Pre Season Friendlies, Saturday 23rd July
On another gorgeous weekend weather wise I took in two pre season games on the edge of our capital city at Oakside and Roding Lane, and it featured two Essex Senior League sides both putting in their final preparations ahead of their league start next weekend, Redbridge and Buckhurst Hill.
The Motormen, who are looking to back up a magnificent season last time out, took on a Leyton Orient XI made up of mainly their U18 side, whilst Buckhurst Hill, who are making their first forage into Step Five football for the coming season, took on Isthmian North side Grays Athletic.
First up it was the morning kick off at Oakside, here is what happened...
Redbridge 5 Leyton Orient XI 0
On a warm lunchtime in Barkingside, the hosts began well and only took three minutes to break through after a great finish from an acute angle, but the rest of the opening half saw a scrappy contest with Orient having more possession as the half went on.
Sandwiched in between a good start and end to the half by the hosts, the young Orient side did force a couple of good stops from the hosts keeper, and at half time there wasn't a lot to split the sides, but this all changed in the second period as Redbridge took total control.
They doubled their lead eight minutes into the second period after a superb corner from the right to the far post saw a header at goal kept out, but the loose ball was rifled home, and then five minutes later it was three when after the ball spun up into the air, it was volleyed home brilliantly first time by the hosts.
And it was three goals in fifteen second half minutes when a mishit effort after a cross from the left found the net, the home side were running riot now, they had hit the crossbar twice prior to their fourth and it felt it was how many Redbridge were going to get in the remainder of the contest.
It was only to be one more for the home side as with eight minutes remaining another corner caused issues inside the box, and after a defensive header had gone up into the air, it came down right inside the six yard box and was eventually prodded home from a yard out to complete the rout.
So, in the end the Redbridge side were too good for this young Orient side, and no doubt George Christou's men will head into the season with a confident side hoping to challenge for the top positions once again.
After a ten minute car ride from Oakside to Roding Lane, courtesy of Buckhurst Hill secretary Anthony Mercer, who had kindly picked me up and taken me to game two (many thanks for that!!) it was time for Hill's contest with Grays Athletic, let's see how that went...
Buckhurst Hill 1 Grays Athletic 2
Hosts Buckhurst Hill had of course won promotion from the Eastern Senior South division after losing the play off final to Halstead Town, this because another step five side elsewhere in the country could not go up, meaning Hill were up courtesy of PPG, although it would have been tragic had they not gone up after finishing the season with 98 points!!!
They were up against a Grays side who just missed out on the playoffs last season in the Isthmian North and were looking to go one better this season, and it was the visitors who started the better and edged ahead after thirteen minutes when great play on the left by Aron Gordon saw him cut inside and fire a lovely effort inside the near post.
The hosts though gave their higher league opponents a decent tussle though and managed to level things up with thirteen minutes remaining when a lovely pass in behind the visitors back line found Lou Wynter who sent a lovely finish beyond the keeper, but Grays were to net a winner late on.
This is because the much travelled Sam Bantick, who had cut a frustrated figure for much of the time he was on the field, produced a lovely piece of skill to turn his marker before firing a left footed effort into the far corner despite the keeper getting a slight hand to the ball, and see the visitors to a hard earned pre season victory.
Hill will take much from this game though and are expected to have a very good season in the Essex Senior League in the coming season, and after today's display and with players to return to the squad as well, it's hard to disagree with that view.
No comments:
Post a Comment