Old Southendian 2 Kelvedon Hatch 1

Essex Olympian Premier Division, Saturday 21st December 2019


Goals from Stuart Paton and Ed Gould helped Old Southendian take a big three points against Kelvedon Hatch in an Essex Olympian Premier contest and win in what was the first game to be played on the new 3G facility at Garon Park.


The hosts had only won three of their eleven league games thus far and were in the bottom four of the division whilst Hatch themselves had won five of their eleven games and sat six points above their opponents in mid table.


And with the terrible weather recently pretty much every local game in the area on grass was postponed so a decent crowd came to watch this occasion as the hosts opened their new facility.


The hosts certainly seemed up for this game and started much the better and saw an early ball into the box spilled by visiting keeper Rob Hatton but the loose ball was hooked over, then OS saw a close range header go straight at Hatton soon after.


And Hatton had to be smart to make a superb close range save after a ball into the six yard box gave the hosts the chance to take the lead from point blank range, but Hatton proved equal to the task in hand to keep his side on level terms.


OS continued to dominate the contest early on and put together a superb move which ended with an effort going inches wide of the post, but in the 19^th minute they did find the breakthrough when Stuart Paton lashed home a loose ball inside the box and the hosts had their first ever goal on their new pitch.


The visitors, who had been largely ineffective going forward, pounced on a loose clearance from hosts stand in keeper, player boss Connor Lane who was in goal as keeper Ryan Smith had been held up getting to the game, but Richard Kadima could only fire miles over the bar.


The hosts though were playing very well and another ball into the visitors area saw the hosts slice wide, before Hatch finally got a shot on target when Ashley Wackers-Kyriacou cuts inside and fired an effort straight at Lane, before Lane had to make another save soon after, and then the hosts volleyed wide down the other end.


Hatch were now starting to see more of the ball and fired wide from range, but OS were still threatening a second and saw Craig Paton almost doubled his sides lead but his effort was well saved by Hatton, before another dangerous ball into the visitors box just went over Craig Paton’s head before the ball back in was blocked out for a corner.


The visitors then attacked but sent an effort wide, and it meant the hosts went into the break with a slender advantage, an advantage that could and should have been greater. 


Half Time Old Southendian 1 Kelvedon Hatch 0


Hatch knew they had to be better in the final third in the second period and they showed their intentions early in the half when curling a decent effort inches wide of the far post, and then Oliver Slater forced Smith, who had now made it to the game and replaced Lane in goal, into a decent top to keep OS ahead.


But Hatch were dealt a big blow when OS doubled their lead five minutes into the half when a cross towards the back post from Gould ended up in the far corner. You could tell by the face on the goalscorer that he certainly did not mean it, but they all count, and the hosts now had a two-goal cushion to protect. 


It was certainly a blow to Hatch who almost conceded again when Nick Henesy broke forward and fed Craig Paton, but the latter could only fire wide, and then a loose ball punched clear by Hatton fell to hosts substitute Ellis Hemmings, but his effort flew wide, before another hosts substitute Nico Debouche dragged wide.


Then came a decent spell for the visitors who were at least showing more attacking prowess this period, and Hatch saw several efforts blocked as the ball bounced around the penalty area before being cleared, and then Kadima headed wide from close range.


Hatton then almost gifted OS a third when presenting the ball to Debouche, but the hosts player could only fire miles off target, but Hatch were now the team looking likelier to score and were pressing for a goal back and saw Dan Hawkes turn his marker but poke wide of the target.


Josh Smith then had a strike at OS’s goal but Smith got down well to save, before the hosts then fired across goal and wide at the other end, but with six minutes remaining Hatch grabbed a goal back to make it 2-1 after Kadima hooked home from close range.


OS almost sealed the points deep into stoppage time when a terrific long range effort from Matt Tonking was brilliantly saved by Hatton, but that proved the final piece of action and OS had picked up a big three points to lift themselves out of the bottom four and within touching distance of the mid table places.


