Southend Manor 0 Tower Hamlets 0

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Wednesday 27th February 2019

The points were shared at Southchurch Park as Southend Manor and Tower Hamlets failed to score in what was a fairly average encounter down at the bottom end of the Essex Senior League Premier Division.

This was third bottom against fourth bottom respectively, with hosts Manor seven clear of Leyton Athletic and Barkingside in the bottom two, whilst visitors Hamlets were a further five points better off and almost certainly safe, but three points here would have made that pretty nailed on.

Manor therefore were the ones who needed the win most, and with a home clash against Leyton Athletic to come at the weekend these next two games were huge for them, and it was the hosts who had the first attempt at goal when a free-kick floated into the box was headed wide of the target.

The visitors then sent a cross into the Manor box but it was too high for Luke With who couldn’t direct the ball towards goal, whilst another Hamlets effort at goal went over the bar.

The visitors then sent a swerving free-kick at the hosts which the keeper managed to grab at the second attempt, before a Manor free-kick swung into the box came off a defender and drifted inches wide of the post.

And then another Manor free-kick swung into the box was eventually fired at goal but the keeper somehow tipped the ball over acrobatically, and then the hosts fired another free-kick towards goal which went inches wide as they ended the half on the front foot.

Mo Kargbo, who was looking the most likely to create something for the hosts, cut inside and fired an effort at goal which was beaten away by the keeper, and that brought the half to the close and the sides went in level at the break, although Manor had created the better openings.

Half Time Southend Manor 0 Tower Hamlets 0

The hosts immediately attacked down the right-hand side from the off in the second period but a decent ball across the box missed all and drifted away from danger, before another chance for the home side saw Kargbo burst into the box but saw his effort saved down low.

Hamlets then curled a long-range effort at the hosts goal but it was straight down the keeper’s throat, but then things got more difficult for the visitors when they were reduced to ten men after Wale Odedoyin was sent off for apparent retaliation.

The Hamlets forward though squared up to the linesman on that side of the pitch and had to be dragged away and off the pitch by his own manager AJ Ashnike.  Whatever had been said to the visiting player had clearly angered him, but it meant Hamlets had to play the final half hour or so a man down.

This was the chance for Manor to push on and grab the points maybe? Well they sent a dangerous ball into the visitor’s box but the ball was headed over, before the ten-man visitors almost went in front after With had chested a ball down to a teammate who fired wide when he really should of tested the keeper.

Manor then had a good chance when a ball was laid across the box but the finish was weak and easy for the keeper, and then after Tola Adedoyin had made a hash of an attempt to clear the ball, it was presented to the hosts but the effort was sliced woefully wide.

It all meant the game finished goalless and both sides ended up picking up a point a piece, meaning both sides increase the gap to the bottom two by another point.  It makes Saturday’s Manor Vs Leyton Athletic game even more important now.

Full Time Southend Manor 0 Tower Hamlets 0

Burnham Ramblers 2 White Ensign 2

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior League South, Tuesday 26th February 2019

Nathan Dewberry came off the bench to net a stoppage time leveller as White Ensign snatched a draw against Burnham Ramblers at Leslie Field in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South Essex Derby.

The visitors came into this one knowing a win would take them just four points behind leaders Hashtag United with a game in hand still, whilst the hosts were looking to try and break into the top ten before the season was out, so three points here could have certainly helped that cause.

Pride was also at steak too with this being a derby game, and the hosts had the first effort but saw this deflected wide for a corner, and from that set-play they almost led but saw their headed effort cleared off the line.

The visitors then went up the other end and saw an effort loop up off the shoulder of an attacking player before looping into the keeper’s hands, before Ramblers got in down the left-hand side but could only drag their effort wide of the far post.

It had been a good start from the hosts though and they saw another attempt on goal, a volley from long range, go over the Ensign bar, whilst down the other end the visitors saw a defensive close-range header almost end up in the net.

