Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Saturday 14th May
Saturday saw my first ever visit to the Lakeside Sports
Ground, and it saw Ongar Town blow Catholic United away after a clinical second half showing and see them take the Essex Olympian Premier Division title in their first season at this level on a very warm and sunny afternoon.
After months of hard graft it came down to this game to
decide where the Premier Division title would be headed, Basildon Town’s win at
Hutton last weekend (here is my blog on that one http://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2022/05/hutton-0-basildon-town-1.html)
all meant that only a win for Ongar would do if they were to be champions of
the division, anything else and Bas Town would be champions, it was that simple
(table below).
Ongar would have had no fears about winning this one though,
they came into this final game of the season off the back of seven straight
wins (and a walkover win against Kelvedon Hatch so technically eight!!!) having
scored thirty goals in that run and only conceding seven, and their last game
was a 3-2 win at Catholic United, so everything pointed towards a home win
here.
Catholic though are a tough side to play against, as Ongar
found out two weekends ago, although their recent form, like their season, has
been up and down, although since that defeat to Ongar they have won two games
netting nine goals in the process including a very impressive 4-0 win over
Hutton, so they would have been bringing some good form and morale into this
one, and with nothing to play for they could be a dangerous animal.
Pressure can always play a part in this type of scenario too
and all the pressure was on the hosts for sure, this was their first campaign
at this level, and they had given themselves a chance of winning a very tough
division at the first time of asking, could they deal with that pressure and
grab the win they so desperately wanted? Let’s find out shall we.
The first half certainly did not go to plan for the hosts, and they endured a frustrating half of football, Catholic came and made it very difficult for their opponents and defended very well to keep their opponents out, the best chance the home side created and indeed anyone created in the opening forty five minutes was when centre half Jake Chadwick headed against the bar.
You could see the nerves amongst the hosts, this was a huge game for them with so much at stake, and they got more and more frustrated as the half went on, passes and crosses were not finding their target, and they seemed to be forcing the issue somewhat, desperate for a breakthrough to calm the nerves, but at half time they had not found this, and as it stood at that point Basildon Town were going to be celebrating their promotion to Step Six as champions of the division.
However, the second half was to be a much more one sided affair and only two minutes of the second period had elapsed when Ongar found a much needed breakthrough when great work down the left from Harry Rawlins saw his cross deflected to the back post where Evernage Nyahunda was on hand to head home, and it was to get even better for the hosts two minutes later.
This is because Ongar, now with their tails up and freed after that all important break through, saw Jack Zielinski strike an effort against the inside of the post, but the ball came back out into the path of Joe Lilly who struck home to make it two and give Ongar a precious two goal cushion and an ideal start to the second half.
And twelve minutes after the break Ongar added a third goal when a ball across the penalty area found skipper Mitchell McCabe who fired home to send them wild as they now knew that the title was almost certainly now headed to them, all the tension of that first period had been blown away thanks to a three goal burst in ten second half minutes, incredible.
Catholic's resolve had been totally blown apart and they were in danger of being embarrassed, but they were only to concede one more goal before the end of the contest, although it was some goal it has to be said, outrageous in fact, as Freddy Mattock twisted and turned past a couple of defenders before curling a sublime effort into the far corner, it was a special goal to cap what was a special season for Ongar Town.
The hosts certainly celebrated afterwards with some champagne, and were even given a guard of honour as they left the pitch by Catholic United, which was a nice and classy touch from the visitors it has to be said. Well done to Ongar though, EOFL Premier Division Champions for 2021/22 and in that second half showing they certainly showed us why they were champions.
Full time Ongar Town 4 Catholic United 0
Results
Canning Town 3 Bishop's Stortford Swifts 0
Ongar Town 4 Catholic United 0
Springfield 0 Galleywood 1
Sungate 0 Old Southendian 2
Table
Down at the bottom Galleywood grabbed a huge win at Springfield to confirm their Premier status for next season, and with Canning Town netting a 3-0 win at home to Bishop's Stortford Swifts, they kept their slim hopes of survival alive, they still need to win their remaining three games to do this to overhaul Springfield and Leigh Ramblers (if Stortford Swifts win their final game they will be safe) to survive (two go down most likely it seems but who knows!!!).
These are the remaining fixtures in the division for the season...
Saturday 21st May
Bishop's Stortford Swifts Vs Hutton
Catholic United Vs Canning Town
Harold Wood Athletic Vs Old Southendian
Tuesday 24th May
Canning Town Vs Sungate
Saturday 28th May
Sungate Vs Canning Town
So, can Canning Town possibly survive? Whilst it's still possible they will go for it no doubt, but a trip to Catholic and then two games against Sungate will be tough, but with those sides now having not a lot to play for does this hand Canning Town the edge, we shall see over the next two weeks, no doubt Springfield in particular will be cheering on Catholic next weekend!!!
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