Southend United 2 Barking 0

FA Youth Cup 2nd Qualifying Round, Tuesday September 28th

I decided to stay local on Tuesday and take the short bus ride to Roots Hall to watch an FA Youth Cup contest between Southend United and Barking, and it saw the hosts prevail in a tough contest after second half goals from skipper Jaden Crowhurst and Brian Garzon enough to take the win.

Barking had beaten Cheshunt to get to this stage but it was always going to be a tough assignment against a pro clubs youth side, and they almost found themselves behind early on when the hosts sent a header against the bar, and then Barking nearly gifted the home side the lead when keeper Callum McEvoy gave the ball straight to Sam Ratcliff, but with the goal at his mercy he saw his effort heroically blocked and the chance had gone.

McEvoy to his credit did make up for that afterwards by making three superb stops to keep the Blues at bay, whilst the visitors only real effort at goal saw Mekhi Stanford-Clarke fire a decent effort just high and wide of the far post/crossbar, but it had been a competitive opening forty five minutes and no doubt the visitors would have been pleased with their work so far.

It looked as though they would fall behind early in the second period though when Omari Williams was fouled inside the visitors box resulting in a penalty for the home side, but skipper Crowhurst saw his spot kick saved by McEvoy who continued to keep his side in the contest, but, eight minutes into the second period Crowhurst made amends for his missed spot kick by producing a lovely drag back, taking him into the box before firing across McEvoy into the far corner, a very good goal and one which was probably deserved.

Barking tried to respond and Peter Angelov, who had a decent second period down the left, fired a warning shot across goal and just wide of the far post, but just before the midway point of the second half Southend doubled their lead when Garzon struck home a powerful effort into the bottom corner from twenty yards or so, and you felt that was probably game set and match.

Barking did their upmost to try and force a way back into the tie, but they could not and although they competed well in this contest, they were beaten by the better side on the night, as was expected, and so the young home squad are through to the next round of the competition.

Full time Southend United 2 Barking 0

 

Newbury Forest 1 Buckhurst Hill 7

Buildbase FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round, Sunday September 26th

Sunday saw me over at Oakside for my latest FA Vase game in my Road To Wembley, and it pitted two sides from the Thurlow Nunn Division One South as Newbury Forest hosted Buckhurst Hill, and the visitors netted seven as they progressed into the First Round Proper, setting up a nice long away trip to Great Yarmouth Town in three weekends time.

The afternoon did not start well for the visitors though, as they should have been awarded a stonewaller of a penalty inside two minutes when Nathan Sollosi was felled, but the referee inexplicably waved away their protests, it was a terrible decision and the visitors were furious, and Sonny Shilling said too much and was sin binned by the referee, so not only did they not have a penalty, they were now a man down for ten minutes. 

And their frustrations were compounded after five minutes when Steve Carvell volleyed the hosts ahead, this after good work from Chaka Barnett, and Forest looked to take advantage of the extra man whilst they could, but Hill managed to regroup and as the half went on looked more and more likely to level, but they missed some guilt edged chances, two of which fell to the normally efficient Suleyman Zuhdu who missed two absolute sitters, unlike him, and it looked as if it was going to be a frustrating day for the visitors.

But, then came a devastating six minute spell from the visitors at the end of the half that all but ended this tie, firstly finally finding the net in the 39th minute when Nathan Sollosi fired a decent effort across goal and in off the inside of the post, and barely a minute later Zuhdu made up for his howlers earlier by firing a brilliant effort into the bottom corner from outside the box, and Hill had turned it around just like that.

Forest were rocking now and it was quickly 1-3 a minute before the break when Shilling made up for his sin binning earlier in the half by curling a delightful effort in off the far post from the right side, and then it was 1-4 a minute later when Zuhdu had a second as he curled another wonderful effort into the far corner, and left most of us inside the ground shell shocked. Forest had been hit by a train and the contest was all but over at the break. Devastating from the visitors, as clinical a six minute spell I have ever seen in fact, extraordinary.

