Weare United 1 Belfry 1 / Belfry 1 Weare United 2

Essex Sunday Football Combination Senior Division, Sunday April 11

Sunday saw me make my first ever visit to Ashton Playing Fields in Woodford Green for an Essex Sunday Football Combination Senior Division double header between Weare United and Belfry, and it saw Weare take four points from the six available after winning the second contest following a draw in the first.

Weare United had played three league games and seen two draws and a defeat, that defeat came in their last game last weekend when they were beaten at home by JK Silvertown, whilst Belfry had won two and drawn two of their four league outings prior to this double header, they drew last time out last weekend at home to Newbury Forest.

The two games today would be two sixty-minute contests, half an hour each way, so let’s see how the first game panned out…

Weare United 1 Belfry 1

Weare were denied a first win of the season after a late Jamie Redington header cancelled out a tap in from Jonas Bospes early on in the second period as the first game of the double header ended all square.

The opening thirty-minute period saw Belfry have the more efforts at goal, although Weare did volley an effort over the bar after a decent move, but five minutes after the break Weare did get their noses in front when Tommy Jackson got in down the right and squared a ball across goal for Bospes to convert from close range.

Weare sensed a second goal would more than likely seal a first win of the season and they almost grabbed it, but a decent save thwarted them, but it looked as if they would hold on and get that illusive win, but with three minutes left they switched off from a corner kick and allowed Redington to send a decent downward header into the net and salvage a point for Belfry in the process.

Disappointment for Weare United then, they could not hang on and take a hard-earned win, but fair play to Belfry who kept on going and got their reward late on to take a hard-earned point in Game One.

 

So, the first game had ended all square, Weare felt they should have held on and taken all three points, how would this effect game two? Let’s find out…

Belfry 1 Weare United 2

Weare United got the disappointment of the first game out of their system by netting a deserved win over Belfry in Game Two of the double header thanks to second half goals from Sean Ekila and Nathan Omope, meaning a first win of the season for Ross Weare’s side.

The first half was dominated by Weare United but they just could not find the net, they saw a header strike the post and another effort well saved by the keeper, and for all their first half dominance they could have found themselves behind, and probably should have been after Belfry somehow missed from point blank range right on half time.

After a stern half time team talk from manager Weare, his side continued to dominate proceedings and midway through the second period they finally grabbed a deserved lead when Ekila snuck round the back on the right to fire home, and then moments later one became two as Omope cleverly flicked home an effort at the near post and you felt Weare were finally on their way to a first win of the campaign.

The final minute or two would become nervy for them though when they allowed Belfry in to pull one back after Pat MacDonald bundled through to fire home after their opponents failed to clear, but there would be no comeback from Belfry which meant Weare United held on to net a deserved win in Game Two.

 

So, congratulations to Weare United who picked up four points from six today, whilst Belfry, who suffered their first league defeat following that defeat in Game Two, pick up just the one point today. Below is me pictured with Ross Weare, the Weare United boss of course, following the double header at Ashton's, it was good to catch up with him again today...

 

Right, let’s see what else happened in the other games that took place today across the three divisions in the combination on Sunday…

Senior Division

JK Silvertown 2-5 Global

Newbury Forest 4-2 Barkingside

JK Silvertown suffered their first loss of the campaign after a 5-2 home loss to Global, Newbury Forest grabbed their first win of the campaign after the bottom side beat Barkingside 4-2 at home.

 

 

Division One

Debden Sports 2-1 Flamengo

Hillford 1-0 South Ilford Catholics

Debden Sports are up to third after they defeated bottom side Flamengo at Debden Sports Club, whilst Hillford go top of the pile by two points after they made it four wins from four after sneaking past South Ilford Catholics.

 

 

Division Two

Barking Colts 0-1 Hainault Athletic

Cardinals Athletic 0-6 Belfry Reserves

Horse & Well 0-2 Something From Nothing

Sher Force 0-3 Essex Minors (Hornchurch)

Hainault grabbed their second win of the season after victory at Barking Colts, whilst Belfry’s reserves faired better than their first team today after they thumped six past Cardinals Athletic. Something For Nothing are now three points ahead of third placed Horse & Well after they defeated them 2-0 today, and leaders Essex Minors (Hornchurch) remain five clear at the top after they netted three goals without reply at bottom side Sher Force.