Full Time Old Southendian 2 Kelvedon Hatch 1

Frenford 0 White Ensign 1

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Friday 20th December 2019


Ayo Odukoya netted in the 18^th minute as White Ensign picked up all three points against an in form Frenford at The Len Salmon Stadium to keep up their charge for the top four in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South.


The hosts had only lost once in fourteen league games and were top of the form guide coming into this one, whilst Ensign were creeping up the league table after catching up on some of their games in hand after their cup runs from earlier in the season.


This was billed as a potential cracker with both sides averaging at least two goals a game although both sides were pretty good defensively, the hosts had the second best defence in the division thus far whilst Ensign had only let in five more themselves, so it was going to be a decent game we thought.


Adukoya sent a long range effort just wide of the hosts goal in the first chance of the contest, before the hosts then saw Andy Ademokah fire a powerful effort at the visitors goal but George Martin managed to tip over the bar, before the resultant corner was punched away from under the bar by Martin.


Luke Skinner then volleyed straight at Frenford keeper Luis Silva from a decent position, but in the 18^th minute the visitors led as Odukoya turned onto his left foot and fired an effort at goal which found the net and the visitors had the early advantage.


Visiting midfielder Brad Gates almost saw a free kick sneak in at the near post, but this was cleared off the line, whilst down the other end Frenford skipper Carl Conway curled wide, but it was the visitors who were edging this contest.


Ensign attacker Dominic Locke then burst into the hosts area but saw his powerful effort go straight at Silva, and then a ball forward from the visitors almost saw both Odukoya and then Skinner almost latch onto it, but keeper Silva came charging out to smother the ball and thwart them.


The hosts finally managed to put some pressure on the visitors towards the end of the half and saw Alex Watson cut inside before firing an effort at goal which Martin got down to turn round the post, but it was the visitors who led at the break and deservedly so too.


Half Time Frenford 0 White Ensign 1


Luke Woodward fired an early second half effort just wide of the visitor’s goal before down the other end Skinner just failed to connect with a Gates free kick as the hosts managed to scramble clear.


Ensign then broke down the left through Odukoya but his effort flew wide of the near post, then Odukoya got in again down the left but his ball into the six yard box was brilliantly cleared by a defender as Skinner was coming in for a tap in.


And Ensign should really have doubled their lead when Locke was laid in, but his finish was wide of the far post, and then Locke went close again, firing wide of the near post.


Jason Reynolds-Blanche then had an opening down the right but fired wide of the hosts goal, before more Ensign chances saw Odukoya see an effort deflect wide before Darren Phillips sent a looping header at the Frenford goal but Silva managed to catch above his head.


Frenford sent two balls into the Ensign box, the first one saw Martin spill wide of the post before the second one saw Martin claim under pressure and fall onto his goal line and just about keep the ball out.


Conor Barnby, on as a second half substitute for Ensign, got into a decent position for the visitors but his ball towards goal was poor and was cleared, whilst the hosts scuffed wide at the other end.


Despite Ensign’s dominance and chances in the half, they were now coming under pressure late on from the hosts, who are famed for their late goals this season too, and the visitors so nearly paid for all those missed chances when hosts substitute Ian Sawyer curled a free kick against the post.


The visitors though survived the late pressure to take a deserved win, and although it should have been more comfortable for them, they did take a big three points, taking them into sixth and just seven points off the leaders.


For Frenford it was only a second loss of the season in the division, and despite two spells towards the end of both halves, they were second best this evening and remain in fourth and only a point above Ensign now albeit still in a very good position in the division.


Full Time Frenford 0 White Ensign 1

Epping Town 3 Wakering Sports 3

Essex Olympian Senior Two, Saturday 14th December 2019


Mo Sesay struck home a stoppage time free kick for visitors Wakering Sports as they grabbed a more than deserved point against Epping Town at Stonards Hill Rec in their Essex Olympian Senior Two clash.


It was the visitors who created the first two openings of the contest early on, firstly getting in behind but seeing the effort scuffed wide, and then seeing a quick free kick catching out the hosts back line but the keeper managed to make a decent stop to keep them out.