The hosts then attacked at pace down the right and almost found themselves in again, but good defending saw the ball overrun into the keeper’s hands, before Ensign turned and fired just wide down the other end, and the game remained goalless as the half entered its final stage.

A visitors long-throw then took a big bounce before a close-range header was straight at the keeper, and then soon after the whistle went for half-time, and I felt that the hosts would have been the happier of the two sides going into the changing room.

Half Time Burnham Ramblers 0 White Ensign 0

It was the visitors who drew first blood though in this one as four minutes after the restart they grabbed the lead as when after a ball was struck towards goal, player-manager Brett Munyard helped it on its way into the corner of the net, and Ensign had broken through.

But ten minutes later the hosts responded in kind, finding a leveller and a goal of their own, as after a brilliant pass from Brad Morgan had released Joe Howard down the right, he drilled a brilliant effort into the far corner and we were back level again.

The visitors then saw a free-kick go straight at the keeper but in the 63^rd minute Ramblers went in front when Ollie Miller’s ball to the far side of the box found Morgan unmarked, and he fired home and the hosts had turned this one around in the space of four minutes.

Ensign tried to respond and saw a long-throw headed way up in the air before coming down and hitting the bar before going over, and then they saw a free-kick into the hosts box glanced on but straight into the keeper’s grateful arms.

The visitors then sent a great long-range effort at Ramblers goal which was well tipped over the bar, before the resultant corner was headed well well wide, whilst down the other end Ramblers got down the left but sent a shot straight at the keeper.

With two minutes left Ensign saw a long-range effort deflected on route to goal, but the keeper managed to scramble to his left to palm away the effort, and it looked like the hosts would hold on for a much deserved and morale boosting win against their promotion chasing local rivals.

But in the first minute of stoppage time substitute Dewberry received the ball inside the area and he turned and fired in off the post to bring the visitors level once again.  It was tough on the hosts who so nearly held out.

Ensign though wanted all three points and pushed for a winner but saw their last chance deflect over for a corner, but that came to nothing and soon after the whistle went for the end of the contest, meaning both sides ended up with a point.  The hosts felt they should have won it but will take a lot of positives from this one, whilst Ensign would be disappointed with this performance and were probably lucky to grab a point in the end.

It all means Ramblers are eight points off the top ten with seven games left in 13^th, whilst Ensign remain second but are now six behind leaders Hashtag United with just the one game in hand now.

Full Time Burnham Ramblers 2 White Ensign 2

Canterbury City 2 Biggleswade 1

Buildbase FA Vase Quarter-Final, Sunday 24th February 2019

Goals from Chris Saunders and Dean Grant either side of the break saw Canterbury City come from behind to defeat Biggleswade at Faversham’s Salters Lane Stadium to take their place in the Semi-Finals of the Buildbase FA Vase alongside Chertsey Town, Northwich Victoria and Cray Valley PM.

The visitors went into this one as favourites after a terrific season so far, but Canterbury were not here to just make up the numbers and hadn’t got to the Last Eight for no reason so this was always going to be a close encounter.

The first attempt on goal came from the visitors when skipper Alex Marsh forced home keeper and skipper Delo into a save, but in the sixth minute the Spartan South Midlands side took the lead when a cross saw Tom Cookman convert from close range and send the visiting fans behind that goal wild with delight.

They went so wild in fact that the advertising hoarding’s they were pushing against collapsed, however no one was hurt thank goodness and we could get on with the game.  It was the perfect start to the game for Biggleswade though and they had certainly proved their favourites tag early on.

Centre-half Henebery then sent a powerful header at the Canterbury net, but keeper Delo was equal to it, before the hosts first attempt at goal came from Laurence, but it was a weak effort and easy for visiting keeper Tompkins.

Biggleswade though were looking the better side and almost doubled their lead when Ryan Inskip curled a decent effort just over the bar, but then the game changed in a moment it seemed as with three minutes of the half remaining the hosts levelled with their first real shot in anger, and what a shot it was.

