Sunderland 0 Southampton 4

FA Premier League, Saturday 11th February 2017

It was that time of year again where me and Step Mother decide to make the annual pilgrimage North East from Essex to the Stadium of Light, Sunderland for what is a very long day after a 6am start and 1am ish finish!!!!

Why do we do this? Well my wonderful father and my step mum’s devoted husband for nine years passed away to cancer in 2008 and he was a Black Cat for over forty years, so around his February 8th birthday we attend the closest home game to this date and go up to support them in his honour.

This year saw them host Southampton who were on a poor run of six defeats from seven so weren’t arriving into the North East with too much confidence whilst the Black Cats remarkable 4-0 success at Crystal Palace last weekend brought genuine optimism amongst home fans that another positive result, which could of taken them out of the drop zone if other results went there way, could be achieved here.

And the first twenty minutes certainly gave the impression that the Saints looked nervous and lacking in confidence as the hosts really looked up for it and were much sharper and pressed every ball and had their opponents on the back foot, although they didn’t test keeper Fraser Forster for who was getting booed everytime he touched the ball due to his Newcastle United connections.

Sadly after these opening twenty minutes Sunderlands desire and tempo started to wain for some reason and the visitors began to have more possession and suddenly looked a threat going forward. It was therefore no surprise when the Saints took the lead on the half hour mark.

Ryan Bertrand sent a teasing cross towards the near post where Manolo Gabbiadini, no relation to ex-Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini, managed to convert beyond keeper Vito Mannone‘s hand and into the near corner of the goal. It later turned out that it did in fact come off Lamine Kone’s head and onto the forearm of the striker so the visiting forward was a touch lucky, but from then on it was all Southampton.

The League Cup finalists were in full stride now duly added a killer second in first half stoppage time, and what a goal it was, as a brilliant one touch passing move ended with that manGabbiadini turning his marker before slotting under Mannone and into the net and end the half in style for the Saints. The hosts had it all to do second half that was for sure.

Half Time Sunderland 0 Southampton 2

If the Black Cats could just get one goal back maybe they could just rescue something from this one. Sadly that never really looked likely and in fact Southampton looked more likely to add to their tally. Second half substitute Shane Long, who had caused Sunderland problems in the past, and Gabbiadini headed good chances wide as they looked to seal the points.

The Black Cats huffed and puffed at times during the second half but even when they did get into a decent attacking position lacked that guile and craft to cause the visitors any problems. In fact the only shot on target came from a weak long range effort from Didier Ndong, who looked the most likely to do anything, and the main man up front Jermaine Defoe didn’t have one attempt on goal at all.

And the visitors therefore had a fairly comfortable day at the back in general because of that as they were heading for only a second win in seven. In the 88th minute they did find a third goal too as a ball in towards Long saw defender Jason Denayer try and get to the cross ahead of the Saints striker but inadvertently poked the ball beyond Mannone for an own goal and cue a mass exodus of the near 40,000 crowd inside the stadium.

It had been a painful watch for us home fans and to rub salt into what was now a gaping wound, the visitors had time to see who else than Long to slot home a fourth and make it an utterly miserable day for the bottom side. Those two clean sheets against Palace and Spurs plus the four points gained from those games seemed forgotten as the full time whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from anyone who had bothered to stay till the end.

Fortunately results went the home sides way so are still in striking distance of fourth bottom although they can afford no more performances of this nature. For Southampton it was a welcome result after a difficult period and they have a Cup Final to look forward to at the end of the month. It certainly made the journey home for me and step mother rather long after this result though!!!

Full Time Sunderland 0 Southampton 4

Burnham Ramblers 3 Tower Hamlets 1

Essex Senior League, Tuesday 7th February 2017

I was at an important game down at the foot of the Essex Senior League table on Tuesday night as Burnham Ramblers hosted Tower Hamlets at Leslie Field.

The two sides had met on Saturday and saw the Mile End side come out 4-1 winners which put a little daylight between them and the bottom two sides. It was therefore important that the hosts got something from this game and knew a win could see them climb off the foot of the division.

The visitors so nearly had an early lead though when they saw Rahim Adama Bamba hit a terrific effort off the bar with the keeper getting the faintest of touches after six minutes but almost immediately the hosts themselves struck the frame of the goal from an acute angle as both sides looked to get their noses in front.

But on ten minutes the breakthrough did arrive and it came from the home side as Charlie Hughes struck a shot across the keeper and in off the far post and the bottom side had the advantage.

