Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Friday 15th August
My latest football match of the new season saw me make a Friday evening trip over to Dagenham and the Bobby Moore Sports Hub in Parsloes Park for a Thurlow Nunn South contest between May & Baker & Cannons Wood.
Now the hosts were under new management in the shape of Steve Clark and Matt G, who had worked together at Sporting Bengal United, and they were shaping a side they were hoping to make a charge for one of the play off places at the very least, the season had not started how they had hoped, three games down and three draws in games they felt they should have won comfortably.
They were still unbeaten though and were aiming to claim a first league win at the fourth time of trying against a Cannon Wood side who had started the season in decent form themselves, two wins, a draw and a defeat so far, and they could possibly climbed into those play off places with a point although they were no doubt aiming for all three, yes it's early days but it was still a good incentive to grab a positive result in this one.
It was Cannons Wood who had the first opening early on, but this turned out to be a rare thing during the contest as it turned out as once May & Baker settled into the stride, they were the ones creating the bulk of the chances that came along, their best two in the first half saw skipper and centre half Murad Kutateladze somehow glanced a header wide from point blank range, and then striker Reon George was sent though on goal, but he could only fire against keeper Brandon Bullman before the loose ball was hacked away.
They had numerous other openings too but just could not find that killer instinct in front of goal, and Cannons Wood were certainly the happier of the two sides going into half time level, with the hosts arguing amongst themselves as they headed off cutting very frustrated figures indeed at how they had failed to be ahead at the break.
The second followed pretty much the same pattern, Bakers missing chances and Cannons Wood holding on for the majority, they were digging in though to their credit and did have some rare moments of danger at the other end, a couple of corners caused problems but they were really the ones being put under pressure time and time again by a goal shy hosts.
It really was starting to feel like the home side would not score if they played till Christmas, and you expected them to fluff their lines everytime they got into a goal scoring position, some of the chances were easier to score, they even struck the post too, it was looking like one of those evenings for them, and a repeat of their opening three games.
But, in the 88th minute they finally found the breakthrough, and it was a total fluke of course, full back Sam Townsend, who had sent in quite a few decent balls in the second period after coming on as a substitute, lofted a cross in from the right and was merely attempting to get the ball into the danger area, well keeper Bullman should have claimed the cross easily you thought, but no, the ball somehow ended up in the net, no idea how, but it did, and Bakers could finally celebrate a goal they thought was never going to come, quite bizarre, but deserved if truth be told.
And even though their was a good chunk of stoppage time to come, Cannons Wood never really threatened a leveller, in fact the hosts should have sealed it but of course missed again, Bullman making a good stop to deny I think George, but the hosts did manage a goal at least to earn them a first win of the season, even if they made hard work of it and should have won it comfortably, they did win it though so that's all that matters.
So, May & Baker are now unbeaten in their first four outings this season and will now hope to add more wins to take them up to where they would like to be, for Cannons Wood this was a disappointing performance as they lose a second game of the season, they did almost hold on for a point but it would have been a very fortunate one had they achieved it, no doubt they will go again in their next outing and make some improvements in that one.
Full time May & Baker 1 Cannons Wood 0
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