You felt it was only pride and maybe damage limitation Forest were playing for now, but nine minutes after the break Hill made it five as Nathan Sollosi's ball through to Falola saw him beat the offside trap and have all the time in the world to fire home, and you really feared for the hosts now as this was in danger of getting ugly for them.

To be fair to them though they did not fold and in fact created several decent openings, including thumping an effort against the bar on one occasion, but they could not find any more goals to try and make the score line a bit more respectable, and although the visitors saw Henry Day sent off for a second booking after pulling back an opponents who looked to be going through on goal, they managed to add two more near the end to add gloss to the scoreline.

They made it six with two minutes left when Shilling strolled through to slot home, and he then completed his hat-trick to cap a rather interesting day for himself as he fired home from the edge of the box after the hosts had backed off him, and make it seven for the visitors, which in truth was a bit harsh on the hosts who had played a huge part in this tie.

However, that devastating spell at the end of the first period was the killer for Forest, a blow they could not recover from, well done to the visitors though who now have a very winnable tie at Yarmouth in the First Round Proper on October 23rd.

Full time Newbury Forest 1 Buckhurst Hill 7

 

Canvey Island 4 Coggeshall Town 1

Buildbase FA Trophy First Qualifying Round, Saturday September 25th

My Road To Wembley for the FA Trophy began on the Island on the last Saturday in September as Canvey Island welcomed Coggeshall Town to Park Lane for an all Isthmian North tie, and Matthew Price netted a second half hat-trick to help the home side ease through to the next round after a dominant win.

Both sides have had similar starts to their Isthmian North campaigns, the hosts sit smack bang in mid table having picked up nine points from their five games, whilst Coggeshall were three places and three points behind having picked up just the one win so far but had drawn three if their six games so were at least hard to beat, but maybe the hosts, who were yet to lose a league game thus far, were slight favourites perhaps.

The hosts only loss this campaign so far came in the Emirates FA Cup when they were beaten at home by Bedford Town in a replay at Park Lane following a goalless draw in Bedford prior to that in their First Qualifying Round tie, whilst Coggeshall were dumped out in the round before when losing at home to Berkhamsted, but both sides now turned their attentions to this FA competition and knew a nice run would certainly help their respective clubs.

The hosts certainly set the tone for the contest early on, thumping a header against the bar and then seeing another terrific chance thwarted by the visitors keeper Matthew Cafer, and for the majority of the half Canvey were on the front foot but despite their dominance, they could not find that breakthrough, with Coggeshall's only effort seeing Bobby Mason superbly tip a long range effort wide.

The visitors did miss a sitter towards the end of the half at the back post, but they had been second best throughout most of the opening forty five minutes, but as said Canvey could not muster a breakthrough and the sides went into the break goalless, and both knowing if the scores were to be level at the end of ninety minutes, the lottery of penalties would have been needed to settle this one.

In the end though that was certainly not needed, as after Coggeshall almost caught a sleeping Canvey cold at the start of the second period, sending an effort across goal and wide after some sloppy play by the hosts, it was pretty much one way traffic as Canvey took complete control of this tie.

After the home side had got through but struck straight at Cafer, they finally broke through just before the hour mark when the superb Evans Kouassi cut inside and fired an unstoppable left footed effort into the far corner, and Kouassi was then to turn provider when his ball through to Price saw the striker fire emphatically beyond Cafer to double the Gulls lead, and at that point you felt it was probably game over with 66 minutes on the clock.

And with nine minutes remaining the hosts definitely sealed their passage into the next round when Jamie Salmon, who had controlled most things in midfield along with Elliott Ronto, played a wonderful diagonal ball over to the far side where another superb player, Tobi Tinubu, let the ball hit his chest to take it past the full back, before playing a ball into the six yard box where Price was waiting to convert from close range, it was a beautifully worked goal it must be said.

Tinubu, along with Ben Sampayo, had tormented their opponents all afternoon down both flanks, and Ronto, who I had already mentioned, grabbed an assist of his own with a minute of the ninety left when he found Price who strode through to fire home a superb finish to complete his hat-trick and cap what was a fine afternoon for The Seasiders.