The ball bounced up invitingly for Saunders and he sent a wonderful dipping effort over Tompkins from thirty-plus yards out and into the net to send the hosts mad.  The goal seemed to awaken a home side who had gone rather flat and gave them that belief once again.

The visitors nearly restored the lead just before half time but saw Cookman just fail to get enough on a cross and could only flick it across goal, and it meant that the tie remained level at the break.

Half Time Canterbury City 1 Biggleswade 1

Whatever was said in the changing rooms at half-time certainly worked more for the hosts as they took the lead barely a minute into the second period, as Grant managed to muscle his way beyond his marker before slotting beyond Tompkins, and the Kent League side had the lead.

It was a position that the visitors are not used to, having lost very few games this campaign, but they would have to fight back from behind if they were to continue their quest for Vase glory, and they so nearly responded immediately when Laurie Marsh sent a decent effort at goal but keeper Delo made a decent stop to thwart them.

Lee Northfield then volleyed wide for the visitors who were now chasing a game they seemed to have control of up until that brilliant leveller, and they then saw another chance missed when Inskip drove a brilliant free-kick into the dangerzone but saw it fail to connect with anyone and saw it go out for a goal-kick.

The visitors then won a free-kick in a very dangerous position, and after Alex Marsh had played a one-two with twin bother Laurie, the latter’s effort sailed over the bar in disappointing fashion for the visitors at least.

Alex Marsh then almost got in for the visitors but overran the ball and keeper Delo gratefully accepted it, before down the other end Biggleswade lost the ball on the wing and saw City try to possible seal the tie but after the loose ball fell to Starkey, he could only blast over.

Biggleswade attacked again and saw dangerous ball across the six-yard box poked wide by Alex Marsh under pressure from a couple of defenders although the visitors claimed their skipper had been fouled but this was waved away by the referee, whilst down the other end substitute Lee headed wide whilst trying to give the hosts a two-goal cushion.

There was a moment of panic for the home keeper Delo when a ball into the box saw him flap at the ball rather and see it fall loose to substitute Eze, but the visiting attacker could only slice his effort well wide of the target, and the hosts could breathe a sigh of relief.

And after four minutes of stoppage time had been played the referee brought the contest to a close and it was the hosts who were celebrating a place in the Last Four of the competition.

Full Time Canterbury City 2 Biggleswade 1

White Ensign 4 Newbury Forest 0

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior League South, Saturday 23rd February 2019

John Hilliard netted a hat-trick as White Ensign went second by thumping bottom side Newbury Forest at the Basildon Sporting Village in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior League South contest.

The game was barely a minute old when the hosts took the lead as a loose ball fell to skipper Dave Limber and the centre half fired into the roof of the net to give the promotion chasing side the perfect start.

The hosts then headed over before Forest had their first chance but saw the keeper make a decent stop down to his left, but Ensign then doubled their lead on just twelve minutes when Hilliard fired home a free-kick from around twenty yards out, and the bottom side already had a mountain to climb early on.

The visitors then sent in a decent cross, but it hit the back of an attacker and was cleared, before Ensign then struck a long-range effort wide of the target.

Ensign then saw another good move end with an effort going over the top, before another across from their next attack was put wide at the far post, and then Forest should of pulled one back when a good cross into the box was volleyed over from close range.

An awful back-pass from the visitors allowed the hosts in on goal, but after rounding the keeper and squaring into the box, a recovering defender managed to blast clear for a corner, and then great one-touch play from the hosts ended with a looping header going just wide of the Forest far post.

Another Ensign attack saw the visitors struggle to clear their lines, and after a shot had come in the keeper spilled, but managed to recover the situation and save bravely at the feet of three Ensign attackers.

Sloppy play in the middle of the park from Forest allowed Ensign to nip in and drive for the penalty area, but the eventual effort was sent wide, and then a long throw into the visitor’s box was almost converted at the far post before another long throw was headed over, and soon after the half-time whistle went with the hosts holding a comfortable two-goal cushion.

