Sawbridgeworth Town 1 St Margaretsbury 3

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Saturday 27th October 2018

Skipper Chancery Dash netted a brace as he inspired St Margaretsbury to a terrific three points as they defeated Sawbridgeworth Town in a fiercely contested local derby at Crofters in the Essex Senior League Premier Division.

The hosts had the first opening as new signing Sipho Mtyanda laid a ball into the path of Joe Wright who rifled a first-time effort over the bar, but with two elapsed St Margs took the lead as Ramone Cassidy-Sinclair walked through a gaping hole in the Sawbo defence and slotted beyond keeper Jarvis Monk.

The frenetic start to the contest continued and saw the hosts create three quick chances to level, firstly when an acrobatic effort from Daryl Doolan saw visiting keeper Brad Ronson pluck the ball out of the air, then another effort from the hosts went straight at Ronson, before the hosts then flashed a ball across the dangerzone.

The visitors themselves had a couple of efforts themselves as well to double the lead, firstly when they saw an effort blocked before secondly saw another chance saved by Jarvis Monk, it was certainly a game you couldn’t take your eyes off for a moment.

Dash then saw a free-kick tipped over by Jarvis Monk, before the hosts keeper had to keep out a close-range effort from the visiting side as they started to take control of this contest for the first time.

But just as that looked likely the hosts found the leveller after Wright had been hauled down inside the box to win a penalty, he picked himself up to convert the spot-kick and bring the hosts level in this contest.

Sawbo then had a couple of openings as they tried to get in front, firstly seeing a near post flick kept out by Ronson, and then secondly seeing another effort blocked, whilst down the other end Dash saw a glancing header deflected over the bar, but the visitors did suffer a big blow when loosing goalscorer Cassidy-Sinclair to injury.

It didn’t seem to affect them to much in this one though and after his replacement Connor Scully had cut inside and fired wide of the near post, St Margs grabbed the lead a minute before the break in controversial circumstances.  A ball into the box saw Dash and Jarvis Monk go up for a challenge and the keeper appeared to get both hands to the ball but Dash appeared to head the ball but also knock the keeper off the ball too and see it end up in the corner of the net.

Everyone expected a foul to be given but no, the referee deemed it a legal challenge and the goal stood, much to the dismay of the hosts.  It meant the visitors went into the break with a slender advantage.

Half Time Sawbridgeworth Town 1 St Margaretsbury 2

The early exchanges of the second period saw the visitors so nearly increase their lead, firstly when they got in on goal and try and lob keeper Jarvis Monk who was outside his area, but the keeper saved with his head somehow, and then Dash struck a free-kick against the inside of the post with the keeper nowhere near it.

It meant the game remained in the balance and with the hosts still in touching distance, and they almost found a leveller when Danny Wickenden tried his luck from distance and saw the ball go inches wide of the far post, and then they also saw an effort well blocked as the visitors had to dig deep to keep their lead.

St Margs stood firm though, and with around seven minutes remaining the game was pretty much done and dusted although there were some rather unfortunate scenes leading up to it.

Luke Marshall was fouled outside the box by full back Louis Monk, and the Sawbo player stumbled over the attacker, who took offence to him standing on his ankle.  They both went head to head and then suddenly Marshall fell to the ground suggesting he had been head butted by the full back, although contact looked minimal at best.

The referee though decided it was a head butt and sent off Louis Monk, which again angered the hosts, and it meant the home side now were a man short as well as a goal down.  And from the free-kick Dash saw his set-piece squirm through the grasp of Jarvis Monk and into the net and seal the points for the visitors and also cap a fine performance from the visiting skipper Dash.

Full Time Sawbridgeworth Town 1 St Margaretsbury 3

Barkingside 1 Woodford Town 6

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Friday 26th October 2018

Temi Babalola netted a hat-trick as Woodford Town thrashed a sorry Barkingside at Cricklefield on Friday night to go fifth in the Essex Senior League Premier Division and leave their opponents bottom and still without a win this season.

Woodford had the only opening early on when a cross from the left hit Ethan Kessel inside the box as the attacker seemed surprised the ball was fired at him, but just before the quarter hour mark the visitors did lead as Babalola shrugged off his marker to run in on goal and slot a finish into the far corner.

It wasn’t long until Woodford doubled their lead as after Side keeper Mikel Breckenridge had saved an effort, the hosts defence were slow to react and saw the visitors return the ball back into the dangerzone where Taku Mashingaidze was given the freedom of Cricklefield to side foot home.