The hosts were now on the front foot and in the 17th minute saw a good chance fall to them inside the box but the effort was straight at the keeper and then moments later another effort was side footed just wide of near post after a decent run and cross down the left hand side.

The visitors did threaten again midway through the half though when the lively Bamba went close again, hitting a dipping effort just over the bar, but in the 25th minute the hosts doubled their lead when a poor defensive header went up into the air and saw Hughes volley home from close range and give the hosts a two goal cushion.

And four minutes before the break things were to get even better for the hosts as Hughes burst clean through on goal and he duly rounded the exposed keeper and slotted home into the empty net for his hat-trick and Burnham’s third. It had been a wonderful half for the hosts whilst for the visitors it had been a fairly poor one as their defending once again had let them down.

Half Time Burnham Ramblers 3 Tower Hamlets 0

The hosts immediately threatened at the start of the second half and after a terrific run into the area and ball across goal was scrambled away by a desperate defence and the remained on the back foot for the opening ten minutes of the half as the hosts tried to kill them game off once and for all.

Hamlets first chance of the half came in the 56th minute when firing a decent chance inches over from inside the area and then in the 66th minute came the visitors best chance to date when Bamba raced clear of the Burnham back line, but he saw his effort saved by the keeper before moments later up the other end the hosts saw an effort tipped onto the bar.

Burnham had another chance to kill the game stone dead in the 73rd minute when they saw the keeper make a decent near post save before the return ball in saw Hughes blast over when well positioned.

And then a minute later the visitors did get on the scoresheet when from nowhere Leoman Medrado took aim from twenty five yards out and struck a decent effort into the bottom corner and suddenly Hamlets had a lifeline.

However the visitors didn’t really threaten to find another goal which would of made the contest even more interesting and the hosts, who were reduced to ten men with three minutes left following a second booking for Bobby Bird after a late challenge, looked fairly comfortable.

The hosts did in fact almost add a fourth goal in stoppage time but Hughes somehow hit the post from close range, however it mattered not in the grand scheme of things as the hosts picked up a huge three points which took them off the bottom on goal difference and also gained instant revenge for their defeat only three days before.

Full Time Burnham Ramblers 3 Tower Hamlets 1

Sawbridgeworth Town 3 Sporting Bengal United 2

Essex Senior League, Saturday 4th February 2017

So the first weekend of February saw me over at Crofters to see an in formSawbridgeworth Town take on Sporting Bengal United who themselves were playing well without the luck in recent weeks.

I was also in attendance to award joint Sawbo managers John & Mark Watters the ELRGrassroots Football Show manager of the month award for January after their fine start to the year,which has seen them climb into seventh spot. (pic below)

The hosts were dealt a blow before kick off though when Joe Wright was injured in the warm up meaning he could not take his place in the starting line up and although the first opening saw home skipper Matt Frew head over it had been a rather scrappy start to the contest.

However on twenty minutes an attack from the visitors saw them burst into the box and see Lewis Deamer mistime a challenge and give away a penalty, which he was duly booked for.Oscar Mendes then converted the spot kick and the Mile End outfit had a shock lead.

And two minutes later it was to get worse for the hosts after Deamer decided to lunge into a tackle and get the man and not the ball and receive another yellow and was therefore dismissed from the field meaning Sawbo would play the remainder of the contest with ten men.

And with the game just short of the half hour mark the visitors struck again to leave the hosts in a hole and a half when a free kick whipped in from the left saw David Vaughan get across his marker to flick the ball home at the near post and double Sportings advantage.

The hosts needed a spark from somewhere and nearly found it just past the half hour mark when Reece Cosson squared to Toby Cleaver but he could only scuff well wide when it looked certain he would score and then moments later the visitors saw Vaughan in for the visitors but his effort was straight at the keeper.

Then on 34 minutes controversy as Cleaver got in behind the defence and looked to be fouled but the referee claimed that the striker clipped his own heels so gave nothing and this rather incensed the hosts bench, none more so then John Watters who was threatened to be sent to the stands for dissent although in the end chose to leave the dugout and take his place on the far side.

It had certainly been a frustrating half for the home side and it nearly got worse still when the visitors went close twice in two minutes as Jack Lamb saw his header tipped over from point blank range and then a mad goalmouth scramble on the hosts goal line eventually cleared. Had the visitors gone three goals ahead the game might well have been gone for the hosts.

