Buckhurst Hill 0 Canning Town 2

Essex Olympian Premier, Saturday 29th April 2017

I was over at Roding Lane for an important relegation battle in the Essex Olympian Premier Division as Buckhurst Hill hosted Canning Town.

The hosts sat a point from safety with three games to go whilst Canning Town were five points above the drop zone but this was their last game of the season and they knew victory would see them safe where as defeat would make things very interesting indeed.

The hosts certainly started the game the better and in only the second minute saw visiting keeper Nick Wilson produce a terrific save from a hosts free kick as they home side looked to grab an early advantage.

However despite this positive start it was the visitors who edged ahead in the 11th minute when they were awarded a penalty after a defender was adjudged to have jumped over the top of an attacker and knock him to the floor, and Dean Pearson stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Buckhurst though continued to try and find a way through and midway through the half another long range effort saw Wilson catch it high above his head, but the hosts were certainly giving it a good go.

Just before the half hour mark the visitors mounted an attack and saw a cross flicked on towards the far corner and saw the defence head over own bar under a lot of pressure and then just past the half hour mark more good build up play from the hosts saw the final cross high and wide.

Four minutes before the break more good football from the hosts resulted in an effort from twelve yards being saved by Wilson down to his right to keep his side ahead at the break and maintaining their Premier Division status as it stood.

Half Time Buckhurst Hill 0 Canning Town 1

Five minutes after the restart the hosts continued on the front foot when they got in behind but the ball across the area split both attackers coming in and another chance went away and then just before the hour mark another brilliant reaction save from Wilson onto the post denied the hosts from close range.

Canning Town were having to dig deep now and in the 64th minute a effort driven through crowd of players saw Wilson beat the effort away but two minutes later the hosts suffered a set back, losing one of their centre half‘s for a second yellow card after bringing down Julian Edwards.

This seemed to galvanise the visitors and in the 71st minute they almost grabbed a second as a free kick was almost converted from close range but the keeper managed to get across to save and three minutes later another chance for the visitors saw a turn and shot well beaten away by the Buckhurst keeper.

The visitors should really have doubled their lead with ten minutes left as Edwards broke down the left and his squares ball across goal found an attacker but the effort from point blank rangewas straight at the keeper.

With five minutes left the hosts pumped a ball into the visitors box but saw a header saved down low by Wilson who managed to hold on under pressure but then a minute later the visitors managed to seal the points and survival when a deflected shot was well saved but Edwards was on hand to follow in to score.

So Canning Town are now safe whilst Buckhurst Hill are two points from safety with two matches remaining and know two wins will definitely see them survive. All to play for still as they say.

Full Time Buckhurst Hill 0 Canning Town 2

Southend Manor 0 Barking 2

Essex Senior League, Saturday 22nd April 2017

It was the penultimate weekend of the Essex Senior League season in the league and I was over at The Southchurch Arena to see Southend Manor Vs Barking in a day where the club were taking part in a Kick It Out day.

Kick It Out is football’s equality and inclusion organisation. Working throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and campaign for positive change, the organisation is funded by The Football Association (FA), the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the Premier League and The Football League.

A small independent charity, the ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’ campaign was established in 1993 in response to widespread calls from clubs, players and fans to tackle racist attitudes existing within the game. Kick It Out was then established as a body in 1997 as it widened out its objectives to cover all aspects of inequality and exclusion.

Internationally, Kick It Out has close links with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) Network, and has been cited as an example of good practice by the Council of Europe, the European Commission, European parliamentarians and the British Council.

It was a day when the kids could get involved too and members of the new Manor U13s side came along to take part in a training session with the Manor first team coaches and also took part in a fun mini football match on the pitch at half time, and as you can see from the photos below they had fun.

And then during the match itself the kids acted as ball boys so to remain in a key active role within the actual game itself. And the hosts and the kids formed a guard of honour prior to kick off for the Champions and soon we were ready to kick off.

The visitors knew a win would see them reach the 100 point mark for the season whilst Manor could still achieve a top five finish,so there were still some small milestones to play for. And it was the hosts who had the first effort on goal when Kevin Zola broke the offside trap but saw Blues keeper Rob Hatton save at the near post.

On the quarter hour mark Manor saw a snap shot from Robbie Norris go just wide for hosts however in the 19th minute the visitors showed them how it was done when they took the lead as Joe Pearman received a pass, beat a defender, and duly lofted a wonderful finish beyond Lewis Down and into the net and the Champions had their noses in front.

Manor though were immediately back on the attack and saw three shots cleared away from goal as they looked for an instant response. This never came and in the 33rd minute the hosts were counting their lucky stars as Barking saw a blatant penalty turned down, with the referee actually playing advantage, and soon after Pearman saw an effort well saved by Down.

