Essex Senior League, Tuesday 27th October 2020
Tuesday night saw me over at Southchurch Park as Southend
Manor welcomed Takeley to the Essex Coast, and after a decent first half from Manor,
they defensively fell apart second half as the visitors punished them to the full
to take the points in a seven goal massacre.
Manor had come into this contest off the back of some very
decent results, last Tuesday’s comeback win against Saffron Walden Town was
very impressive and then to be the first side to take points off leaders
Hashtag United at the weekend with a 1-1 draw, confidence was most certainly
high.
Takeley themselves were having what was for them a very
mixed season, but they warmed up for this contest with a good 5-0 win over St
Margaretsbury at the weekend, so they were looking to build on that and try and
get some consistency going, something they had struggled to do so far this
term.
Manor knew a fifth win at home this season would send them
into fourth spot, whilst Takeley knew a win for themselves could see them up to
a season high sixth and above their opponents on goal difference, but early on
it was the hosts who were the better side and they saw a free kick curled to
the far post thump against the woodwork, and then they also saw a glancing
header strike the other post.
The visitors did send a volley just wide of the far post as
they began to come more into the contest and in the 27th minute took
the lead when a mad scramble inside the six yard box was eventually poked over
the line by Michael La Ronde, and the visitors had the advantage.
Manor almost responded straight away but saw an effort
tipped over, and then they blasted another decent opportunity over the bar as
they continued to knock on the Takeley door but thus far could not knock it
down. And down the other end two poor defensive
headers back towards the keeper almost resulted in a second goal for the visitors.
Manor though probably felt they had edged the opening forty
five minutes and although they went into the break a goal behind, they knew
they were still right in this contest and had come from behind already four
times this term to win, so they knew they had it in them so to speak.
Half Time Southend Manor 0 Takeley 1
What was to happen in the next forty five minutes no one
could have anticipated though…and it began with Takeley netting twice in the
opening five minutes of the second half, firstly when Eliott Long cut inside
and saw his deflected effort end up in the net, and then Lewis Deamer sent a
lovely header into the far corner to make it 3-0.
The hosts were shell shocked and to be honest it was a blow
they never recovered from, and on the hour mark Takeley made it four after Samson
Adelaja stooped to send a lovely header into the net, and it was three goals in
fifteen second half minutes for the visiting side.
Manor so nearly pulled one back soon after that when they
forced a decent save from the keeper before the follow up effort was thumped
against the upright, the third time Manor had struck the frame of the goal in
this contest, but that was pretty much their only positive moment of the second
period.
Takeley were just ripping Manor to shreds at the back by
this stage, and with just over twenty minutes remaining made it five when they
sliced through a poor backline and saw Long burst through to finish beyond the
keeper, and you thought that this could get embarrassing for the hosts as they
looked totally done defensively here.
Takleey continued to break through at will but a combination
of last ditch defending or solid saves from the keeper prevented the visitors
from extending their lead, that was until the final few minutes when they added
a couple more goals to round off a superb second half.
They made it six when Glenn O’Hanlon slotted home, and then
Ryan Lynch ran at the tired and shot defence to cut inside to beat his man
before firing superbly beyond the keeper for number seven.
Takeley had been absolutely ruthless in the second period
and had punished Manor’s defensive failings to the full, and this win takes them
into the top six for the first time this term, whilst for Manor they drop below
their opponents with a goal difference of minus fifteen, the fourth worst in
the division.
When Manor lose, they lose big, that has been the mantra
this season, their four defeats have seen a goal difference of minus twenty
one, yet they have beaten teams like Walthamstow, Saffron Walden Town and held
Hashtag United, and five wins from ten games is not a bad return for this side,
but they still have much to learn, that is for sure.
For Takeley, they had to really battle in the first half as
Manor came at them at times, but the second half going forward was clinical and
no doubt Marc Das would have been very happy with his trip to the seaside. They are still someway behind the leaders but
maybe they are now beginning to turn the corner so to speak. Only time will tell but there finishing
second half was superb…
Full Time Southend Manor 0 Takeley 7
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