Southend Manor 0 Witham Town 0

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday July 27th

My seventh pre season prior to the 2021/22 season saw me over at Southchurch Park for a match between Essex Senior League Southend Manor and Isthmian North side Witham Town and the game ended up in stalemate as neither side could find the net in a rather uneventful contest in the majority.

When I heard this game was taking place I had to go, one because it is on my doorstep, and two because both these sides are close to my heart, I grew up in Witham and my dad took me to my first ever football match there against Rainham Town in 1990, and he even went on to become the programme editor there for six years too, so lots of fond memories at Spa Road.

And of course I was heavily involved at Manor for a few years more recently too and they are now my local side so when these two do meet, which isn't very often, then it's hard to pass up the opportunity, the last time I saw them do battle was several years ago when Town netted a 1-0 win at Southchurch Park in a big top of the table clash in the ESL as they went onto win the league that season ahead of Manor who ended up runners up.

A lot has happened since then, Manor have remained a ESL club with many changes to personal at most levels in both management and playing squad, whilst Town got as high as the Isthmian Premier before settling into the North division for the last few seasons, however neither side have really threatened the top spots of their respective divisions lately.

For Manor this was the final friendly before their league season gets underway at the weekend against Sporting Bengal United at Southchurch Park, so this was the final chance for them to look at the squad and see who would be making the grade come Saturday, whilst for Witham they have slightly longer before competitive action although it is getting ever closer for them too now.

The game itself was not a great spectacle at times, chances were at a premium and any that did come along were off target as neither keeper had that much to do, and in fact the best chances probably came in the final quarter of the contest, Manor sliced a great opportunity wide when well placed inside the box, prompting one of the funniest comments I've heard for some time 'he could not hit water if he fell out of a boat' from a friend standing nearby, I am still laughing now!!!

Town then somehow missed from point blank range after the keeper had failed to come and deal with a cross into the six yard box, but if truth be told both sides failed to really test either keeper as said before, and this hard fought contest ended all square, Manor look young but tough and will need all that toughness in the season to come, but I thought they did well against higher league opposition.

For Witham well this was a lot less dramatic than their last pre season game when they drew 5-5 at another ESL side in Stanway Rovers, this after being 5-0 down with sixteen to go!!! A clean sheet will no doubt please them, but they lacked cutting edge in front of goal on this occasion, however more minutes in the tank for both, and for Manor the real thing starts at the weekend.

Full Time Southend Manor 0 Witham Town 0

 

Southend United 1 West Ham United XI 5

Pre Season Friendly, Friday July 23rd

Friday night saw me take in my sixth pre season friendly prior to the 2021/22 season, and it was at Roots Hall as fans were finally allowed to return and watch their side play, and 1,943 of them were there to see Southend United host a West Ham XI in what was their first home pre season of three ahead of their league campaign.

That league campaign would be outside of the Football League for the first time in 101 years after last seasons relegation from League Two into the Vanarama National League, so preparation was key in what was likely to be a watershed season as a club as they vow to bounce straight back into the EFL at the first time of asking, which will not be easy that's for sure.

The Hammers had brought a youthful squad to Roots Hall, but it still contained some very good youngsters and would certainly give The Blues a very tough test indeed, however the hosts started well and caught the Hammers cold on ten minutes when after Dunne did superbly down the right to make sure he won the loose ball, his cross found Rush whose first effort was blocked but the ball fell to him on the rebound and he tucked it away into the far corner, and the home fans had something to cheer early on.

The hosts had certainly settled the better of the two sides early on and it took the young visitors around 20-25 minutes to finally get a foothold in the contest, but once they did they found a leveller just before the half hour mark when Diallo's powerful shot from outside the box was palmed up into the air by the keeper, and Nevers was on hand to nod home the rebound and make it his first goal for the club in the process.

 And six minutes before the break West Ham edged in front as a corner from the right by Longelo was played into the mixer and centre half Baptiste ghosted in unmarked to power a header home and the visitors had a slender lead to take into the break.

The Blues needed a similar start to the second period as they had had in the first one, but three minutes after the break they fell further behind when a superb ball in from the right by Ashby found Nevers at the back post and he nodded home despite the keepers best efforts to keep it out, and that was his second of the contest too and The Hammers now had a two goal cushion.