It meant the visitors held a one goal lead at the break and half way to victory and that 100 point mark, although Manor knew they were well in this match and could well take something from the contest.

Half Time Southend Manor 0 Barking 1

However four minutes into the second half Barking doubled their advantage as sloppy play from the hosts saw them lose possession in their final third and the visitors pounced, squaring a pass to Pearman who slotted beyond Down and the hosts now had a mountain to climb.

The hosts tried their best to force their way back into the contest and saw a 61st minute Zola effort flash across goal but no one was there to apply the finishing touch however the visiting defence were fairly solid and were defending well and as the game approached the final twenty minutes or so it had definitely taken on an end of season feel.

Then came a good ten or so minute spell from Manor as they continued in vain to try and find a route back into the match and in the 69th minute a ball squeezed through to Daniel Okah saw his close range effort saved by Hatton and then four minutes later a square ball to Bradley Morgan saw him mis kick his effort.

With ten minutes left Zola had another opening for the hosts but his effort was weak and at Hatton and then a minute later their best chance came and went when after Okah had seen an effort saved by Hatton, he could only smash the rebound off the bar and over from inside the six yard area. You kind of felt it wasn’t going to be the hosts day after this.

The final few minutes saw the visitors bring on Chairman Rob O’Brien for a cameo appearance, which was certainly entertaining!!! It did add to a decent atmosphere that had involved during the day and the visitors saw out the remainder of the contest and reached the 100 point mark for the season. Manor will most likely have to settle for a 7th placed finish, which is still a terrific effort from all concerned.

Full Time Southend Manor 0 Barking 2

Oh and finally the kids were presented with goodie bags afterwards and this photo shows them enjoying their contents in the clubhouse afterwards. A fine way to end the day, a good day overall.

Canvey Island 1 Havant & Waterlooville 2

Ryman Premier Division, Friday 14th April 2017

I was over at a huge Ryman Premier Division match at Park Lane on the Island as Canvey Island welcomed Havent & Waterlooville to the Essex Riviera on Good Friday.

The game was important for both sides, The Gulls needed a win to virtually guarantee their safety whilst the Hawks knew a win would take them two points clear of south coast rivalsBognor Regis Town at the top of the Ryman Premier.

The last time the sides met down in Havant the Hawks cruised to a 4-0 win although this was always going to be a closer contest with what was at stake here. And a decent crowd of 409 were inside the ground to see what would happen over the ninety of so minutes.

Well it was almost a horrid start for the hosts as inside the opening minute the visitors realeased Alfie Rutherford in behind the hosts defence, but keeper Conor Hough thwarted the Hawks striker and the Gulls survived, and then on three minutes it was the hosts who could of scored as Mitch Gilbey got in down the right, but his square ball to Marlon Agyakwa saw a weak effort cleared off the line.

However in the 11th minute the hosts did take the lead when a great cross from Jake Pitty found George Sykes who headed home and see the Gulls take a precious lead over the promotion and title chasing visitors. And for a few minutes after this the hosts looked to try and add a quick second although this never materialised.

After Havant had rode that storm they started to assert themselves more into the contest and in the 24th minute won a penalty kick after James Hayter was pushed over in the box. Hayter himself took it but saw the spot kick saved by Gough before moments later Theo Lewis blasted over from a good position and Canvey had survived again.

As the game went past the half hour mark Havant were turning the screw slightly in a bid to get back into the game and after Hayter saw an effort saved by Gough, Wes Fogden blasted over from a great position and another chance went begging for the visitors. Canvey almost made it two in the 37th minute when good skill from Sykes saw him tee up his own volley but Hawks keeper Ryan Young made a decent save.

Five minutes before the break saw more Havant pressure as a long range effort from Lewis was saved by Gough before a Lewis header was cleared off the line then another effort was blocked and then Gough made another good save to thwart the Hampshire side yet again.

However just as you thought it wasn’t going to be Havant’s day, they found an equaliser four minutes ‘before half time when a ball headed back across the face of goal found Lewis who nodded home from a yard out and meant the sides went in at the break all square although it was the visitors who had the momentum you felt.

Half Time Canvey Island 1 Havant & Waterlooville 1

The expected Hawks onslaught at the start of the second period never really came though although a dangerous ball into the hosts box saw Gough awkwardly punch away low down and then the visitors fired well over again, this after the hosts saw an effort blocked, as the opening fifteen minutes of the half were fairly even.

On the hour mark the hosts had a good opportunity to re take the lead when after Agyakwa saw his eventual effort blocked, the ball broke to Simon Thomas who appeared to round the keeper however his effort was saved by the recovering Young who caught the effort high above his head.