It was so nearly three moments later too as Babalola got in on goal again but this time he could only slot wide of the target, and then Woodford had another chance to extend their advantage but saw a good double save from Breckenridge just about keep the hosts in this contest.

Side needed some inspiration from somewhere and almost found it but saw a weak free-kick easily gathered by Woodford keeper Alex Reed before another effort was blocked by the visiting defence, but Woodford seemed more than comfortable with their two-goal lead.

The hosts managed to get in down the right but saw a weak effort again easy for keeper Reed, whilst Woodford then saw an effort blocked down the other end, but two minutes before the break the contest was as good as over you felt when Woodford added a third when Kessel swung in a free-kick and Babalola glanced home a header for his second of the contest.

Side then saw an effort blocked as they tried to find a way back into the contest before the break, but they couldn’t and saw Woodford hold a comfortable three goal lead at half time against a home side totally devoid of any confidence and facing another defeat here.

Half Time Barkingside 0 Woodford Town 3

Woodford brought on Samir Ali early on in the second half and he almost netted immediately but slotted wide when in on goal, but Town did make it four in the 53^rd minute as terrific play between Babalola and Mashingaidze saw the latter lay the ball across to the former who then thumped home for his hat-trick.

Ali almost got in for the visitors again but keeper Breckenridge managed to read the danger and clear, whilst the hosts, who were at least competing better in this period of the contest, saw a free-kick hit the back stanchion of the goal, before Jack Grosvenor then struck a loose ball wide for Woodford down the other end.

Sides night then went from bad to worse with fifteen minutes remaining when Ali managed to get in on goal but then saw defender Kubiyay Mubarak try and thwart the attacker, but he was adjudged to have pulled the striker back and saw the referee give a penalty and show a straight red to the hosts defender.  Ali dusted himself down to convert the penalty and make it five for the visitors.

And five minutes later Woodford made it six when the brilliant Babalola burst through before squaring to another substitute Marcel McDonald who side footed home and the visitors were now running riot.

The hosts did at least end the game with a goal as a ball into the box saw substitute Terry Mensah ghost in totally unmarked to finish beyond Reed, and they nearly added a second but saw centre half Benjamin Imre head over the bar, but despite this ending they had been well and truly beaten tonight by a very decent Woodford outfit.

Full Time Barkingside 1 Woodford Town 6 

Stansted 2 Takeley 0

Errington Challenge Cup Second Round, Tuesday 23rd October 2018

Sam West and Callum Ibe netted goals in the final fifteen minutes to see Stansted overcome rivals Takeley at Hargrave Park to progress into the next round of the Errington Challenge Cup on Tuesday.

Stansted have been flying this season and currently top the Essex Senior League Premier on goal difference whilst for Takeley it’s been a difficult few weeks after a decent start to the season having lost five games in a row in all competitions prior to Saturday’s win at Ilford which at least stopped the rot.

The hosts had made five changes here though to the side that had thrashed Leyton Athletic 5-0 at the weekend whilst Takeley had seen striker Charlie Cole leave the club at the weekend after his double had secured that victory at Ilford.  The visitors made three changes to their starting line up from the weekend too.

The opening fifteen minutes saw one effort on target which came from the visitors as George Pullen sent a free header straight at hosts keeper Charlie Turner, and the following period of play saw the hosts test visiting keeper Ronnie Yates as a Paul Preston effort was punched out for a corner, whilst James Briggs also fired a free-kick over the visitors bar.

Takeley talisman Mitchell Das then saw an effort blocked but the first half wasn’t much of a spectacle if truth be told and the goalless half time score wasn’t entirely surprising considering the lack of goalmouth action.

Half Time Stansted 0 Takeley 0

The early exchanges of the second period saw Takeley on the front foot and after they fired two powerful efforts over the Stansted bar, Josh Sykes dragged an effort wide of the far post from a decent position as the visitors looked likelier to break the deadlock.

Stansted then did have the ball in the net, but Preston was flagged offside before he applied the finishing touch, whilst Takeley saw Bryn Thorpe fire a free-kick over the Stansted bar as the visitors continued to miss the target.

Alex Warman, who had looked decent for the visitors in this one, fired another effort over the hosts bar, however the game remained goalless as we entered the final fifteen minutes as penalties looked more and more likely.

But with fifteen minutes remaining Stansted broke the deadlock as substitute Ibe, who had certainly made a difference after coming on with twenty minutes to go, almost nipped in to score but the visitors managed to clear for a corner, and from that corner keeper Yates punched clear but onto the boot of Sam West who saw it come off him and into the net, and the hosts had the advantage.

