Frenford 0 Barkingside 1

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Friday 28th February 2020


Carl Mullings early second half strike was enough to see Barkingside into the top four of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South after victory over Frenford at The Len Salmon Stadium.


Frenford were coming into this one having lost six of their seven games since the turn of the year, and run that had seen them fall to tenth in the standing and seven points off the top four, whilst Side had been up and down as they had been all season since 2020 began, but they knew a win would see them into the top four.


Harry Daly had the first attempt on goal in the game for the hosts, but this effort was fairly comfortable for visiting keeper Duncan Smith, whilst down the other end Archie Hammond sent a low free-kick along the turf, but it lacked power and hosts keeper Sean Hinton got down to make the save.


Side then tried to play out from the back and ended up giving the ball away to the home side, and eventually saw Daly curl wide of the target, before the visitors broke through the hosts back line through Muyiwa Osenie, but a poor first touch meant his effort at goal was made more difficult, but it was still a decent stop from Hinton to deny the visitors.


Ben Steward then tried a shot from distance for the hosts but it was off target, before Side broke from a Frenford corner but failed to take advantage after a poor pass, and then Frenford went straight back down the other end and saw Shane Wallace with a decent opening but he miskicked although he managed to then cross into the box but the visitors managed to deny the home side.


Julian Edwards then saw a effort deflected behind the visitors goal, and this corner ended up falling to the edge of the box where it was headed over the bar, and then Side again got into a promising position through Harry Matthews, but his effort was blocked once again by a defender.


Frenford suffered a blow late on in the half when Conor Duffy limped off, but his replacement Dylan Jones almost made an immediate impact but saw his effort blocked, and then Tom Trowbridge headed over the visitor’s bar.


Side then should have taken the lead themselves when Joe Gent found himself with a clear sight of goal, but Hinton came to make the save and deny them, meaning the game remained goalless at the break.


Half Time Frenford 0 Barkingside 0


Dylan Jones fizzed a decent ball into the visitors box early on in the second period but although it found Daly he could not adjust his feet in time so could only really divert the ball towards goal which went straight at Smith, but four minutes after the break Side broke through when Mullings thumped a terrific effort from outside the box in off the post.


Gent then almost in for Side but saw the ball get stuck under his feet and allowed a recovery challenge to come in and thwart him, and then Hammond fired an effort at the Frenford goal which was straight at Hinton, this after a Dan Jones effort had been blocked.


Wallace then tried to float a cross shot into the visitors far corner, but it was off target and behind for a goal kick, and then Edwards saw a near post flick at goal well blocked by the visitors defence as the game entered its final quarter.


Frenford then saw Dylan Jones turn but fire an effort into the side netting, before Gent found some space outside the hosts area but saw his effort deflected over, and from that corner Side should of doubled their advantage but saw centre half Nathan Saunders head over from point blank range.


And then a terrific move from the visitors almost ended with a second, but Dan Jones could only divert the ball just wide of the post, before Gent then curled over for the visitors from range as we entered the final ten minutes of the contest.


Side then broke forward, but a square ball was weak, and Hinton managed to gather, and in stoppage time Frenford pumped a ball into the visitor’s box but the loose ball was sliced well wide.


The visitors then almost sealed it when another substitute Francesco Ballestrini saw an effort well saved by Hinton, and then Frenford so nearly pinched a point when with the last attack of the contest a loose ball was poked wide of the target from close range.


It did mean the visitors picked up the points and climb up to fourth, whilst Frenford stay tenth but have now lost seven of their eight games this year and are now nine points off the top four with just ten games to go.


Full Time Frenford 0 Barkingside 1

Leyton Orient 2 Oldham Athletic 2

SkyBet League Two, Saturday 22nd February 2020


Orient and Oldham shared the points after battling out a 2-2 draw in East London at Brisbane Road in their lower half table clash in SkyBet League Two.


The sides sat 17^th and 18^th in the division but realistically are pretty much safe from the drop as they have a pretty big buffer to bottom side Stevenage, but obviously both sides would have liked the three points to take them further up the standings.


The hosts began well and were ahead after thirteen minutes when Ousseynou Cisse headed an effort towards goal following a corner, and the ball rebounded off the unfortunate Tom Hamer and past his keeper Gary Woods for an own goal.


