My second pre season friendly (and probably my last) prior to the season beginning this weekend saw me visit the London Marathon Community Stadium within the Olympic Park and it saw Essex Senior League side West Essex see off newly formed Clapton CFC in a competitive workout for both sides.
Clapton CFC, a community club set up by the Ultras in the summer, are a fan owned club and will be plying their trade in the Middlesex County League One, three steps below their opponents in this one, however under the guidance of Geoff Ocran they are slowly taking shape and will no doubt get better and better as they play more games.
And after five minutes of this one they had a great chance to take the lead as they were awarded a penalty after a lunge from a West Essex defender, however the normally reliable Tony Cookey sent his spot kick over the bar and the ESL hosts could breathe a sigh of relief.
Just past the quarter hour mark came West Essex first effort on goal after a lovely cross field ball found an attacker, however the effort whistled just over although the keeper did get a slight touch on the ball, before from the resulting corner the hosts headed just over the bar.
A rather comical moment then arrived a few minutes later when a Clapton clearance struck the referee right in the plums, which drew quite a bit of laughter from the 115 fans in attendance for this one, however all was in tact and he was ok to carry on thankfully!!!
In the 33rd minute Clapton thought they had taken the lead when they powered home a header from a corner, however the linesman adjudged the ball had curled out of play before coming back into play, therefore a goal kick was given instead, and then moments later Clapton threatened again but saw the keeper deny them the lead.
But then ten minutes before half time West Essex were the ones to take the lead when a brilliant ball forward found Tom Macleod who run onto the pass and finish beyond the keeper and give the hosts the lead.
Right on half time Clapton thumped another header against the woodwork although the flag had already gone up for offside, however the visitors were looking dangerous from set pieces and despite having the better openings in the first forty five minutes, they found themselves a goal behind at the break
Half Time West Essex 1 Clapton CFC 0
Three minutes into the second period calamity ensued for the visiting keeper as a cross saw Macleod run across the keeper, putting him off and seeing him totally miss the ball and then saw the ball hit a rather surprised defender on the leg and loop the ball into the far corner of his own net to double the ESL side's lead.
In the 56th minute Macleod almost had his second for the hosts but saw his header back across goal brilliantly saved, and then six minutes later Clapton broke two on one however the final effort was off target and wide of the near post.
Another good move from West Essex ended with Macleod striking an effort over the bar, before he hosts got in again but saw the finish dribble just wide of the far post, and then with ten minutes remaining got in again after a sloppy defensive pass, but the sub keeper saved with his legs to keep the scoreline at 2-0.
Clapton to their credit were still competing well but in the first minute of stoppage time conceded again when the superb Macleod, who had a hand in every goal today, teed up Emmanuel Obeng-Kouassi who fired a brilliant effort in off the woodwork to cap the victory for West Essex.
So a good workout for both sides as they get ever closer to the start of their seasons.
Full Time West Essex 3 Clapton CFC 0
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