White Ensign 4 Stansted 2

Pre Season Friendly, Saturday 1st August 2020

Finally, after almost four months without a game I returned to a football pitch to see a football match!!!!  Saturday March 7^th 2020 was the last time I blogged on an actual live local football encounter which saw White Ensign see their unbeaten run ended by Lopes Tavares at Burrough’s Park, and it was Ensign that would get me back underway after a long break as they hosted Stansted at The Len Forge Centre in Southend.

These are unprecedented times indeed as we know, and the Len Forge have followed the guidelines like many places following the return of football today at this level, and on arrival we had to fill out a form with our name and phone number for the ‘track and trace’ system, and again when I went into the bar, and again when we were allowed into the 3G facility there. 

It was also one way in and one way out for the bar and the 3G cage, and also their was hand sanitiser around every corner too so you could keep your hands clean and safe, so it was good to see all these things carried out, and I am all for it if it allows football ton return and for us to watch it too.

And no changing rooms for the players either, so they turned up in their kit, something that for now will be required, but I think everyone was just happy to be back and ready to play a football match.  This was of course the first game both sides had played for quite some time like many across the country who were starting their preseason games today, so a lot of excitement was on hand.

A decent turnout of around 20-30 people were present and largely socially distanced from each other across the two stands and terrace between those, and it felt good to be back!!!

Ensign of course should really of been playing Stansted in the league this season had the FA not have null and voided last season with them almost certain to go up, so I feel this season could be a very good one for them as they look to put that right on the field this season, and they were up against a Stansted side who had been in the top six of the ESL when the season was ended prematurely, so this would be a good game to begin my pre-season schedule.

My first goal for almost four months almost came from the home side when Connor Barnby curled a wonderful effort against the inside of the post after 27 or so minutes of play it what had been a decent battle thus far, but two minutes after this Stansted went down the other end and took the lead when Ashaan Siddik squared a ball to new signing Michael Salako who couldn’t miss from point blank range, and it meant the visitors would take a slender lead into the break.

Half Time White Ensign 0 Stansted 1

Both sides made changes at the break with this being a friendly and this seemed to suit the hosts much more and with the introduction of player boss Brett Munyard along with Luke Skinner and Dom Locke in attack soon caused the visitors back line issues, and just before the hour mark they levelled as Munyard pounced on a rebound after the visiting keeper had parried.

Three minutes later and Ensign had turned it around as a lovely return pass from Locke into the path of Luke Skinner saw the latter find the bottom corner of the net, and then in the 68^th minute the hosts made it three as a great ball found Munyard in the clear and he sent a finish beyond the keeper and into the net for his second and Ensign’s third.

The home side were playing some really neat football it has to be said and Stansted has to dig deep to stop their opponents running away with the contest, and they managed to whether the storm and hit back themselves with twelve minutes to go when a deep free kick to the back post was headed back into the danger zone before hitting someone and trickling over the line, goodness knows who it came off but all that mattered was the ball had gone in and the Airportmen had just over ten minutes to find a leveller.

But with eight minutes remaining Ensign added a fourth as a ball into the box was not dealt with and fell perfectly for Luke Skinner who fired an effort beyond an exposed keeper for his second of the afternoon.

So a brilliant first game for the hosts and lots of positives to take from this and at times played some really good football, whilst for Stansted they did ok in the first period and towards the end of the second period, but were second best for a lot of the second period and some of the first too, however speaking with both Paul Pittuck and Jon Watters afterwards they saw plenty today to be pleased with.

Anyway, game one of pre-season is done and dusted, and it was a very good competitive game with plenty of action and goals, was very enjoyable and was so good to be back!!!  Here is to the next one…..

Full Time White Ensign 4 Stansted 2