The Blues tried to respond to this setback and saw Walsh drag wide from twenty five yards, but West Ham looked dangerous when the attacked and Seaden had to be smart to keep out Dju's effort, and then came nine changes for the Blues as they looked to try out several different players for the final twenty five minutes.

Immediately after this though West Ham made it four as after the Blues had lost the ball in midfield, the visitors pounced and eventually played a ball to the brilliant Dju who rifled a wonderful effort past Seaden and take the acclaim from the small West Ham contingent in the corner of that end of the ground.

The Blues made two further changes as they looked to try out the bulk of their squad and trialists, after all that is what pre season is for, but it was The Hammers who were to have the final say and complete the scoring by making it five with eight minutes remaining when another lovely ball in from the right caused chaos in the hosts six yard box, and Nevers managed to bundle over the line and complete his hat-trick, meaning on the night he netted his first goals for the club he did it in style and grabbed a treble.

He limped off after this goal and was replaced, but he had done his job and had helped fire his youthful side to an impressive win, whilst for the Blues it was a game in which they took the lead early on but thereafter were pretty much second best and found the West Ham youngsters to much to handle, but no doubt more useful minutes for Phil Brown's squad as they build towards the new season.

Full Time Southend United 1 West Ham United XI 5

Catholic United 1 White Ensign 6

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday July 20th

Friendly number five prior to the 2021/22 season saw me over at another one of my local grounds in the shape of The Len Forge Centre for Essex Olympian Premier side Catholic United's game against Essex Senior League new boys White Ensign under the lights near Southend Airport.

The green and whites play here in all their home games now, whilst their opponents Ensign are very familiar with these surrounding of course as this was also their home ground prior to their senior years when they also plied their trade in the Olympian Premier division, and in fact all their other teams still play their games on the grounds, whether it be on the 3G or the outside pitches, so this was a home game for both in truth.

These two were league opponents not that long ago but Ensign's two promotions in the last few seasons have seen them go two levels above their opponents now, and early on it was the finishing from the higher level opponent that really set the tone for the contest, and after a crazy opening thirty seconds which saw Catholic almost get in before Ensign curled against the post down the other end, Ensign broke the deadlock after just 52 seconds when Luke Woodward was played in and he rounded Lewis Godwin-Green and slotted home.

Catholic then thumped a long range effort against the bar as they looked for a swift repost, but they then found themselves two goals down after six minutes when Dominic Locke converted a square ball from the right first time into the bottom left corner, and then after thirteen minutes Ensign added a third when a sublime first time pass from Connor Barnby released Woodward in on goal and the striker slotted past Godwin-Green, and the Essex Senior side had three goals inside fifteen minutes.

Sadly for Ensign Locke and Barnby were to play no further part thereafter as both came off for injuries, Locke for a muscle strain I believe, and Barnby after he had received a boot to the face, but their replacements combined on the half hour mark when a lovely crossfield pass found player boss Brett Munyard and his delightful cushioned first time pass into the path of Jason Reynolds-Blanche was a thing of beauty, and as Catholic all had their arms up for offside, the flag never came, and the striker strolled in to slot home their fourth.

Four minutes before the break Catholic did finally manage to break through themselves when their No.11, who had looked decent so far, fired a wonderful left footed effort across the keeper into the far corner, however it was Ensign who were to have the last laugh of a clinical first period from them when Munyard turned provider again, teeing up Woodward to fire at goal, and although his first effort was brilliantly blocked, he fired home the rebound for his hat-trick and sent his side into the break 5-1 up.

It had been a pretty action packed half, both sides had hit the woodwork twice, but Ensign had too much quality going forward for Catholic to deal with, and it had been a clinic of finishing from the higher league opponents so far.

The second half did at least see Catholic continue to press, and they hit the woodwork on a further two occasions, whilst Ensign found Catholic keeper Godwin-Green in top form as he made two or three decent stops to deny them more goals, but with just under twenty minutes to go Ensign did find a sixth goal to round off the scoring when a beautiful ball from John Hilliard sent Reynolds-Blanche clear, and he fired across goal and into the bottom corner for his second of the game.

The scoreline suggests Catholic were well beaten here, but they hit the woodwork four times in the contest and had other chances too, but they found an Ensign side who, especially in the first half, were clinical with their finishing and at times showed their class what with being the side who were two levels higher then their opponents here, but a good run out for both in what was a compelling game to watch.