It was an advantage they were to double eight minutes later when good work from Connor Hammond down the left saw his ball across elude Preston but fall to Ibe who rifled a brilliant effort beyond Yates into the far corner and pretty much seal this one for the home side.

A rather fractious end to the game threatened to spoil what had been a decently contested derby, but the hosts took the win and take their place in the next round of the Errington Challenge Cup as their terrific form continued, whilst for Takeley they are now out of both the Challenge Cup and the GBMT already this season.

Full Time Stansted 2 Takeley 0

Haringey Borough 2 Poole Town 1

Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round, Saturday 20th October 2018

Goals from Jorge Djassi-Sambu and Joel Nouble helped Haringey Borough create history after they turned a half-time deficit into victory against Poole Town at Coles Park and make the First Round Proper of the Emirates FA Cup for the very first time.

The hosts were the only side still in the competition that had started in the Preliminary Round stage and after wins against Stanway Rovers, Brentwood Town, Erith Town and AFC Sudbury to reach this stage, whilst the visitors, who started their run in the 1^st Qualifying Round, had dispatched Shaftesbury, Cinderford Town and Horsham (after a replay) to set up this contest here.

The hosts were also appearing at this stage for the second season in a row but had never gone beyond this stage after they lost to Heybridge Swifts last season, whilst Poole hadn’t gone beyond this stage for 35 years, so this was a huge day for both clubs, and the atmosphere prior to the kick off between the 402 spectators inside the ground was superb.

Whether the occasion got to both sides remains to be seen, but the first period was fairly flat, despite both sets of supporters trying to will their teams on.  The opening fifteen minutes did see the hosts thwarted by a couple of defensive blocks whilst the visitors also saw an effort of their own blocked too.

Boro then looped a header over the Poole crossbar before just beyond the half hour mark the Dorset side won a penalty after a high boot inside the box, and Steve Devlin stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and Poole had the lead.

The hosts then saw a scramble inside the Poole box eventually cleared before a side footed effort after a cutback was sliced well wide of the target, and it meant the visitors had a slender lead at the break, and you felt there was much more to come from both sides.

Half Time Haringey Borough 0 Poole Town 1

Whatever was said to the hosts at half-time certainly worked as they came out much more positively in the second half, and saw Nouble send an effort off target from a decent position, before another hosts effort was brilliantly tipped over by the visiting keeper.

The resulting corner was then headed off target by the hosts, before more Boro chances saw a couple of goalbound efforts blocked near to the goalline, as Poole were having to dig very deep to preserve their lead.  The only effort Poole had on goal in the opening exchanges of the half saw a curling effort go way way off target.

The next period of play saw Poole get into a very decent position but a wayward ball across the box ended that attack, whilst down the other end Boro saw another good opening brilliantly thwarted by a superb sliding block by a defender, but then with just over fifteen minutes remaining came a pivotal moment in the tie.

With Boro pushing forward they lost the ball and saw a long ball release Richard Gillespie who was clean through on goal, but his slotted effort came back off the post and into the grateful arms of the keeper, had that gone in you would of thought that the visitors may well have sealed the deal.

And just minutes later Boro found a leveller, and a deserved one too if truth be told based on their second half showing, when Nouble got to the byline and squared across to Djassi-Sambu who converted from close range, setting up a grandstand last ten minutes.

Boro then sent a free header straight at the keeper, but with seven minutes remaining they turned this one around by netting again to go in front as a misplaced header towards goal looped up perfectly to the back post where Nouble managed to bundle the ball over the line from a yard out and send the hosts wild, they were roughly ten minutes or so away from the next round.

The closest Poole came to finding an equaliser was a lobbed effort which the keeper had to tip away, but Boro saw out the final few nerve-jangling moments to take their place in the First Round Proper for the very first time in their history.

Full Time Haringey Borough 2 Poole Town 1

Southend Manor 1 Woodford Town 2

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Wednesday 18th October 2018

A Jack Grosvenor header ten minutes from time saw Woodford Town to all three points with victory over Southend Manor at Southchurch Park, lifting them into sixth in the ESL Premier Division as a result.

The hosts certainly started the better of the two sides and almost netted inside a minute but saw a close-range effort mis-kicked meaning the keeper could gather easily, whilst another two efforts from Manor went over the bar.

Woodford, who had been on the back foot for the majority of the opening fifteen minutes, saw a deflected effort go over the bar but in the 19^th minute they took the lead with their first effort on target as a Ethan Kessel free-kick found the head of Malaki Toussaint and the midfielder sent a downward header into the net from point blank range.

