Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 2 (aet)

Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Saturday 31st August 2019


Lewis Soraf netted an extra time winner for ten-man Coggeshall United as the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South side saw off Essex Senior League Cockfosters at Chalk Lane in their Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round contest, setting up a Second Qualifying Round tie at home to Thurlow Nunn Premier Long Melford.


The visitors had the first chance of the game when a cross found Grame Montgomery who could only slice across the ball and send it out for a throw, and then another chance came for the visitors when player manager Cliff Akurang flicked a header towards goal but this was cleared off the line.


The hosts responded as Reece Mosanya burst into the box but his ball across goal was cleared away before Billy Healey burst down the right for the home side and his ball in found Luke Marshall whose goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender.


Mosanya then crossed for Healey to force a wonderful point blank save from visitor’s keeper Lewis Downes, however the ball was returned into the six-yard box where Healey headed home, but the ball had gone out of play for a corner according to the linesman so the goal was ruled out.


Montgomery then sent a low effort at the hosts goal which keeper Josh Bradley managed to help over the bar, and then Soraf sent a decent header at the Cockfosters goal but it was straight at Bradley who caught the effort.


A brilliant move by the visitors ended with Mwetsi Matangi totally missing the ball when presented with a goal scoring chance from point blank range, and then Ricky Loveridge fired just wide of the hosts goal from distance.


Akurang then saw a header strike the hand of a Cockfosters defender inside the box but the referee deemed it accidental before full back Lee Flynn sent a header at the hosts goal but Bradley got down to save, meaning the half ended goalless.


Half Time Cockfosters 0 Coggeshall United 0


Good football from the visitors saw Matangi fire over from inside the box, before Ryan Wade then fired inches wide for the hosts when in truth he should of hit the target, but the second period was devoid of much goal mouth action as the weather began to turn.


Cockfosters keeper Bradley then had to come off injured and was replaced by Adam Seymour, and in the 71^st minute he was picking the ball out of his own net after a mistake from the defence allowed Loveridge in to slot home and give the underdogs the lead.


Rian Carroll then fired just wide for the hosts as they looked for a leveller, and with seven minutes remaining won a penalty kick after keeper Downes had fouled Healey inside the box, and Wade stepped up to fire home the spot-kick and Cockfosters were level.


The visitors then saw a super effort brilliantly saved by Seymour, before Marshall then broke the visitors offside trap but could only send his effort across goal and wide, and then Flynn sent a long-range effort at the hosts goal but it was punched over by Seymour.


Stoppage time then saw Coggeshall skipper Mensah sent-off for something off the ball which I didn’t see if truth be told, and then Cockfosters almost nicked it at the death but missed, meaning extra time would be needed, and the visitors would have to play it with a man light.  Advantage Cockfosters you would say?


Full Time Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 1


Well the first chance of extra time fell to Wade who forced a save from visiting keeper Downes, but it was the visitors who were creating the openings as substitute Ben Madden volleyed wide before the same man then fired a long range effort straight at Seymour as the ten men were doing ok in the extra period.


Loveridge then sent a free header straight at Seymour in the hosts goal, before the same man then fired another effort at the hosts net.  Wade had had the ball in the Coggeshall net twice in the opening period of extra time too, but both were flagged for offside, and he then sent a free-kick just wide of the visitors net as time expired in the first period of the extra half hour.


So, would we get a winner in the final fifteen minutes?  Well, Wade got in for the hosts but shot straight at Downes, and then the hosts somehow failed to go in front when George Beattie got in down the right and sent a ball right across goal but Wade could not divert the effort into the net.


Montgomery then almost punished the hosts for hesitant defending when skying over from point blank range, but with six minutes of extra time remaining Coggeshall grabbed the winner when Soraf struck home from the edge of the box and saw the ten men advance through to the next round.


Full Time (after extra time) Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 2

Hullbridge Sports 1 Canvey Island 3

Isthmian League North Division, Monday 26th August 2019

Goals from Josh Hutchinson, George Purcell and Tobi Joseph saw Canvey Island make it three wins from three after they saw off Hullbridge Sports at Lower Road in their Isthmian North contest.