In the 8^th minute though Wakering did take the lead as after a free kick swung into the box was not claimed by the keeper, Sesay swept home the loose ball and the visitors were rewarded for a positive start to this contest.


The hosts then almost got in themselves but saw a terrific challenge thwart them, and then more attacking play from the home side saw a looping header claimed by the keeper before a ball was then flashed across the box as Epping looked to try and get back on level terms.


Then came a huge moment in the game, firstly the visitors burst in down the right and squared across goal for a tap in, but the linesman put his flag up, and the goal did not count (I later found out that it was not offside as the ball had been played backwards), and moments after that Epping won a penalty after Alex Skeva had been adjudged to have been bundled over in the box.


Glen Warwick stepped up to dispatch the spot kick in the 25^th minute, and instead of being 2-0 down the hosts were level at 1-1, although they could of found themselves 2-1 down almost straight away when a ball into the hosts six yard box was almost put into the net by a defender, and then Wakering fired wide soon after when a corner had fallen to the edge of the box.


The visitors then fired inches wide of the far post, and then Epping so nearly grabbed the lead when firstly the visiting keeper made a brilliant save to deny the hosts, before a shot across goal thumped off the far post.


With eight minutes of the first half remaining though Epping did find grab the lead when after Skeva had gone through and seen his effort saved, he picked up the loose ball on the left, cut back inside before curling a brilliant effort into the far corner, and the hosts had turned this one around.  In the aftermath of the goal though Epping saw their full back sent to the sin bin for dissent, meaning they would end the half a man light.


Wakering had one more opening before the break when a miskicked clearance went straight to them inside the box, but the effort was straight at the keeper and it meant the hosts went into the break ahead.


Epping Town 2 Wakering Sports 1


The second half saw the hosts back up to full strength, and they almost made it 3-1 early in the second period when an effort fired across the keeper saw him dive and make a decent stop.


The visitors though so nearly levelled as they saw an effort roll across goal and come off the far post, and then moments later see an effort brilliantly saved by the keeper.


Wakering were now well on top in this period and saw another effort spilled by the hosts keeper before he managed to dive on top of the loose ball before any oncoming attacker could pounce, and then the visitors got into another decent position but a weak finish deflected through to the keeper.


With just over fifteen minutes remaining though Wakering grabbed a deserved equaliser when a free kick into the box saw Mitch Gleeson glance a header into the far corner, and the game was all square going into the final fifteen minutes.


Epping though managed to regroup somehow and with ten minutes remaining won another penalty after Skeva was again adjudged to have been brought down inside the box, and Warwick thumped the resulting spot kick into the bottom corner, and the hosts had the lead once again.


The visitors, who were wondering how they were behind in this one, diverted a header wide of the target, and it looked like it wouldn’t be their day and would leave with nothing.


But, in the 91^st minute they won a free kick on the edge of the box, and Sesay stepped up to fire home via a slight deflection into the bottom corner and at least see his side grab something from a game they deserved something from.


Full Time Epping Town 3 Wakering Sports 3

AFC Basildon 6 Stevenage 4

FAWNL Division One South, Sunday 8th December 2019


Kelly Wealthall netted a nine-minute hattrick as AFC Basildon came out on top in a ten-goal thriller against Stevenage at Park Lane in their FAWNL Division One South contest.


It didn’t take long for the first goal to arrive as barely a minute had elapsed when Alex Bailess followed up to rifle home from outside the box after the hosts had seen a shot saved by the keeper, and it was almost two when a close range flick saw the visitors keeper save well.


The hosts then forced a series of corners and from the final one an effort was blasted over the bar, and then a good ball from the home side just invaded a run forward after the bounce of the ball beat her and went through to the keeper.


In the 27^th minute though, AFC Basildon doubled their lead, as Holly Turner got in on goal and slotted home with ease, and the hosts were well in control at this stage.


The visitors finally had an opening but the shot was not got away and then the bounce of the ball ended up in the keepers arms, and then down the other end a flick on towards the near post saw the visitors keeper just about keep it out, and then the hosts whistled an effort over with their next attack.