Manor, who had missed another good opening prior to Woodford’s opener, passed up more opportunities thereafter when an effort at the near post was beaten away before a square ball across the area was struck over the bar, and then a powerful header also went over the target.

More Manor chances then followed, seeing the keeper make a decent save down to his left, and then another close range header again missing the target, but the visitors were beginning to look dangerous on the counter and almost nipped in a couple of times as the half went on, and towards the latter part of the half a good ball to the far post by Woodford nearly found an attacker, before a mis-kicked attempt inside the box ended up being easily gathered by the keeper.

But after all that it was that 19^th minute header from Toussaint that separated the sides at the break although Manor will wonder how they were not at least level after all the chances they had created in that period.

Half Time Southend Manor 0 Woodford Town 1

The home side had a great chance to level twelve minutes into the second period when they were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the box, although the visitors were adamant that they had won the ball and were very unhappy with the awarding of the spot-kick.  Charlie Barlow stepped up but saw his penalty saved anyway as the hosts passed up the chance to level.

There were fewer openings in the second half for the next twenty minutes or so and the only efforts on goal both came from Kessel, however both were straight at Manor keeper Klinton Makayabo who managed to comfortably save both efforts, and the game was becoming scrappy.

But then with eleven minutes to go the hosts did find an equaliser when sloppy defending allowed Manor substitute Rhys Fatt in to slot home and set up an interesting last ten minutes or so, and the hosts looked like they believed they could now go on a win it.

Woodford though had other ideas and with Manor still celebrating their leveller the visitors mounted an attack and caught their opponents cold as a ball into the box saw keeper Makayabo come for a cross but see Woodford centre half Grosvenor beat him to the ball to nod into the unguarded net and immediately restore the visitors lead.

Manor pushed forward in search of another leveller and were looking susceptible to a Woodford counter attack, and one such counter saw a decent stop from Makayabo deny a clinching third for the visitors.  But the hosts could not find another goal and it meant the visitors held out for the points.

Full Time Southend Manor 1 Woodford Town 2

Burnham Ramblers 0 Benfleet 7

Eastern Senior League South, Tuesday 16th October 2018

Sam Dulieu netted a hat-trick for Benfleet as they hit seven at Leslie Field against a struggling Burnham Ramblers to go seventh in the Eastern Senior League South on Tuesday evening.

The hosts have had a largely tough season to date after their relegation from the Essex Senior League Premier Division last season, whilst Benfleet are starting to find their feet now after a slow start to their campaign.

The opening exchanges in this one saw Ramblers hook a close range effort over the bar whilst Fleet forced the home keeper into a decent save down to his right to keep the game goalless, but in the 12^th minute that changed when the visitors grabbed the lead as an attempted defensive header looped into the path of Dulieu and he slotted across the keeper and into the far corner.

And only seven minutes later it was two for Benfleet and two for Dulieu as he cut inside before seeing an effort deflect off a defender into the same bottom corner as before, and the visitors had taken a firm grip on this one already.

Ramblers top scorer Karl Swanborough then struck a decent effort wide of the Fleet goal, before the hosts then saw a close range header well saved as they attempted to get back into this contest, but just before the half hour mark it got worse for them as Fleet added a third when Leon Gordon volleyed into the ground and saw the ball bounce up and over the keeper and into the far corner.

It was becoming an embarrassing evening for the hosts and more so when in the 32^nd minute Fleet added a fourth goal when Dulieu volleyed towards goal but it was going wide until it hit Jack Unwin on the head and saw it divert into the top corner as a result, as everything was going right for the visitors and against the luckless hosts.

And four was to become five nine minutes before the break and what a goal it was, as Taylor Lawrence took aim from around thirty yards out and struck an unstoppable left footed effort into the top corner of the net for a sensational goal, and the visitors now had a five-goal cushion.

It had been a clinical display from Fleet whilst for Ramblers it had been a half to forget and they were in danger of been totally embarrassed in this one.

Half Time Burnham Ramblers 0 Benfleet 5

It didn’t take long for Benfleet to find their feet again in the second period as they added a sixth goal five minutes into the half when Unwin sent an effort at goal which the keeper parried up into the air but then saw the ball bounce into the far corner anyway, and he should have had his hat-trick after that but somehow guided a close range effort the wrong side of the post.

Ramblers then won a free-kick some way out but Swanbrough had a go anyway and saw the set-play dip just over the bar, whilst up the other end Gordon could only poke an effort wide of the post, but the half was certainly more competitive than the first one had been.

Unwin then had a chance to grab his treble once again but saw his effort saved, before another effort was saved before he ran onto the loose ball and sent it across the goal but saw no one able to get on the end of it, and then down the other end Ramblers almost netted a consolation goal but saw the danger eventually averted by the visiting defence and keeper.

