Stansted 0 Clapton 1

Essex Senior League - Len Cordell Memorial Cup Quarter Final, Saturday May 15

Saturday saw me over at Mayesbrook Park for an Essex Senior Len Cordell Memorial Cup Quarter Final which saw an early goal from Eleftherios Metso enough to send ten-man Tons into the Semi Finals , setting up a contest against Redbridge after they saw off Athletic Newham on penalties.

Stansted were actually the hosts for this one despite the location, and they had looked down and out in the tournament after losing their opening two group games against FC Clacton and Holland, and when they trailed Billericay Town U23s 2-0 in their final group encounter, all looked lost, but they turned that one around to win 3-2 and qualify as best fourth placed side, and after a win against West Essex they set up this Last Eight tie.

The Tons themselves had been solid during this tournament and had not conceded a goal since their opening group game against Redbridge when they fell to a narrow and unlucky 1-0 loss, so they were certainly a tough nut to crack and would be no pushovers that was for sure.

Both teams set off at a decent tempo, but it was Clapton who edged in front just past the quarter hour mark when a lovely ball in from the left by Daniel Emovan, one of those balls into the six-yard box that are a nightmare for defenders, found Metso who applied a decent finish past the helpless Jarvis Monk into the top corner from close range.

Stansted tried to respond and almost found a leveller when skipper Billy Coyne’s free kick was glanced just wide of the far post by Joe Wright, but then came a moment of madness from the Tons skipper that could have cost them the game.

Hussain Jaffa, who got into a confrontation with the hosts after an aerial challenge with Nick Reynolds, seemed to lose his head thereafter and after a few more choice words with opposing players and the referee, saw his luck finally run out on the half hour mark when he was first given a yellow card for dissent and then literally given another one seconds later after he continued his verbal assault on the official.

It was a mindless thing to do, yes, he may not have agreed with the decisions, but his teammates tried to calm him down on more than one occasion, but he did not listen and paid the price, and as the skipper it can simply not happen, but it meant his side would now have to play out the remaining hour with ten man, so their task was now made even tougher.

Despite this though Clapton continued to hold their opponents at bay whilst playing on the counter, and the longer the game went on the more frustrated the hosts became, and a resolute Tons backline, led now by the superb Josh Coulson who was man of the match in my eyes, thwarted any attack the hosts could muster.

It was the perfect game for Coulson who relished the challenge at the heart of the Tons backline, and for all of Stansted’s pressure, they could only force Ton’s keeper Carlos Simeon into one save from a free kick in the 87^th minute, which was a testament to his defence in front of him.

And so, after a fourth straight clean sheet it was Clapton who prevailed in this one and a very well earned one, especially after they played almost 70 minutes with ten men after the referee added on nine minutes of stoppage time at the end of the game, a superb win and proof that they can certainly dig in and prevent a very good side from testing their keeper.

Yes, they will now be missing their skipper for the semi-final, but they showed in the time without him they can certainly cope without him, even if he is one of their key players in their side, they certainly dug him out of a hole today after his moment of madness earlier in the contest.

Full time Stansted 0 Clapton 1

 

As said above Clapton will now take on Redbridge in the Semi Finals after The Motormen knocked out Athletic Newham on penalties at Oakside, here is a brief summary of that game…

Redbridge 1 Athletic Newham 1 (Redbridge won 5-4 on penalties)

The hosts grabbed the lead just before the midway point of the first period when Josh Sykes converted from the spot after a handball from the visitors, but eleven minutes after the break Newham levelled after a Richard Kone shot was blocked, Jeff Idemudia pounced to tap home and take the tie to spot-kicks, and the hosts prevailed in the shoot-out to set up a second clash with Clapton in this competition after the sides met on Match Day One in the group stages. For a more detailed look back at today's tie at Oakside, check out Scott W's blog https://survivor16b.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/s-20-21-match-report-redbridge-1-1-athletic-newham-sat-15-may/   

Here is an updated look at the semi-final line up…

Clapton v Redbridge

Barking/Holland v FC Clacton

The Barking v Holland Quarter Final takes place on Tuesday 18^th May with a 7.45pm kick off at Mayesbrook Park, winners as seen above hosts FC Clacton for a place in the final at Oakside at the end of May.