Full Time Catholic United 1 White Ensign 6

Hashtag United 3 Redbridge 3

Pre Season Friendly, Monday July 19th

My fourth pre season fixture of the 2021/22 season saw me over at The Len Salmon Stadium in Pitsea for Isthmian North new boys Hashtag United's home game with Essex Senior League side Redbridge, the league Hashtag United had of course won promotion from to take their place in their new division for the coming season.

It was the lower league visitors though who made the biggest impression in the opening half, and after they had come the closest to breaking the deadlock when thumping an effort against the underside of the bar, from the resulting corner their No.2 fired home from inside the box just before the midway point in the first period.

And ten minutes before the break they doubled their lead when a lovely pass found No.10 in on goal and he fired home emphatically despite being chased down by a defender, and the Motormen had impressed thus far in this one and held a two goal cushion at the break.

Things livened up a bit early on in the second period when Tag's four and Redbridge's Sixteen came together which caused a bit of a melee, and then moments later the same thing happened again, resulting in a booking for the visitors forward, it had certainly added some juice to this one though, and shortly after all of this excitement Redbridge looked to have landed the knockout punch when No.10, who looked more than decent, shifted onto his left foot before curling home delightfully twelve minutes into the second period.

Hashtag though soon got themselves a lifeline when after a foul inside the box the hosts won a penalty on the hour mark, which was dispatched emphatically by skipper Ross Gleed, and then with just under twenty minutes remaining Gleed again found the net to bring the hosts right back into the contest after firing home a free kick from the edge of the box.

The Motormen almost curled home a fourth but despite this it was pretty much all Hashtag for the final quarter of the contest, but after the hosts had gone close and also struck the bar, it looked like Redbridge may hold on, however, with a minute of normal time remaining enter Carlos Flood who rifled home a superb effort from outside the box to bring the hosts level, could they go on and take an incredible win?

They had the chance to in stoppage time but blazed over from twelve yards after a loose ball fell to them, and it meant the game would end all square and bring to a close a very entertaining contest. Certainly in that second half their was no quarter given, and with three flashpoints there was certainly nothing friendly about it, but a decent watch nonetheless and a decent fightback from the hosts in the end.

Full Time Hashtag United 3 Redbridge 3

Frenford 0 Hornchurch 3

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday July 13th

My third pre season of 2021/22 saw me over at The Drive for Frenford's home fixture against FA Trophy holders Hornchurch, the hosts play three levels below their opponents so this would certainly prove a thorough test for the Ilford/Redbridge side, although this was The Urchins first pre season fixture so Frenford, who were a week or two into their programme, could see this as a slight favour towards them.

Despite this though the visitors were expected to record a comfortable victory, there last competitive fixture was of course at Wembley when they defeated Hereford to win the FA Trophy, an incredible achievement indeed and one they wanted to back up with a strong season in this time round as well, so how would their first match prior to the new season shape up.

The opening half hour saw Hornchurch have a lot of the ball unsurprisingly but they were made to work very hard by the hosts who themselves had a couple of moments going forward themselves, but just past the half hour The Urchins did make the break though when after Ruff had seen his long range effort deflected against the bar, Nash followed in and somehow headed his effort against the bar too, but Stimson was on hand to nod over the line from close range, a scrappy goal in the end but a goal it was a the visitors, who looked a bit frustrated up till that point, could release some of this.

Frenford were competing well against their Isthmian Premier opponents though and would have been very happy at the break, whereas Hornchurch would have wanted a tad more from themselves although this was their first pre season outing so understandably were getting some rust out of their system, but nine minutes after the break a bit of class doubled the Urchins lead as a lovely flick into the box from Spence found Dickson who had timed his run perfectly to dink a beautiful effort over the keeper and into the net.

Both sides then exchanged efforts at goal before Ruff then struck the post for Hornchurch, however with twenty minutes remaining the Urchins did add a third when lovely build up play saw the ball played to Nash who swivelled and struck a lovely left footed effort in off the post and see the striker finally grab a goal his good all round play deserved.

Frenford though continued to play well and did force a decent save from the visitors keeper, whilst the visitors did have more chances to add to their tally, but in the end they settled for three and a decent win on their first outing before the real stuff begins next month. Many positives to take from this one for both sides, I thought Frenford gave a really good account of themselves and showed they have a strong side to compete in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South division this season.

Full Time Frenford 0 Hornchurch 3