Sporting Bengal United 0 Athletic Newham 2

Essex Senior League, Wednesday January 26th

I was over at Mile End for the third time in recent weeks on Wednesday evening and saw late first half strikes from Benjamin Bodipo & Rasheed Salau help Athletic Newham to victory over struggling Sporting Bengal United.

The hosts have only tasted victory once all season, that was way back on September 4th, and have only gained one point since that win in their sixteen league games since then, with that last point coming on October 23rd, so a run of fifteen losses in sixteen, and on a run of nine successive defeats since that draw.

It's not all doom and gloom though, as their last two games have seen them only lose by a goal and have netted five in those two games, although they still lost those games, so defending is still an issue, or lack of concentration at key moments, but no doubt Steve Clark will be encouraged by what he has seen recently, despite the results, and he would have drilled that into his side as they welcomed an Athletic Newham side stunned by a loss to Clapton at the weekend so could they provide the same shock as The Tons did at the weekend perhaps?

Athletic Newham in contrast were looking to put that very disappointing result behind them and get back to winning ways here, and most people were expecting this to happen, and they knew if they could pick up the points they would go above Saffron Walden Town, who they play at Catons Lane on Saturday, into fifth spot on goal difference and be in touching distance of the top four with games in hand in those above them.

Despite that loss against Clapton though the visitors had been unbeaten in the league since the end of October against leaders Walthamstow, so a run of six games, and they had also made history by reaching the Last 16 of the FA Vase too so no doubt the result against Clapton was just a flash in the pan, or so they hoped anyway. If they played well in this one at Mile End then no doubt they would come out on top you would have thought.

The first period played out how most expected, with the visitors creating all the openings, but found hosts keeper Kevin Rrushi hard to beat, Richard Kone, their star player who many higher league clubs are looking at, had a brilliant chance to put his side ahead but saw his point blank effort saved by Rrushi, whilst there were other close shaves at that end as the hosts just about held on to the 0-0 score line.

However, five minutes before half time Athletic Newham's frustrations were eased as they managed to find the net as Bodipo took aim from twenty yards out and saw keeper Rrushi dive over the ball and see it find the bottom corner, the keeper would have been disappointed with the effort but it was a decent strike and a deserved lead for the visitors.

And right on half time one became two as Newham doubled their lead as a cross to the far post saw Salau totally unmarked and he duly finished past Rrushi from close range and left the home defence looking at each other and wondering who was supposed to be picking him up etc etc, it was just the sort of confusion that has been there downfall all season, and they now had a mountain to climb in the second period.

To Sporting's credit they really battled hard in the second period and as a result a much more competitive half ensued, yes Athletic Newham should have added to their lead, they managed to head against the bar on one occasion, and Kone, who was not having his best game, sliced wide after bursting through and rounding Rrushi, but he had overrun the ball and couldn't hook it back from what was an impossible angle, meaning Sporting survived again.

The hosts though did at least end the game well, and did manage to test visiting keeper Wilkinson Boateng with a stinging shot which the big keeper managed to beat away, but they could not find the net and it meant the visitors would see out the game and grab a vital three points in their battle for promotion, making that game against Walden at the weekend very important, if it wasn't already.

For Sporting another loss but Clark can take positives from the second half spirit showed, but spirit and determination won't get them points, only wins will do now if they are to make a miracle escape, they take on St Margaretsbury at home on Saturday hoping the wins start there, although it's hard to see them grabbing enough of them to have any chance of not finishing bottom of the pile, but we will see as they say.

Full time Sporting Bengal United 0 Athletic Newham 2

 

 

Hornchurch 2 Horsham 0

Isthmian League Premier, Tuesday January 25th

I was over at Bridge Avenue on Tuesday evening to see hosts Hornchurch put in a dominant performance as goals from Tobi Joseph & Tom Wraight saw them to an eighth win in nine games after seeing off Horsham in Upminster.

The hosts sat in seventh and just four points off the play off places after a superb run of results, they had won seven on the bounce prior to Saturday's draw against league leaders Worthing so were full of confidence and looking to extend that unbeaten run in this one against a Horsham side who were ten points behind them and down in thirteenth spot.

Horsham themselves ended a winless run of five games with victory at tenth placed Cheshunt at the weekend, so they were coming into this one with some good vibes no doubt but this was going to be a very tough test against one of the most in form sides in the Isthmian Premier currently. 

The Urchins wasted little time in getting into their opponents and were soon causing problems for the visiting back line, full back Remi Sutton burst into the box in the left hand side but his well driven effort was smartly stopped by Horsham keeper Sam Howes, and then Charlie Ruff missed a brilliant opening when firing wide from twelve yards out.