With four minutes left though, Fleet made it seven as Dulieu got in and clipped a lovely finish over the keeper for his hat-trick and cap a memorable evening for the visitors, who are now level on points with fifth placed May & Baker.  For Ramblers it was another match to forget and they remain in 15^th after this one.

Full Time Burnham Ramblers 0 Benfleet 7

May & Baker 4 North Greenford United 2 (aet)

Buildbase FA Vase First Round Proper, Saturday 13th October 2018

Substitute Alex Owuadey netted a brace as May & Baker came from behind twice to eventually saw off a spirited ten-man North Greenford United at Barking Rugby Club to progress into the Second Round Proper of the Buildbase FA Vase.

The hosts were up against another side a step above them in the pyramid as NGU reside from the Spartan South Midlands Premier, and they were having a fairly solid season sitting sixth in their division, but Bakers are also having a solid season to date and had netted twelve goals in their previous two Vase games.

The visitors though were probably slight favourites for the tie although I felt along with a few others that Bakers could easily spring a surprise here, and the opening fifteen minutes certainly proved that this could be possible as Bakers created the better openings, seeing Dan Gilchrist strike the post and then volley over too.

An NGU defender almost put into his own net too after a decent ball into the visitor’s box, although the visiting side did cause home keeper Michael Gooch some alarm on a couple of occasions, seeing a long floated free-kick sail just over, and then getting down well to save another set play from the visitors.

NGU then saw Courtney Austin get the ball in acres of space inside the Bakers box however his effort was weak and straight at Gooch, but in the 33^rd minute came the opening goal when Aaron McLeish got through the defence and fired a brilliant effort in off the post to give the favourites the lead in this one.

There had been chances for both leading up to that goal, with the hosts seeing Craig Hall volley over a spectacular effort before Conor Okus rifled over a powerful effort from range, whilst the visitors had seen another free kick go close too.  After the goal McLeish had gone close again too for NGU, whistling an effort just over the bar.

The hosts though should really have been level before the break though as Reece Tranter somehow thumped a close-range effort against the underside of the bar, but it meant that the visitors held a slender lead at the break with everything still to play for still.

Half Time May & Baker 0 North Greenford United 1

Bakers made a good start to the second period and after Gilchrist had seen an effort tipped wide by Lewis Todd, the corner from Tom Harvey curled into the dangerzone and over the line despite a desperate attempt to clear from the visitors, and although Okus nodded home the loose ball, the flag was already up for a goal and the hosts were level barely two minutes into the half.

Both teams then had chances to take the lead, firstly Craig Hall sent an effort straight at visiting keeper Todd, whilst down the other end Ben Long mis-kicked an effort when in a decent position, but then in the 63^rd minute came a moment of madness.

A ball forward saw the ball bounce up high and home keeper Gooch and visiting forward McLeish went up to challenge for the ball, and Gooch won the ball but then saw McLeish come charging at home and grab him and then pushing and shoving ensued, the result being a straight red card for the visiting player and a booking for the hosts keeper.  It meant NGU would have to play the remainder of the tie with ten men.

Tranter then saw a decent chance go by, it ending with a poke at goal being saved by Todd, but it was the visitors who got their noses back in front again when Lee Armitt beat the offside trap, although the hosts disagreed, ran onto the ball and lobbed a stranded Gooch and see the ball bounce into the net, and the visitors had around twenty minutes to hold out.

Bakers then saw another couple of chances go by, firstly Gilchrist had an effort well blocked, before Harvey fired over a great chance from inside the box when he really should of at least worked the keeper, and it looked like it wasn’t going to be the home sides day.

But in the first minute of stoppage time the hosts levelled when after they had seen a goal ruled out for offside, substitute Owuadey managed to get his boot to a loose ball inside the box and send it into the far corner, meaning extra time would be needed.

A pivotel moment then came towards the end of the first period of the extra half hour when moments after the visitors had seen a goal ruled out for offside, Bakers went down the other end and saw Owuadey turn provider, sending in a perfect cross for Craig Hall to power a header home in the 100^th minute and give Bakers the lead for the first time in the tie.

And with the tiring ten men pushing forward for a leveller, Bakers broke in the 112^th minute and saw that man Owuadey clean through on goal, and after terrific skill to control a bobbling ball, he composed himself to fire an effort into the roof of the net and finally seal this tie once and for all and end the challenge from the ten-man visitors.

Full Time (aet) May & Baker 4 North Greenford United 2