So on a beautiful summer’s evening I was over at my local club Southend Manor as they took on Ryman North big boys AFC Hornchurch in their latest pre seasonouting.
The ESL side have been building a decent squad under Stuart Marshall and are looking to push for a top ten finish this season, a vast improvement on the past couple of seasons. There pre season has gone well so far, with some encouraging performances, but this would be their toughest test yet, against a virtual AFC Hornchurch first team.
The hosts were missing six first team players and it was clear to see the visitors strength over their lower league opponents early on as the first quarter hour of the game saw the Urchins providing the greater attacking threat and saw their best chance, a shot across the goal, go inches wide. Manor were battling well though and digging in pretty soundly though.
As the half went on the visitors continued to have the better of the play and kept the hosts pinned back in their own half for the majority of the first half as they looked to stamp their authority on the contest.
However despite the visitors having plenty of chances they were unable to break through against a stubborn Manor who had dug in well against strong opposition.
Half Time Southend Manor 0 AFC Hornchurch 0
It looked as though the pattern would continue early in the second period as the visitors went close on a couple of occasions but after this Manor began to grow into the contest, asserting a bit more pressure on their higher level opponents.
As the half wore on Manor grew in confidence and caused the Hornchurch defence some alarm on occasions but they didn’t really the keeper in all honestly. However it was a much sterner test for the Urchins in the second period no doubt.
As the game entered its final fifteen minutes the game remained goal less and although the hosts were playing much better in this half it was the visitors who had the better openings and should of possibly had a penalty after what looked like a clear foul inside the box and then in the final ten minutes a close range header was somehow tipped over by the hosts keeper.
But neither team could find the opening and so it finished 0-0 although it had been a very decent workout for both sides. Yes AFC Hornchurch had the better openings but the hosts gave a great account of themselves, especially second half, and can take great heart from this.
Full Time Southend Manor 0 AFC Hornchurch 0
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