But then in the 68th minute from nowhere the Hawks took the lead when Lewis took aim and fired home from distance into the corner of the net. Gough must of seen the strike late as he was very slow to get down to the effort but it meant the hosts had just over twenty minutes to find at least one goal to salvage something from the contest.

Five minutes after the goal the visitors saw the impressive Rutherford hit an effort just wide as the Hawks looked to seal the deal and three minutes after that a Hawks cross into the Canvey area saw the ball nodded back into the six yard box for Ed Harris to head just wide of the hosts net.

As the minutes ticked away Canvey tried their hardest to find a way through the Hawks defence, and in the 87th minute a Harrison Chatting effort almost found Agyakwa who was sliding across keeper Young, but the ball went through to Young who safely gathered.

Canvey huffed and puffed however they could not find a leveller and Havant held on to take a massive three points in their quest for the title and promotion back to the Vanarama National South and leave the hosts looking nervously over their shoulders hoping results go their way at the weekend.

Full Time Canvey Island 1 Havant & Waterlooville 2

Brentwood Town 3 Haringey Borough 1

Ryman One North, Saturday 8th April 2017

I was over at a huge Ryman One North Division match between Brentwood Town andHaringey Borough on a warm April afternoon at the Brentwood Arena.

The hosts sat just two points above the drop zone whilst Boro were just three points and a place outside the play off zone, so both sides needed the points for differing reasons.

The opening ten minutes were pretty quiet as both teams settled into the contest on a rock hard surface but in the 14th minute the first opening saw hosts dangerman Harrison Georgiou receive the ball in a good position but he mishit his effort and saw it blocked, however moments later Georgiou picked out an unmarked Kieran English inside the box and the Town forward tapped home. The visitors looked bemused and claimed he was offside but their complaints fell on deaf ears and the hosts had an early lead.

Haringey looked to respond to this setback and five minutes later threatened when a Ralston Gabriel volley deflected into the path of Adrian Markus who struck the post from point blank range but was he was flagged offside anyhow so it wouldn’t of counted although it was a warning to the hosts.

And two minutes later the hosts had another warning when Boro broke forward through Chris Benjamin but after cutting inside his shot was blocked and ended up trickling through to keeperAnthony Page.

However in the 28th minute Brentwood went to be so lucky when the visitors levelled after a free kick from Ben Adams was parried by Page into the path of Markus who rifled the rebound into the roof of the net. Maybe the keeper should of done better but Markus reacted the quickest to fire his side level.

The goal didn’t seem to effect the hosts too much and on 34 minutes should of retaken the lead when English found himself in on goal but dragged his effort well wide then moments later Markus was in for the visitors but Page stole the ball off his toes as he tried to go round him.

With five minutes of the half remaining Town thought they had retaken the lead but Georgiou’s volley was flagged offside and then three minutes later a hosts corner came out to Andy Freeman but the midfielder could only hit well over. Brentwood though were ending the half well and in first half stoppage time retook lead when Georgiou hooked a ball across for skipper Ryan O’Rawe to head into the far corner and send his side into the break ahead.

Half Time Brentwood Town 2 Haringey Borough 1

The second half began with Gabriel hooking an effort towards goal for visitors but Page caught this easily and then ten minutes into the second period Freeman got clear for the hosts but saw his effort saved by Will Viner before the loose ball was hacked away.

Brentwood could well have done with a two goal cushion as the visitors started to pit the hosts defence under pressure and just before the hour mark saw a cross headed wide by Markus although keeper Page looked fairly untroubled by the effort and in the 64th minute more pressure from the visitors saw the hosts defend well and clear their lines as they were having to dig deep.

In the 68th minute the hosts managed to break at the visitors goal and saw Lamar Reynolds, who had been a thorn in the side of the visitors defence all game, brought down by Michael O’Donoghue, who was booked for the challenge. However Reynolds sent the free kick way over the bar.

But any nerves the hosts may have been suffering were quashed with six minutes remaining when keeper Viner, under pressure from Freeman, lost the way outside the area and saw the hosts midfielder duly roll the ball into the empty net and no doubt the Haringey keeper wanted the ground to swallow him up.

Boro tried to respond but saw an effort from Benjamin fly wide of tue near post whilst up the other end Reynolds got down the left but failed to get a shot off and his effort was eventually snuffed out.

Deep into stoppage time hosts keeper Page claimed yet another cross, and apart from the goal he had been in fine form today and the whistle blew for full time and the hosts had a massive win in their fight to avoid the drop.

Haringey are still only three points off the playoffs despite this defeat as results went their way today, however they will need to play much better than they did in this one if they are to claim a top five finish.

Full Time Brentwood Town 3 Haringey Borough 1