West Essex 1 Walthamstow 1

Essex Senior League, Tuesday 28th December

My second game on Tuesday came from Mayesbrook Park, and it saw a hard fought 'Wadham Lodge derby' between West Essex and Walthamstow end all square meaning a share of the spoils in their Essex Senior League contest.

The game was of course scheduled to take place at Wadham Lodge, but recent rains left the pitch sodden and unplayable, so a late change to Barking's Mayesbrook Park 3/4G surface (sorry can never remember which one is what!!!) meant the game could go ahead after all and ended up being the only ESL fixture to go ahead on the day after all the rest were called off due to waterlogging.

Home side for the evening West Essex came into this one down in 12th spot having won nine, drawn six and lost nine of their league games so far, so a mixed campaign so far you could say, although they were on an unbeaten run of five matches in all competitions so were full of confidence, and they had to be as they were taking on runaway league leaders Stow.

Stow entered this contest having amassed a twelve point lead at the top so far, winning nineteen of their twenty four league games thus far this season, with three draws and the two defeats being the other five games, and since losing to Enfield back on November 17th, their only defeat in the following eight games in all comps was against Isthmian North side Brentwood Town, and that was an unlucky defeat as well.

There last five league games had yielded four wins and a draw, seventeen goals netted and only four conceded, so they were still favourites to take all three points in this one, so could they net a fourth straight win and increase their lead at the top?

The first major talking point came after just six minutes when Stow thought they had taken an early lead when Jason Hallett sent a header into the net, only to see it chalked off for a push, and then moments later West swept down the other end and Emmanuel Oluwole clipped a ball into the path of David Bell, and he brilliantly lobbed Stow keeper  Amarildo Cekrezi and saw the ball find the far corner, it was a superb finish and Stow found themselves behind.

Stow almost responded immediately but Callum Ibe's brilliant effort was tipped round the post by hosts keeper Kacper Ignatiuk, before seeing a Jason Beck effort clip the crossbar, and then Michael Osei was somehow denied by Ignatiuk at the back post, with the resulting corner being cleared off the line.

West did fashion another chance on the half hour mark when the brilliant Bell danced into the box but saw his effort well saved by Cekrezi, but the real question was could the home side hold onto their slender lead for the rest of the half, well not quite, as in first half stoppage time Stow levelled in fine style when a ball dinked over to Charlie Cole saw the striker produce an expert volley across goal and into the far corner, meaning the sides went into the half time break all square.

The general feeling amongst me and a few others was that goal would knock the stuffing out of West and galvanize Stow into a dominant second half showing and a comfy win...well that didn't happen as West rolled their sleeves and stood toe to toe with their opponents, and the dominance never really came.

Hallett did head wide before he was denied by the superb Igantiuk from another header,  and although he and Beck both had headers cleared off the line in a period of play which saw Stow try and turn the screw, they could not find a way past the home side who stood firm, and West were not without their opening too, but they failed to find that killer touch to spring a shock win.

In the end then it finished all square, a great result for West Essex who really worked hard for this, Stow will be disappointed not to have grabbed all three, but even they will admit a draw was probably a fair result, it all means West remain in 12th spot, Stow increased their lead to thirteen now and are still well on course for a title winning promotion season.

Full time West Essex 1 Walthamstow 1

  

Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Aldershot Town 0

Vanarama National League, Tuesday 28th December

I was over at Victoria Road for game one of two on Tuesday afternoon and it saw an Angelo Balanta goal six minutes before the break seal a hard earned win for Dagenham & Redbridge to earn a third straight win and end Aldershot Town's recent unbeaten run.

The Daggers came into this game in ninth spot and just a point outside the play off places, and after a poor November which saw them lose three straight games, they have bounced back in December and have netted back to back league wins and could end the day just four points off top spot if results went their way, such is the tight nature of the league right now.

They welcomed an Aldershot Town side though who were in the midst of a six game unbeaten run which has seen themselves pull a six point gap between themselves in 17th and the final relegation spot in 21st, so they were looking to continue that unbeaten run and put further daylight between them and the bottom three sides in the division.

A decent crowd of 1,879 were in attendance too for this contest, including 286 hardy soles from Hampshire, and it was The Daggers who had the first effort after four minutes when Balanta found Junior Morais who drove to the by-line, cut inside onto his left foot before sending a low drive at goal, but Shots keeper Laurie Walker was equal too it.