Any good feelings amongst the home fans were quickly squashed though as Oldham bounced back in style, firstly levelling a minute later when Carl Piergianni sent a ball across goal after a corner kick and saw Zak Dearnley stab home from close range, and then in the 18^th minute the visitors edged ahead when another set play saw David Wheater flick on for Dearnley who netted from close range again, and the hosts were suddenly behind.


All of the hosts good work in the opening fifteen minutes had been undone by two set plays, and it was now the visiting support who was jumping around cheering and saw some of the home crowd fearing the worst and shouting their displeasure at their side.


The visitors almost curled themselves further in front near the end of the half too and the whistle for the break was met by some boos from the home section’s of the stadium, but the visitors were well chuffed with their efforts so far and would have been very happy with their half time lead.


Half Time Leyton Orient 1 Oldham Athletic 2


Orient needed a response early in the second period and duly got this when nine minutes after the break they levelled when Josh Wright delivered a set-piece to the far post and Connor Wilkinson nodded the ball back across goal for Danny Johnson to bundle home from close range.


The crowd were up now, and Orient were in the ascendency but despite applying some pressure they could not find a way through, with their best effort a header going over from inside the six-yard box.


Neither keeper were really tested throughout the contest, but that changed towards the end of the contest though as despite all of Orient’s attacking play in the second period, Oldham very nearly pinched the points but saw Lawrence Vigouroux palm away a decent effort from Danny Rowe.


The game did end all square though which doesn’t do much for either side who slip a place each to 18^th and 19^th respectively but 17 and 16 points above the drop zone with a handful of games to play, so they should both be pretty safe now truth be told.


Full Time Leyton Orient 2 Oldham Athletic 2

Bowers & Pitsea 7 Brightlingsea Regent 0

Isthmian League Premier, Tuesday 18th February 2020

Lewis Manor netted a hat-trick and Quentin Monville starred with a brace as Bowers & Pitsea crushed bottom side Brightlingsea Regent at The Len Salmon Stadium in their Isthmian League Premier contest.

The hosts sat 14^th in the division whilst a win for the visitors could of seen them leap out of the bottom three on goal difference, and it was the hosts who had the first dangerous attack when Monville flew down the right and sent a ball into the area which a defender missed but Manor could not anticipate this and the ball went behind him.

Bowers though didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough after Ben Sartain curled a delightful effort beyond the reach of visiting keeper Charlie Turner, and moments later Bowers doubled their lead when after a Brad Warner effort had been saved by Turner, Monville headed the rebound into the net, and you felt it was going to be a long night for the struggling Regent.

Bowers were all over their opponents and should of made it three when a brilliant cross found Manor at the back post, but he could only head wide as it looked like he was surprised the ball had reached him, and then Monville got into the visitors box but was forced wide and his cutback just invaded all coming in.

The hosts then went close again as Manor rose to head a corner at goal, but his effort glanced off the bar and behind, and the visitors then managed their first shot of the contest on the half hour mark, although it didn’t trouble Callum Chafer in the Bowers net as Jake Gould’s effort was well wide of the target.

Bowers though did add a third eleven minutes before the break when Monville got in down the right and he fizzed a ball across goal for Manor to tap home right on the goal line, and then it was four just before the break as a lovely cross from Warner, who had put in some very decent balls in the half, found Callum Leahy at the back post and he volleyed home.

It had been a pounding from the home side and the visitors looked all at sea and totally out of their depth, and Bowers went into the break knowing the points were pretty much already theirs.

Half Time Bowers & Pitsea 4 Brightlingsea Regent 0

So how would contest pan out in the second period?  Would Bowers continue to look for goals to improve their goal difference, or would they ease up in the second period perhaps?  Or would Regent dig in and improve to try and ease the embarrassment so far?

Well, we soon had our answer as Bowers attacked through the dangerous Monville whose effort was deflected and required Turner to make a smart stop, and then Monville skipped past a sliding challenge to burst free down the right, but his ball in failed to find Manor and saw a defender clear out for a corner.

From that corner through, taken by Warner, Manor rose to power home his second of the game and Bowers fifth nine minutes after the break, and although Regent burst forward and saw Jake Clowsley fire wide of the hosts goal, that was pretty much the only other shot Regent were to have in the contest.

