Hullbridge Sports 2 Woodford Town 1

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Tuesday 11th December 2018

Michael Salako netted an 84^th minute winner as Hullbridge Sports edged out ten-man Woodford Town at Lower Road to go two points clear at the top of the Essex Senior League Premier Division.

Both sides knew coming into this big top of the table clash that victory would take them top of the division, the hosts knew they would go two clear at the top with a game in hand whilst the visitors, who were fifth, would take over at the summit on goal difference.

So a big incentive for both sides then, and the early exchanges belonged to the visitors and Taku Mashingaidze had the first opening for the visitors when he forced a smart stop from hosts keeper George Marsh, and then another Woodford chance saw Temi Babalola lob wide after Marsh had come to clear with his head but headed it straight to the striker.

The hosts first chance saw them go even closer than their opponents when hotshot Nathan Scarborough managed to get in and round keeper Alex Reed but see his effort from the angle strike the post, and the game remained goalless through the first fifteen minutes.

But then in the 17^th minute came a dramatic moment when Woodford centre half Luke Edgar was sent off for dissent towards the official and it left the visitors down to ten men for the remainder of the game and it certainly looked like it was most certainly advantage Hullbridge now.

From the outset though it didn’t affect the visitors and after the red card they created a couple more openings, firstly when Mashingaidze sent a ball across the goal and almost found Samir Ali, before secondly Andrea Mantovani struck wide of the post from a decent position.

But as the half went on the hosts began to take control and saw Emmanual Okunja take a pot shot at the Woodford goal but it was easy for Reed, before more chances saw Salako poke home from close range but was given offside, Luke Hornsley see an effort blocked before Jimmy Cox then curled an effort over from the edge of the area.

The hosts were really knocking on the door towards the end of the half and Hornsley saw an effort well saved by Reed, and then just before the break Reed made a terrific double stop from Okunja to keep the scoreline blank, and it meant the teams went into the half time break level but with the hosts certainly with the momentum.

Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Woodford Town 0

That momentum initially carried into the second period as Hullbridge dominated the first ten minutes of the half, and saw Cox send a lobbed effort at goal which Reed caught, and then after Reed had parried an effort into the path of Hornsley, the Hullbridge forward sent his rebound effort way over the bar.

The hosts also flashed a couple of dangerous balls across the six-yard box as they continued to threaten an opening goal in this one, but then from nowhere Woodford so nearly took the lead themselves when substitute Giorgiou Sallangow found himself clean through but he tried to dink over Marsh but fluffed his effort and Marsh grabbed the loose ball.

Woodford then saw Jaden Thompson-Brisset find himself in space inside the hosts box but could only fire an effort straight at Marsh, and the visitors were suddenly right back in this contest. 

But in the 61^st minute the home side did finally break the deadlock in fortuitous circumstances as a shot from Scarborough was saved by Reed but the ball bounced back off Woodford defender Bailey Brown and back into the net for an unfortunate own goal and the hosts now had a slender lead.

That lead should have been doubled soon after too as Scarborough found himself in a great position but could only drag a left-footed effort wide of the target, whilst down the other end Woodford threatened to level as Thompson-Brisset saw an effort saved by Marsh, before another second half substitute, De’juane Taylor-Crossdale, went even closer to a leveller when sending an effort under Marsh and off the post.

The hosts though didn’t heed those warnings and saw Woodford find an equaliser when Taylor-Crossdale raced in behind to slot under Marsh and into the net, and you felt the momentum was now with the visitors and they could possibly turn this one around.

Mantovani had a chance to give the visitors the lead when a ball was played to him in a good position, but his left footed effort flew way over, whilst down the other end the hosts forced Reed into yet another save, and the game remained level heading in the final ten minutes.

And with six minutes remaining the hosts grabbed the winner when Salako struck an effort through Reed, who should have done better, and into the net.  It was tough on Reed who had been excellent all game but the hosts now had the lead once again.

And it was a lead they were not to relinquish meaning they returned to the top of the table, whilst it had been an extraordinary effort from the visitors to play with ten men for 73 minutes and push the hosts all the way, but defeat leaves them still in fifth but now five points off the top.

