Cockfosters 6 Woodford Town 1

Essex Senior League, Saturday July 31

For some leagues in the area I cover the first day of the league campaign was upon us, and that included the local Step Five league in the shape of the Essex Senior League as Cockfosters hosted Woodford Town at Chalk Lane.

Both sides had had decent build ups to their season, and both fancied getting off go a good start here, the hosts had assembled a decent squad to go into the 2021/22 season and wanted to try and start as well as they had done in the previous campaign, whilst for Woodford this was mainly a new assembled side for the new term, a term which sees them return home and play their home games at Ashton's Playing Fields.

The visitors themselves hoped that returning back to Woodford would galvanise them, and in fact prior to a competitive ball being kicked in anger, I had Woodford down as surprise packages for the season, this after they had struggled last term, and although this would be a difficult start against a side who should finish top six this season, a good game was expected at Chalk Lane.

Cockfosters though came flying out of the blocks and could easily have been three or fours goals up inside the opening fifteen minutes, Mosanya thumped an effort against the bar, Town keeper Haylock made a couple of decent stops, and Okafor somehow missed a header at the far post, but with sixteen minutes on the lock Fosters did find the breakthrough when Healey crossed to strike partner Dash who nodded a downward header in the far corner.

And five minutes later the hosts had doubled their lead as Mosanya burst down the right before squaring to Beattie who converted and the hosts were now two goals clear and we had not even reached the midway point of the first period.

Fosters were not done their either and promptly made it three on the half hour mark as a devastating counter saw a wonderful diagonal pass from Michael over to Marshall on the left saw him run into acres of space before his cross was converted by Beattie, and then seven minutes before the break it was four when after Woodford had lost the ball in midfield, Fosters pounced in devastating fashion, and saw the brilliant Mosanya sent down the right and he used his pace to get away from his marker, cut inside and finish into the far corner.

 It had been a superb half from Fosters and had it not been for Town keeper Haylock, who had made several superb stops to deny the home side, it could have been seven or eight for the hosts in that opening half, Woodford had been ripped to shreds and needed to try and compete in the second period and not get totally embarrassed in this one. May-Parrott looked their brightest outfield player and had the best chance for the visitors when he saw an effort tipped wide by Nolan, but it was a rare chance in what had been a very difficult half for the Ashton's side.

The opening exchanges were a much quieter affair as the visitors pressed higher and tried to snuff out any space for the visitors to play in, but just before the hour mark Fosters added two more as this game threatened to get out of control for the visitors, Beattie completing his hat-trick in the 58th minute before Healey then managed to get in to score a minute later and make it 6-0 to Fosters with half an hour still to run.

The one thing Fosters wanted to do though was not concede, but they failed to do this after Woodford managed to pull one back with fifteen minutes remaining after Salau, who could easily have been sent off two minutes into the game for what looked a very dangerous tackle, fired a decent effort across goal and into the far corner from the left side of the box, and gave the Woodford Towners at one end of the stand something to cheer.

It was a largely miserable one for the visitors though who could have easily conceded double figures in this one, Cockfosters had been sensational at times and certainly showed the rest of the division what they are capable of, and this was most certainly a brilliant start to their campaign that was for sure, something Woodford could not say!!! Back to the drawing board for them it seems.

Full Time Cockfosters 6 Woodford Town 1