Their only blemish was conceding two minutes into stoppage time when Sam Bantick found some space in the Canvey box to send a header beyond Mason into the far corner, which would have annoyed skipper Michael Finneran and his back line, Finneran by the way was as commanding as ever at the back, and overall he would have been happy with his sides performance as they strolled into the next round and set up an away tie against Southern League South Central side Ware at Wodson Park in two weeks time.

Full time Canvey Island 4 Coggeshall Town 1

Hackney Wick 1 Holland 1

Thurlow Nunn Division One South, Wednesday September 22nd

Wednesday evening saw me back over at my old stomping ground and Spa Road in Witham for a Thurlow Nunn One South contest between Hackney Wick and Holland, and it saw the visitors claim a very hard earned point after seeing off a barrage of attacks by the hosts who really should have won the contest.

Wickers have had a pretty solid season so far, winning five of their eleven league matches and sitting in the top ten of the division, whilst Holland themselves had also won five league games too and were just two points behind their opponents in the table, so an intriguing contest was expected here.

The hosts certainly started the better and saw Shorten thwart them on two occasions, tipping over a long range effort before brilliantly saving a one on one situation as the hosts were denied once again, and then Holland managed to take the lead against the run of play on twenty five minutes when an effort from Ryan Mahan looked to have crossed the line despite it hitting one of his own teammates inside the goal, and although the referee did not give it initially, after some protests from the visitors he went over to check with his assistant who said it had crossed the line and the goal was given.

Wickers continued to have the better of the play but saw a long range effort thump against the post before another chance saw a header sent over the bar from point blank range at the back post, meaning the visitors somehow went into the break a goal up.

Wick's dominance was even greater in the second period but try as they might, they could not find the onion bag, Shorten had to make more brilliant stops to deny the hosts, and they even struck the post again from outside the box, and it looked like it would be one of those evenings for the home side.

With nine minutes remaining however they were to finally find the net as an unsighted Shorten was beaten at his near post by a wonderful strike by Brandon White from outside the area, and the question was if Wick could go on and win it?

They nearly did but from keeper Shorten making another crucial save for the visitors, with the follow up being fired into the side netting, and soon after the final whistle went and the visitors could breathe a sigh of relief, they had rode their luck in this one but dug deep to come away with a very hard earned point. Wick will be disappointed not to have won this game, but they did not lose it either and can take many positives from it.

Full time Hackney Wick 1 Holland 1

Walthamstow 0 White Ensign 0

Essex Senior League, Tuesday September 21st

My first football match in almost three weeks saw me over at Wadham Lodge for an Essex Senior League contest between Walthamstow and White Ensign, and it ended goalless after neither side could find the net in front of another decent crowd in East London.

Stow are many peoples front runners in the division and are expected to gain promotion to Step Four at the end of this season, whilst Ensign were also tipped to more than compete in this division in what is their first venture into Step Five football this season, and the hosts have won seven of their nine league games thus far to put themselves in a strong position near the top.

Ensign had found it tough in the opening weeks of the season, which included a 5-2 loss at home to this evenings opponents on the opening weekend, but it looks like they have found their feet recently having gone four games without defeat, winning their last three netting sixteen goals in that time, so they feared no one and Stow would have to be on their guard to not be shocked here.

Stow had netted 26 goals in their nine league games whilst Ensign had also netted the same in eleven games, so goals a plenty in this one then? Well not quite...

Stow's best openings in the first period saw Hallett and Beck both go close with headers, and a Carnegie corner was tipped off the line, whilst Ensign saw efforts from Locke and Barnby miss the target and then see Stow keeper Cekrezi produce a brilliant point blank save to deny the visitors, however despite these efforts it hadn't been the best of halves and the sides went in goalless.

The early exchanges of the second period were quiet to say the least but as the game went past the hour mark Stow begin to crank up the pressure, but the Ensign defence, which is much improved from earlier in the season, held firm and kept arguably one of the best attacks in the league at bay.