Seven minutes before the break though Stevenage pulled one back as Amy Makewell fired a loose ball from outside the box into the net, whilst down the other end AFC Basildon fizzed a ball into the box but an effort was half blocked before going through to the keeper.


A minute before the break though the hosts restored their two goal cusion as Wealthall curled home brilliantly into the bottom corner of the net, and AFC Basildon went into the break with a 3-1 lead.


Half Time AFC Basildon 3 Stevenage 1


The second half was only two minutes old when Stevenage reduced the arrears once again when Erin Pope fired a brilliant effort in off the bar, and then the hosts then saw a terrific effort thump against the visitor’s bar.


Five minutes into the second period though AFC Basildon again restored their two goal lead, and again it was Weathall who grabbed the goal as she pounced on an error from the keeper to prod home from close range, and then she completed her hattrick three minutes later when converting at the back post following a cross from the right, and it was now 5-2 to the home side.


The visitors then sent a dangerous ball into the box but a defender did enough to put the striker off, before the hosts fired an effort from range which saw the keeper get right behind it, and then the hosts fired inches wide with their next attack.


Another good effort from the home side saw the keeper pull off a decent save, before a chance for the visitors saw them fire wide of the near post, and then the hosts curled over before the visitors saw an effort saved as the game went one way then the other, it was very entertaining indeed.


AFC Basildon then fired an effort at goal but it went just wide, before the visitors got in down the right but saw the effort fired wide of the near post, but with seven minutes remaining the visitors made it 5-3 when a free-kick from Makewell saw Pope run across the keepers view and it resulted in the ball going straight in.


Stevenage briefly fancied a remarkable comeback and almost made it 5-4 when another free kick was well tipped over, and with the visitors finishing strongly they saw an effort awkwardly bounce up in front of the keeper who did manage to gather the effort.


But, any thoughts of a comeback were ended with the hosts made it 6-3 with a minute to go as a cutback saw Jodie Osborne head home from close range, and although Stevenage did add a fourth right on the full time whistle after Ashleigh Deacon fired a left footed effort into the far corner, the hosts ran out 6-4 winners in what was a very exciting encounter.


Full Time AFC Basildon 6 Stevenage 4

Hullbridge Sports 0 Maldon & Tiptree 1

Isthmian League North, Saturday 7th December 2019


Charlee Hughes netted twelve minutes from time to help Maldon to a very hard-fought victory against Hullbridge Sports at Lower Road and send them to the top of the Isthmian North table as a result.


The hosts knew the size of the task ahead of them prior to kick off, playing against a side who were unbeaten in the league and had recently beaten Leyton Orient and then pushed Newport County all the way in their well-documented FA Cup run, and they came into this game off the back of a 4-0 win at Witham Town.


Hullbridge themselves haven’t been getting the rub of the green lately too and sat 16^th in the division and knew a win could pull them further away from the drop zone, and in football you have to believe you can beat the team in front of you, even if others don’t give you much hope.


The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors and saw a flick towards goal by Girdlestone brilliantly saved by Greene, and then Slew had another effort at the hosts goal but Greene was right behind it to save that too.


The hosts though were more than matching their opponents and saw a Sotoyinbo effort from outside the box tipped over by McNamara as the game reached the half hour mark, and then soon after Sotoyinbo should of put the home side ahead but his effort was again saved by McNamara.


Maldon then attacked and saw Dombaxe cut inside but send an effort well wide of the near post, but the visiting side were not having things their own way and were cutting a frustrated figure as the break drew closer.


It had been a satisfying half for the hosts who had gone toe to toe with arguably one of the best teams in the division, and went off at half time with their heads head high, whilst for the visitors they knew they were in a game and had work to do to try and figure a way to beat this side in front of them.


Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Maldon & Tiptree 0


The visitors came out brightly early on in the second half and saw an Awotwi mishit cross almost loop in the hosts net but ended up on the roof of it instead, before Parish then whistled an effort over the hosts bar.


And Parish, who netted all four of Maldon’s midweek goals at Witham Town, stung the palms of Greene as The Jammers looked like they were beginning to ramp up the pressure on their opponents.


