Corinthians 6 Wakering Sports 0

Essex Olympian League Senior Division Two, Saturday 21st September 2019

Nathan Dewberry scored two and assisted for two others as he helped Corinthians to victory over Wakering Sports at the Stambridge Memorial Ground to maintain their 100% start to their Essex Olympian Division Two campaign.

The hosts had won their opening two games whilst the visitors had lost their opening two games, so it really was a different story for both, and after just a minute the hosts grabbed the lead as Dewberry curled a free-kick into the bottom corner of the net, and you felt maybe the hosts would go on a dominate this contest.

But the visitors to their credit responded well to this early set back and saw a decent chance saved by Nathan Warren, before they had another decent chance when a downward header went straight at Warren.

And they were made to pay when Corinthians added a second with probably their second shot on target as after good work down the left, the ball was played in and found it’s way to John Bolton-Smith who fired a brilliant effort into the bottom corner of the net, and the hosts had a two goal cushion midway through the opening half.

Wakering should have got themselves back into the contest though, firstly when blasting a chance over the bar from outside the area, and then secondly seeing a free-kick glance off the bar and go over, as the home side remained two goals to the good.

Dewberry then saw an effort saved by the legs of Wakering keeper Tyler Bonham before another hosts attack ended with a cross shot going straight into the arms of Bonham, and then the visitors got into a good position once again but a bobble saw the effort sliced well wide.

The end of the half saw the away side putting the pressure on and they broke the offside trap through Ben Rowe but his effort was saved by Warren who had come to narrow the angle, and then they side footed wide from inside the box after a ball had been driven into the dangerzone.  It meant the hosts went into the half two goals ahead.

Half Time Corinthians 2 Wakering Sports 0

Wakering knew they needed the next goal in order to make a game of it, but five minutes into the second period they saw the hosts all but seal the contest when a cross to the far post was headed back into the dangerzone were Dewberry was waiting to control and slot a controlled finish into the bottom corner for his second of the game, and seventh in a game and a half.

The hosts were dominant in the opening exchanges of the half too, striking the post on a couple of occasions as they looked for a fourth, and then forced a decent save from Bonham as well down to his right.  Wakering did manage a shot at goal themselves but it was straight at Warren.

The visitors then had a couple of crosses into the hosts box cause brief alarm, but midway through the half Corinthians did add a fourth when Luke Owen curled a lovely effort in off the post.

And six minutes later Dewberry turned provider for number five, laying in Theo Cannon to drive a lovely effort across Bonham and into the far corner, and then with twelve minutes to go it was six for the now rampant hosts when Dewberry had another assist, sending a lovely ball into Jake Hodder who side footed a volley into the net.

A cross then almost looped into the far corner of the visitor’s goal, before Bonham had to make two quick saves to keep the hosts from making it seven, as the home side were now peppering the visitors with attack after attack.  In the end the hosts had to settle for six but it was another good afternoon’s work as they made it three wins from three.

Corinthians 6 Wakering Sports 0

Fire United 0 Newbury Forest 5

Thurlow Nunn First Division KO Cup First Round, Thursday 19th September 2019

Newbury Forest netted five at The Terrence McMillan Stadium in Newham against Fire United to progress into the Second Round of the Thurlow Nunn First Division KO Cup, setting up a tie at Burroughs Park against White Ensign.

Both sides have had difficult starts to the season, the hosts are bottom of the Eastern Senior South division having lost all four games, whilst Forest have just a point from their six games so far, and with both having the worst goal differences in the league you fancied goals in this one.

Apart from a couple of wayward efforts from the hosts, the opening fifteen minutes yielded very little in the way of goalmouth action, before the visitors then saw a very good chance saved.

And then in the 18^th minute Forest grabbed the lead when a loose ball inside the box was poked home by Dean Nevill, and then just two minutes later Nathaniel Cole intercepted a wayward clearance to burst into the hosts box and fire beyond the keeper to double the visitors lead just like that.

Just past the half hour mark Cole turned from hero to villain for the visitors as he was sin binned for dissent, meaning ten minutes off the field, so could the hosts capitalise on this?

Well they did go close a couple of times whilst he was off the field, firstly seeing a corner sliced across goal by a defender, and then secondly missing  a golden chance at the back post when it seemed easier to score.

Forest then sent a header wide at the other end before Cole returned after his ten minutes on the side-line, and he saw the hosts have another couple of efforts on goal but were unable to turn these into goals, and it meant the visitors held a 2-0 lead going into the break.