The hosts duly made it six just past the hour mark when guess who, yes that’s right, Monville, was played in and he rounded Turner before slotting into the far corner, and this turned out to be his final contribution of the match after he was taken off to save his legs for future games I assume. 

The visitors were no doubt happy to have seen the back of him after a brilliant display which had tormented the visitors from minute one.  The hosts had also made some other changes to freshen things up, and whilst they were adapting Regent did fizz a decent ball into the hosts box, but Chafer claimed a rare touch of the ball to thwart that attack.

With twenty minutes remaining though Manor headed home totally unmarked to complete his hat-trick and add a seventh for the hosts, it really was oh so easy for the striker who had no one anywhere near him.  You started to feel that Bowers could go on and make this a very embarrassing night for Regent if it already wasn’t by now.

The hosts then won a free-kick in a dangerous position but Warner went for glory and hit his effort way off target, and then one of the substitutes Tyrone Baker used his pace to get in on goal, but his effort was saved by Turner before a follow up effort almost looped over the keeper but he managed to save this too.

Baker then got in again before cutting inside onto his left foot, but the effort was put wide of the far post, the hosts could honestly have had double figures in this one.

They had to settle for seven though, but it was a brilliant night for them and a very poor one for the visitors who were well and truly dismantled here.  The win for Bowers sees them rise two places to 12^th whilst Brightlingsea remain bottom and three points from safety with their goal difference taking a hammering in this one.

Full Time Bowers & Pitsea 7 Brightlingsea Regent 0

Chelmsford City 3 Tonbridge Angels 1

Vanarama National League South, Monday 17th February 2020


Goals from skipper Tom Wraight, Leroy Lita and substitute Tom Knowles saw Chelmsford City come from behind to defeat Tonbridge Angels at The Melbourne Stadium and pick up a big three points in interim boss Robbie Simpson’s first game charge.


It’s been a tough few week’s for the hosts after the departure of long term boss Rod Stringer, and three straight defeats leading into this contest had seen them drop into midtable, and were actually closer to second bottom and relegation threatened Tonbridge than they were to the play off places.


And the visitors recent form wasn’t to bad, unbeaten in their last four games in recent times, so they were looking to pull themselves out of the bottom two and up five places with a win themselves in what is a congested bottom half.


A big game then, especially for interim boss Simpson who needed to see a response from his side after those three straight losses, and it was the hosts who had the first effort at goal when after visiting keeper Henly had come out and not connected with the ball, an eventual effort towards the visitors goal was headed away by the defence.


Tonbridge reacted to this by launching an attack and saw hosts keeper Laurie Walker beaten to the ball by Jason William but the latter’s back heel was saved, but in the 17^th minute the visitors punished the hosts for a defensive error.


A ball played forward looked to be running out of play, and the defender attempted to run this out, but it didn’t and allowed Tonbridge to nip in and square the ball for Joe Turner who applied a first time finish into the net, and the hosts were behind.


This would certainly test the character of the home side now, and they almost responded when glancing wide from a corner, but then almost fell two behind when a visitor’s free kick was headed wide themselves.


In the 27^th minute though Chelmsford did pull themselves level as a flick on into the path of skipper Wraight saw him nip ahead of the onrushing Henly before firing into the net from an angle, and the hosts were back on terms.


City then should of led moments later when they somehow headed wide of the far post, but the hosts were very suspect at the back and gave the ball away but managed to then block an effort from the visitors before the loose ball was eventually curled off target.


It meant the game remained level at the break and with both sides still with a chance of winning it, it was a tense atmosphere with both knowing that three points was oh so important for both.


Half Time Chelmsford City 1 Tonbridge Angels 1


After those important half time team talks, it was the hosts who reacted the better and led two minutes after the break when a cross into the box saw Leroy Lita send a powerful header at goal, and although Henly tried his best to keep it out, he could only push the ball into the roof of the net, and City had the advantage.


Both benches then clashed soon after following an incident on the touchline near the Tonbridge bench, this threatened to get out of hand but was calmed down with a booking each, but this was a big game for both, so tensions were rather high.


