Saturday 4th July, independence day in the US, but in the sunny surroundings of Playfootball Southend it was the first weekend of Pre Season football for some of our Essex Senior League sides, and one such side was Southend Manor who were taking on Buckhurst Hill from the Essex Olympian Premier, two steps below in the non league pyramid.
Manor had endured a tough last couple of seasons and are now looking for some stability in their squad after two years of chopping and changing. Buckhurst Hill themselves had endured a tough season last time out finishing third bottom and just surviving relegation from the Olympian Premier so no doubt this pre season will be important to them too, so a good decent battle looked likely here.
Buckhurst started quicker and had the first chance within a minute but saw the effort fizzed over from the angle. However it didn't take long for Manor to respond and they took a 3rd minute lead when a cross into the penalty area was volleyed at goal by Reynolds and it took a deflection which sent it past the keeper, wrong footing him in the process, to give the ESL side an ideal start.
Buckhurst had the next chance on 9 minutes when a corner was headed towards Manor's near post and saw a defender clear off the line whilst standing on that post before the ball just went out for a goal kick. The Olympian side almost pounced on a Manor defensive error on 16 minutes as a slip allowed the Buckhurst boys in on goal but the effort was dragged wide of the far post.
A minute later and Manor should of doubled their lead when a great defensive splitting pass from Fatt released Reynolds who eventually got the ball under control but the Manor man could only drag his effort wide. On 26 minutes however they did double their lead when Fatt found himself clean through and he coolly rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net and see the ESL side establish a strong grip on proceedings.
This goal cued a five minute drinks break as it was a hot day in Southend. After a number of changes to each side they continued and on 37 minutes a Buckhurst effort from the angle was well saved by the Manor keeper and then five minutes later Manor made it 3-0 when trailist centre half Sammut tried his luck from range and saw it take a huge deflection and wrong foot the keeper once again and it squirmed through his grasp and over the line.
Buckhurst did create the final chance of the half when another effort was whipped just over the bar from a free kick. The Olympian side weren't without their chances in the first half but Manor had been ruthless in front of goal when it mattered and they had the half time lead, which looked a comfortable one at this stage.
Half Time: Southend Manor 3 Buckhurst Hill 0
After a team talk from both managers the teams restarted the match and seven minutes after this restart Buckhurst came as close to scoring as they had done all game when they saw an effort hit the inside of the post before the rebound was somehow hit wide of the target. It was a stern warning to Manor this game was far from done.
The Olympian side kept up the pressure and just past the hour mark drilled another effort just wide. They had been the better side of this half so far and were taking the game to their Senior League opponents. Manor could of put this game to bed with twenty minutes remaining however when they found themselves clean through on goal but a square ball across the penalty area hit a defender, who was running back to try and intercept, on the foot but he managed to clear the ball away before it rolled into his own goal.
Then on 73 minutes Buckhurst finally scored with a shot in off the post. Cue another five minute drinks break for both sets of players. Buckhurst had been the better side this half and thoroughly deserved that goal. Manor still led 3-1 though but were beginning to tire in the searing heat and this led to sloppy play and poor decisions in their game which allowed Buckhurst to apply more and more pressure.
On 78 another Buckhurst chance saw the effort drilled just wide as Manor continued to live dangerously although they made a few more changes and seemed to stem the Buckhurst tide thereafter as the game drifted towards it's conclusion. With a minute of the ninety remaining good play from Manor saw Fatt's excellent centre volleyed across the penalty area by Yasin instead of at the goal and then down the other end Buckhurst were screaming for a penalty but this was not given which upset the Olympian side a lot.
Fatt should of made it four for Manor in stoppage time when the ball fell to him inside the box and he saw his first shot saved by the legs of the keeper and then ballooned his follow up well over into the netting behind the goal, bringing a smile and a laugh to his and others faces!!! It mattered little though as Manor ran out winners although were pushed all the way by Buckhurst Hill in what was a excellent work out for both sides.
Full Time: Southend Manor 3 Buckhurst Hill 1
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