The hosts were playing their second ever home game at this level and had picked up one point from their two games, loosing their opening game at home to Witham Town 3-0 before grabbing an encouraging goalless draw at Aveley, but they were up against a Canvey side who had beaten Romford and Grays Athletic 2-1 in their opening two games.

It was the visitors who started the better and had the first effort at goal when Purcell saw a deflected effort fly wide, and in the 14^th minute they grabbed the lead when a ball across found it’s way to Hutchinson who slotted home from an angle.

Jason Hallett then rifled one wide of the hosts goal as the visitors dominated the opening twenty five minutes or so, but the hosts did then create a couple of decent chances which both fell to Timothy Monsheju, firstly poking over from inside the box, and then secondly seeing a good strike well saved by Canvey keeper Lamar Johnson.

Hallett then saw a deflected effort hit the hosts bar down the other end, before Hutchinson stung the palms of hosts keeper Rob Budd from outside the box, and it meant the visitors held a one goal lead at the break.

Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Canvey Island 1

Hallett headed over early in the second period, before Albert Levett burst into the hosts box but saw an effort blocked by the defence, whilst the hosts saw substitute Luke Hornsley saw an effort blocked down the other end.

But with 56 minutes on the clock Canvey grabbed an important second to double their lead when Joseph squared for Purcell who side footed home from close range and give the Canvey fans behind that goal more to cheer.

It was almost three soon after too as Hallett saw an effort across goal saved by Budd before Jamal Allen had to be quick to clear the ball off the line before Joseph could poke the ball over the line, as Canvey looked like they could go on and win by more.

But then came two huge chances for the hosts to get back into the game, and both fell to substitute Matthew Baxter, firstly getting through on goal by shooting straight at Johnson, and then seeing another effort from close range saved by Johnson before he then had to be alert to save a backward header by a defender.

And with ten minutes to go Canvey made them pay by sealing the contest with a third as substitute Samrai Gebrai, who had recently signed from ESL side Walthamstow, set up Joseph to turn and fire beyond Budd.

Yemi Adelani, another hosts substitute, fired an effort towards the near post which Johnson got down well to tip round the post, before Purcell saw a terrific effort at the hosts goal saved by Budd, and then a Hullbridge corner was headed over the bar by centre half Perry Dunn.

Hullbridge did at least net a consolation in the 89^th minute when after Hornsley had been pushed over in the box, Adelani stepped up to slot home the spot-kick, but it was too little too late for the hosts who have now lost two of their first three at this level.

Full Time Hullbridge Sports 1 Canvey Island 3

Haywards Heath Town 2 Tunbridge Wells 1

Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round, Saturday 24th August 2019


Nico Cotton struck home just past the hour to help Haywards Heath come from behind to defeat Tunbridge Wells at Hanbury in their Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round tie on a very warm day in West Sussex.


The hosts came into this one as slight favourite seeing as they were a league above their opponents, and they had also won their first two games in the Bet Victor South East Division to sit top after two games.


The visitors though had won all three of their games in the South East Counties League to sit top as well, and they had defeated Pagham away in the Extra Preliminary Round by a score line of 2-0, so they were sure to be difficult opponents for the home side no doubt.


The opening fifteen minutes saw the hosts get into a good shooting position but then fail to pull the trigger, whilst the hosts keeper managed to punch clear under pressure from the visiting side, but not much else happened in the early exchanges.


The visitors then saw an effort blocked on the edge of the box before the hosts broke down the left but ended up shooting tamely at the keeper, and then midway through the half the referee halted play for a couple of minutes for a drinks break as it was very hot out there.  It had certainly been a rather slow-paced encounter thus far so we all hoped the drinks would liven it up a bit!!!


The hosts saw a free-kick from the right glanced straight at the keeper, before the home side really should have broke the deadlock but saw a header from point blank range straight at the keeper again.


But then from nowhere in the 33^rd minute Tunbridge Wells struck as a brilliant quick free-kick released Danny Powell down the left-hand side and he fired home a superb finish from the angle and put the Step Five visitors into the lead.