Horsham, who spent a lot of time on the back foot, did create a couple of chances for themselves though, and they were HUGE chances as well, firstly Shamir Fenelon found himself with just the keeper to beat but could only send his effort straight at Joe Wright, and then the visitors somehow scooped another effort over the bar from point blank range, and they were to go into the half behind. 

This was because eleven minutes before the break, The Urchins managed to find the breakthrough when Wraight got in down the left after a lovely move from the hosts, and drove an effort across goal and wide of the far post, or so everyone thought, as somehow Ruff kept the ball in and in doing so squared back to the awaiting Joseph who converted a first time close range effort into the roof of the net.

It was a deserved lead for Hornchurch, but they were given a couple of warnings as mentioned previously that Horsham were still well in this contest, and they should really have been out of this contest after the break as Hornchurch missed plenty of opportunities to extend their lead as they dominated the second period, striking the bar on one occasion.

Horsham somehow survived all of these scares and knew they just one moment down the the other end would bring them level, they had one decent chance which went over the bar from inside the box, but that was really all they could muster in the second half, and finally with two minutes of the ninety to go, The Urchins did seal the game when Joseph broke the offside trap, squared a ball across the area and found Wraight who drilled an effort into the far corner.

So, another win for Hornchurch as their charge for the play off places continues here with an eighth win in nine, whilst Horsham will rue those two missed chances in the first period although they can count themselves lucky this score line wasn't more in favour of the hosts than it was.

Hornchurch are back at Bridge Avenue at the weekend when they welcome third placed Lewes to Upminster in what promises to be a cracker, whilst Horsham welcome Essex side Bowers & Pitsea to West Sussex and with the Len Salmon Side battling for points to stay in the division next season, that will be another tough game for sure.

Full time Hornchurch 2 Horsham 0

Barkingside 2 Park View 0

Thurlow Nunn South Division, Monday January 24th

Cricklefield was my venue for Monday evening and it saw an own goal from Maxwell Ntim and a James Peagram header enough to seal Barkingside all three points against Park View in a Thurlow Nunn South contest in Seven Kings.

Side had been unbeaten in four games since since getting heavily beaten at Frenford in November, however that run came to an abrupt end at the weekend when they were beaten 0-4 at home by Harwich & Parkeston, so the hosts really wanted to bounce back in this one and get their outside chances of a play off place back on track, they began the evening twelve points off fifth placed Benfleet who occupy the final place in those positions.

Benfleet did have two games in hand though, and Side had more chance of catching fourth placed Wivenhoe Town who were fifteen points ahead of them but Side had five games in hand, however as said it was an outside chance, so three points here was a must.

Park View themselves came into this one sat in 14th position, seven points and two places below their opponents, and not in the best of form, there last win came back on 27th October, a 5-0 home win over Newbury Forest, with their last point coming at Hackney Wick on 27th November, so a run of six defeats in seven since that win in October, so there were not many who felt they could win this one based on form.

Four of those defeats had been just by the odd goal though, so they were well in a lot of those games, with Saturday's loss a 3-4 score line at home to high flying Burnham Ramblers, so Barkingside might not find this contest as easy as the form suggests.

But it didn't take Side too long to find the net, and it wasn't even one of their players that did this, as a free kick sent into the box saw Ntim attempt to head the ball away, but instead of doing this glanced the ball on towards his goal, and see the ball go over a stumbling Ibrahim Nuhu, his own keeper, and into his own net for a rather bizarre own goal, which kind of set the tone for the evening.

Peagram, who has spent the best part of an hour in goal for Side at the weekend after keeper Duncan Smith had been sent off, was back to his more usual position of centre forward, and after he had missed a good chance to double their lead, he did manage to do this in the 27th minute when a cross from the left found him in the box, and he sent a deft header back across keeper Nuhu and into the far corner.

It ball seemed to take forever to find the far corner though and it all happened in slow motion, with keeper Nuhu unable to get across to stop it, and Barkingside now had a commanding lead and grip on proceedings heading into the final quarter of the first period.

Smith, who was back in the Side goal for this one, did make a decent stop as Park View finally got some sort of attacking play into their game as the half drew towards it conclusion, and they had a spell early in a second period that just became worse and worse to watch as both sides seemed to be going through the motions and had accepted the 2-0 score line.

And that is how it was to end too, with Side netting a good three points and bouncing back from Saturday's debacle, whilst Park View's miserable run continues, meaning it leaves the hosts now just nine points off the top five in eleventh, and the visitors still in fourteenth with not much more to play for now other than pride.

Side next travel to Coggeshall United at the weekend who are in a similar position to themselves, so should be a tight competitive encounter that, whilst Park View travel to the Royal Oak and Harwich & Parkeston who of course thrashed Side in their previous game, so that is sure to be a tough game and one Park View despite Harwich's lowly position as they proved at Cricklefield at the weekend.

