The last weekend in October saw me at a big local derby at the top of the Essex Senior League as third placed Hullbridge Sports hosted Basildon United at Lower Road.
The hosts had come into this one on the back of two defeats whilst the visiting Bees were exactly the opposite, coming into this having won twice last week, so the teams could not have been further apart in terms of recent form.
The hosts, who had lost 6-0 at home to FC Romania last weekend, certainly did not want to have the start they had in that game after going three goals down in the first ten minutes of that encounter. And although they managed this feat, they were second best in the early exchanges.
And sure enough on 11 minutes the visitors took the lead when a ball laid back to skipper John-Joe Slater saw the Bees man rifle a first time effort home and give the visitors the desired start, a start which was to get better in the 20th minute when Lee Delf managed to control a cross from the right before firing into the bottom corner first time to double the Bees advantage.
Sports, already short of confidence, didn’t need these setbacks but could of found a route back into the contest on 25 minutes when Charlie Little managed to get in behind the visitors defence, but Bees keeper Liam Pitts managed to come out and make a good stop to thwart the hosts attacker.
Just past the half hour mark another Bees attack saw Slater’s effort go straight at Charlie Aldis and on 34 minutes Little’s poked effort at the Bees goal was easy for Pitts. However seconds later the hosts should really have reduced the deficit when Little got in again but dragged his effort wide.
Despite these let offs the visitors were largely in control of the match and they tightened the grip on proceedings late on in the first period when a flick on found Nathan Dewberry who fired past Aldis and gave the Bees a three goal lead at the break. The hosts, who saw Ashley Pibworth’s close range header saved by Pitts just before half time, had been fairly lacklustre in the half, and certainly needed to improve to get back into this one and not have a repeat of last weekend’s debacle.
Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Basildon United 3
The hosts certainly came out second half with a bit more fire in their bellies and saw Matt Brinklow fire one over the bar early in the second half, however the visitors were not really tested to much in the early second half exchanges.
Just before the hour mark the Bees had their first chance of the half when a good curling effort from Jamie Brown forced host keeper Aldis into a smart save and from the corner kick Delf’s header forced the Sports keeper into a second good save in a minute and keep the home side from falling further behind.
The hosts thereafter enjoyed a pretty good spell and in the 68th minute Little found himself played into the right hand side of the area but saw his cross hacked away from inside the six yard box just before it reached Pibworth who would surely have tapped in. Dewberry fired one just over for the Bees on 74 minutes and then on 79 minutes a hosts corner saw a header at goal from Luke Osborne cause problems but the Bees did eventually clear.
Hullbridge, who were playing for pride more than anything by this stage, put together a great move and saw a wonderful ball play in Dean Wallace whose effort was saved by Pitts as the hosts looked for a goal to show for their much improved second half showing.
But alas it was the visitors who netted the next goal with six minutes to go, as after a brilliant run from Brown saw his cross find Lee Scott whose effort was well saved by Aldis, but the ball went straight back to the Bees substitute and he duly fired home into the roof of the net.
As the game entered stoppage time another visiting substitute Reece Tranter saw a deflected effort go just wide of the far post for corner which came to nothing, and then a minute later the hosts came the closest to a consolation they had come all half when their best player on the day Little struck a wonderful effort against the underside of the bar and then saw Brinklow’s follow up blocked.
It was a glimmer of brilliance in what was ultimately another poor day at the office for the hosts who now lose three on the spin and fall a place to fourth in the table, whilst for the Bees this was another excellent day and the win sees them leapfrog both Sports and Takeley into second place, nine points behind leaders Barking.
Full Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Basildon United 4
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