Sawbo though did end the half well and saw Cleaver send a looping header just over in first half stoppage time before Cosson then headed wide as the hosts looked for a way back into the contest. However despite the scoreline you felt the home side weren’t out of it just yet although had work to do that’s for sure.

Half Time Sawbridgeworth Town 0 Sporting Bengal United 2

The second half was only two minutes old when the hosts almost got that all important goal back when Cosson thumped a cut back over the bar but the home side, despite being a man short, were the ones on the front foot. Just before the hour mark Cosson was denied again, this time seeing his effort brilliantly tipped wide as it looked like being one of those days for the home side.

However just before the hour mark Gavin Cockman, on as a second half substitute, managed to cut inside and thump an effort in off the post and the hosts now really did believe they could get something from the contest.

Sawbo continued to knock on the door and saw a free kick headed just over by Cleaver before another effort was cleared off the line as Sporting were clinging onto their now fragile advantage.

And in the 67th minute the door was finally blown down as the ten men levelled as who else butCockman raced through to slots home and now you felt their would only be one winner now. Cockman had certainly transformed the game for the hosts there was no doubt about that.

Another player who was having a fine game for the hosts was Cosson and he fired one across goal with around fifteen minutes left as they hunted for a winner. And with a minute of the ninety left it looked like they had missed that final chance when Cockman side footed over from twelve yards as the headlines were about to be written.

But in the 93rd minute the visitors gave away a free kick on the edge of the box and one last chance was presented to them. Cosson duly stepped up to crack home the free kick into the bottom corner and send the home side into raptures and saw John Watters scale the perimeter fence and celebrate with his side, including a double knee slide which was a good moment.

It had certainly been a great comeback with ten men and showed the character this side has and it also continued their great run as they now go level on points with fifth placed Stansted. For Sporting it was a gut wrenching defeat and summed up their season to date, and with rivalsTower Hamlets winning it meant they dropped back below them into third bottom, capping a poor day for Imrul Gazi’s side.

Full Time Sawbridgeworth Town 3 Sporting Bengal United 2

Stansted 4 FC Romania 4 (FC Romania won 5-4 on penalties)

Essex Senior League Challenge Cup Round Two, Tuesday 31st January 2017

So on a sodden Tuesday evening I made my way over too Hargrave Park for another Essex Senior League Challenge Cup Round Two tie between Stansted and FC Romania.

The winners knew they would set up a home Quarter Final against Hullbridge Sports and it was the visiting Romanian’s who almost got their noses in front after just seven minutes when a decent ball in from the left saw an effort thumped against post by Sergiu Maximov who was on the stretch.

Thereafter for the first half hour their were hardly any chances to speak of as the hosts allowed the visitors lots of possession but were there to thwart them when they tried to mount any sort of attack. You could clearly see the hosts had a game plan to sit off their opponents and strike when it got dangerous and not be allowed to be pulled out in order for the visitors to get in behind.

The game though wasn’t a classic by any stretch and seemed to be drifting along aimlessly, that was until the 33rd minute when Lewis Riches struck an effort against the post for the hosts and this moment sprung the hosts into overdrive as they went on a three goal burst in five minutes.

They opened the scoring on 34 minutes when after the visiting keeper had made a good save, a ball back in found its way to Luke Meadwright who smacked an effort into the net before they doubled their lead seven minutes before the break when Matt Price flicked an effort over his shoulder and into the corner of the net for a two goal lead.

And then a minute later the hosts had a third when Price thumped home his second and suddenly the Airportmen were cruising as we approached the half time break. However this did not deter the visitors from Theobalds Lane and they managed to find a way through two minutes before the break when Maximov saw an effort from outside the box slip through the grasp of Charly Aldis and in off the post. It was a crucial goal for the visitors although Stansted still had a two goal lead at the half.

Half Time Stansted 3 FC Romania 1

The second half saw FC Romania dominate the early exchanges and created two or three good chances to get right back in the game. You did feel though that if Stansted didn’t whether this storm that the visitors would find a way back into the contest and on the hour mark the visitors did make it 3-2 when Florin Pop slotted home after a terrific move from the visitors.

And sure enough with the visitors reeling from the barrage of yellow shirts attacking their goal the visitors won a penalty after Hayes had fouled inside the box and was probably lucky only to receive a yellow card for what looked like a clear goal scoring opportunity prevented. Anyway Andre Davel stepped up to level from the spot and this now incredible contest was all square once again.