Full time Barkingside 2 Park View 0

Clapton 1 Cockfosters 2

Essex Senior League, Wednesday January 19th

Wednesday night saw me over at The Terrance McMillan Stadium in Newham for an Essex Senior League contest, and a first half brace from Cockfosters player boss Ryan Wade helped the visitors to all three points over Clapton.

The hosts came into this contest sitting down in 18th spot (fourth bottom) seven points ahead of second bottom Southend Manor and a massive fourteen points above bottom side Sporting Bengal United, in what had been a struggle so far this season with only five wins and sixteen losses in their twenty four games so far. 

Their last win had come against Sporting Bengal United back on 18th December, but since that win they had lost two in a row in all competitions, so they wanted to try and pick up their first points of the new year against a Cockfosters side who had beaten them in the very same ground only a week earlier in the Errington Challenge Cup so also wanted to avoid a similar result in this league game.

Fosters were having a better season although theirs had started so well back in August but mixed results had seem them fall way behind the top spots as they started the game in tenth, some ten points off the top three, and they were on a two match winning run in all competitions after that win here last week and also against Takeley at Chalk Lane at the weekend.

Advantage Fosters then? Well initially it looked this way as the visitors dominated the opening half hour and looked like they were going to record a comfortable win, taking the lead after twelve minutes when a cross from the left by Jamal Brimah found the head of his manager Wade and the latter nodded past hosts keeper Brandon Bullman, and then doubling it on 24 minutes when a lovely ball through by George Beattie to Wade saw the player boss fire across Bullman and into the bottom corner, it was all to easy at this point for the visitors.

Clapton though to their credit managed to work their way back into the contest, although some of it was helped by the fact Fosters took their foot of the gas and started to lose concentration, and a minute before the break won a penalty kick which Raphael Duyile converted to reduce the arrears, although that was not the end of the drama for the first half as Carl Mullings thought he had restored Fosters two goal cushion, only to see the linsman's flag go up, much to the disbelief of Wade and his side. It did mean Fosters only took a 1-2 lead into the break.

Clapton were the side now on the front foot after the break though as Fosters struggled to get anything going, a far cry from that opening half hour dominance, and were thankful for keeper Loris Marcimain who made a superb save early in the second period, and then saved skipper Danny Haigh from embarrassment when the defender knocked the ball past his own keeper, seeing the number one scramble back to try and prevent it from going in, seeing the ball hit the post and then Marcimain stop it going over the line!!! 

The hosts though were wasteful in in the final third though and then got a slice of luck themselves midway through the half when Fosters should have had a spot kick when they had a man brought down inside the box, only for the officials to decide it was outside the box, and Beattie could only fire the resultant free kick over, meaning the game remained in the balance.

Clapton continued to try and find a leveller but could not, and they almost got picked off on the counter towards the end, with the best chance of sealing the deal falling to substitute Frederick Agyemang after he was played in by Joseph Entwhistle-Wilkinson, but the big striker could only poke wide of the near post, however it mattered not as Fosters clung onto the points and moved up to eighth spot in the division.

Clapton remain in 18th following this loss, and ultimately a slow start did for them in this one, you can't be giving teams two goal head starts if you want to win football matches sadly, but they could and should of got something out of this game in the end, but sadly for them it's another defeat for Michael Walthers side.

Full time Clapton 1 Cockfosters 2

Southend Manor A-A White Ensign (Match abandoned after 3 minutes due to fog)

Essex Senior League, Tuesday January 18th

Tuesday night saw me venture over to Southchurch Park, however mother nature ended up winning the contest as the Essex Senior League local derby match between Southend Manor and White Ensign was abandoned with less than three minutes on the clock due to fog. 

This game was already a rearranged fixture from a week ago on Saturday after the heavy rains of that afternoon saw the original contest postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, and both sides were raring to go in what is a local derby with the sides both coming from Southend of course (Ensign of course play up the road at Manor's other rivals Great Wakering Rovers).

The hosts are now under ex-Hullbridge Sports assistant James Wakeling, and this was due to be his first home game, much like the original game was supposed to be, and he had a big job on his hands as he took over a side who were second bottom in the division and five points off 19th placed Sawbridgeworth Town, although in his only two games thus far, a 1-0 win over Benfleet in a friendly, and a 1-0 loss at Walthamstow in a cup game, there was much to be positive about headed into this one.

Ensign of course are recently under new management themselves after the departure of Brett Munyard and Co to Brightlingsea several weeks ago, as well as the loss of quite a few players to the same club too, however new bosses Jack Maleary and Carl Conway, who were current first team players when the old management left, have done a sterling job since taking over.

In the eight games they have taken charge in, their only losses were to National League South side Billericay Town in the Essex Senior Cup, and more recently a home loss to Hoddesdon Town, but they have netted four wins in that time too, netting seventeen times in those wins as well, and with the club sitting in seventh spot with forty two points from their twenty five games, they were in very good shape still.