Full Time Hullbridge Sports 2 Woodford Town 1

Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0 (aet; Biggleswade FC won 5-3 on penalties)

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Replay, Saturday 8th December 2018

Lawrie Marsh netted the winning spot-kick in the shoot-out as Biggleswade FC finally saw off Tring Athletic on penalties after the sides could not be separated after 120 minutes for the second successive week, meaning the hosts now host Stowmarket Town in the Last 32 of the Buildbase FA Vase.

These two currently occupy first and second respectively in the Spartan South Midlands Premier so when the draw was originally made it was immediately thought it would be a tight and tense affair, and last weekend’s 1-1 draw certainly lived up to that.

Biggleswade also had to play most of the second half and all of extra time with ten men last week after a sending off, so they were certainly the happier to have another chance of progressing in this one, and the same type of game was again expected at Langford Road in this one.

The game started in a rather subdued manor if truth be told and neither keeper were tested in the opening exchanges, and the first real opening didn’t arrive until midway through the half and it fell to the hosts when Pat McCafferty got in down the right but his cutback saw an effort blocked twice before the Tring backline managed to clear their lines.

Athletic then thumped one over at the other end before Biggleswade skipper Alex Marsh got in behind the Tring backline but visiting keeper Pat Sinfield came to thwart the striker, and it ended with them both needing treatment after they came crashing together.  Both were ok to continue though.

McCafferty then headed a free-kick wide of the visitor’s goal, which would have been controversial as it was hard to see why the hosts had been awarded the free-kick after it appeared the foul had been committed by the hosts, however it mattered not in the end and this game remained tight and goalless.   

In the latter stages of the first half George Ironton went on a run and after cutting inside sent an effort inches wide of the hosts net, it looked like it was going to nestle in the bottom corner but it just went the wrong side of the post, and then down the other end Alex Marsh saw a free-kick saved, and this tie remained level going into the break.

Half Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0

The opening exchanges of the second period saw Biggleswade’s Ryan Inskip fire an effort straight at Sinfield in the Tring goal, but it took a while for both sides to really find their feet again after the restart.

Both sides then had chances, Tring’s skipper Kieran Turner fired a decent effort just off target before the hosts saw a header from Nick Henebery plucked out of the air by Sinfield.  McCafferty then saw another header well saved by Sinfield before up the other end Tring fired a loose ball just wide after Biggleswade had failed to clear their lines.

It remained goalless though and the hosts passed up two more opportunities to take the lead, firstly when Henebery saw an effort blocked, and from the resulting corner the hosts fired wide.  Down the other end Tring forward Ashton Campbell stretched to direct a header at goal but hosts keeper Dan Child plucked that effort out of the air.

Biggleswade then saw an effort glance of the top of the bar, and with no further chances to speak of the tie went into an extra half hour for the second week running, and with all of us no nearer to who would be progressing into the Fourth Round.

Full Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0

The only real chance of note in the opening fifteen minutes saw visitor’s midfielder Mark Rodick head over from six yards out, and Tring created the second noteworthy chance in extra time early in the second period when Campbell saw an effort deflected over the bar.

Tring then thought they had taken the lead when Campbell raced clear and with hosts keeper Child having raced out of goal to try and thwart the forward, Campbell got to the ball first and knocked it past him and into the net it seemed, until a terrific clearance from a recovering defender saw the ball off the line and away.

And minutes later it was Biggleswade who were holding their heads in their hands as they saw a close-range effort blocked on the line before the rebound was somehow hooked over the bar, and still neither side could find that winner.

It meant penalties would be needed to decide this tie, and after five successful penalties had been taken, Tring’s Campbell missed his by blazing over the bar, handing the advantage to the hosts.  With two more successful penalties it meant Lawrie Marsh had the chance to net the winning spot kick, and he sent it high into the top corner and cued celebrations amongst the home side.

Sadly their had to be a loser in this tie and hard luck on Tring who were the ones who had to go out, but both teams should be proud how well they battled in this tie over the 240 minutes they played against each other.  Good proper cup football.  It does mean it Biggleswade FC vs Stowmarket Town in the Last 32, should be a good un.