Stansted had a couple of forays into the FC Romania third of the field but in all honestly the visitors looked much likelier to go on and find a winner and they thought they had found one in the 74th minute but saw the flag go up for offside.

However the hosts relief was short lived as three minutes later the comeback was complete as from a hosts attack Pop broke clear and bared down on goal and although his effort came back off the post, Arotarites was on hand to tap home into the empty net and give the visitors a 4-3 lead.

But this tie had yet another twist in it and with five minutes to go a corner kick sailed over a stranded keeper and saw Lewis Riches power home a header from point blank range and send the tie to penalties.

Full Time Stansted 4 FC Romania 4

Before the spot kicks had even began an interesting development had occurred when the hosts decided to change their goalie for the shootout, replacing Aldis in goal with skipper and centre half Matt Gill, who is rumoured to be a decent stopper. It did seem a weird decision though.

Anyway to the shoot out and after four penalties each it was the visitors who held the upper hand at 4-3, with four superb penalties too it has to be said. Stansted netted their fifth leaving the visitors needing to score to win, however they missed, meaning the shootout would go to sudden death, in keeping with the tie overall.

Stansted missed again meaning the Romanian’s would win with a successful attempt however they missed meaning the hosts were let off again. But unbelivably the hosts missed for the third time in a row meaning the visitors would win with a score and this time they slotted home and took the tie and their place in the Last Eight, phew!!!!

Full Time Stansted 4 FC Romania 4 (FC Romania won 5-4 on penalties)

Tower Hamlets 1 Hullbridge Sports 7

Essex Senior League Challenge Cup Round Two, Monday 30th January 2017

Monday night at the end of January took me to the Mile End Stadium and a Essex Senior League Challenge Cup Round Two tie between Tower Hamlets and Hullbridge Sports.

Both knew a place in the Quarter Finals were up for grabs and after a fairly quiet opening ten minutes or so the visitors started to motor and after missing two great chances took the lead in the 16th minute through a brilliant Jimmy Cox strike from long range, looping over keeper Joe Biscoe.

And only two minutes later the the visitors doubled their lead when a loose ball was headed home from close range by full back Kieran Offord to see the visitors well and truly take control of this tie.

And in the 25th minute it got even better for the visitors as Harry Skinner struck an effort in off the inside of the post and give the away side a three goal cushion inside half an hour. It was just too easy for the visitors.

The next quarter of an hour saw Sports spurn several chances as they looked likely to score every time they came forward as their opponents just could not defend at all. Finally though with six minutes of the half remaining they did add a fourth goal when Luka Frankis was played in down the right and the striker drilled home and the visitors were in total cruise control.

Cox thought he had added a fifth just before half time but saw his header ruled out for offside then moments later the visitors hit another effort wide of the target. Sports did end the half with a decent effort but saw the keeper make a good save after what was a dazzling run. However it was a tiny spark of encouragement in what had been a poor half for the hosts.

Half Time Tower Hamlets 0 Hullbridge Sports 4

Hamlets had the first effort on goal early on in the second period but the effort didn’t trouble the goal as it sailed wide before Sports carried on their goal spree ten minutes into the half as Frankis was again slipped in down the right and he made no mistake to make it five.

Hamlets briefly rallied though and had been more competitive in this half so far and just past the hour were rewarded with a goal of their own, and it was a good one too, as Rahim Adama Bamba sent a great toe poke into the top corner and reduce the arrears to four.

Frankis then saw an effort plucked out of air by Biscoe in the Hamlets goal before the hosts really should of reduced the arrears further when they sent a close range header inches over the bar. And then moments later a Cox cross saw Frankis head wide for the visitors as his search for his hat-trick went on.

Sports had another effort hacked off the line by the hosts with ten minutes to go but moments later did make it six when great work by Charlie Little saw his cross loop up towards the far post and the ball was thumped home off the post by Dean Wallace.

And just two minutes later Hullbridge made it seven as after Cox saw a long range effort thump off the bar, the ball fell right into the path of Little who headed home the rebound. Sports were now ending the game in the front foot again and Little could easily have grabbed a hat-trick himself as he saw two efforts fail to find the net, however it didn’t really matter too much as the visitors ran out easy winners to take their place in the Last Eight where they travel to play FC Romania at Theobalds Lane.

Full Time Tower Hamlets 1 Hullbridge Sports 7