Berkhamsted 1 Colney Heath 1 (aet; Berkhamsted won 5-3 on penalties)

SSML Dudley Latham Cup Final, Monday 4th May 2015 (at Oxhey Jets FC)

Today (Bank Holiday Monday) I made my first trip Oxhey Jets Boundary Stadium as it hosted the Dudley Latham Cup Final, the Spartan South Midlands League’s Premier Cup Competition.

The contenders for this cup were 2013-14 runners up Berkhamsted and 2010-11 winnersColney Heath so both were looking to add there name to the trophy for the current season.

Berko finished 19 points and six places above their opponents in the League but it was Colney Heath who had the first chance of the game on 8 minutes when a ball in from Bronti caused keeper Tasker some concern but he managed to get ahead of the onrushing forward to eventually clear the danger.

Chances were few and far between in the first quarter of the match although on 18 minutes another ball into the Berko box saw Standen miss his kick completely as the ball ran across him. Colney were certainly asking more of the questions thus far as Berko had hardly created an opening at all.

On 26 minutes the best chance of game thus far unsurprisingly fell to Colney as a corner was glanced wide by Mensah in what was a let off for the Comrades. Just past the half hour mark another chance fell to Colney as Laurence managed to get in but he couldn’t quite connect with the ball and then moments later a Colney corner saw Draper head over when he should have at least hit the target.

Eight minutes before the break good play by Colney saw a Welsh cross headed wide by Standen at the near post as Colney continued to carve out the openings and be much the better side in this first half. It was still quite a competitive game however and you knew Berko would create something at some point, and sure enough two minutes before the break they scored with their first effort on goal as Caines went on a run towards the Colney box before cutting inside onto his right foot and rifling an effort past Blackman who should of done better but nevertheless Berko had pinched the lead and went into the break a goal up.

Half Time: Berkhamsted 1 Colney Heath 0

That goal at the end of the first half gave Berko more impetus for the second half and two minutes into it they should have made it two as a corner found Carbery who headed over from point blank range when it looked easier to score and then ten minutes into the half another golden chance for the Comrades as after the ball eventually fell to Jowle inside the box right in front of goal and you thought he must score but saw his effort blocked heroically on the line by the Colney defence.

Just past the hour mark Colney won a dubious free kick in a decent position but Welsh hit a poor effort miles over in what was a total waste of a free kick. Two minutes after this more Berko pressure saw a great ball out to Jowle who saw his cross drift just wide of the far post. The Comrades were looking far more lively going forward now and with twenty minutes left Canham saw his effort cleared off the line by Colney’s defence once again after his downward header from a corner.

Colney however were still in this contest and on 73 minutes a well worked corner from them out to Standen saw his first time volley from twenty yards cleared off the Berko line. It was a warning to Berko that this game was well and truly in the balance still. With ten minutes to go a good ball into Berko’s box saw Laurence attempt a glancing header but didn’t get enough on the ball and keeper Tasker saved easily.

With six minutes to go Berko’s Christie did well to get into the box but instead of squaring the ball to his fellow teammates he poked the ball at goal with his left foot in what was a really poor effort. Then with two minutes to go Colney levelled the tie up when Payne tried his luck from way out and saw the ball dip in front of keeper Tasker and under his body and through his legs into the net. It was pretty poor keeping in all honesty but Colney didn’t care one jot.

On 90 minutes came a melee between both sides as tempers frayed. It had been threatening to boil over for a while in what was a hard fought competitive final. The resultant punishment was a booking for each side. Soon after the referee blew for full time and so we had ourselves another half hour.

Full Time: Berkhamsted 1 Colney Heath 1

Three minutes into extra time a Berko corner was flicked across goal and away for goal kick and then three minutes later up the other end Welsh’s free kick into the box was headed well wide by Bronti. In the 100th minute there was almost calamity at the back for Colney as a ball in was left by Mensah and almost let in Christie behind him who poked at goal but keeper Blackman managed to tip wide….just.

Just before the half time of extra time another silly little flare up occured. There was quite a bit of needle in this game now which was threatening to spoil what had been a great battle thus far.

Three minutes into the second period of extra time Colney’s Bronti struck from range and saw it deflect just wide and then in the 110th minute a great move from Berko saw a ball into the six yard box and Osborne saw his effort cleared off the line brilliantly yet again. There was one more effort at goal from the Comrades with three minutes to go when Caines stung the palms of Blackman from the angle but neither team could get that winning goal and so it was penalties to determine the winners.