Full Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0 (aet; Biggleswade FC won 5-3 on penalties)

Stowmarket Town 2 Swaffham Town 1

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Replay, Tuesday 4th December 2018

Sam Nunn’s 69^th minute header eventually saw Stowmarket Town edge out Swaffham Town in their Buildbase FA Vase Third Round replay at a cold and misty Greens Meadow and see the Suffolk side reach the Last 32 of the competition, setting up an away tie at either Biggleswade or Tring Athletic.

The sides had battled out a goalless draw at the weekend at Swaffham’s Shoemakers Lane ground but many thought that the hosts, one step above their opponents, would get the job done second time around more comfortably perhaps.

But this was not the case early on as Swaffham began the game well and created the games best chance in the opening fifteen minutes when a decent effort at goal saw home keeper Callum Robinson get down smartly to turn the effort away from goal.

However, in the 20^th minute the visitors did stun their opponents by taking the lead when after the hosts had gone close when a header across goal was almost converted at the far post, moments later Swaffham’s Joe Jackson pounced on a poor clearance to fire beyond Robinson and give the visiting side a shock lead.

Stow themselves created a chance thereafter when a header from set-play looked destined for the net until keeper Tommy Rix and a defender between them managed to scramble the ball away from the net, whilst down the other end the visitors passed up two decent openings to double their lead.

But in the 34^th minute the hosts did manage to pull themselves level when sloppy play in the visitor’s backline allowed Scott Chaplin to nip in and finish beyond Rix from close range, and the tie was now back on level terms once again.

The home side were getting stronger as the half wore on and saw a curled cross to the far post almost converted, whilst another attack saw a close-range effort cleared off the line by a scrambling Swaffham defence.  The visitors then almost restored their lead in spectacular circumstances when sending a first time volley a foot wide, but it meant the sides went in all square at the break.

Half Time Stowmarket Town 1 Swaffham Town 1

The early exchanges of the second period saw the hosts find the net after a header back into the dangerzone was fired home, only to see the flag go up for offside, whilst down the other end the visitors fired an effort straight at Robinson from a great position.

Swaffham then passed up two great opportunities to re-take the lead in this one, firstly seeing Robinson save but fire the rebound over the bar, and then secondly when a brilliant ball across the six-yard box was not converted, as the hosts continued to struggle against their step six opponents in this period of play.

But in the 69^th minute came the deciding moment as it turned out when a lovely free-kick into the visitor’s box saw Nunn rise highest to nod a header past Rix and give the hosts the lead with a quarter of the tie remaining.

Swaffham tried to respond but saw a weak poke at goal easily saved by Robinson, whilst down the other end Stow saw a long-range looping header almost catch keeper Rix out, but the ball ended up on the roof of the net and not in it as the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.

With time running out it was the visitors who were doing the pressing, and two half chances came and went as the hosts managed to advert the danger, and then deep into stoppage time hosts midfielder Jack Baker was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident that the linesman on the far side had spotted and brought to the attention of the referee.

But despite this ending the hosts managed to take a hard-earned victory and take their place in the Fourth Round and a tie at either Biggleswade or Tring.  That match takes place this weekend and I’ll be there to see who wins that replay.  Stowmarket await the winners, we know that for now.

Full Time Stowmarket Town 2 Swaffham Town 1

Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0 (aet)

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Proper, Saturday 1st December 2018

Swaffham Town and Stowmarket Town will have to do it all again on Tuesday after the sides battled out a goalless draw after extra time in their huge Buildbase FA Vase Third Round tie at Shoemakers Lane.

Swaffham had seen off fellow step six outfit May & Baker in the last round to reach this stage and they now had another tough tie against Stow who were going for promotion in the Eastern Counties League Premier, so not unsurprisingly the visitors were seen as favourites to progress into the Last 32 of the competition.

Visitors Stow had seen off Baldock Town after extra time in the previous round to set up this Norfolk vs Suffolk clash, and with both teams being the last sides from their respective counties it was important in that sense too as well as pride.  So, although the visitors held the favourites tag, this was cup football so you could not rule out a surprise here.