Scully shot narrowly over the hosts, and then Hallett saw a free kick deflect and go inches wide of the post with the keeper totally wrong footed, and then the hosts were screaming for a penalty when Hallett claimed he had his legs taken from under him, but the referee waved away their claims.

Ensign nearly went ahead late on in spectacular style when Woodward's long range effort was brilliantly tipped round the post by Cekrezi, and although the hosts finished strongly, Ensign held out for a superb point and saw the hosts drop more points at home against a side they fancied to beat after netting five against them back in August.

Not a game that will live long in the memory then, but good to be back covering local football after a break.

Full time Walthamstow 0 White Ensign 0

Ilford 2 Athletic Newham 3

Essex Senior League, Wednesday September 1st

My first match of September (and last for around two and a half weeks) saw me over at Cricklefield to see Ilford host Athletic Newham, and it saw visitors skipper Joel Appiah net a 79th minute winner as his side made it three wins on the bounce to climb up to sixth in the Essex Senior League.

The hosts league campaign had been a mixed affair so far, two wins and three defeats, but their FA Cup exploits has seen them into the First Qualifying Round after wins at local rivals Redbridge and then stunning Barking at Mayesbrook Park to set up a home tie with Aveley, so they certainly have showed this season they can mix it with the best.

Their opponents Athletic Newham are of course still making their way in their first season at this level, but after a win, a draw and a defeat in their opening three fixtures, and a win and then a heavy loss in the FA Cup, they have had a good few days having won back to back league fixtures, netting ten goals in the process, and with star man Richard Kone having netted six of these, he would no doubt pose a threat to The Foxes here.

After three minutes he was quickly into the action and on the scoresheet once again as Ilford gifted their opponents the lead, as after a defensive howler which saw keeper Josh Blackburn miscontrol the ball inside his own six yard box, Kone pounced to knock the lose ball over the line, an absolute disastrous start for the hosts.

Ilford to their credit responded well and did everything but score in the following twenty minutes or so but lacked a cuttage edge up front, whereas the visitors had Kone, and he was to double his sides lead midway through the first period when he managed to get into the box from the left hand side before drilling a finish inside the near post.

The Foxes needed a lifeline, and got one nine minutes before the break when after the referee had adjudged one of the many Athletic Newham defenders had handled a goal bound effort inside the box, Michael Ogboin stepped up to send keeper Wilkinson Boateng the wrong way and reduce the arrears.

Prior to this penalty I witnessed something I'd never seen before, the referee halting Ogboin's original run up, which went on for an age, to book one of the visiting players for his continuous protests against the award of the spot kick, I have never seen a players run up to a spot kick halted in order to do this, was strange, as strange as Ogboin's run up in fact, but he scored which is the main thing.

The next goal was crucial you felt, and Ilford brought on Ellis Leveridge at the start of the second period, and he made an immediate impact, sending a long range effort towards Boateng's net and although the big man got a hand to it, he could only help it on its way into the top corner, and The Foxes were now level.

Momentum seemed to be with Ilford for a time, but the game then went a bit scrappy with both sets of players and management resorting to shouting at the officials for anything to gain an advantage, which did get rather annoying at times, but it's a passionate game as they say!!! Anyway as the game entered it's final fit teen minutes it remained locked at 2-2.

But, with eleven minutes of normal time remaining the visitors were to conjure up one more quality moment as they found what proved to be the winner when a lovely cross from the left by Louis Hiobi found Kone who chested the ball into the path of skipper Appiah who swept a lovely finish past Blackburn.

The visitors thought they had sealed the points late on when substitute Tony Cookey headed home a cross from the right, but then saw the linesman's flag go up for offside, and then Ilford so nearly levelled to snatch a point when they lobbed inches over the bar down the other end, but the visitors did hold on and record a third straight win and climb up to sixth in the standings, whilst Ilford, who probably deserved something from the game,  are down in 16th after a fourth league defeat in six.

Full Time Ilford 2 Athletic Newham 3