West Essex 6 Southend Manor 0

Essex Senior League, Friday 2nd October 2020 

Friday evening saw me over at a very soggy Mayesbrook Park as West Essex hosted Southend Manor in the Essex Senior League, and it was a night that hosts star man Michael Mignot joined the 100 goals club for the Stags as West got back to winning ways.

The hosts came into this contest having lost back to back games after a three-game unbeaten start, whilst Manor were on a run of three wins in four games, so an intriguing contest awaited us.  This was also my first visit to Mayesbrook Park since they had improved the perimeter of the pitch and installed a 3G surface.  They had certainly done a decent job.

I was originally supposed to be over at Cricklefield to watch Barkingside’s home game against May & Baker but the awful weather had put paid to that, so it was just as well Mayesbrook Park was now a 3G surface as had it been grass this game would not have taken place either, although the surface was very wet and slippery still, so would prove a challenge for both sets of players.

The hosts had the first real moment of the game early on when Isaac Marfo-Jacobs thumped an effort against the visitors post, but in the 20^th minute they did find the net when a Mignot cross fell to George Fairhead who curled a lovely effort into the far corner from twenty yards, and West had the advantage in this one.

Manor though should have levelled when West keeper Jack Coker gave the ball straight to the visitors, but they could only chip over the bar, and then late on in the half a brilliant run and shot from distance saw Coker tip brilliantly onto the post to preserve the home sides lead.

West so nearly doubled their lead soon after when Brad Russell was played in and after rounding the keeper looked certain to slot home but a brilliant goal line clearance prevented him from doing so, but, in first half stoppage time The Stags did go two goals clear when a corner found Emmanuel Oluwole who nodded back into the six yard box for Cameron Gray to nod home from close range.

It had been a closely fought battle in the opening half, but it was the hosts who had a two-goal advantage to take into the break.

Half Time West Essex 2 Southend Manor 0

Manor knew they were not out of this contest and knew a goal back would make things very interesting, and they so nearly got this barely a minute into the half when hitting the bar with a long range effort, and they had a few other openings in the opening fifteen minutes of the second period and could quite easily have been level in the contest.

And midway through it looked like Manor might have a chance to heap more pressure onto the hosts backline after striker Marfo-Jacobs was given a second yellow after clashing with the keeper, however all it seemed to do was galvanise the home side.

In the 73^rd minute the ten men added a third when Mignot raced clear down the left and side footed across goal and into the far corner, and then after winning a free-kick just outside the box, Russell added his second by thumping a lovely set-piece into the corner of the net for the hosts fourth of the night.

Manor, who were desperate for a goal and were pressing forward in search of this, were caught out again with six minutes left and saw a lovely counter attack from the hosts end with Mignot slotting home after a lovely pass from Fairhead.  It meant a five goal lead for West but it was also Mignot's 100th goal for the club, a magnificent achievement indeed, so well done to him!!!

The Stags had one more goal in them and it was a nice moment for Reece Clarke, who had come on to make his debut for the hosts with ten minutes to go after having to wait seven long months for it due to the pandemic, as he sent Hakim Medfai clear to slot in off the post via the keepers hand in the 90^th minute and hand West a six goal win and the three points.

West Essex are up to third on goal difference after this victory, whilst for Manor it is a painful defeat after playing pretty well for two thirds of the contest.  They stay in eighth for now but their three losses this season have yielded sixteen goals, which will be a worry for Garry Pond no doubt.

Full Time West Essex 6 Southend Manor 0