City then almost gifted a leveller to the visitors when Walker came and cleared but straight to Khale Da Costa whose effort back towards the empty net went wide of the target, and the majority of the 611 crowd breathed a sigh of relief.


The visitors then charged towards the hosts box but sent a weak effort straight at Walker, before Lita should really have sealed the game for the hosts when after being played in on goal, it looked for all the world he would slot home, but his finish went the wrong side of the post.


A Tonbridge defensive clearance was then charged down and saw the hosts in down the left, but a poor square ball into the box went straight to a defender who managed to clear, but deep into stoppage time City sealed their win.


With the visitors pressing for a leveller deep into stoppage time, a free kick was awarded to them and saw keeper Henly come up for it, but after this was cleared the ball was sent in the direction of substitute Knowles.  And after he had got it under control he turned towards goal and with Henly unable to get back into his goal, the City attacker sent an effort from his own half into the empty net and end the hosts recent poor run.


It means the hosts rise two places to tenth and are now seven points off the play-off places, and more importantly ten points ahead of second bottom Tonbridge who remain in the bottom two, two points off safety.


Full Time Chelmsford City 3 Tonbridge Angels 1

Clapton 1 Southend Manor 1

Essex Senior League, Wednesday 12th February 2020


Clapton netted late on to make sure the ‘Southchurch Park derby’ ended all square against Southend Manor in their Essex Senior League contest on the Essex Coast.


Clapton were officially the home team in this one, and their form leading into this contest was superb having won seven of their last nine in all competitions which had seen them go level on points with tenth placed West Essex and reach the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy Quarter Final.


Visitors for the evening on their own ground, Manor came into this one off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Ilford, but had only lost two in seven in 2020, and were only five points off their opponents, so a win here would see them close to the top ten in a congested bottom half.


Manor began the better and sent an early long range effort just off target, but in the fourth minute they found an early breakthrough when Harry Rodgers ran onto a through ball before lofting a brilliant effort over the onrushing keeper and into the back of the net.


Manor continued to threaten and carved out another decent opening but after Ben Allen had cut inside, he saw his scuffed effort deflected on route to the keeper’s hands, before Clapton tried to respond but saw a looping header sail over the bar.


The Tons then attacked by dragged a poor effort wide, but it was Manor who were looking more dangerous, and they should have doubled their lead when after the Clapton keeper had saved, Rodgers somehow put the rebound against the post.


A ball into the Clapton box then saw it bounce up and then headed just over the far post by Manor, before Manor then attacked down the left through Allen, before he cut inside but saw his effort saved, then another long range effort went straight at the Tons stopper.


The Tons then launched at attack near the end of the half but allowed a defender to come and make a challenge after it looked like they had got in down the right.  Clapton wanted a penalty, but this was never a foul and the referee played on correctly.  It meant Manor went into the break a goal ahead although they would have probably felt their lead could have been more.


Half Time Clapton 0 Southend Manor 1


Manor began the second half in much the same fashion as the first, and were putting the Tons defence under immense pressure, but they could not find a second goal which would have certainly put them well in control of this one.


Clapton though gave their opponents warning when they had the ball in the net, but it was offside so no goal was given, and they should of then levelled when getting into the box unchallenged but sent a decent opening over the bar in what was their best chance by a mile up to that point.


Manor then should of made it two themselves, not for the first time, when after getting in down the right a ball across the box found Allen at the far post who could only guide his effort back across goal and into the keepers grateful arms, before they then fired a free-kick towards the near post but the Tons keeper got across to keep it out.


Clapton then sent a decent header at the Manor goal, but this was claimed by Manor keeper Josh Harrison, before a dangerous Tons attack saw them flagged offside for about the one millionth time, frustrating their bench no end.


Manor though then missed another wonderful chance to probably kill this one when after they broke the offside trap (although it looked offside to me) through Grant Francis, his ball across seemed destined to be tapped in, but the ball was miskicked somehow and the chance went, and the Clapton broke but the ball across the box had too much pace on it and flew away from danger.


The hosts then saw a header well blocked before Clapton then broke again and were asking for a penalty, which again fell on deaf ears, and then Manor missed an unbelievable chance to seal the points when after a ball forward saw the keeper totally miskick his clearance, the loose ball fell to Allen who lobbed it back over the stranded keeper but see the ball bounce inside the six yard box and up onto the bar and cleared.  It was an incredible passage of play and Manor could not believe it had stayed out!!!