Haywards Heath then fired wide as they looked to try and find a response before the break, and moments before half time they won a very soft penalty kick it has to be said, but the hosts took full advantage as Callum Saunders rolled home the spot-kick to level the tie up.


In first half stoppage time the visitors were unhappy after the hosts keeper had fouled one of their attacker’s way outside the box, but with covering defenders about, this could be the reason why the referee chose to book the keeper and not send him off.  There were also shouts for handball by the keeper too but I didn’t see this clearly enough.


The resulting free-kick was then brilliantly saved by the keeper, and it meant the teams went into the break all square.  It had certainly been a slow burner this one so far, and had certainly livened up in the final fifteen minutes of the period.


Half Time Haywards Heath Town 1 Tunbridge Wells 1


The hosts looped a header onto the roof of the net early in the second period, and then a decent chance fell to the home side again as the ball fell to them inside the box, but a poor sliced finish went way wide of the target.


The hosts went close again, firing across goal and wide, but just beyond the hour mark their early second half pressure told as Cotton fired home a brilliant effort from twenty or so yards out into the bottom corner and the hosts had turned this one around.


However, once the home side had gone in front the visitors began to threaten a leveller, and almost immediately responded but sent an effort straight at the keeper, before another effort from the edge of the box went wide.


The visitors then somehow failed to level when a cross into the six yard box was fired at goal from point blank range but the ball hit the keeper on the line and stayed out, and with the hosts hanging on somewhat cleared another visitors effort off the line as the clocked slowly clicked towards ninety minutes.


In the several minutes of stoppage time that followed the hosts did have chances to seal it, firstly curling miles wide from a good position, and then secondly seeing a goal-bound effort blocked by a defender.


And then the hosts missed what proved to be the final act of the game when curling wide from eight yards out when it looked easier to score, but it mattered not as Haywards Heath progressed into the First Qualifying Round of the competition.  Well played to both teams who gave it all in searing heat is has to be said!!!


Full Time Haywards Heath Town 2 Tunbridge Wells 1

Ilford 1 Tower Hamlets 0

Essex Senior League, Wednesday 21st August 2019


Clifford Newby-Harris rammed home an 82^nd minute winner as Ilford picked up their first win of the season at the expense of Tower Hamlets in their Essex Senior League encounter at Cricklefield.


The Foxes had begun the season not in the best of form and came into this one off the back of a 3-0 home defeat against Hoddesdon Town, whilst Hamlets had won their first league match last time out with a 4-1 win at Sawbridgeworth Town with striker Ezra Ndukuba grabbing a hat-trick in that one.


The hosts had the first effort at goal but saw visiting keeper Jack Gannon get down well to save, before Miles Mercury then had a shot at the hosts goal but saw it go straight at Hugo Rosetti, and then the hosts should of taken the lead but saw Ryan O’Connell head wide from close range.


A long-range effort from the visitors then went straight down the throat of Rosetti, before Anthony Musoke, Hamlets wing back, cut inside onto his right foot and fired a decent effort at goal, but Rosetti got down well to save.


A long ball from the visitors almost found Ndukuba who did manage to throw a head at it and glance it towards goal but keeper Rosetti fielded the ball easily, and although the visitors had shaded the half on chances created, it had been a poor game up till then and was goalless at the break.


Half Time Ilford 0 Tower Hamlets 0


So, would the second period be any better? Well the hosts almost led when a corner was almost turned in by Hamlets centre half Ali Omar, whilst the hosts then dragged wide soon after, but to answer that question, no the game hadn’t really improved in this half.


Chances were at even more of a premium in the second period as it turned out and Hamlets keeper Gannon had to punch clear under pressure but there wasn’t too much else to write about if truth be told as the game entered its final quarter.


Valter Simao then headed wide for the hosts before they then went down to ten men for the final twelve minutes or so after they saw a player off injured and because they had already used their full quota of substitutes, they had to finish the game a man short.


