Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 2 (aet)

The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay, Tuesday 23rd August 2016

Tuesday evening saw me over on the outskirts of Colchester as I visited The Hawthorns,Stanway Rovers FC for their FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay tie against Barking.

It had been around twenty years since I last visited the ground and much had changed of course although the pitch and surrounding areas seemed similar to what I remember from before. Anyway it was a perfect sunny evening for football so it certainly helped the excitement build before kick off.

The sides had played out a pretty poor 0-0 draw at the weekend in East London so it was hoped that this replay would at least be a better spectacle. However for the first half hour or so the game was fairly quiet with only a couple of openings for the hosts comfortably dealt with by Jason Willis and the visitors heading a chance well wide of the target the only notable goal mouth action.

But then from nowhere came a lead for the Blues when a ball pumped into the box saw Paul Oshinsend a looping header over hosts keeper Rhys Hughes and into the net to see the visitors go in front. It was probably the only real moment of quality in the whole half if truth be told.

Just before half time both sides had openings, firstly when the hosts almost scored a comical own goal but managed to get back to clear, and then secondly Willis managed to save from point blank range after the hosts had miscued an effort when full contact may have resulted in a leveller, however it was the visiting ESL side who went into the half with a slender lead.

Half Time Stanway Rovers 0 Barking 1

The early exchanges in the second half saw the hosts apply much greater pressure on the Barking back line and saw an early chance go begging when a free kick was headed back across the face of goal and wide. The Blues spent much of the first ten to fifteen minutes of the second half pegged back as the hosts tried to find a leveller but on the hour mark Barking really should of made it two when Ricky Tarrard found himself in on goal but he lifted his effort over the bar.

And moments later the Blues should of netted again when a loose ball across the area found John Bricknell who looked certain to score but for a block on the line by a recovering defender. It was another golden chance for the visitors to double their advantage in the tie.

The hosts though were still doing a lot of pressing and with ten minutes left Jamie Shaw forced Willis into a decent stop at his near post as the Blues were being pushed back again. And then with four minutes to go the hosts were awarded a penalty for an apparent hold, although it looked slightly soft to me, and Shaw stepped up to send the spot kick in via Willis’s hand and the hosts had found the leveller.

The Blues were furious and went in search of a winner in normal time and low and behold they then won themselves a spot kick three minutes later for what I think was a push inside the box and James Peagram had the chance to win it for the visitors but his penalty was poor and straight at Hughes who saved the effort meaning the tie would go into extra time.

Full Time Stanway Rovers 1 Barking 1

So after that dramatic end to the game would extra time provide any more twists and turns? Well less than a minute into the extra half hour Stanway went in front when Shaw sent a looping header over a stranded Willis and it was the hosts who looked likely to add to their tally as they saw William Hunt’s effort well tipped over by Willis soon after.

And then two minutes before the end of the first period Stanway did increase their lead when Daniel Thrower drove into the box and rammed a left footed effort past Willis from inside the box and gave the hosts a two goal cushion heading into the half time break in extra time.

Half Time in ET Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 1

If you thought that was the end of the drama then think again. Barking knew they had to pull something out of the hat to get back into this tie and a minute into the second period they sawPeagram smash home a wonderful free kick to bring the scoreline to 3-2 and it was game on again.

Thereafter the Blues swarmed all over the hosts defence as they searched for the equaliser but although they continued to knock on the door Rovers continued to cling on to their lead. And with only a few minutes to go Barking’s joint manager and substitute Glen Golby struck a magnificent effort from range which struck the inside of the post and rolled across the goal and away.

Barking continued to press and the hosts then saw substitute Tyler Kemp sent off for a secondbooking for handball which led to another Barking set piece in a dangerous area. However the free kick was over hit and drifted out and Stanway had survived the barrage of attacks to take their place in the First Qualifying Round and a match with Barton Rovers.

This game may have began slowly but boy did it turn into a classic cup tie or what. Fabulous entertainment.

Full Time after ET Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 2

Barkingside 2 Takeley 2

Essex Senior League, Monday 22nd August 2016

So Monday evening saw me at my first ESL game of the season for a top of the table clash between Barkingside and Takeley at Cricklefield Stadium in Seven Kings, Ilford.

Both sides have begun the season well and so this was billed as a potentially decent contest between two strong sides. Side had recovered well after a thrashing on the opening day of the season to sit fifth in the table whilst Takeley had four wins from five and sat top of the pile.

The hosts came into this one though off the back of a 7-2 mauling at Haringey Borough in the FA Cupon Saturday and their defensive frailties showed immediately from the off as barely thirty seconds into the contest Charlie Cole found himself clean through on goal and he duly lifted an effort beyond Sam Roach and gave Takeley an ideal start.