And sure enough Manor paid for these misses when Clapton sent in a free kick from the left and this was headed brilliantly over Harrison and into the far corner, and with four minutes of the ninety remaining we were all square.


Manor tried their hardest to try and find a winner and got in down the right but saw the effort blocked, before more late Manor pressure saw the Tons defending for their lives, and then they broke dangerously themselves but saw Harrison dive to claim the ball across goal.


The Tons then went for a winner themselves and saw an effort diverted at goal but straight at Harrison, before another effort was claimed by the keeper, and soon after the whistle went to end this contest and see the points shared although Clapton would have no doubt been happier with the point.


It means Clapton draw level with tenth placed West Essex once again, whilst Manor do climb a place to 15^th and are five points off the top ten, although they will feel they should of won this one so will see it as two points dropped for sure.


Full Time Clapton 1 Southend Manor 1

Wakebury 3 Wakering Sports 0

Southend Charity Shield Section 'A' Quarter Final, Monday 10th February 2020


Charlie Little netted a hat-trick as Wakebury progressed into The Southend Charity Shield Section ‘A’ Semi Finals after defeating Wakering Sports at a very windy and bitterly cold Garon Park.


Wakebury are leaders of the Essex Olympian Senior Three and they were up against Essex Olympian Senior Two side Wakering Sports on the 4G of Garon Park, and after the monsoon that fell prior to kick off it was just as well it was an artificial surface as had it been on grass the game would probably have not gone ahead.


Thankfully the storm cleared but this was replaced by a bitterly cold wind, so conditions were still tricky for both sides as the game reached kick off time, and the first fifteen minutes saw a Sam Rowe effort go straight at Sports keeper Jamie Hudson, before another effort from Harry Kateley went inches wide of the visitors post.


The visitors then forced a decent stop from home keeper Joe Robbins, but it was Wakebury who were creating the better openings in the first twenty-five minutes, but they could not find a way through.

The hosts then came very close to breaking the deadlock but saw an effort come off the post, before another good move from the hosts saw an effort curled wide of the far post.


More hosts efforts then followed, before Sports themselves saw a couple of efforts curled wide of the far post down the other end, and then just before half time Wakebury saw another effort tipped over by Hudson, and the game remained goalless as the half time whistle came, and cue me running for the warmth of the clubhouse for a few minutes to re discover my hands and feet. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr….


Half Time Wakebury 0 Wakering Sports 0


Back out into the cold after an eight-minute half time break (thanks!!!) and hoping someone would win this in ninety minutes as the thought of extra time and even penalties in this weather wasn’t a nice thought, and early in the second period both sides had chances, hosts squaring when in a good position and allowing Hudson to dive on the ball, before the visitors whipped an effort across goal and wide.


Sports had started the half well and saw a brilliant last-ditch tackle deny substitute Zac Wheatley as he was about to shoot at goal, before Wheatley struck an effort at goal but Robbins got down to save the effort.


But Wakebury then missed a sitter when after Little had seen an effort saved, Kateley could only send the rebound wide, but in the 58^th minute Wakebury struck as a Liam Jarrett cross got held up in the wind, and Little was on hand to volley home at the back post.


The home side were now back on top and saw three or four decent openings fail to find the net, and it remained 1-0 to the hosts as we reached the midway point of the half, and whilst it remained that scoreline the visitors were always in the tie, and saw another substitute Mitchell Gleeson whistle one over the bar.


Robbins then had to keep a near post effort from Sports out, whilst down the other end Hudson had to save a long-range effort from the hosts, and then the visitors then headed over as they looked to get back on level terms.


Wakebury then missed another chance but did double their lead with ten minutes to go to give themselves some breathing space as after a Jarrett effort had hit the post and come back out, Little was on hand to bury the rebound.


Sports were always chasing the game thereafter and they were caught on the break for a clinching third for the hosts two minutes from time when a long ball saw Kateley outpace his marker before squaring for Little to slot home for his hat-trick and confirm Wakebury’s place in the Last Four of the competition.


