Peter Dudley reporting from the Southend Charity 'A' Final at Burroughs Park, Great Wakering. Leigh Town were taking on Thorpe Athletic, only 11 days after they met in a league game, where Thorpe won 2-0. Both teams are near the top of the Southend Borough Combination Premier Division so a tight game was again expected.
It started very well for Thorpe as they took the lead on 4 minutes when Chris Baddeley received the ball outside the area and he struck a sweet curling effort into the top corner giving Leigh keeper Lee Hennessey no chance.
Leigh had a golden chance to level three minutes later when a breakdown in commication between defender and keeper allowed Leigh a shot at a virtual open goal but the ball was chipped wide of the target.
On 11 minutes Leigh keeper Hennssey again had to rescue his side by producing a great tackle on the edge of the box to twart a Thorpe attack. Three minutes later Hennssey was called into action again as a lovely through ball from Baddeley to Dom Binns required another smart save from the keeper.
Leigh were certainly not being outplayed as such and on 18 minutes they got back on level terms. A handball was given by the referee just outside the area. However the linesman had his flag up and so the referee went over to speak with his assistant and subsquently gave the penalty instead. Leigh's Adam Moore stepped up and confidently stroked the spot kick past Ryan Karrer for 1-1.
Leigh then enjoyed their best spell of the contest as the equaliser seemed to spur them on a bit more and it also seemed to un nerve Thorpe somewhat as there good start to the game had been scuppered.
Thorpe did settle down again and just past the half hour winger Sam Myall had a shot well saved at near post by Hennssey and then on 37 minutes another save from the Leigh stopper prevented another goal and from the corner the ball was headed wide of the target when it probably should of at least tested the keeeper.
The game was being played at a good tempo and Leigh were more than playing their part in proceedings even though they were not really causing Thorpe keeper Karrer many problems. Two minutes before the half time whistle Thorpe striker Dom Binns had a good effort flash just wide of the post and that's how it stayed until the half.
Leigh did in fact have the first real chance of the second half on 49 minutes when Adam Moore stole the ball from the defender and beared down on goal but he could not get the ball totally under control and before he could unleash a shot the defender recovered to clear the ball away from danger.
That was as close as Leigh got for most of the second half as Thorpe began to dominate possession and have more of the play in Leigh's half of the field. On 58 minutes a defensive lapse allowed Dom Binns a sight of goal but his shot went miles wide of the target.
On 63 minutes a ball into the six yard box by Myall was poorly cleared straight to Baddeley who unfortunately for Thorpe blazed his effort way over into the car park behind. Dom Binns then hit a direct free kick a foot wide of the post six minutes later as Thorpe began to turn the screw.
Leigh were trying their best to keep possession but the final third was letting them down somewhat and they would have been disappointed to have not really rested keeper Karrer at all. On 77 minutes Leigh keeper Hennssey yet again produced another save although this was possibly his best of the night as a cross from the right was headed at point blank range from Dom Binns, but Hennssey somehow kept the ball out.
On 80 minutes Leigh broke down the right hand side and the ball into the penalty area was brillianly smashed home past Karrer but the linesman had his flag up and so the goal didn't stand, much to Leigh's dismay. It was a close call but probably the right call. It would have been unjust on Thorpe as they had all the chances in the half up till then.
On 83 minutes Hennssey made another brilliant reaction save to tip Dom Binns effort over the bar. Binns must of been sick of the sight of Hennssey by this stage as he had made countless saves from him during the game.
It looked as though Thorpe were just not going to beat Hennssey whatever they tried but with five minutes to go they finally scored what proved to be the winner. A ball into the six yard area bounced around a bit before a shot towards goal took a couple of deflections before making its way towards the back post where Dan Miller popped up to tap the ball home to put Thorpe 2-1 up.
On 88 minutes the game should really have been done and dusted. Leigh won a corner kick and keeper Hennssey came up for it. The corner was eventually scrambled away up to Myall who ran almost up to the right hand side of the box, and as keeper Hennssey was almost back the ball was crossed over everyone to the back post where it was headed over the line, but sadly he was deemed offside, so the goal didn't stand. Incredible.
Three minutes into stoppage time and Thorpe needlessly gave a free kick away just inside their own half. Everyone was up for the free kick, including keeper Hennssey again. The ball was pumped into the box and a mass scramble insued before the ball broke to Leigh but the effort was sliced well over the bar, much to Thorpe's relief, and to Leigh's dispair.
Soon after this the referee brought proceeding to a close and Thorpe had won the Charity 'A' Final. A good match won by the better team in all honesty but credit Leigh for there part in a good enjoyable final.
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