Half Time White Ensign 2 Newbury Forest 0

The early exchanges of the second period saw Ensign have a shot blocked before another effort was cleared, before a decent ball into the hosts box saw a powerful volley deflected behind by the home sides back-line.

But ten minutes into the half Ensign increased their lead as Hilliard found himself free on the far side of the box before firing home for his second of the contest, and you felt that the contest, if there was one, was now over.

Ensign then saw a dangerous cross parried away, whilst down the other end the visitors headed a chance onto the roof of the net, and then an Ensign corner was headed straight at the keeper.  If it had been either side of him it would have surely been a fourth for the hosts.

There was almost an embarrassing moment for the home keeper when he totally misjudged a Forest free-kick into the box, coming to far and seeing it sail over him, but luckily for him it went out for a goal-kick, and the danger was gone.

Forest were then asking for a penalty after they claimed a foul inside the box, but the referee waved play on, it was a close call in my view and could have gone either way.

And in the 73^rd minute the hosts were given a penalty when after the hosts had struck the post, and follow up effort hit the arm of a defender and the referee pointed to the spot, which seemed slightly harsh in my view, but Hilliard stepped up to complete his hat-trick and Ensign had a fourth.

Forest then sent a looping header at goal but the keeper plucked it out of the air, and then a decent run from the hosts ended with a shot being blocked before a follow up effort was also blocked as Ensign looked for more goals.

Ensign went close again after they saw an effort well tipped over, whilst the visitors struck a free-kick over the bar as they tried to at least find a consolation effort.

A great ball then released the hosts down the left, but the final effort was into the side-netting, whilst the final chance of the game fell to the visitors and it should have been a goal as a ball across the goal saw an effort on the stretch diverted wide of a gaping goal, summing up the visitor’s day.

It all means Ensign move into second spot now, still seven points behind leaders Hashtag United with two games in hand, whilst Forest remain bottom of the pile, two points off third bottom Brightlingsea Regent Reserves with a game in hand and a point behind second bottom Fire United with three games in hand.

Full Time White Ensign 4 Newbury Forest 0

Woodford Town 0 Hoddesdon Town 1

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Friday 22nd February 2019

Ollie Gnandi netted deep deep into stoppage as Hoddesdon Town edged their Essex Senior League Premier Division contest against Woodford Town at a foggy Harlow Arena on Friday evening.

Both teams have had a solid season thus far, the hosts sit sixth in the division whilst Hoddy are ninth, although the sides recent form has only seen them win one in their last six in the league, so both would have been looking for the win here.

The visitors had a couple of effort fly off target early on, but the first shot on target from anyone didn’t arrive until the 28^th minute when a Woodford free-kick was excellently tipped over by Bull in the Hoddesdon goal.

The visitors then totally miss-kicked an effort across the hosts penalty area, whilst the hosts saw a chance but the effort was deflected over the bar, and then just before the break Hoddesdon headed a close range over the bar.

However, in a half of few chances, and with only one attempt on target, it was no surprise that the game remained goalless at the break.

Half Time Woodford Town 0 Hoddesdon Town 0

The second half began just like the first, that was until just before the hour mark when Hoddesdon were awarded a penalty kick, but Joss Lillis saw his spot-kick saved by Scammell and the game remained goalless.

The hosts were then screaming for a penalty themselves before the loose ball was fired over, and then down the other end Hoddesdon broke in down the right, but the ball was then overrun and keeper Scammell came and gathered.

Woodford then hammered a decent effort across goal and wide of the far post, before they got in down the right-hand side but saw this effort go across goal and wide of the other far post this time.

The visitors then saw an effort saved by Scammell as the game entered its final fifteen minutes in the ever-thickening fog, which was making seeing the ball and players numbers harder and harder for people watching the game at least, no idea what it was like for the players!!!