The first seven penalties were successful and with Berko winning the shootout 4-3 Colney’s Draper stepped up to have a go and put the ball wide leaving Lawrence the chance to win the Cup for the Comrades and he duly dispatched into the corner to send Berko wild with delight and make sure they became the Dudley Latham Cup winners for this season.

Commiserations to Colney Heath who more than played their part in a decent cup final. It had been an awesome battle out there.

Full Time (aet): Berkhamsted 1 Colney Heath 1 (Berkhamsted won 5-3 on penalties)

Brentwood Town 5 Thurrock 0

Ryman One North Play Off Final, Sunday 3rd May 2015

Today (Sunday) saw me over at my second play off final in the Ryman League this weekend and it was the turn of the Ryman One North as Brentwood Town hosted Thurrock in an Essex derby at The Brentwood Centre Arena.

Both teams had come through tough semi finals and were here at the surprise of some but they were there on merit so a good game was forecast. The also had been the opening game of the season back in August when 104 fans saw Thurrock run out 3-0 winners, and no doubt the visitors would of loved a repeat of this scoreline.

There were almost 800 inside the Arena as the game kicked off and there was a surprisingly subdued atmosphere as apart from two efforts on goal by the hosts not a lot else had happened in the first quarter of an hour. Thurrock’s first shot on goal came on 18 minutes when Jordan Clark turned his man but hit a weak shot at the Brentwood goal.

The hosts created the best chance by a long way so far in the game on 22 minutes when a ball squared to Bantick saw him drill an effort wide when in a good position but as the half hour mark passed the game was average at best in what was a very subdued derby match as I said earlier.

On 32 minutes Thurrock’s Wall turned and tried an effort from the edge of the box but saw it go wide and then the hosts went down the other end and saw Akrofi fire a shot into the side netting and neither keeper needed to make a save. Bantick then went on a run for the hosts and he cut inside but scuffed his shot well wide in another disappointing effort at goal.

As the half drifted towards the last five minutes or so the game perked up slightly and on 39 minutes Bantick’s free kick for the hosts was struck well towards the top corner but keeper Rhys Madden plucked it out of the air and then Thurrock went even closer as a ball whipped into the six yard box was poked over by Spence when it looked like the visitors were about to take the lead.

Two minutes before half time Brentwood defender Gardner put in a wonderful last ditch tackle to deny Carvell a shot at goal. It was a great challenge and probably a goal saving challenge too and made sure his side went in level at the half, a half that only really got going in the last few minutes of it. Not a classic by any means.

Half Time: Brentwood Town 0 Thurrock 0

Thurrock looked to build on the chances they had created at the end of the first half and created a half chance moments into the second half when Christou had an effort at goal from an angle which was easy for Bowles in the Brentwood goal but what followed in the next fifteen minutes was incredible.

The hosts took the lead four minutes into the second half when a through ball to Akrofi put the striker clear and he thumps the ball past Rhys Madden with aplomb and gave the hosts the perfect start to the half. Thurrock tried to respond and won three quick free kick’s in decent positions around the hosts box but saw two of them hit the wall and the other dragged well wide by Spence.

But then on 58 minutes Brentwood doubled their lead as Akrofi shrugged off Waters to bare down on goal and although his initial effort was saved by Rhys Madden the ball squirmed away and left Akrofi a simple tap into the empty net and put the hosts firmly in control of this tie. Then came a moment of controversy on the hour mark when Thurrock wanted a penalty as Jordan Clark went down under a challenge but the referee saw nothing wrong and booked Clark for diving, which annoyed the visitors somewhat.

This was compounded a minute later when the hosts were awarded a penalty after Akrofi was brought down by Waters who was subsequently sent off for being the last man. Akrofi picked himself up to take the spot kick and scored to make it 3-0 and also grab himself a hat trick in 13 minutes. As Thurrock were still reeling from this set back Rees ran at the Thurrock penalty area and fired a long range effort past Rhys Madden for a brilliant goal and an incredible four goals in fifteen minutes for the hosts.

The visitors looked totally shell shocked as did most of the crowd as you could not see this coming at half time. On 72 minutes another good run by Brentwood’s Bantick into the box saw him try a shot at goal but could only slice well wide of the target. Thurrock’s Goode tested hosts keeper Bowles from range but the keeper saved to his left hand side.

Bowles then made a good double save soon after to keep out Wall before another effort from Robert Clark was hit straight at the keeper as the visitors at least looked to try and finish the game with something to show. On 78 minutes that man Bantick caused Thurrock problems by cutting inside his marker but could only fire wide of the far post.