This was a good performance from Wakebury against a side a league above them, and they now take on either Corinthians or Leigh Town Reserves for a place in the final.  It also meant I could get back in the warm to re find my fingers and toes once again, brrrrrrrrrrr indeed…..


Full Time Wakebury 3 Wakering Sports 0

Sunderland 1 Ipswich Town 0

SkyBet League One, Saturday 8th February 2020


Chris Maguire struck home ten minutes from time to hand Sunderland a huge win at home to Ipswich Town and see the hosts go back into the play-off places at the expense of their opponents.


Now as most of you know every year around my late fathers birthday of February 8^th me and my step mum travel up to the Stadium Of Light to watch his beloved Sunderland and this year the game fell on what would have been his 67^th birthday.


The opposition on this occasion are Ipswich Town who are another one of those teams who are looking to try and gain a place back in the Championship after sinking into the third tier of English football. 


This was a big game for both sides who sat 7^th and 4^th respectively in the League One table, and were coming into this one off the back of defeats, The black cats saw their nine match unbeaten run ended at Portsmouth last weekend, whilst The Tractor Boys lost 4-1 at home to Peterborough United and had lost their last two, so both were looking to bounce back here at the Stadium of Light.


A crowd of over 32,000 were inside the stadium to see what would unfold, and the opening ten minutes saw the visitors have an effort blocked before another visitor’s attack saw a header end up on the roof of the net.  Sunderland did find the net with an early attack, but this was ruled out for offside.


The Tractor Boys were the ones who has settled quicker though and they were the ones who were doing all the running in the first half hour or so, and they saw another decent opening blocked inside the box by a desperate home defence, and their was an air of nervousness amongst the home fans and players. 


Ipswich then saw a free header go over the bar, but the hosts were starting to show signs of life once the game went past the 30-35 minute mark, so this was a slight encouragement for the hosts.  Near the end of the half Ipswich dragged another effort wide of the near post and for all their play in the opening forty-five minutes, Sunderland keeper Jon McLaughlin didn’t have a save to make.


But, apart from the disallowed goal early on, Sunderland had barely threatened the visitors attacking wise in the opening half despite showing some signs of life towards the end of the period, so they would have been the happier at going in goalless at the break.  The hosts needed a spark though that was for sure.


Half Time Sunderland 0 Ipswich Town 0


Well, whatever Phil Parkinson said to his side in the changing room certainly galvanised the hosts as they came out a totally different side in the second period, and so nearly grabbed the lead in the 52^nd minute when cutting inside and sending an effort against the post before the rebound was mishit into the keepers hands.  It was a golden chance and one that had not looked possible in the opening half.


The Black Cats continued to put Ipswich under immense pressure in the opening exchanges of the half but they just could not find a way through the visitors back line, but it looked as though for a time they had weathered this storm, and then won an indirect free-kick inside the box after the hosts had been penalised for a back pass.


A tense few moments then followed as we all waited for the kick to be taken, and once it was taken, the ball was fired to the back post were it was put over the bar, and the hosts could breathe a sigh of relief.


Despite this moment for the Tractor Boys though, Sunderland were dominating this half which was in complete contrast to the first half, and Ipswich were again thankful for the woodwork once again after the hosts thumped an effort against the crossbar, and you started to wonder if this was going to be the hosts day.


In the 80^th minute though came the breakthrough, and it was a beautiful first time strike from Maguire after the ball had been laid into his path on the edge of the box, and cue celebration and relief amongst the hosts fans and players, they had just over ten minutes to see this one out.


Obviously this being Sunderland there were a couple of nervy moments to endure, firstly when the visitors got free down the right but as they went to shoot a defender got back to force the effort to go straight at the keeper, and then deep into stoppage time a long throw fell loose in the box and was volleyed over the hosts bar.  Phew


After four minutes of stoppage time though, the whistle went, and Sunderland had recorded a big win over a promotion rival.  It means Sunderland are into sixth after one defeat in the now, whilst Ipswich have now lost three in a row and slip out of the play-off places into seventh.


Last word to my late father, who this day is all about, I shared a moment with him after the final whistle and got quite emotional to be honest, but this one was for him, as are all of Sunderland wins when we come to watch them.  Marvellous stuff indeed…..


Full Time Sunderland 1 Ipswich Town 0