Today saw me over at the Len Forge Centre near Southend Airport for an EOFL Senior League Cup Quarter Final between Premier Division White Ensign and Division Two Catholic United.
Ensign sit in second place in the Premier whilst Catholic are top of the 2nd Division with only one league defeat all season so many expected a thorough test for the hosts. However the home side came out of the blocks quickly and almost had the lead on 4 minutes when a ball released Dan Burrell who lofted an effort over keeper Lewis Godwin-Green but saw the ball bounce just wide.
Moments later the hosts attacked again but after Jay Brown had cut inside onto his left foot he saw his effort sail over the bar. However the hosts wouldn’t have to wait to long for their breakthrough when on seven minutes a free kick into the dangerzone wasn’t properly cleared and the ball came out to centre half Lee Delf who fired home through a crowd of players and give the Premier Division hosts the lead.
The hosts continued to dominate proceedings and on 12 minutes swung a cross towards the far side of the box onto the diving header off Burrell although it went straight into Godwin-Green’s hands. Then the keeper had to make another save shortly after as Ensign were trying to quickly double their advantage.
Catholic were struggling to come to terms with the pace of their higher league opponents and on 26 minutes saw another effort from the home side, a free kick, fly over their goal. It was no surprise that Ensign doubled their lead ten minutes before half time when a ball threaded through to Alfie Lindfield saw him go round keeper Godwin-Green and slot home to really stamp their authority on this tie.
The visitors had hardly threatened the Ensign goal but two minutes after conceding that second goal they so nearly found an unlikely route back into the game when a free kick from Dave Collins saw a header flicked at goal but the hosts keeper dived full length to his left to make a great save.
However this was just a brief rest bite for the visiting defence as the hosts were soon back on the attack and four minutes before half time saw another good save from Godwin-Green after a long range effort had deflected, wrong footing the keeper, but he managed to adjust and save with his legs. A minute before the break a Delf strike from long range saw Godwin-Green again get down to save and at the half it was the hosts who were well in charge of this one.
Half Time White Ensign 2 Catholic United 0
It was the visitors who had the first good chance of the second half when a great free kick whipped in by Collins came through to the visitors inside the six yard box but it seemed to surprise the player in question and just hit him and went into the keepers grateful hands. Burrell then got in for the hosts four minutes later but his effort went horribly wide.
A minute later though Ensign so nearly made it three when a looping header came off the inside of the post and then on 58 minutes another long range effort saw yet another save from Godwin-Green to keep the hosts from netting a third.
Just past the hour mark saw a chance for the visitors as a ball across towards the back post found a forward totally unmarked but fortunately for the hosts their keeper came out to save with his legs. However on 65 minutes the tie was all but sealed when the hosts made it three when a low cross saw Burrell dummy and allowed Gary Ticehurst to finish first time past Godwin-Green from close range.
And a minute later it really was all over when after a spell of pinball inside the Catholic area, Lindfield applied the finishing touch for his second and Ensign’s fourth of the day. Lindfield almost turned provider six minutes later when his superb ball in behind the Catholic defence found Brown but his effort was well saved by Godwin-Green.
On 77 minutes the visitors fired a foot wide from range and then minutes later got into the box but fired wide again. With just under ten minutes to go a deflected cross from the visitors almost caught out the hosts keeper but he managed to make a good save before diving on the loose ball. It had been Catholic’s best spell of the game although it had come far too late in the contest.
Ensign almost put the icing on the cake in the 90th minute when a great move ended with a ball laid across the area and find Ticehurst who managed to sky his effort miles over the gaping goal although the flag had gone up so it probably wouldn’t have counted, but it was a super move from the hosts, summing up their performance throughout the tie. They were superb today and outplayed their 2nd Division opponents who themselves would of no doubt been disappointed with their showing today. So it’s Ensign who progress to the Semi Finals.
Full Time White Ensign 4 Catholic United 0
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