It seemed that the game would end goalless too as it looked to be drifting to it’s conclusion, but six minutes into stoppage time the visitors swung over a free-kick to the far post where centre-half Gnandi rose to power home a header via the hand of Scammell and hand all three points to the visitors.

Full Time Woodford Town 0 Hoddesdon Town 1 

Sporting Bengal United 2 West Essex 2 (West Essex won 4-3 on penalties)

Essex Senior League Errington Challenge Cup Quarter-Final, Wednesday 20th February 2019

West Essex survived a second half comeback from Sporting Bengal United to eventually win on penalties to progress through to the Semi-Finals of the Errington Challenge Cup, setting up a Last Four tie with Clapton.

The visitors started perfectly as they took a second minute lead when Michael Mignot burst through to slot beyond Richard Robins, and Mignot almost netted a second soon after but Robins managed to thwart him on this occasion.

Mignot was causing the hosts all kinds of problems and he almost netted again but saw his lobbed effort brilliantly tipped over by Robins, before another effort from the visitors saw Robins equal to it once again.

The hosts then did manage to create a chance of their own but saw Kamarl Duncan’s header just about kept out by Jack Coker before the ball was scrambled clear, and then another chance for the hosts saw Ashaan Siddik pick out Mario Embalo but the latter could only fire over the bar.

West though created more chances and saw Joe Lefley send a thumping effort at goal but see Robins keep it out, then moments later Mignot curled over, before Hakim Medfai then cut inside and fired a left-footed effort just wide of the Sporting goal.

A sloppy pass from the visitor’s defence allowed Embalo to nip in for the home side, but the striker overrun the ball and Coker came out to thwart him, whilst down the other end Robins was called to make his umpteenth save, denying Lefley again this time.

Embalo then went close for the home side again, seeing his effort blocked, before West should really have netted again as the ball fell to Mignot about ten yards or so out but could only slot wide when it looked like he was certain to score.

Steve Carvell then had a sight of goal for the hosts but saw his effort blocked, before a scramble inside the West box eventually saw Bobby Redwood slice wide, but six minutes before the break the visitors doubled their lead when that man Mignot got in down the left before firing across Robins into the far corner.

And they almost made it three when Josh French saw a header blocked before the loose ball was played back into the dangerzone to Nick Walk who could only blast over, and then Mignot, who could have had five or six goals for himself in this half, fired over late on, but his side did go into the break with a healthy two-goal cushion.

Half Time Sporting Bengal United 0 West Essex 2

The next goal in this tie was always going to be crucial and eight minutes into the second period the hosts grabbed it to get right back in this contest as after a Duncan header had been saved by Coker, the ball was fired across goal where second half substitute Reside Coxi-Sebastfao was on hand to tap home from a yard out.

Coxi-Sebastfao then got in down the right for Sporting but could only send his effort wide, and then the hosts were close to levelling again when seeing Curtley McIntosh head wide from close range, before Charles Gregory had a sight of the visitor’s goal but Coker kept out his effort too as the home side were well on top now.

Things got worse for West when they saw striker Medfai sent-off after a tackle on Duncan, and it meant the visitors would have to complete the final twenty minutes or so with ten-men, and soon after Sporting struck the bar as they continued to dominate this period.

Carvell then sent a free-kick into the visitors dangerzone, but saw Coker punch away before he raced after the ball to clear away from Gregory, but with eight minutes left Sporting found a leveller as Carvell again sent in a lovely ball to the back post where Coxi-Sebastfao was and although he poked his initial effort onto the post, the ball rebounded back off him and into the net.

And deep into added on time Sporting should have won the tie in dramatic style as another super cross from Carvell saw Embalo somehow head wide from a yard or so out, whilst the visitors fired over with the last kick of the game, and it meant the tie would go to penalties.

After two successful penalties each the hosts saw their third saved, only to see West fire over their third spot-kick.  Two more successful penalties followed before Sporting fired over, leaving the visitors to net their final kick to win through 4-3 on spot-kicks, setting up that tie at Clapton.