Advantage Hamlets then you would say?  Well no actually as the Foxes saw Nic Keyamo almost get in the clear but see a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Kirwan-Meade thwart him, but with eight minutes to go Ilford took the lead when Newby-Harris rammed home from close range and the ten men had the lead.


Hamlets only response of note saw a great run down the right by centre back Omar, but his final ball, a toe poke from the angle, was straight into the arms of Rosetti, and it meant the hosts took the three points in what had been a rather poor game all in all, although the hosts won’t care about that.


Full Time Ilford 1 Tower Hamlets 0

Frenford 4 Leyton Athletic 0

BBC Essex Senior Cup Preliminary Round, Monday 19th August 2019


Alex Watson netted a hat-trick for Frenford as the hosts saw off Leyton Athletic at The Len Salmon Stadium in their BBC Essex Senior Cup Preliminary Round tie, setting up a First-Round home tie against Barkingside.


This was an all Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest and the winners knew they would face a home tie against another fellow Eastern Senior South side Barkingside.  Frenford had begun the season with five points from three games, whilst Leyton have not played a league game as yet due to ground issues, and their only competitive fixture had been an FA Cup defeat at Cockfosters.


The visitors were a bit of an unknown quantity then, but it was they who dragged the first opening wide, whilst the hosts saw a good ball in mis controlled before the ball was then cleared, and then Leyton found themselves in a good shooting position again, but dragged this one wide too.


The hosts then whipped in a dangerous cross which saw them almost nip in ahead of the keeper but the keeper was brave enough to dive and gather, getting a whack for his troubles, but in the sixth minute the hosts did lead when a poor throw out from the keeper, coupled with a weak challenge from the defender saw the ball squared to Watson who side footed home.


The visitors sprung forward in search of a quick leveller but a woeful finish went high over the bar, before Watson headed wide of the target down the other end, and then Leyton saw an effort blocked with the visitors half hearted appeals for a penalty being waved away.


A nice Leyton move ended with a ball being fired over, the visitors were playing some nice stuff it had to be said, but Frenford went down the other end but saw Watson’s effort plucked out of the air by the keeper.


Frenford were playing ok themselves too and should of doubled their lead but Watson somehow glanced a header wide from point blank range, before Leyton attacked with promise again and a ball through almost found them clear, but a great tackle put paid to that.


The final act of the half saw a Frenford free-kick whipped into the near post sliced over their own bar by a defender, and this brought an end to the half with the match very much in the balance.


Half Time Frenford 1 Leyton Athletic 0


Frenford centre half Freddie Tandon saw an early second half free-kick well saved, before the resulting corner was turned over their own bar by the visitors, and then Leyton threatened themselves but saw a left footed effort dragged wide.


Then came a flashpoint which came from nothing and saw all players involved, some pushing and shoving, some just shouting, and others trying to pull others away, and after it all calmed down both sides received a booking each.


And shortly after the restart Leyton should have been level, as a ball played through saw them clear on goal but after the keeper had saved the ball bounced back into the visitor’s path but they somehow put the rebound wide, it was a huge let off for Frenford.


It proved key as moments later just beyond the hour mark the hosts doubled their lead as Watson rammed home a corner from inside the box, and just like that the hosts had some breathing space.


And just four minutes later substitute Ashley Taylor-Forbes twisted and turned past a defender before firing brilliantly beyond the keeper to pretty much seal this tie, and Leyton had gone from almost levelling to being three goals behind in the blink of an eye.


Taylor-Forbes almost nicked a second for himself when almost pinching the ball off a fortunate keeper, but credit to the visitors who kept trying to play decent attacking football and put together a terrific move but the final ball in was gathered by the keeper before the striker could get on the end of it.


With fifteen minutes remaining though Frenford made it four as Watson completed his hat-trick, thundering home a header at the near post, and it should have been five soon after but they somehow side footed wide from six yards out.


There was then a hairy moment for the Leyton keeper when he almost lost the ball to Luke Woodward inside his own penalty area, before the hosts then saw another effort well saved by the visiting keeper.


