Buckhurst Hill 5 Catholic United 0

Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Saturday 10th October 2020 

Saturday saw me over at Roding Lane for a big Essex Olympian Premier Division clash between Buckhurst Hill and Catholic United, and it saw the hosts put in a decent second half showing to end up comfortable winners and keep up their 100% start to their campaign.

Hill sat second on goal difference at kick off behind the only other 100%’s Basildon Town, who had also won their opening four games, although the hosts had not been at their best so far this campaign, winning three of those four games by just a goal, an ominous sign for the rest perhaps.

Catholic United themselves sat fourth in the standings, four points behind the top two and had lost their first game of the season last weekend at home to Leigh Ramblers in disappointing fashion, so this would most certainly be a test of their character here against arguably the best side in the division and title favourites.

Before I talk about the game I must say what a great job Buckhurst Hill have done with the facilities there, the pitch looks immaculate and the plans they have for a stand and floodlights have been laid and once those are installed it will look fabulous, certainly a side looking to get to Senior Football sooner rather than later.

Their side are certainly capable of playing in senior football that is for sure, but the game was played in a rather subdued manor for a lot of the first half, Hill did have the best chance in the opening half hour when after rounding keeper Louis Godwin-Green a square ball across the box was side footed wide, whilst Catholic had seen a corner beaten away by Daniel Blockley.

Ten minutes before the half though the game livened up somewhat when the visitors were adamant that one of their players had been stamped on following a challenge in midfield, and a massive melee ensued which took a minute or so to sort out, and the result was a yellow card to the hosts, which did not please the visitors at all.  I personally thought it wasn’t a stamp and the guy trod on his opponent accidentally, but the visitors were very upset only a yellow had been shown.

Weather or not this affected them for the next few minutes who knows but a lapse in concentration allowed the hosts to break the deadlock in the 37^th minute and not long after that flashpoint, as Suleyman Zuhdu was played through and he slotted beyond Godwin-Green into the far corner, and the hosts had grabbed the advantage.

Hill did have openings towards the end of the period as Catholic were still coming to terms with the decision previously, although Dan Trenkel did fire a rocket of an effort a foot over at the other end as the half was almost up.  A tight first period then and although the hosts had created the better openings in the half, Catholic were certainly in this contest and had showed some attacking prowess in the first period.

The half time break saw a representative of the visitors go over to the referee and try and find out why he had not sent off the hosts player in that flashpoint, they were very upset by this and had obviously not got over it, but they had to if they were to get back into this contest.

Half Time Buckhurst Hill 1 Catholic United 0

The opening exchanges of the second period saw the hosts look to add to their lead, and they were the ones on the front foot with their best moment seeing a cross to the far stick brilliantly volleyed at goal but Godwin-Green made a fantastic save to keep the effort out.

Just past the hour mark though it was two as Godwin-Green could do nothing this time, as after he had made yet another stop to deny the hosts, this one from the brilliant Zuhdu, the ball came back out to Tyler Dolan who drilled a super effort into the bottom corner.

And two soon became three as the hosts pounced on some sloppy play from the visitors in midfield, as four minutes later after the ball was given away, it allowed Dolan to stride through and slot beyond Godwin-Green and the hosts were now in cruise control and three goals to the good.

After that it was a fairly comfortable contest for the hosts, and they also struck the bar as they looked for more goals, whilst Catholic did force Blockley into a decent stop down the other end as they looked for a consolation to at least take something positive from this game.

It looked like the game would end 3-0 though, until stoppage time when Buckhurst Hill managed to add a fourth goal in the first minute of it after the hosts caught Catholic out with a quickly taken free kick and saw Zachary Davidson get in to fire home, and then two minutes later they added a fifth when after Godwin-Green had made another save, he could only parry into the path of Joshua Banfield who fired into the empty net and cap a pretty decent day for the home side.

Stuart Marshall, the visitors boss, had a frank discussion with the officials in the middle following the full time whistle and did not look happy, assuming again it was largely regarding that flashpoint ten minutes before the break, the visitors obviously felt that could of changed the course of the contest perhaps, we will never know, but it certainly seemed like Marshall and Co were not happy about it still.

Anyway, the result sees Buckhurst Hill make it five wins from five although they remain second behind Basildon Town on goal difference after they netted four at Shenfield AFC to also make it five from five, whilst Catholic slip a place to fifth after Leigh Ramblers, who ended Catholic’s unbeaten run last weekend at The Len Forge, won their derby at Old Southendian today to go above them into fourth.

Full Time Buckhurst Hill 5 Catholic United 0