Side though to their credit regrouped and saw midfielder George Lutaaya strike the outside of the post from range on ten minutes and six minutes later they went one better, seeing skipper Paul Wrightcurl a delightful effort beyond Ronnie Yates into the top corner of the net and bring the hosts level.

The visitors, after making such a good start, had dropped considerably and it was the hosts who nearly scored again when Jason Fontaine almost got onto a ball into the box but visiting keeper Yates just managed to get to the ball first and end any danger. It was most certainly a game where their was no quarter given though in what was a tough battle out there as the teams reached the half time break all square.

Half Time Barkingside 1 Takeley 1

Takeley began the second half like they did the first, strongly, and almost netted in the first minute of the second half when Paul Tiffin had a sight of goal but hit his effort straight at Roach. But three minutes into the half the visitors did retake the lead after more defensive woes from the hosts, as after keeper and defender miscommunication, Tiffin had the simple job of sliding the ball into the empty net and give the visitors the advantage once again.

This would of no doubt frustrated hosts boss Gus Gulfer whose side had done so well in the first half to fight back after such a poor start, only to concede such a sloppy goal so quickly after the restart.

However right now his team were well on the back foot as the visitors looked likely to add to their lead and saw a Cole effort at goal saved by the legs of Roach before another hosts defensive lapse saw keeper and defender collide and leave the goal open but sadly for the visitors Cole could only hit his effort wide of the target in what was a huge let off for the hosts.

However whilst the game was still 2-1 the hosts were never out of the contest but they had not tested the Takeley keeper Yates at all in this second period although as the game entered the final fifteen minutes they were at least trying to probe the visiting back line.

The hosts though were not having things their own way as Takeley looked relatively comfortable with what was coming their way and frustrations almost boiled over when Side forward Luke With got into an altercation with Takeley defender Jack Leachman which ended with a booking a piece, but it was clear the hosts were cutting a frustrated figure.

Takeley had another chance to seal the points with five minutes left when Mitchell Das got in down the left but he could only slice his effort wide of the target and saw the Takeley winger hold his head in his hands as he knew they had passed up another opportunity.

The hosts gave it one last push in stoppage time and saw a corner into the visitors box cause a slight scramble and end with Lutaaya drag an effort well wide. You may have been forgiven that would be that, but five minutes into stoppage time Takeley gave away a silly free kick right on the edge of the box and Wright stepped up to smash the free kick beyond Yates into the top corner and rescue a point for his side.

Takeley would of no doubt rued those missed chances in the second half although the point does take them four points clear at the top whilst for Barkingside this is definitely a point gained and takes them up to third spot in the division.

Full Time Barkingside 2 Takeley 2

Romford 4 Hullbridge Sports 3

The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round, Sunday 21st August 2016

So Sunday afternoon and my second FA Cup tie of the weekend saw me over at the Thurrock Hotel in Ship Lane for a match between Romford and Hullbridge Sports.

The ground had seen a cup shock the day before when Landlords Thurrock had lost at home to Thurlow Nunn One side Halstead Town and so Hullbridge were hoping they could also spring a surprise of their own against Ryman North Romford.

And for the first few minutes the ESL side looked ready to cause a shock. Within a minute of the kick off Matt Brinklow played Luke Hornsley in and the striker saw his effort come back off the post but a minute after that a cross into the dangerzone saw Rob Hodgson head home from close range and give the visitors an early lead.

However the hosts regrouped and came back to level the tie up after only nine minutes as a ball swung in by left back Paul Preston saw Chinedu McKenzie head in off the post and bring the Ryman North side level in this contest. The hosts were most certainly finding their feet now and midway through the half they went in front when Preston, who was causing the visiting defence problems down the left, crossed for skipper Jamie Dicks to power home a close range header and see Romford turn this tie around.

The hosts continued to press and missed a couple of chances to increase their lead although the visiting side were far from out of the tie and proved this fact when Brinklow saw a decent effort well tipped over by hosts keeper Richard Wray five minutes before the break.

But then a minute into first half stoppage time Hullbridge gave away a stupid penalty when hauling down McKenzie inside the box and Matt Mitchell stepped up to slot home the spot kick and send the hosts into the half time break two goals to the good.

Half Time Romford 3 Hullbridge Sports 1

Sports knew an early goal back in the second half would change the look of this tie yet again and two minutes into it they should of had that goal as Hodgson somehow glanced a header wide from six yards out. It was a golden chance and one that should of been taken and the way he beat the turf after missing suggested he knew that too.

And moments later the miss was compounded when Romford made it four as McKenzie managed to drill a shot inside the near post for his second of the contest and suddenly the visitors were three goals behind with an even bigger almost impossible mountain to climb.

