
and win the game for the visitors with the last kick of the contest.
Full Time Little
Oakley 1 White Ensign 2
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