And the Daggers created the next opening two minutes later when Balanta picked out Ibby Akanbi who looked to drive towards goal, but as he got into a shooting position he lost his footing and the chance was gone, and then the visitors saw Elis Watts fire wide down the other end although it was well off target and hosts keeper Justham had it covered.

Balanta was at the heart of everything The Daggers were creating going forward, and his ball into the box almost found Akanbi who just could not get a crucial touch, and the hosts were the side who looked the most threatening as the game reached the half way point of the first half, and a bizarre goal mouth scramble in the visitors box ended with The Shots getting the ball away just past the half hour mark.

Sam Ling then could only divert a Morais cross wide of the visitors goal, whilst a rare chance for the visitors saw Mikael Ndoji fire an effort into the stand behind the goal occupied by his visiting fans, whilst back down the other end a Will Wright cross onto the head of Akanbi could only see his effort go a couple of yards wide.

In the 39th minute though the breakthrough came as Yoan Zouma, who was having a superb game at the back for The Daggers, cleared a ball after winning another challenge and suddenly found Balanta in the clear and after shrugging off a couple of defenders superbly lofted a lovely finish over Walker and into the net to send the home fans wild and meant the Daggers had a slender lead to take into the break.

It was The Daggers who had the first attempt at goal early in the second period when Robinson saw an effort go straight at Walker, but chances were few and far between in the opening exchanges of the second period, with the next one a chance for the visitors just past the hour mark when a corner ricocheted off a couple of heads and looked to be going over Justham, but the keeper managed to cover his far post and gather.

The hosts then brought on Josh Walker with just over twenty minutes to go to try and inject a spark into the hosts front line, and he almost an immediate impact when forcing a decent save from Walker at his near post, but he should have scored moments later from a corner, somehow missing from point blank range at the near post. It was a huge let off for the visitors who then had probably their best chance of the game soon after when Justham had to be smart to save a Jordan flick finding the net. 

Into the last ten minutes then and more chances for The Daggers to seal the deal, firstly when Morais somehow side footed wide a cross from the left, and then Walker sent a first time shot into the side netting, and it meant the visitors remained in the contest, a contest they had hardly threatened in if truth be told. Could they punish the Daggers for their missed opportunities?

Well no, as after four minutes of stoppage time the final whistle blew and The Daggers had their third straight win in the league, taking them up a place to eighth and just a point off the playoff places, whereas Aldershot's recent unbeaten run ended disappointingly here, although they remain in 17th and six clear of the drop zone.

Full time Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Aldershot Town 0

 

Billericay Town 1 Concord Rangers 3

Vanarama National League South, Sunday 26th December

Boxing Day and what with me being at my Step Mum’s in Galleywood, I decided to jump in a cab to New Lodge, Billericay, for a Vanarama National South local derby between Billericay Town & Concord Rangers, and it saw The Beachboys come from behind to net only a second win on the road this campaign.

The hosts currently prop up the rest at the bottom of the division having only picked up two wins in the league all season, and form of late hadn’t been too good either, since the start of November they had lost all but one of their five league games, that being their latest game at home to fellow strugglers and local boys Chelmsford City in a goalless draw.

And they hadn’t scored a league goal since November 6^th either, so were on a four-game goalless streak too, although they were up against Canvey side Concord Rangers who sat 14^th in the division after just six wins, with only one of those coming away from home all season, so could the hosts take advantage of their visitor’s poor away form perhaps? It must be noted that Town had only one win at home all season too though.

The Beachboys had had a decent November having won two of their three league games, both at home, however December saw them draw at home then lose what was their last league game back on December 11^th at Ebbsfleet United, the league leaders, although they did push them hard in that one, so despite this the visitors probably came into this contest the favourites.

One final note before the actual game was the days between games for both sides, Billericay last played eight days ago in a tough 0-0 draw at home to Chelmsford, whilst Concord had gone fifteen days since their last match at Ebbsfleet back on December 11, their scheduled home game against St Albans City on December 14^th was postponed, so would this be an advantage or a hindrance to either side, we would certainly find out soon enough.

Initially it seemed to favour the hosts as they certainly began well, and with just five minutes on the clock took the lead when a corner floated into the six yard box hung right under the cross bar and visiting keeper Ciaran Gordon-Stearn made a mess of it, parring it up in the air and over to the far post where skipper Michael Chambers was on hand to turn the ball home and score a rare goal for the home side.

