Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Saturday 18th May
Mid May has been a gone and my football season is pretty much coming to a close for the 2023/24 season, and I was over at The Len Forge Centre for the final Essex Olympian Premier Division contest of the season as Catholic United hosted Harold Wood Athletic in a game that had nothing riding on it for either side as the most important placings in the division had already been sorted.
With nothing riding on this game though it meant two relaxed sides who could express themselves for one final time this season before they both take a few weeks off before pre season comes around again, so maybe this would equate to an entertaining contest? Only time would tell.....
The hosts were looking to give their chairman 'Pav' a good send off as he announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season, and a win in his final game in that position would be a good way for him to bow out, and a good way for the club to end their tenure under him, they were confirmed to finish fourth in the standings whatever happened, the best of the rest in the division behind the top three, champions Rayleigh Town, runners up Old Southendian, and third placed Sungate, who were streets ahead of the rest this season.
Despite this it's been a solid season for the hosts, whereas for Harold Wood Athletic, back in the Premier after a season down in Division One, things have been much tougher this term, and they only really confirmed their status in the division recently after battling down in the bottom few positions pretty much all season, but they are guaranteed to finish at least eleventh and if they could avoid defeat in this one, would finish the season a place higher, knocking Leigh Ramblers down a spot in the process.
That would be a tough assignment though as Catholic United are finishing the season in pretty good form, their last league loss came back on 24th February when they lost narrowly at runners up Old Southendian, that's an eight game unbeaten run, with six of those wins, and on a three match winning streak which has yielded fourteen in those last three, the hosts were certainly going out with a bang this campaign.
They had conceded six in those three games too, that's two goals a game (nice and easy to work out, even for me!!!) so you felt Harold Wood Athletic would have chances to have an impact in this one too, but the visitors have had to play a lot more games in the same period of time, seven of those in three weeks before they had a week off leading up to this final one of the campaign, and it's certainly been a mixed run of results too.
Only one win, that was against bottom side Canning Town, three draws (against runners up Old Southendian, Old Chelmsfordians & Bishop's Stortford Swifts) and defeats to Canning Town, Shenfield AFC & Rayleigh Town, with goals aplenty on both sides, two of those draws were eight and six goal thrillers, so it has certainly been an entertaining three weeks for Wood, but they have survived so that was the main goal.
Goals then were probably likely in this contest (I hope I haven't jinxed it!!!) although with the score line remaining goalless heading into the latter stages of the first half I did start to wonder if I had, both sides had chances before that, Wood striking the bar early on before the hosts saw a wonderful save from the visiting keeper deny them just before the half hour mark.
Just before the break though the visitors edged ahead as a wonderful through ball released Billy Reed in on goal, and he duly rounded hosts keeper Owen Wells before slotting into the net, and it meant Wood had a slender half time lead. At least we had a goal though so that was a relief!!!
Could the hosts fightback? Well just past the hour mark they found a leveller when a wonderful pass from Mike Clark from his own half sent Lucas Polyblank through on goal, and the latter sent a an effort across the keeper and into the far corner, Wood then tried to respond to that leveller and looked a threat to go back in front, but their keeper was also keeping them in the contest when making another smart stop, but with eleven minutes remaining the visitors were to give away a silly penalty when the defender trod on the attacker's heal as he was going away from goal, it was a daft challenge.
Clark, who assisted the first goal, stepped up to put Catholic ahead for the first time in this one, and in doing so netted his 49th goal of the campaign, meaning he had around fifteen minutes to try and make it to fifty goals for the season, and he so nearly got it too.
The game was barely a minute into stoppage time at the end of the game when a ball in found Clark inside the penalty area and his header seemed destined for the net until the Wood keeper made yet another superb save, but sadly for him none of his defenders reacted quick enough as Harrison Phillips was first to the loose ball to fire home the rebound and seal the points for the home side.
A good end to the season then for the hosts who can now rest up in the summer and go again in a couple of months or so and make a better fist of it next season although a fourth placed finish and being the best of the rest is something to be happy about although I am sure they will want more than that.
For Harold Wood it is a losing end to the season although they will be playing Premier Division football next season once again, so that is a big positive after a tough season down in those lower places of the league, no doubt they will be back next season looking to try and improve and have a better season next time around in what is always a tough competitive league.
Full time Catholic United 3 Harold Wood Athletic 1
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