Awotwi then got in down the right for the visitors but Greene managed to turn his effort behind, and after all that pressure from the visiting side, Hullbridge then mounted an attack of their own and saw Okunja in and it looked for all the world he would find the back of the net but for a terrific block from a covering defender to deny him.


Salmon then whipped in a decent effort towards goal from outside the box, but Maldon keeper McNamara just about managed to gather under pressure, and the game had around fifteen minutes to go.


In the 78^th minute though Maldon found a way through as Slew sent a lovely through ball perfectly into the path of Hughes, and the young forward slotted beyond Greene into the far corner and the way the visitors celebrated the goal showed you how relieved they were to have broken through.


The hosts brought on Gilchrist to try and find a response, and he almost made an impact when his flick towards the Jammers net was saved by McNamara, before down the other end Hughes so nearly got on the end of a ball into the box, but Greene came and just about got there ahead of the striker.


The hosts then put quite a bit of late pressure on the visitors who were hanging on a bit towards the end, but they managed to keep the hosts at bay to run out winners in this one.  The visitors showed championship credentials here by winning whilst not at their best, whereas Hullbridge could be proud of their efforts and would of felt a draw was probably the fair result.


Maldon go top of the division after teams above them lost, whilst Hullbridge sit just a point above the bottom two in 16^th after teams below them picked up points.


Full Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Maldon & Tiptree 1

Frenford 3 Holland 1

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Friday 6th December 2019


Goals from Joe Villiers, Lee Samways and Alex Watson in the final twenty minutes saw Frenford come from behind to defeat Holland at The Len Salmon Stadium in their Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South encounter.


The hosts knew a win would take them third for at least twenty four hours whilst Holland knew if they could grab all three points they would go level with second placed Little Oakley, again for at least twenty four hours, although the visitors preparation wasn’t helped after they arrived less than an hour before the scheduled 19:45 start time, hence the game was delayed to 8pm.


The match did kick off at 19:56 and the hosts had the first chance of the contest after visiting keeper Gary Hall had come and misjudged the ball into the box, the hosts could only glance a header wide.


Danny Fowler, the hosts keeper, then had to make a brilliant stop at the near post to deny the visitors, whilst down the other end the hosts dinked a ball to the back post, but this was headed over by full back Tommy Trowbridge.


Another ball into the visitors box saw Hall misjudge again but the header at the back post was headed away from goal rather than at it, before Holland then burst forward and saw Matthew Gray fire an effort inches wide of the post from twenty yards out.


Then came a rather silly moment on the touchline as hosts boss Dave Forbes and one of the visiting substitutes have a verbal altercation, and it ended up with both being sent off, which didn’t please either and to be honest a talking too and maybe a booking each would have probably been a better decision.


Anyway, back to the football, and Frenford fired an effort over the bar, before the hosts attacked down the right but the ball was fizzed in at pace and hit Samways who could not divert it goal wards and saw the ball fly wide.


Frenford then saw Luke Woodward burst into the box but fire an effort across goal and inches wide, before Holland sent a free kick to the back post but it was just too high for Gray who was coming in at the back post.


A minute before half time though Holland grabbed the lead as Bailey Barnard sent a brilliant curling effort beyond Fowler from outside the box into the top corner, and although the hosts had been the better side, it was the visitors who went into the break a goal ahead.


Half Time Frenford 0 Holland 1


The visitors sent another long range effort curling towards the hosts goal early in the second period which had Fowler scrambling across his goal to save, although the ball may have been going wide anyway, before another good chance for the hosts saw a weak finish from Woodward after the ball had been cut back to him.


Moments later Frenford fired over from a decent position, before the visitors then saw an opening down the other end but ended up firing wide on the stretch, and then the visitors saw a close range effort brilliantly blocked by a sliding defender, before Frenford struck over the bar down the other end.


Holland then sent a couple of long range efforts over the bar, but with eighteen minutes remaining Frenford brought themselves level when Woodward, who had been a constant thorn in the visitors side all evening, laid a ball in for Villiers who sent a lovely curling effort beyond Hall and into the far corner.