Half Time Fire United 0 Newbury Forest 2

Forest quickly increased their lead after the break as in the 49^th minute a ball across to Holder saw the striker mis-kick an effort across goal but thankfully for him and the visitors Adam Adomakoh was on hand to slot home from the left side of the area and you felt the visitors may go on and score a bucket-load.

Fair play to the hosts though as they and the visitors continued to play decent attacking football, it was a pretty good watch and the home side were giving it a good go despite the 0-3 scoreline.

The home side then saw a couple of decent effort pass them by, before Forest then saw a chance of their own saved before the follow up effort was blocked by a sprawling defender as the game had around twenty minutes or so to go.

Fire then missed another brilliant chance but found visiting keeper Bradley Simpson in the way, before the rebound was somehow blocked wide by the visitors as they looked to earn a rare clean sheet.  The visitors seemed to be going through the motions somewhat, although with a 3-0 lead with ten remaining this could be forgiven, but had the hosts had an end product then the scoreline could have been different.

Forest though woke up again for the final few minutes and netted a fourth with seven to go and it was a peach from skipper Freddie Anderson who thumped home from thirty yards out, and then in the first minute of stoppage time lovely attacking play from the visitors ended with Hashim Ahmed finding the bottom corner and putting the gloss on Forest’s evening as they progressed into the next round.

Full Time Fire United 0 Newbury Forest 5

Coggeshall United 1 Long Melford 0

Buildbase FA Vase Second Qualifying Round, Sunday 15th September 2019


Mwetsi Matagni netted a ninth minute goal and it proved enough for Coggeshall United to battle their way past Long Melford at West Street to reach the Buildbase FA Vase First Round Proper.


The Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South hosts had already knocked out Essex Senior League side Cockfosters in the previous round after extra time whilst Thurlow Nunn Premier Long Melford had to battle their way past Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior side Little Oakley in their previous round of the competition.


And it was the hosts who struck first in the ninth minute when a defensive slip allowed Ben Madden to get a shot away and although this was saved, skipper Matangi got the loose ball, rounded a defender before firing beyond keeper Ben Davlin into the far corner and the Step Six hosts led the Step Five visitors early on.


Melford to their credit responded well to going behind and saw three efforts blocked in quick succession, and then went close as they curled a decent effort just wide of the far post.  The hosts themselves could have doubled their advantage after another defensive slip, but this chance was not taken meaning the hosts ended the half with a slender lead.


Half Time Coggeshall United 1 Long Melford 0


The early exchanges of the second period saw chances for both sides, Melford hammered a free-kick just over the bar whilst the Weavers sent a high looping ball towards the far post which keeper Devlin had to be alert to and punch away.


Melford then sent a near post effort towards goal which was saved before the hosts probably should have doubled their lead when a square ball was somehow not converted with the goal at their mercy, and it remained 1-0 to the hosts.


Melford though were having quite a lot of the ball but despite pushing the hosts back into their own third, they could not really create anything of note.  Their only attempt came when a back flick towards goal ended up on the roof of the hosts net but apart from that the home side were soaking up all that was coming their way.


And as the game got into the latter stages and with Melford pushing more players forward in search of a leveller, Coggeshall looked dangerous on the counter and had chances to seal it, but were wasteful in trying to end the contest.


But that ninth minute goal from Matangi proved to be enough to send his side through as the Weavers had to show all their battling qualities once again to win this one.  Melford did have a lot of the play but were found wanting in the final third and hardly tested hosts keeper Lewis Down at all which will no doubt disappoint them.  Congratulations to Coggeshall United though who knock out Step Five opposition for the second round running.


Full Time Coggeshall United 1 Long Melford 0

Benfleet 2 Haverhill Rovers 5

Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Sunday 1st September 2019

Max Dinnell netted a brace to help Haverhill Rovers progress into the Second Qualifying Round of the Buildbase FA Vase, setting up a tie at Colney Heath, after victory over Benfleet in a very entertaining contest at Park Lane.

The visitors, who play in the Thurlow Nunn Premier, started well against their Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South opponents, and saw Dinnell cut inside and drag an effort wide, before the hosts then went close as a Jamie Brown free-kick took a deflection and needed a smart save from James Young to keep them out.

But from the resulting corner Benfleet took the lead as after Young had clawed out the corner, Emmanual Adetokunbo turned home the loose ball and the Step Six side had the early advantage.

And moments later it should have been two as Mason Shave got in but saw his effort slide wide of the near post, and then in the 15^th minute Haverhill levelled when Dinnell rammed home from inside the area and we were all square.

Brown then saw an effort deflect over the visitors bar, before another Benfleet attack saw them round keeper Young who had come to the edge of his box before the ball was cut-back to Brown who saw his effort blocked.