This was going to be a hard game for Manor then, although with the new boss and management installed, and some new signings in along with some of the old squad, confidence was high in the hosts camp non the less, and myself, along with a few others, were looking forward to seeing how the new look Manor would get on against a decent local opposition.

Sadly we were never to see this for now at least, literally!!! As with 2 minutes and 52 seconds on the referees watch, the game was stopped as the linesman could not see the other side of the pitch to give offsides, so it was decided to abandon the game, although after some frank discussions by the tunnel between officials and management, it was agreed to give it ten minutes to see if the fog cleared or at least eased a bit for visibility to improve, but sadly it did not so the game was officially abandoned. 

Very frustrating for everyone concerned, and as referee Dr Daniel Baines said to me visibility during warm ups wasn't to bad, but it just got worse as it moved towards kick off time, and he did warn both managers that the game may not finish, but he wanted to give it every chance before calling it off, sadly he was in a no win situation and you cannot beat mother nature. (and when I got home after 9pm the fog still had not lifted, so the right decision was made). Pretty sure this is the shortest game of football I've ever seen, but it is not a record for the league I've been reliably informed!!! 

The game has to be rearranged yet again then, hopefully it's third time lucky and hopefully James can finally manage at home for the first time when Manor welcome Woodford Town to Southchurch Park at the weekend, whereas for Ensign they travel to take on Saffron Walden Town at the weekend, which will be a very tough assignment, as will Manors no doubt. Let's hope the weather plays ball!!!

Southend Manor A-A White Ensign (Match abandoned after three minutes due to fog) 

Basildon Town 2 Hutton 1

Essex Premier Cup Round Four, Saturday January 15th

I made the short trip to Basildon Sports & Leisure Club for a big Last 16 Essex Premier Cup clash between Basildon Town & Hutton, and a second half brace from player boss Marcus Bowers saw the home side come from behind to progress into the Quarter Finals.

These two sides sat one and two in the Essex Olympian Premier, the hosts had won twelve of their fifteen league games, losing only once, whilst Hutton had eleven wins from sixteen although had lost four, and when the two met here in the league back in October, Town netted a 5-2 success.

A lot has happened since that game though, and nether side had played a competitive game for over a month, so with no form as such going into this big cup tie for either side to look back on, it would be a hard one to call, although many expected a decent contest between the top two in the division.

Town's form prior to the unofficial shut down prior to Christmas saw them on an eight game winning streak in all competitions, which began with that 5-2 win over today's opponents back on 9th October, whereas Hutton had won seven out of eight since that heavy defeat against today's opponents, so both sides had been in pretty hot form before they had their breaks, but who would get the upper hand in this one and shake of any rustiness that they may have.

Both sides had chances in a tight scrappy first period, Town saw an effort thump against chest of the visiting keeper before the rebound failed to find the net, and another couple of attempts also failed to find the net, Hutton, who probably had the better of the opening half hour or so, saw their best attempt strike the frame of the goal, but it was the visitors who were to have a slender lead at the break.

This is because the visitors drew first blood after 25 minutes when George Nash managed to send a rebound back across goal and see it go in off an opponent in the six yard box for an own goal, and although Town ended the half with their first real sustained period of pressure on the visitors goal, they had been below par, and Hutton would have felt good at the break with their one goal lead.

Whatever was said by player boss Bowers in the home changing room certainly had the desired affect though as they came out with a lot more purpose after the break, and they only had to wait five minutes for a leveller when after the visiting keeper had made a superb stop, Bowers himself was on hand to fire the rebound into the roof of the net, and now Town had their tails well and truly up.

Hutton did have a couple of moments going forward but they were largely second best for the opening quarter of the second period, and just before the mid way point of the half Bowers netted again to give his side the lead, showing that strikers instinct after the defence had blocked a couple efforts to fire home from twelve or so yards out, and they had turned this tie around.

What did Hutton have left? Well, they could and should have levelled thereafter as they took the game to their opponents, somehow volleying wide from close range and then seeing the hosts keeper brilliantly tip wide another decent effort, and the visitors also saw two goals ruled out for offside as they searched for a goal that could take this contest into an extra half hour.

Town did have moments themselves to seal the deal on the counter as Hutton pushed forward, but they certainly had to do a lot of defending too and put their bodies on the line for the cause, and it proved enough for the home side to win the game and take their place in the Final Eight of the competition, setting up an away tie at fellow Essex Olympian Premier side Sungate.

A decent battle then between two good sides, not a classic as some may have expected but on a heavy pitch and having not played for so long, they certainly served up an honest battle which was played hard but fair, so that was good to see, well done to Town though who are one stage closer to winning this competition, they will certainly fancy their chances that is for sure.

Full time Basildon Town 2 Hutton 1