Galleywood 2 Shenfield 1

Pre Season Friendly, Thursday 6th August 2020

My fourth preseason of 20/21 saw me over at Slades Lane for another all Essex Olympian Football League clash between Galleywood and Shenfield on a warm evening on the outskirts of Chelmsford.

Now I lived in Galleywood for nine years between 1997 and 2006 and my step mum still lives there too, but I had never visited Galleywood Football Club once despite being only a ten minute walk away at one stage, I had visited the park in sits in and had walked through it many times, so it was weird how I had never made a visit to the club.

This was put right now though and it’s a very nice set up for a Step Eight club with a clubhouse which shares with the cricket pitch behind one of the goals, and a metal rail going round the entire pitch with two solid dugouts on one side with a bench like thing between the dugouts for spectators to sit on, although I chose to stand halfway inside one of the halves as the dugout area would no doubt get busy.

After asking one chap which team was who (I needed to double check that it was Galleywood in the black and white and Shenfield in the blue, which I assumed correctly!!!) so I could make sure I was tweeting goal updates correctly as that could of got embarrassing afterwards, I took my position on the far side of the ground as the sun was rather brightly shining onto the other side and I didn’t fancy squinting, and my pictures would have been sun affected.

Galleywood will play in Senior One for the upcoming season, whilst visitors Shenfield were in the Premier Division and one step above their opponents, although that doesn’t really make much difference in a game like this with both looking for more minutes under their belts, and obviously wanting to get one over their local rivals too.

The first half saw both sides have chances to take the lead but neither could find the net, although it was a good competitive game between two sides who really wanted to win, and the drinks break which came on 27 minutes was certainly needed for both sets of players after putting in a shift so far.

The remaining eighteen minutes continued with both sides creating attacking opportunities but the finishing in the final third saw efforts off target or the keepers getting in the way which meant the half did end goalless but it was quite a decent game to watch with both sides giving their all it has to be said.

Half Time Galleywood 0 Shenfield 0

So, would anyone manage to break the deadlock in the second period?  That answer was yes only six minutes after the restart as Galleywood edged in front, as a cross was headed back across goal to the back post where it was nodded over the line from close range, and the Senior One hosts had the lead.

But just like London Buses when one comes along another soon follows, and Shenfield duly responded just three minutes later in spectacular style after the ball sat up nicely for them outside the box and a first time strike found the bottom corner of the hosts net for a terrific strike, and the Premier Division visitors were now level.

Four minutes later though Galleywood retook the lead and it was another soft one for the visitors to concede, as a ball into the box saw the keeper and a couple of others challenge for the ball and it broke loose for the hosts who rammed home to restore the home sides lead just before the hour mark, three goals in seven minutes, it had certainly been a crazy start to the second period.

Another drinks break followed midway through the half and in between this and the Galleywood second goal Shenfield had seen a couple of decent opportunities come and go as they looked to quickly respond to going behind for a second time in this one, and the game was still tonking along at a cracking tempo, very impressive in the warm conditions and so early in the pre-season campaign too.

The remaining 22 minutes of the game saw Galleywood having to do more and more defending as Shenfield were certainly on the front foot searching for the leveller, but a combination of good defending and that lack of sharpness up front stopped the visitors from finding that leveller, and it meant the hosts could hold on for victory in the fading light.

At times this felt like a league/cup game such was the physicality and competitive edge in this one, but as I said local pride was a stake for these players and footballers do not like losing, especially against their local rivals.  Enjoyed this one and no doubt it was a very useful exercise for both sides as they continue to prepare for the season start next month.

Full Time Galleywood 2 Shenfield 1