It took the visitors some time to settle into the contest, probably the best part of half an hour, and they fired one just wide before forcing host stopper Rhys Lovett into a smart stop, but with around five or so minutes left before the break Town’s Kweku Lucan and Concord’s Ryan Blackman both went for a ball and Blackman got there a fraction before his opponent.

This meant Lucan and his raised foot clattered into the visitor’s player, and after both were treated, Lucan being treated for the longest, the Billericay man was shown a straight red for what the referee deemed a dangerous challenge, which was certainly not what the hosts thought who were rather upset with the decision. However, the Blues were now down to ten men so the task of staying ahead was going to be even harder now.

Town though should have gone into the break two goals up as right before the break they missed an absolute sitter when they headed wide from point blank range, had they gone 2-0 up then it would have certainly made Concord’s comeback a whole more difficult, but instead it was just the 1-0 lead for the hosts at half time.

No doubt it was ‘keep it tight and keep the lead for as long as you can’ motto that was the message in home changing room, but barely two minutes after the break Concord found a leveller when a loose ball fell to James Blanchfield inside the box and he shifted the ball onto his left foot and found the net, although the hosts should have been back in front but headed another decent effort wide, but then Concord managed to edge themselves in front.

This came about when a loose defensive header fell straight to Joe Payne who made no mistake by thumping an effort beyond Lovett and now the hosts were going to have to try and find a way back into the contest with a man disadvantage.

They were unable to though and with eight minutes left of the ninety Concord ended the contest when they countered and sent substitute Ben Allen in the clear, and he showed great composure to send an effort across Lovett and into the far corner.

The frustrations of the hosts were evident, they were heading for another loss and it almost cost them another red card when skipper Chambers threw the ball at Allen when the visiting player would not retreat when Chambers was trying to take a quick throw, Allen did not help the cause by going down like he had been shot, but it could have easily been a red for the hosts captain, although it was just a yellow in the end.

A frustrating day for the Blues once again, whilst for Concord it was a magnificent comeback and a rare away win for the Thames Road outfit who now climb three places to 11^th in the standings and just two points off the play off positions now, for Billericay it continues to look as miserable as the weather was today, they remain bottom with just eight points and are three behind Braintree Town after a thirteenth loss in seventeen in the league.

Full time Billericay Town 1 Concord Rangers 3

 

Tonbridge Angels 2 Torquay United 1

Buildbase FA Trophy Third Round Proper, Saturday December 18th

I made my first ever trip to The Longmead Stadium on Saturday for my latest Buildbase FA Trophy Road To Wembley contest in the Last 64, and a late Ibrahim Olutade goal saw Tonbridge Angels upset Torquay United to progress into the Final 32 of the competition.

The hosts had seen off Isthmian North leaders Canvey Island in the last round at Park Lane to set up this tie, although they were pushed all the way in that one, and since that narrow win in South Essex they had failed to win in three, drawing two and losing one, as they continued to struggle for wins in the league, sitting fourth bottom in the division. 

There last league win was way back on October 23rd when they won at Billericay, so an eight game winless run, so a cup run would be a welcome distraction from their poor league form, but they were up against Torquay United, who of course are a level above in the National League, although The Gulls were not having the best of seasons themselves, sitting 16th in the division with seven wins from their nineteen league games so far.

This was The Gulls first game in this seasons competition, and there form over the last few games was mixed, although had produced back to back wins coming into this tie, one of which saw only a second win away from home all season, so could they carry this form into the Trophy and get on a run, they would have certainly began this game as favourites what with them being the professional side and a league above.

This is cup football though, so it doesn't always go to form, and the hosts struck the first blow after nine minutes when a free kick swung into the box by Tom Beere found Joe Turner who managed to glance a header beyond Mark Halstead in the visitors goal, and give the underdogs a fine start in front of over 700 fans on a rather dank and miserable December afternoon.

The Gulls, backed by a healthy contingent from Devon, fired a couple of decent long range efforts just wide of either post, one of those from Jack Sparkes who was looking particularly dangerous, and they also threatened on a couple of other occasions as they certainly looked the more dangerous side going forward, but they had Halstead to thank for keeping the shoreline 1-0 after a couple of decent stops.

Firstly he managed to claw away a cross from Turner which almost found the top corner, and then from that corner Sonny Miles thought he had scored but Halstead somehow tipped his effort wide as well, however nine minutes before the break Torquay did grab a leveller when a ball found Danny Wright all on his own inside the box, the hosts wanted offside but the flag did not come, and the striker lofted a finish over Jonathan Henly and The Gulls were on level terms.