The visitors did have the first chance early on when Jack Baker sent a header wide, whilst down the other end the hosts also saw a looping header go over the goal as the opening fifteen minutes saw both sides playing with a decent tempo.

The next period of play saw the hosts come close a couple of times as they had a decent spell, one effort beaten away by Stow keeper Callum Robinson and another when a miscued header from a decent position allowed the visitors to scramble clear the danger.

Stow then fired an effort over the top but it was the home side who were looking more dangerous as the half entered its latter stages, and saw a couple of dangerous crosses into the area cause the visitors issues, but the hosts so nearly went in behind as Stow created a great chance which saw Baker free inside the box, but his effort was brilliantly blocked behind for a corner.

This was certainly a well contested FA Vase tie, and it remained goalless at the break with the hosts no doubt much the happier of how the game was going.

Half Time Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

It was a lively start to the second period too, Stow saw a bouncing ball run onto by Remi Garrett and he beat hosts keeper Tommy Rix to it but saw his header trickle wide, whilst they also saw two other headers at goal rebuffed by the hosts, whilst down the other end the tricky Alex Vincent fired an effort just wide whilst another went into the side netting.

The home side were then screaming for a penalty after keeper Robinson tried to run the ball out of play, was caught out and in an attempt to get back to try and reclaim the ball appeared to bundle over the home player, but the referee said nothing doing and the hosts were left frustrated.

The tie then took on a new edge when Garrett tried to break clear of hosts full-back David Weaver-Pope but the defender took the visiting forward out, sparking a melee and much pushing and shoving as Stow were far from happy with the challenge.  Referee Joshua Crofts managed to calm the situation and booked the full-back but the tie had taken on a certain edge now.

 What was becoming more apparent though was that the visitors were beginning to turn the screw now in what was a frantic cup tie, and after Vincent had sent an effort from outside the box straight at visitor’s keeper Robinson, Stow saw a header back across goal somehow cleared away, and then they saw a brilliant chance blocked from inside the box by a desperate Swaffham defender.

And then came the closest anyone had come to scoring at this point when Scott Chaplin burst into the visitor’s box and fired a terrific effort off the inside of the post, see the ball bounce off a defender and then see keeper Rix dive onto the ball to stop it going back into the net, it was a huge let off for the hosts.

The visitors then saw a deflected effort strike what they thought was a hand of a defender inside the area, but referee Crofts waved away their protests, and after the hosts had seen a breakaway end with a cross going straight to Robinson, Stow went down the other end and curled an effort inches wide of the far post.

It had been a second half that saw the visitors much the better but they could not find that illusive goal and it meant this cracking battle would go to extra time, the second time in a row Stow had gone to the extra half hour.

Full Time Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

The first period of extra time saw both teams go close early on, Stow somehow heading over from point blank range, whilst the visitors curled wide of the far post after a slip from the visiting backline, and you began to think it wouldn’t be Stow’s day when they had two goals chalked off, one for a tight offside call, and another for a foul.

They were understandably frustrated but they were given a boost two minutes before the end of the first period when home defender Danny Tindall was given a second yellow for a foul, meaning the hosts would have to play the remainder of extra time with ten men.

The second period saw Stow flash a ball across the box, and then send a free header wide of the far post, before another effort also missed the target as Swaffham put in one last shift to earn a replay.  

And a replay they did earn indeed after a huge effort against a side a level above them, both sides certainly had given their all and you could tell at the final whistle just how much, with some slumped to the floor with nothing left in the tank.  A proper cup tie was had, and they go again on Tuesday in Stowmarket to see who wins through to the Last 32 of the competition.

Full Time (aet) Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

One last thing, the club gave me a superb welcome, and the chairman, Cllr Ian Sherwood, even asked to have a selfie with me in the clubhouse (photo included below with others).  Also thanks to Stowmarket assistant manager Paul Musgrove for buying me a pint after the game, much appreciated.  Enjoyed my day immensely and look forward ton Tuesday’s reply, if I can get there that is!!!  Here’s hoping.