Wakebury 6 Corinthians Reserves 4

 

(Wakebury's Rob Norris about to loft home his side's sixth goal today at Shoebury Park)

Essex Olympian Division Three, Saturday April 3

Crikey so 105 days after I last saw a football match in the flesh, it was finally time to go see one, and I was over at Shoebury Park on Easter Saturday to see an Essex Olympian Division Three contest between Wakebury and Corinthians Reserves, and it proved to be quite a contest in which the hosts came out on top in a ten-goal thriller.

No doubt both sides were more than happy to return to playing the sport they love too, and both were looking to get their resumption off to a winning start, Wakebury sat fourth in the division having won four, drawn one and lost three of their eight games so far, whilst Corinthians Reserves had played a game less but were four places and a further five points behind todays opponents having won two, drawn two and lost three so far this season.

The hosts form in December prior to the shutdown was not the best though having lost both games they played, both at home, and both 2-1 defeats to Manford Way Reserves and Hutton Reserves, Manford Way are second however Hutton are fourth bottom and below today’s opponents, so that wasn’t so good.

Corinthians form in December was a win and a loss, they were beaten at Lakeside United 2-0 before they ended last year with a crazy 6-4 home win over Hullbridge Sports ‘A’, both of those teams are just behind Wakebury so this game proved to be a close hard fought encounter, although looking at form when neither side has played since December is probably not worth doing, but anyway it’s something to look back at isn’t it.

The deadlock was broken midway through the first period when a flick on from Billy Bonham-Dare went into the path of Will Wheeler, and as the visitors waited for a flag that never came, Wheeler prodded a first-time finish past keeper Charlie Arnold who had come to try and block the effort, and Wakebury had the lead.

Four minutes later the hosts had doubled that lead when good play down the left from Bonham-Dare saw him play a lovely ball across to Danny Buglione who took a touch and fired a lovely effort into the bottom corner, and then just past the half hour mark it was three for the home side when that man Bonham-Dare had a hat-trick of assists as his lovey ball across goal was converted from close range by Charlie Little.

Corinthians though did managed to grab a goal back when Luke Smith beat the offside trap on the left and drilled home from an angle, but Wakebury soon restored their two goal cushion when Adam Topley found the net from the right, however with five first half minutes to go Corinthians won a penalty after a foul and Sonny Woodward just about found the net after his miskicked spot kick was fumbled into the net by Shaun Lewis, and the half time score was 4-2 to the home side.

Nine minutes into the second period the comeback was well and truly on too after Charlie Marden managed to find the net from right, it was similar to Topley’s first half effort for the hosts, but it meant Wakebury’s lead was down to just one, but with eighteen minutes to go Bonham-Dare got the goal his brilliant play deserved as he scrambled home a downward header at the far post, before it was 6-3 with twelve minutes left after Rob Norris had looped a decent effort into the far corner from inside the box.

The visitors did manage a fourth goal with six minutes to go after a free kick floated into the box was headed home by Jamie Milbourn into the far corner, but it was merely a consolation goal as Wakebury run out winners on their return to action and closed the gap to the leaders in the process, ironically Corinthians had won 6- 4 in their final game before the lockdown, but they lost by that scoreline today to add a rather symmetrical element to their last two encounters.

Final Score Wakebury 6 Corinthians Reserves 4

Let’s have a look at the other results in the Division today…

Essex Olympian Division Three

Saturday 3^rd April

ACD United 1 Manford Way Reserves 3

Hullbridge Sports ‘A’ 2 Basildon Town Reserves 2

Lakeside United 3 Hutton Reserves 4

Leigh Town Reserves 0 Collier Row 1

Toby Reserves 3 Buckhurst Hill Reserves 2

Big result of the day saw league leaders ACD United lose their 100% record after they were humbled at home by second placed Manford Way, Collier Row remain third on goal difference after they squeezed to a 1-0 win at bottom side Leigh Town who have now lost eight from eight, Wakebury are just behind the top three after their win today, whilst Toby won the big battle down the bottom against Buckhurst Hill to climb above their opponents and into third bottom.

 

Here is the latest table after today’s matches...

 

Top four separated by five points after ACD’s shock defeat today, whilst down at the bottom just four points separate seventh and second bottom, so plenty to play for before the season is done at the end of May. Man it is good to be back!!!