So, 1-1 at the break, and with the favourites edging the first period just about, could they go on and stamp their authority on this tie and make their fitness count in the final part of the contest perhaps? Well, the opening exchanges of the second period were a bit scrappy if truth be told as this battle continued between two committed sides fighting for a Final 32 berth, so it was hard to see which way the tie would go.

Thereafter though it was the hosts who definitely created the better openings, curling one effort just off target, and then seeing a free header misguided well wide of the far post, and then after a mad scramble inside the box, this following what looked like a pull back on striker Tommy Wood inside the bow which was missed by the officials, Luke Jenkins thought he had given the hosts the lead, but it was ruled out for an infringement, much to the hosts dismay.    

Torquay did have their moments in the half too, and their best one by far saw a break away end with Sinclair Armstrong put in on goal, but keeper Henly came out to thwart the big striker and keep his side on parity, it would have been harsh on the hosts had they gone behind, but heading into the final part of the contest, the tie remained level, and penalties were getting closer and closer.

Enter the fray Olutade in the 82nd minute, and his manager Steve McKimm had said to him as he went on "Go and be a match winner", and low and behold four minutes after he came on, he proved just that, as after visiting keeper Halstead had fumbled a cross, a scramble ensued inside the box, and it ended with the substitute bundling home from close range and send his teammates and supporters wild with delight and see his side into Round Four of the competition.

A superb win then for Tonbridge against a professional side in the shape of Torquay United, they will await Monday's draw and see who they get, and they will also want to try and carry this cup form into the league as well and try and get up that National League South table no doubt, as for Torquay, well this was a day to forget, no one likes to be on the end of an upset, so they will now try and carry on their recent good form in the National League and hope they can get up the table as well.

Full Time Tonbridge Angels 2 Torquay United 1

 

Southend Manor 0 Enfield 4

Essex Senior League, Tuesday December 14th

I was over at Southchurch Park on Tuesday night to see if Enfield could revenge their shock defeat to Manor at Woodside Park earlier this season, and a Dwade James double helped them to do just that as they took all three points in this contest.

Since netting that astonishing 1-0 win in Bishop's Stortford against the E's back on the 10th November, Manor have have played only three times in all competitions and have lost all those games netting just once, and they have conceded eleven, although eight of those came at home to league leaders Walthamstow at the weekend in losing 8-1, this after taking the lead as well.

Manor did push Redbridge and Stansted close though in those other two games so were at least competing and making life difficult for their opponents, Stow aside obviously, but they were up against an Enfield side who had beaten Walthamstow and Little Oakley after that shock loss to Manor, and also netted a 2-2 draw against Redbridge, and were only denied a third straight league win after a late Motormen leveller, so on paper it looked like the visitors would edge this one.

After a rather mundane opening thirty five minutes, which saw the visitors create the only real chance of note, a powerful effort from Alex Warman thumping back off the crossbar, Enfield got their noses in front seven minutes before the break when Samrai Gebrai worked his way into the box and squared for James to fire a first time effort into the roof of the net.

And three minutes before the break E's doubled their lead in style when Warman, who struck the bar earlier of course, managed to find the net this time when he sent a superb long range effort over Manor keeper Sean Campbell and send the visiting side into the changing rooms two goals to the good.

You felt it might be a long second half for Manor, they had done the same at the weekend, going in behind at the break against Walthamstow before being hit for six in the second period, and you hoped for their sakes it wouldn't happen again, well seven minutes into the second period they did concede again as after Gebrai had been felled by Campbell, James struck a rather poor penalty which although Campbell got to, he could only parry under his body and across goal into the far corner.

Credit to Manor though they certainly continued to battle and work hard and try and make life difficult for their opponents, but they had created nothing of note going forward with E's keeper James Bransgrove a virtual spectator in the majority, it was hard to see how the hosts would get a sniff if truth be told going forward.

And with seven minutes remaining of the ninety, Enfield added a fourth goal when skipper Reece Conway glanced home a free header from inside the box to cap a solid performance from the visitors and send them up to fifth in the table, albeit sixteen points off leaders Walthamstow with a game in hand. The visitors had not been at their best this evening, but they did more than enough against a hardworking Manor who lacked any real threat up front.

