Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Saturday 8th November
It was the turn of Step Six and the Thurlow Nunn South for my coverage in the second weekend of November, and it pitted play off chasing Rayleigh Town against a Cannons Wood side who were trying to get themselves away from the danger zone at the bottom of the division, and it certainly was an intriguing contest and one that had the potential to produce plenty of goal mouth action.
The hosts came into this contest off the back of a 7-0 demolition of AS London last weekend, a result that saw AS London boss Frankie Sinclair stand down as manager, so Rayleigh were looking to continue that form into this game against a Cannons Wood side who started the day two points above the drop zone but had netted eight goals in their last two games, both away from home, and had picked up four points too.
Town started the day six points off the top five but found it tough going in the first half against a dangerous visiting attack, and on nine minutes Wood had the chance to go in front when they were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the box, however, Emmanuel Osilaja saw his spot kick saved by Josh Hudson, who got down well to his right to tip the ball away, a golden chance spurned by the visitors, and one Rayleigh capitalised on.
That is because after eighteen minutes had elapsed, Rayleigh took the lead, a decent ball in from the right by Louie Watkins found Tommy Sykes who glanced a wonderful header into the far corner, giving visiting keeper Sam Heard no chance whatsoever, and the hosts had a fortunate lead if truth be told based on the balance of play, Wood were certainly having the better of it and even saw a looping header find the net too, but this chalked off for offside.
The booming voice of hosts boss Rob Hodgson was regularly heard from the dugout, he was less than impressed with their performance in the opening half, but it was to end on a very positive note for them when they doubled their lead in first half stoppage time, skipper Ben Baxter sending a cross into the area, finding Kofi Goodrum totally unmarked to squeeze an effort beyond Heard, and Rayleigh would go into the break 2-0 up despite being way off their normal standards, and the visitors would have probably wondered how they were two goals behind.
However, it soon became apparent whatever Hodgson had said in the dressing room at half time certainly raised his sides levels, and twelve minutes into the second period came the home sides third, a ball over the the far side of the six yard box saw centre half Matt Bumpus send a looping header back towards the goal, it went over keeper Heard and full back Damien Siemienczuk was on hand to turn home from pretty much on the goal line, no one really knew who had scored it as no one was sure if the original header from Bumpus had gone over the line prior to Siemienczuk touching it home, but whatever happened, it was a three goal cushion for the home side.
A few minutes later and things went from bad to worse for the visitors, Siemienczuk was involved again but in a flashpoint which ended up with him being booked and visiting player Keanu Hill being sent off, although I wasn't sure he was even involved in the flashpoint, but anyway, he was giving marching orders and soon after that, in the 64th minute, Rayleigh all but ended the contest by adding a fourth when Watkins managed to convert from close range.
To Cannons Wood credit that kept going and tried to find a consolation goal, but they just were not destined to find the net in this one, and if truth be told Rayleigh could and should have added more in the second period, they were much more improved from the first half and were certainly the better side in the second forty five minutes, and they were to cap a good afternoon with a fifth goal in stoppage time.
This was after they were awarded a penalty for a foul inside the box, and substitute Dylan Jones duly stepped to thump the spot kick past Heard and make it 5-0, a score line you didn't really see coming at half time, but that's twelve goals without reply in two games now for the home side which does wonders for their goal difference!!! No doubt Hodgson and co would have been happy at how their side improved after the break.
It was an afternoon to forget in the end for Cannons Wood although they certainly showed why they have been scoring goals of late and can certainly take positives from that first half display especially, but it's keeping them out at the other end which they will need to address, but they showed enough today to suggest they can win games going forward and climb away from the bottom three.
Full time Rayleigh Town 5 Cannons Wood 0
Right, lets see what else happened this weekend in the division, and how it effects all the sides in the table:-
Barkingside 1-4 Coggeshall Town (Friday) (Josh Ambrose, James Long, Todd Hollocks & Joe Borein were all on target for visitors Coggeshall as they continued their fine form with a comfortable victory at Cricklefield, it leaves the visitors three points off the top five whereas Barkingside remain second bottom and two points from safety)
Burnham Ramblers 3-1 May & Baker (Stuart Zanone, Tom Franks & Oli Wells all netted for Ranblers as they saw off ten man Bakers at Leslie Field, Ramblers are in ninth and five points off the top five, Bakers poor away form continues as they are now down in 15th)
Clapton Community 2-2 FC Baresi (Clapton Community fought back from two goals down at the break to earn a point in this one, goals from Sertan Kirman & Kuba Ollivierre had Baresi two goals up but second half goals from Fred Taylor & Lewis Owiredu made sure the game ended all square. Clapton Community remain in the play off zone, Baresi are down in 12th)
FC Romania 2-2 NW London (NW London fought back from a two goal deficit at half time to earn a point, Ekow Amaquandoh & Samir Sedaoui both netted to put the hosts 2-0 up at the break, but the visitors fought back to earn a share of the spoils, leaving FCR three points above the drop zone and the visitors in tenth)
Hoddesdon Town 2-2 Brimsdown (Bailey Eden's 94th minute leveller salvaged a point for bottom side Hoddy, the hosts did lead through Blue Gallagher but then saw Matas Machovas & Max Montgomery score to put the visitors ahead, however, Eden's late goal made sure Hoddy extended their unbeaten run to three games, and denied Brimsdown an important three points as they remain in fourth)
Newbury Forest 5-0 Enfield Borough (League leaders Forest thrashed Enfield Borough for the second time in less than a week, Eben Mbona netted a brace & there were further goals for Tarique Jones, Prince-Manuel Commodore & Reon Reid as the hosts are eight points clear at the top, whereas Borough remain in the bottom three)
Southend Manor 3-0 Dunmow Town (Despite all the dramas at Southchurch Park this week, Manor pulled off a superb win against Dunmow Town thanks to goals from Ole Richards, Ruben Philip & Jude Morgan to take them six point above the bottom three and only three points behind their opponents now who are in 13th)
Stansted 1-3 Hutton (Hutton are up to second after they netted victory at Hargrave Park against fellow promotion chasers Stansted, Hutton lead 2-0 at the break and although Freddie O'Brien pulled one back late on, a stoppage time goal from the visitors sealed the win and leaves The Airportmen in eighth and five points off the play off zone now)
That completes my blog from the Thurlow Nunn South today, hope you enjoyed reading and many thanks for taking the time to read it, it's very much appreciated!!!
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