Brentwood had brought on top scorer Stanley in the second half and with five minutes remaining he got his goal and the hosts fifth of an incredible second half when he was played through and the striker slotted past Rhys Madden with ease to cap an incredible afternoon for the home side. There was one more chance for the visitors to try and grab a consolation goal when they won another free kick on the edge of the box and Robert Clark struck a great free kick but Bowles pulled off a great save to keep them out.

So Brentwood Town reach the Ryman Premier for next season and they celebrated accordingly whilst for Thurrock they must lick there wounds and go again next season.

Full Time: Brentwood Town 5 Thurrock 0

Folkestone Invicta 0 Merstham 3

Ryman One South Play Off Final, Saturday 2nd May 2015

So the first of the Ryman League Play Off finals saw me at the Fullicks Stadium, Folkestone for a Ryman One South Final as Folkestone Invicta hosted Merstham.

The hosts finished the season in the runners up spot whilst Merstham finished five points behind in 4th place, and with both teams having scored 107 goals in the league you would of expected an open attacking game.

The hosts looked to stamp their home advantage straight away by putting the visiting back under some early pressure but they were caught cold on six minutes when from Merstham’s first attack of note they scored. A ball lobbed into the area found full back Cooper in acres of space and the hosts looked in horror as no flag went up and saw Cooper drill across keeper Roberts and into the far corner.

So an early set back for the Kent side but they continued to attack and on 10 minutes from their umpteenth corner Everitt headed the place kick towards the far corner and saw it cleared off the line. Soon after another corner saw Chappell head over. The visitors were giving away multiple free kicks around the box and from one such free kick on 17 minutes saw the ball swung into the dangerzone and Chappell again headed at goal but this time was thwarted by an brilliant save by Daly.

All these fouls were upsetting the hosts and on 24 minutes another foul outside the box caused temper to fray and Merstham centre half Okoye appeared to lean his head into the face of his opponent after they squared up but after the referee had calmed it down it was just a talking to for both players. The resulting free kick saw Draycott’s effort well saved by Daly and then saw the follow up kept out too as the hosts were well on top.

Just before the half hour visitors Merstham won a free kick in a decent area but saw Saraiva hit a poor effort straight at Roberts in the Folkestone goal but this was a rare attack from the Surrey side as the hosts were creating all the chances, and one such chance on 34 minutes saw a free kick find Atkins but he could only glance his header wide and then a minute later Atkins found himself in again but could only drill into the side netting.

Seven minutes before the break more good play from the hosts saw Wright into the area and as keeper Daly came out he lobbed the keeper but saw the ball go just over the bar. And then on half time came a sucker punch from Merstham as they doubled their lead with only their second meaningful attempt on goal when a corner from the left saw Henriques power home a header from six yards out. It had been all Folkstone in the first half but unbelievably they found themselves two goals behind as the half time whistle blew.

Half Time: Folkestone Invicta 0 Merstham 2

The hosts knew they had to score the next goal to have any realistic chance of winning this tie but six minutes into the half this was blown out of the water as Merstham scored again. The visitors won a free kick some twenty five yards out and Saraiva stepped up and cracked a wonderful left footed strike into the corner of the net. Three shots, three goals, you could say Merstham were clinical when it mattered.

The home side and the majority of the 1,465 crowd were shell shocked and Folkestone now faced a monster of a mountain to climb if they were to even force extra time. Just before the hour mark a good header from Invicta’s Draycott forced another decent save from Daly as it was just not the hosts day in front of goal. Merstham nearly made it worse moments later when they broke down the right hand side and the ball was played into Adeniyi who took a touch before hitting a effort just wide.

The second half was no where near as lop sided as the first and the visitors were creating more chances as a result. On 67 minutes one such chance saw the ball fall to Okoye in the box but he could only hit straight at Roberts and then four minutes later a free kick from the visitors saw Hutchings whip just over the bar as they finally looked comfortable with their three goal lead.

On 77 minutes Folkstone’s Atkins turned on the edge of the box and hit a more than decent effort just wide but the hosts were struggling to create anywhere near the amount of openings they had done in the first half and the game was starting to drift away from them and you could sense this in their body language and in the crowd too.

Merstham full back Cooper, who got the opening goal, went close as he ran onto a pass to burst into the area but saw his effort fly inches wide and then two minutes after this sub Hall wriggled away from his marker before firing just over from an angle as the visitors were now in cruise control.

The hosts had one last effort at goal, a header straight into the arms of keeper Daly, before the referee blew for full time and saw jubilant scenes from Merstham, who reach the Ryman Premier Division for the first time. For the hosts it was one of those days in front of goal where they would not have scored had they played until next season, but they will have to re group for next season and go again.

Full Time: Folkestone Invicta 0 Merstham 3