And for a period of time after the hosts dominated proceedings and could and should of added to their four goals, missing at least three decent opportunities, as they threatened to run away with the contest. However the hosts failed to capitalise on this period of dominance and had a warning from the visitors when a rare second half chance for the ESL side saw Jimmy Cox spoon over an effort at the far post when it looked easier to score.

As the half entered the last twenty minutes or so though the visitors began to get a foothold in the game once again as the hosts seemed to drop in tempo and the visitors thought they should of had a penalty when Hodgson seemed to be shoved over inside the box but saw nothing given and his protests ended with him being booked as Hullbridge looked a frustrated side.

However Hullbridge kept plugging away and they found a second goal with just under fifteen minutes remaining when Harry Skinner saw the ball drop to him outside the box and he fired a shot beyond Wray into the bottom corner and the Bridge boys had a sniff of an opening. The sniff became a real chance nine minutes later when they got another goal back as Hornsley was played in and he slotted home and suddenly the hosts were hanging on.

Sports now fancied their chances of getting something from the game and in the final minute of normal time won a free kick which was swung into the back post and saw Hodgson amongst others dive and appear to head just wide of the goal, however the linesman had his flag up for a free kick to Romford, and after discussion with the referee saw Hodgson dismissed for a second booking as he had put the ball wide with his hand and not his head and as it was deemed deliberate handball it was a bookable offence.

The final few minutes saw Romford cling on and take the win which at one point looked likely to be a comfortable one but ended up being anything but. However it is the Ryman North side who take their place in the First Qualifying Round and an away tie at Ryman Premier Harlow Town in two weeks time.

Full Time Romford 4 Hullbridge Sports 3

Sporting Bengal United 2 Clapton 0

The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round, Saturday 20th August 2016

So my first weekend back in Blighty saw me see a local derby in the most famous competition in the world as Sporting Bengal United hosted Clapton at the Mile End Stadium.

Early morning rain had cleared although it was still a very blustery afternoon in East London so both sides would have to adapt to the conditions laid before them. However with a bumper crowd packed into the main stand at the stadium, mostly due to the attendance of the now well known Clapton Ultras, a great atmosphere welcomed the teams at kick off.

The first fifteen minutes or so yielded very little in the way of attacking football, the only real attempt of note saw Clapton left winger Johnny Ashman cut inside and force hosts keeper Dwayne Esprit into a smart save to his left to push the ball away from goal whilst the hosts themselves were limited to a couple of long range efforts, both comfortably fielded by the giant frame of Pape Diagne in the Tons goal.

However the contest continued to drift along with not a lot of quality and although Ashman was looking lively down the Clapton left, he was ultimately ineffective along with everyone else as the tie was tight and tense and certainly not a classic. However the Tons almost gifted the hosts the lead just past the half hour mark when sloppy play allowed Zubair Hussain a sight of goal but he could only drag his effort wide.

It was a rare moment though as the half unsurprisingly came to a goal less conclusion and left both managers needing to try and get their sides to lift themselves to try and gain an advantage in a tie that so far had yielded very little in the way of goalmouth action. It was certainly to tight to call.

Half Time Sporting Bengal United 0 Clapton 0

You may have thought that the sides would come out all guns blazing and try and take the initiative in the tie but to be honest this never really happened as the match continued in its mundane affair. The Tons did have a couple of half chances, if you could call them that, and the hosts almost caught the visitors short at the back, but apart from this the first fifteen minutes of the half yielded very little once again.

Chances as you have probably worked out were few and far between but as the game entered the final twenty or so minutes the hosts saw a decent effort from Codey Cameron fly inches over the visitors bar whilst down the other end Clapton went close on three occasions in quick succession, one which saw them hit the post from barely two yards, although that was flagged offside anyway.

The game at least had slightly improved from the previous seventy odd minutes but the question on everyone’s lips was would anyone manage to find a winner? Sporting certainly went close to finding one inside the last ten minutes but saw the Tons defence somehow smuggle the ball out for a corner.

And then with four minutes of normal time remaining came the moment that saw the hosts grab a priceless lead. A cross came out to Hussain who hit a wonderful low effort from outside the box into the far corner of the net beyond Diagne in the Tons net and send the hosts wild with delight and then three minutes later they sealed their passage into the next round when a cross to the far post saw David Vaughan totally unmarked and he duly powered a header beyond Diagne and cued more celebrations with the home bench.

The referee did add on quite a bit of stoppage time due to many stoppages that had occured in the second half but Clapton did not threaten to find a way back into the contest and the full time whistle saw the hosts celebrate a huge win in their history as they reach the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the first time in ten attempts. They face Evo-Stik Premier sideKings Langley away on September 3rd and no doubt they will give a good account of themselves against higher league opposition.

Full Time Sporting Bengal United 2 Clapton 0