But the hosts were then rocked back on their heels as they fell behind in the 25^th minute when after an effort at struck the bar, the loose ball was prodded home by skipper Alfie Carroll and just like that the visitors had turned it around.

Fleet continued to attack though and saw an Ole Hunter lob almost catch out keeper Young, who managed to back pedal and turn the ball over the bar, but then came a controversial moment in the game when the visitors were awarded a spot-kick for a foul by Azeez Alabi, who was duly booked for the challenge.  It looked from my angle that the ball had been won but speaking to the officials after wards they said he played the man first.

Benfleet were upset with the award, and their mood wasn’t helped when Luke Haines stepped up to convert the spot-kick, and Benfleet were now two goals behind.  They would certainly have felt hard done by to be two behind in this contest two.

The hosts though continued to attack, and skipper Tyler Hubbard sent a free-kick way over the bar as they looked to try and pull one back before the break, and then Rob Lacey fired just wide of the visitor’s goal.

But as good as the hosts looked going forward, their defending was letting them down, and three minutes before the break conceded again in disastrous circumstances as centre half Alabi managed to half block an effort on the line but he could only manage to then put the ball over his own line, rather summing up the hosts first half.  They had played well but found themselves 4-1 down at the interval after some clinical attacking play from the visitors.

Half Time Benfleet 1 Haverhill Rovers 4

The tempo of the game did not let up as the second half began in a rather frenetic manor, and after Hunter had skied a decent effort over for the hosts, Rovers made it five with more clinical forward play, as after good work from Tyger Smalls, he squared for Dinnell who slotted home from close range.

Almost immediately after though in the 49^th minute Benfleet grabbed one back as Sam Dulieu converted from close range (I Think, I actually missed the goal trying to tweet the Rovers fifth one!!!) and it meant the lead was back down to three.

Benfleet then nearly grabbed another when a goal-bound effort was blocked before the loose ball was fired over, before the visitors got in down the right through Smalls but his cross shot was blocked.

And then visitors came close to adding a sixth when Jordan Palmer saw his header brilliantly saved by Danny Confrey, before the corner fell to Sam Mills but he could only blast high over the bar from close range.

Rovers skipper Carroll then almost flicked a cross into his own net but was pleased to see his keeper Young gather the ball before it went past him, and then another great chance for Benfleet saw Shave someone put wide from ten yards or so.

The visitors then saw a Haines free-kick superbly kept out by Confrey, before another effort was blasted over the bar, before a good ball into the visitors box by the hosts almost found substitute Jerome Mayhew, but he could not reach the ball and it drifted out for a goal-kick.

Rovers then got in down the right but substitute Brandon McKay’s eventual effort was straight at Confrey, and then Benfleet almost had a third when after Brown had twisted and turned inside the box his effort was deflected making the save for Young a bit easier.

Smalls then got in down the left for Rovers but could not get beyond keeper Confrey who had come way out to thwart him, but the game was then brought to a conclusion some time after and it was the visitors who prevailed in what was a very entertaining game.  Benfleet did not deserve to lose 5-2 but poor finishing and some ordinary defending led to their downfall here.

Full Time Benfleet 2 Haverhill Rovers 5

Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 2 (aet)

Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Saturday 31st August 2019


Lewis Soraf netted an extra time winner for ten-man Coggeshall United as the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South side saw off Essex Senior League Cockfosters at Chalk Lane in their Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round contest, setting up a Second Qualifying Round tie at home to Thurlow Nunn Premier Long Melford.


The visitors had the first chance of the game when a cross found Grame Montgomery who could only slice across the ball and send it out for a throw, and then another chance came for the visitors when player manager Cliff Akurang flicked a header towards goal but this was cleared off the line.


The hosts responded as Reece Mosanya burst into the box but his ball across goal was cleared away before Billy Healey burst down the right for the home side and his ball in found Luke Marshall whose goal-bound effort was blocked by a defender.


Mosanya then crossed for Healey to force a wonderful point blank save from visitor’s keeper Lewis Downes, however the ball was returned into the six-yard box where Healey headed home, but the ball had gone out of play for a corner according to the linesman so the goal was ruled out.


Montgomery then sent a low effort at the hosts goal which keeper Josh Bradley managed to help over the bar, and then Soraf sent a decent header at the Cockfosters goal but it was straight at Bradley who caught the effort.


A brilliant move by the visitors ended with Mwetsi Matangi totally missing the ball when presented with a goal scoring chance from point blank range, and then Ricky Loveridge fired just wide of the hosts goal from distance.


