Wednesday, 5 August 2020

Epping Town 2 Snaresbrook 1

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday 4th August 2020

So, Pre-Season number two saw me over at the Roding Valley 3G in Loughton as Epping Town took on Snaresbrook in what was a all Essex Olympian Football League encounter on a gorgeous evening.

Epping Town of course have had a restructure in ownership and management so new boss Stuart Hoskins had a new side to take into the Senior Two campaign which starts in September, so these pre season games will be useful for his side to get themselves ready for this.

Snaresbrook will be beginning another season in Senior One this campaign and boss Rob also spoke with me briefly too prior and post-match so this was nice and this is what I love about this level of football, they really appreciate you covering their sides and always make you feel welcome.  He even promised me a beer at one of their home games this season, so will take him up on that!!!

I reckon about twenty odd people were I attendance to watch this one, and the first half saw Snaresbrook head wide and then screw another effort across goal and wide, whilst Epping saw a close range effort strike the bar before they forced the Snaresbrook keeper into a brilliant save to deny them the lead.

But the majority of the half thereafter saw Snaresbrook have more of the ball and have the chances to go in front, but they lacked the cutting edge in the final third and didn’t really test the Epping keeper too much, which would have disappointed them, so the half ended goalless although both sides had plenty of energy about them.

Half Time Epping Town 0 Snaresbrook 0

The second half was only seven minutes old when Epping managed to break the deadlock in this one, as they caught Snaresbrook cold in the early exchanges of the half, as a ball returned into the box was hit across goal and although the keeper got a hand to the ball, it squeezed in off the post and Epping had a slender advantage.

It was an advantage that was to increase three minutes later as a ball forward saw hesitant defending allow the Epping striker to nip in ahead of the defender, go around a stranded keeper and slot into the empty net, and just like that Epping had a 2-0 lead.

Snaresbrook did though pull one back twenty minutes into the second period though when a cross from the right was swept home first time, and thereafter just like the opening period began to regain possession a lot more as Epping began to sit more and more deep, which boss Hoskins said afterwards in a brief chat that this is because they are not up to fitness yet, and it allowed Snaresbrook to put them under severe pressure.

But just like the first half, Snaresbrook did not have the cutting edge up front and saw chances to level pass them by, although Epping did defend well as a unit it had to be said and worked hard for each other, which is a good sign moving forward.

It all meant that Epping won their first pre season game at their second attempt, and they can take positives from this for sure, and once the fitness is up to scratch then this will improve them more, whilst although Snaresbrook lost this one they look a very capable side and if they could find someone to put the ball in the net then they will be a threat that is for sure.

Full Time Epping Town 2 Snaresbrook 1










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