Full Time Sporting Bengal United 2 West Essex 2 (West Essex won 4-3 on penalties)

 

Redbridge 2 Enfield 2

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Tuesday 19th February 2019

Jordan William netted a stoppage time leveller as Enfield rescued a point at Oakside against Redbridge in what was an eventful encounter in the Essex Senior League Premier Division.

The hosts were straight on the front foot from the off and saw Kai Heather get into a good position but slice well wide, and after Enfield had dragged wide at the other end, Heather again saw another effort sliced wide of the visitor’s goal.

Dan Gilchrist then fired an effort at goal for the hosts but Jamie Merrells fielded the ball well, and Gilchrist went close again, thumping an effort across goal and seeing it hit a defender before the ball diverted into Merrells hands.

Jimmy Cox then broke forward for the visitors but got his finish all wrong and saw the ball end up bouncing into Michael Gooch’s hands, before Stephen Ellery sent a shot at goal for the visitors but it was straight at Gooch.

Taylor Tombides then saw an effort towards the visitor’s goal go straight at Merrells, before a great ball into the Enfield area almost found Tombides, but Merrells just got to the ball first to punch the ball clear, leaving both needing treatment after they crashed into each other.

The Motormen then should have taken the lead when after a mess up at the back the loose ball fell to Tombides who sent an effort at goal and it was going in until it touched a Redbridge leg on the goal-line and saw the flag go up for offside, ruling that one out.

That was then compounded moments later as Enfield grabbed the lead five minutes before the break when Ernold Haxhiu was played in and he rounded keeper Gooch before eventually playing a ball across goal to Cox who tapped home.

Ben Bradbury so nearly doubled the visitors lead soon after by almost getting onto a ball forward, but Gooch came out of his goal to clear, then down the other end Gilchrist ballooned over from a great position.

And just before the break Heather sent a free-kick at the visitor’s goal which bounced up and almost caught out Merrells who beat away the set-play, before centre-half Joe Maskell then skied over an effort for the hosts soon after, and it meant the visitors went into the break a goal ahead.

Half Time Redbridge 0 Enfield 1

Enfield went so close to doubling their lead early on in the second period when after a defender had headed a ball against an opponent and seen the ball go inches wide, Haxhiu then saw a brilliant effort force a terrific save from Gooch.

And it proved important as moments later in the 48^th minute Redbridge levelled as a cross into the box saw Tombides head home from close range, and we were all tied up in this contest.

A wonderful ball from Tombides released Gilchrist in on goal for the hosts, but Merrells was equal to it to make the save, before Enfield went close again as a ball headed across goal by Joe Johnson was blocked before Mark Frostick, on as a substitute, fired wide from range.

But twenty minutes into the second period The Motormen grabbed the lead as Gilchrist got in and this time managed to slot beyond Merrells to give his side the advantage in this one, and it was almost three when the same man had sight of goal again, but the effort was well blocked this time.

Heather then struck wide for the home side as they were now really cranking up the pressure on the visitors, especially since they had taken the lead, and Enfield were really having to dig deep to stay in the contest.

The hosts saw a further chance slip by when substitute Petrit Elbi lifted over, and after Enfield messed up a break-away, Elbi dragged wide for the hosts down the other end before he almost got in again but Merrells thwarted him, and then Gilchrist had another chance but fired off target.  Redbridge had missed a hatful of chances and should have probably put this one to bed by now.

Mason Page, another visitors substitute, went so close to levelling but saw his point-blank effort saved by Gooch, before he then dragged wide moments later, but in the 93^rd minute and after Gooch had made a brilliant save, the loose ball was slammed home by another substitute William and the visitors had levelled.

Heather then almost won it for the hosts but saw his effort skied way over, before Enfield nearly won it eight minutes into stoppage time when they somehow headed wide from close range, but after ten minutes of added on time the referee blew the contest to a close and it finished all square.  Phew!!!

Full Time Redbridge 2 Enfield 2