Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South, Wednesday 14th October 2020
Wednesday’s night’s footballing fare for this week saw me
over at a South Essex derby at Leslie Field as Burnham Ramblers hosted White Ensign
in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest, and saw Ensign recover from a
slow start to cruise to victory against their ten man opponents.
These two had already met in the league at Burroughs Park
this season and saw Ensign came away with a 3-2 win in a tight contest, so despite
the hosts having only one win in six with three losses and the visitors having won
four out of five of their league games, this was a derby and was sure to be
tight again you felt.
And the hosts last two games, against Athletic Newham in the
league and then their FA Vase tie at Newbury Forest had both ended all square
(Ramblers lost the Vase tie on penalties) and those sides were top four ahead
of this contest, so Ramblers knew they could compete with the better sides in
this division too.
Ensign themselves knew a win here would not only see them
record a double of their local rivals for the season but also take them into
third spot and just three points off leaders Little Oakley with a game in hand,
so three points although early on in the season was important all the same if
they wanted to keep tabs with the leaders.
The visitors were also looking to make it three straight
wins in the league after their disappointing loss at Wormley prior to that and
after having the weekend off due to their Vase tie being postponed due to
Whitton United’s positive Covid results, they were certainly fresh and raring
to go.
It was the hosts though who seemed to settle the better of
the two and the opening half hour saw Burnham have the better of the contest,
and came oh so close to taking the lead when Tom Ranger thumped a terrific long
range effort against the underside of the bar and down onto the line.
Ensign had their moments going forward as they always do, but
when the hosts took the lead eleven minutes before half time you had to say it
was deserved, and it was a lovely ball to the back post which found Tommy
Salter who volley home from close range.
Ramblers were looking good at this moment and another tight
and difficult contest looking likely for the visitors yet again, just like the
game at Burroughs Park, but the following seven minutes after Ramblers took the
lead saw the match swing hugely in Ensigns favour.
In the 37th minute a moment of madness from
midfielder Kristian Moore Cowell saw him panic in trying to clear from his own
six yard box after a scramble and head over his keeper Adam Seal to gift Ensign
a leveller, and then two minutes later Moore Cowell was given a second yellow
for what the referee deemed a bookable challenge when many thought it was a
fair tackle, but the hosts were now down to ten men.
And with the hosts still reeling from that setback they fell
behind late on in the half when Luke Skinner sent a powerful header beyond Seal
and send Ensign into the half ahead after struggling to find any rhythm for the
majority of it.
Ramblers had played so well and looked good when they went
ahead, but those final few minutes in the half certainly changed that and they
now had to try and pull themselves back from a goal behind with a man light.
Half Time Burnham Ramblers 1 White Ensign 2
Ramblers knew they had to keep it tight initially after the
break, but that went out of the window two minutes into the second period when
Ensign increased their lead after a lovely ball across goal from Dom Locke saw
Connor Barnby convert from close range and you felt it would be a long second
half for the hosts.
Salter, who was the hosts best player in my view, did test
Louis Hawes from long range as the hosts searched for a way back into this
contest, but any attacking moments like that were very rare for the home side
in the second half as Ensign took control of the contest, using the extra man
to their advantage.
Ramblers battled gamely though but did concede a fourth goal
with fifteen minutes remaining when after Luke Skinner and laid a ball to Brad
Gates, his wonderful first time pass split the hosts defence and found Luke Woodward
who slotted under Seal and into the net.
And four minutes later it was five as Ensign were
threatening to run riot after a loose ball rolling across the box was
wonderfully poked in off the cross bar with the outside of his foot by
substitute Ben Austin, and the hosts looked a well beaten side by this stage.
Ensign had further chances to add more and should have had a
penalty but it seemed the only person in the stadium who didn’t think it was a
penalty was the man in the middle, and it left everyone scratching their heads
as to why it wasn’t a spot kick.
Ultimately it mattered not as Ensign cruised to victory when
at one stage in the first period it would look anything but that, but the
points see them up to third and five wins from their six matches, as for
Burnham well a few positives to take from this one but as said before they
never recovered from that own goal and then red card late on in the half.
They will feel that was a pivotal moment that the referee
got wrong (the red card moment) but Ensign took full advantage of this to run
away with it in the end, however despite this the hosts have much to work with
and will win a few games this season for sure, but for now they sit 12th
with just one win from seven so far.
Also, many thanks to Ensign Reserve team boss Jack Caten for
giving me a lift home, was nice to get home at a reasonable time!!! Also thanks
to Adam Seal who had offered me a lift back to Benfleet after the game so
appreciate the offer and sorry I could not see you after the game to tell you
that I didn’t need a lift, hope you didn’t wait around for me for too long if
you did!!! Sorry about that!!!
Full Time Burnham Ramblers 1 White Ensign 5
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