Manor fall to a fourth successive loss in all competitions and really need to solve their goal scoring issues as well as tighten up at the back, too many sloppy moments have cost them lately, and they remain second bottom and in trouble with only Sporting Bengal United below them in the table, albeit seven points behind them. Much work to do on the training pitch as they say.

Full time Southend Manor 0 Enfield 4 

Buckhurst Hill 2 Wroxham 3

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Proper, Saturday December 11th

My latest FA Vase Road To Wembley contest saw me at Roding Lane as Buckhurst Hill took on Wroxham, and the visitors fought back from two goals down at the break to net a late winner and progress into the Last 32 of the competition.

This was billed as another potential cracker of a cup tie, Buckhurst Hill sat third in the Thurlow Nunn Division One South table having won fourteen of their eighteen league games so far, whilst Wroxham sat second in the Thurlow Nunn Premier having won sixteen of their twenty league games thus far, and just a solitary point behind Gorleston, who Hill had seen off in dramatic style in the last round.

The hosts had seen off Enfield, Newbury Forest, Great Yarmouth Town and as said before, Gorleston, to reach the Last 64 of the competition in their very first season in the Vase, whereas Wroxham had slayed Godmanchester Rovers, Benfleet and then Newmarket Town on penalties to reach this stage, and both teams knew this contest would be a tight affair in sodden conditions at Roding Lane.

Could the hosts upset the apple cart again though? Well, they had the perfect start as after just two minutes Sam Sollosi's lovely through ball found his brother Nathan Sollosi, and with the Yachtsman expecting the flag to go up, they stopped, and Nathan Sollosi strolled through to slot home across the keeper, and the underdogs had a dream start to this tie.

The hosts were full of confidence, and that dream start turned into a scarcely believable one when a loose ball inside the Wroxham box fell to Nathan Sollosi, and he duly thumped an effort into the roof of the net and sent the majority of the large crowd inside the stadium into raptures, 2-0 up after eighteen minutes, they could not have dreamed of a better start to this huge cup tie.

Wroxham did have a couple of moments going forward, but found Dan Blockley in the way both times, but the half belonged to the hosts who had seemed to have shell-shocked their opponents somewhat, and they could easily have had a couple more goals before the break as they looked to possibly seal this tie before half time, however they did go into the break two goals to the good and in an excellent position to progress into the Final 32 of the competition.

Wroxham though don't have the record they do this season in all competitions for nothing, and they knew they needed the next goal if they were going to pull themselves back into this tie, and with no doubt their managers rocket ringing in their ears still from the half time discussion, they pulled one back ten minutes into the second period when a ball squared across goal found Conley Poynter who fired a superb effort past Blockley, and it was now game on.

This galvanized the visitors briefly, and they so nearly levelled when an effort thumped back off the inside of the hosts post before being cleared, but Buckhurst then had some great openings to grab a third and possibly kill this tie, but they failed to take these opportunities, and thirteen minutes from time where punished as after a header had come back off the bar, Ryan Curtis eventually managed to bundle home and bring Wroxham level, setting up a grandstand finish to this one.

It had been a superb battle in awful conditions, but would either side find a winner or would this tie have to be settled by the dreaded penalty shoot out? Well, as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, Wroxham won a free kick twenty yards out in a central location, and up stepped Ryan Miles to curl his set play beyond Blockley and into the far corner, sending the visitors wild, it had been some comeback after a poor first period, and Buckhurst Hill had stoppage time to try and find a leveller and take the time to penalties.

They certainly came close to doing that as well, but some heroic defending from the visitors thwarted the hosts, throwing their bodies in front of efforts and really digging deep for the cause, it really was fantastic to watch, and then came a break away for the visitors, but host keeper Blockley came miles out to try and win the ball but took out the attacker who tried to go round him, and inevitably Blockley got his marching orders, meaning Henry Day took over in goal for the final moments.

After almost nine minutes of stoppage time though, the referee brought this pulsating cup tie to a close, and it was Wroxham who had won through to the Last 32 of the Vase, what a game of football it was between two totally committed sides, it is a shame their had to be a loser, and sadly for Buckhurst Hill it was them, they certainly did not deserve to lose this one, but they can hold their heads high and now concentrate on promotion to Step Five, which they fully deserve.

Fair play to Wroxham too, they were in big trouble at 2-0 down, but they dug deep and pulled themselves level before netting late on to take a fantastic victory and put themselves in the the hat for the next round, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, and I now await to see who The Yachtsman draw in Round Four.

Full time Buckhurst Hill 2 Wroxham 3