The hosts fancied the win now and saw a scramble inside Holland’s box after keeper Hall had failed to claim a cross, although this was eventually cleared, and Holland then forced a decent stop from Fowler although the whistle had already gone for an infringement.


Frenford though almost took the lead but saw Hall beat away another effort, and then the hosts curled an effort towards goal, but Hall was right behind it to save fairly comfortably.


Holland then fired another long-range effort, this one from forty yards out, over the bar, and then a great through ball almost saw the visitors in, but Fowler came to the edge of the box to claim and thwart the visiting side.


Frenford then saw a near post flick saved by Hall, but from the resulting corner the hosts went in front with four minutes left as the corner saw Samways glance a header at goal which Hall got a hand too but could not keep it out and the hosts now had the advantage.


Three minutes later the hosts sealed the points and a deserved win when Alex Watson swivelled and fired an effort beyond Hall and into the corner of the net, and it means Frenford go into third ahead of the Saturday fixtures, whilst Holland drop to fourth.


Full Time Frenford 3 Holland 1

Hashtag United 0 Sawbridgeworth Town 0 (Hashtag United won 3-1 on penalties)

Errington Challenge Cup First Round, Wednesday 4th December 2019


Hashtag United needed penalties to eventually get past Sawbridgeworth Town on a freezing cold night at Chadfields and set up an Errington Challenge Cup Quarter Final at West Essex.


The hosts, who sat top of the Essex Senior League, were big favourites for this tie against the team currently propping up the table, but Sawbo had improved slightly over the last few weeks so were keen to try and show that they weren’t here to just make up the numbers.


The opening half hour yielded very little, with an early chance from the hosts when Neil Richmond fired wide the only real attempt on goal, although Richmond had also volleyed home on the half hour, only to be flagged offside, but it hadn’t been a classic thus far that was for sure.


The final fifteen minutes of the half saw a few more chances, and the visitors almost got in down the left after a nice move but the ball was overrun and the chance went, before poor defending allowed the hosts in through Osude but keeper Clarke managed to come and save his effort.


Sawbo then sent a cross into the hosts box which was punched clear by Pitman, but straight to the visitors who attempted to lob back over the keeper, but it was too high and went over the bar, before hesitant defending from the visitors allowed the hosts an opening, but the effort was poor and was blocked.


The visitors then nearly got in but saw the ball failed to be controlled meaning the ball ran through to keeper Clarke, and it meant the half time break came with the contest goalless.  It hadn’t been a classic and both teams’ final ball was poor, so both were hoping for better in the second period.


Half Time Hashtag United 0 Sawbridgeworth Town 0


Hashtag had the first chance of the second period when Neil Richmond hooked over the bar, before the hosts attacked again but saw a left footed effort go straight at keeper Clarke, and then Hashtag then got in down the right through Osude whose pace was causing the visitors some alarm, but the ball flashed across almost saw Neil Richmond get on the end of it but a covering defender put him off and the chance went.


Hashtag were looking like they were warming up to the task finally and saw a first time effort sent wide after the ball had been cut back, although the visitors almost pounced on a hosts defensive slip as Webster found himself with a sight of goal, but he could only fire over from the left hand side of the box.


Sawbo then burst forward soon after but fired way over the bar, and then the hosts should really have broken the deadlock when a ball to the back-post saw Luke Wilson head back across goal but the ball was somehow put over from close range.


The visitors then fired another effort over the bar from outside the box before a long ball from Hashtag keeper Pitman was flicked on, allowing Osude in down the right but the ball flashed across goal eluded all and the ball went away from danger.


The final chances of the game saw a long-range effort from the hosts which was easy for keeper Clarke, before a ball fired at goal was blocked by the visitors, and it meant the tie went to penalties as the contest ended goalless.


Hashtag managed to win the shootout though meaning they went through to the Last Eight of the competition and set up an away quarter final at West Essex who also won on penalties against Woodford Town.  A good honest battle this one, but the hosts held their nerve better in the shootout to prevail.


Full Time Hashtag United 0 Sawbridgeworth Town 0 (Hashtag United won 3-1 on penalties)