Essex Olympian Premier Division, Saturday 4th November
So, Guy Fawkes weekend, and the first Saturday in November,
saw me take a forty minute or so bus journey from the bottom of my road to
Eastwoodbury Lane for an Essex Olympian Premier Division contest at The Len
Forge Centre between Catholic United and Kelvedon Hatch.
The main reasons for this being one, it was a 3G surface so
the masses of rain meant the game would not be postponed due to a waterlogged
pitch, and secondly because it was an easy journey, their was cover at the
ground in case of any rogue showers, and it was a cheap day out as finances
heading towards Christmas and new year, the cost of living, were tight!!!
But most importantly it was a local side in Catholic United
who needed some support after what has been a retched run of form in the league
of late, the club had started the season brilliantly, winning six of their
first seven and inflicting to date league leaders Rayleigh Town’s only loss
this campaign (they have won the other eleven!!!) but since then they had lost
four games in a row before last weekend’s 2-2 draw at strugglers Harold Wood
Athletic.
Catholic did win in the Anagram Records Trophy two weekends
ago against CSM London, but their last league win was way back on 16th
September, and this form has seen them down in fifth and way behind the top two
now, so they desperately needed a positive result against a Kelvedon Hatch side
who had only won two league games thus far this campaign and sat down in tenth
and only a point above the bottom two places.
Hatch have tasted league success more recently though than
their opponents, a 2-0 home win over Canning Town in mid-October, but it’s been
another tough season for the visitors this campaign, a campaign that did start
with victory at Harold Wood Athletic, but since then it was seven games without
a win (six defeats) before that win over Canning Town, although they did also
lose last weekend narrowly against Shenfield AFC.
These two did meet in the league on September 9th
when the weather was a lot better than recently, and Catholic ran out 3-2
winners at Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall, so would we get a similar contest here?
Well, the hosts began the contest in the best possible fashion, taking a 2nd minute lead when a lovely long through ball from Tom Kearney released Aaron Baldwin in on goal, and after rounding keeper Rhys Hughes who had got himself rather in no mans land on the edge of the box, the hosts striker slotted home beautifully from an acute angle, 1-0 to the Essex Bhoys.
Catholic though could not build on this early advantage, and in the 18th minute were pegged back by the visitors after Reece Simpson drove into the box before cutting back onto his left foot and seeing an effort take a couple of ricochets before finding the bottom corner of the net, but it didn't take the hosts long to regain that one goal lead when Baldwin curled home a superb left footed free kick from around twenty yards or so out, leaving keeper Hughes rooted to the spot.
But, back came Hatch once again as it was 2-2 after just twenty five minutes of action, and it was another poor goal for the hosts to concede, as a flick into the six yard box saw Simpson manage to react quicker than anyone else around him to swivel and prod a finish into the bottom corner, and with no further goals in the remainder of the half, the sides went into the break all square.
How would the second half pan out? Well, five minutes into it the visitors got their noses in front for the very first time in the contest when a ball into the box was not dealt with by the hosts and allowed Luke Skinner the chance to convert from close range, the ball didn't go in cleanly but it went in all the same, and Hatch now had a lead to hold onto.
For a period after that goal they looked the slightly better outfit, but Catholic dug deep and started to create chances, and with seventeen minutes to go found a leveller to tie this one up once again as centre half Brad Vaughan rose to power home a header from twelve yards out and now it was the hosts who looked the likelier to find a winner.
They probably should have found one but either found keeper Hughes in the way or poor finishing thwart the home side, and the contest ended with Baldwin curling over a free kick from a pretty identical position for his second goal, but he could not find the target and the game ended all square meaning a point each for both.
It was for the neutral at least a very entertaining and enjoyable contest, so kudos to both sides for putting on a good show for all who were there, and the point sees Catholic slip a place to sixth as they have now gone six games without a win, although as I told them afterwards, it's two games unbeaten now after four straight losses in the league, positive thinking hey.
Kelvedon Hatch also slip a place to 11th, fourth bottom in the division, but will be boosted by this performance today and it's now five precious points from their last four games which is a vast improvement on what they had picked up prior to this, so plenty to be positive about too.
Full time Catholic United 3 Kelvedon Hatch 3
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