Woodward then saw a shot from Watson fall into his path, but he could only drag his effort wide, but the whistle went shortly after and Frenford were into the next round to face Barkingside back at the Len Salmon Stadium in the First Round of the competition.


Full Time Frenford 4 Leyton Athletic 0

Frenford 2 Coggeshall United 2

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Friday 16th August 2019


Ben Madden netted an 88^th minute equaliser as Coggeshall United gained their first point of the season with a draw at The Len Salmon Stadium against Frenford in their Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest.


The hosts had picked up four points from their opening two league matches whilst last years runners up Coggeshall had lost all four of their games in all competitions and were hoping not to make it five straight losses this year.


After a first ten minutes which yielded little in the way of goal mouth action, Frenford pounced on hesitant defending between keeper and defender as Luke Woodward managed to nip in and go around keeper Lewis Down and slot into the unguarded net in the 13^th minute.


The hosts then fired a decent ball across the six yard box but to much power on it meant it flew away for a throw, whilst down the other end Danny Fowler had to punch clear under pressure from the visitors before visiting striker Khris Oti saw a cross hit him on the back after a defender had failed to cut out a cross and go wide.


But in the 27^th minute Coggeshall did find a leveller when Oti was played in and he sent a decent finish beyond Fowler and into the net to square the game at 1-1.


The visitors then started to threaten another and Twana Ibrahim should of put them in front but could only loop a header onto the roof of the net, before Oti missed a cut-back before getting the ball back, turning and seeing an effort deflect onto the bar.


The hosts then broke and saw a Woodward effort deflected into the arms of Down, before Frenford then pinched the ball off a sloppy defence and saw a powerful Harry Daly effort beaten away by Down.  Soon after the referee blew for half time with the sides going in level.


Half Time Frenford 1 Coggeshall United 1


After the hosts saw Lee Samways fire over early in the second half, Fowler had to make a decent save down the other end to keep out Emmanual Olayinka, before the follow up shot by Mwetsi Matangi was blocked by the home defence.


Ibrahim then saw a free-kick almost deflect over home keeper Fowler, who managed to get back to catch the effort, before a deep cross to the visitors far post saw keeper Down allow the ball to slip from his grasp, but it landed on the foot of Frenford substitute Alex Watson and was cleared before he knew what had happened.


A visitors throw into the box skipped off the wet surface and almost caught out keeper Fowler who had to tip over, although I don’t think it would of counted had it had gone in anyway, but from the resultant corner Fowler had to claw away a dangerous ball as the visitors were building some pressure.


But it was the hosts who were to retake the lead in the 57^th minute when Woodward turned provder this time, squaring for strike partner Ian Sawyer to side foot home a first-time finish and give the hosts the advantage once again.


The visitors though continued to carve out openings and saw a downward header saved by Fowler before centre half Lewis Soraf fired an effort at goal but this was straight at Fowler who gathered.

Frenford weren’t without their moments though and saw Daly try an effort from range which lacked power and was easy for keeper Down, whilst down the other end miscommunication in the hosts defence almost saw a high ball bounce into the net, but instead bounced just over.


Woodward then got clear down the right for Frenford but slipped at the vital moment, before a visitors free-kick into the box fell to substitute Marley Okosi but his finish was wayward, and then Matangi put a brilliant cross into the hosts six-yard box and it took a great defensive header to clear the danger.


Frenford then pumped a free-kick into the box which Down managed to punch clear although only straight to Samways but the hosts midfielder could only send his first-time effort over the bar, and then the visitors should have levelled when Matangi got beyond keeper Fowler but could only hook over from an acute angle.


But Coggeshall did grab a deserved equaliser in the 88^th minute when substitute Madden swept home from inside the box and the visitors felt they could go on and win this perhaps.


And with the hosts now clinging on for a point the visitors so nearly did win it with the last kick of the contest as Soraf side footed inches wide of the upright and it meant the game did end a draw in the end.


A first point of the season for the hosts then, whilst Frenford now have five points from their first three games.


Full Time Frenford 2 Coggeshall United 2