Akurang then saw a header strike the hand of a Cockfosters defender inside the box but the referee deemed it accidental before full back Lee Flynn sent a header at the hosts goal but Bradley got down to save, meaning the half ended goalless.


Half Time Cockfosters 0 Coggeshall United 0


Good football from the visitors saw Matangi fire over from inside the box, before Ryan Wade then fired inches wide for the hosts when in truth he should of hit the target, but the second period was devoid of much goal mouth action as the weather began to turn.


Cockfosters keeper Bradley then had to come off injured and was replaced by Adam Seymour, and in the 71^st minute he was picking the ball out of his own net after a mistake from the defence allowed Loveridge in to slot home and give the underdogs the lead.


Rian Carroll then fired just wide for the hosts as they looked for a leveller, and with seven minutes remaining won a penalty kick after keeper Downes had fouled Healey inside the box, and Wade stepped up to fire home the spot-kick and Cockfosters were level.


The visitors then saw a super effort brilliantly saved by Seymour, before Marshall then broke the visitors offside trap but could only send his effort across goal and wide, and then Flynn sent a long-range effort at the hosts goal but it was punched over by Seymour.


Stoppage time then saw Coggeshall skipper Mensah sent-off for something off the ball which I didn’t see if truth be told, and then Cockfosters almost nicked it at the death but missed, meaning extra time would be needed, and the visitors would have to play it with a man light.  Advantage Cockfosters you would say?


Full Time Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 1


Well the first chance of extra time fell to Wade who forced a save from visiting keeper Downes, but it was the visitors who were creating the openings as substitute Ben Madden volleyed wide before the same man then fired a long range effort straight at Seymour as the ten men were doing ok in the extra period.


Loveridge then sent a free header straight at Seymour in the hosts goal, before the same man then fired another effort at the hosts net.  Wade had had the ball in the Coggeshall net twice in the opening period of extra time too, but both were flagged for offside, and he then sent a free-kick just wide of the visitors net as time expired in the first period of the extra half hour.


So, would we get a winner in the final fifteen minutes?  Well, Wade got in for the hosts but shot straight at Downes, and then the hosts somehow failed to go in front when George Beattie got in down the right and sent a ball right across goal but Wade could not divert the effort into the net.


Montgomery then almost punished the hosts for hesitant defending when skying over from point blank range, but with six minutes of extra time remaining Coggeshall grabbed the winner when Soraf struck home from the edge of the box and saw the ten men advance through to the next round.


Full Time (after extra time) Cockfosters 1 Coggeshall United 2

Hullbridge Sports 1 Canvey Island 3

Isthmian League North Division, Monday 26th August 2019

Goals from Josh Hutchinson, George Purcell and Tobi Joseph saw Canvey Island make it three wins from three after they saw off Hullbridge Sports at Lower Road in their Isthmian North contest.

The hosts were playing their second ever home game at this level and had picked up one point from their two games, loosing their opening game at home to Witham Town 3-0 before grabbing an encouraging goalless draw at Aveley, but they were up against a Canvey side who had beaten Romford and Grays Athletic 2-1 in their opening two games.

It was the visitors who started the better and had the first effort at goal when Purcell saw a deflected effort fly wide, and in the 14^th minute they grabbed the lead when a ball across found it’s way to Hutchinson who slotted home from an angle.

Jason Hallett then rifled one wide of the hosts goal as the visitors dominated the opening twenty five minutes or so, but the hosts did then create a couple of decent chances which both fell to Timothy Monsheju, firstly poking over from inside the box, and then secondly seeing a good strike well saved by Canvey keeper Lamar Johnson.

Hallett then saw a deflected effort hit the hosts bar down the other end, before Hutchinson stung the palms of hosts keeper Rob Budd from outside the box, and it meant the visitors held a one goal lead at the break.

Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Canvey Island 1

Hallett headed over early in the second period, before Albert Levett burst into the hosts box but saw an effort blocked by the defence, whilst the hosts saw substitute Luke Hornsley saw an effort blocked down the other end.

But with 56 minutes on the clock Canvey grabbed an important second to double their lead when Joseph squared for Purcell who side footed home from close range and give the Canvey fans behind that goal more to cheer.

It was almost three soon after too as Hallett saw an effort across goal saved by Budd before Jamal Allen had to be quick to clear the ball off the line before Joseph could poke the ball over the line, as Canvey looked like they could go on and win by more.

But then came two huge chances for the hosts to get back into the game, and both fell to substitute Matthew Baxter, firstly getting through on goal by shooting straight at Johnson, and then seeing another effort from close range saved by Johnson before he then had to be alert to save a backward header by a defender.

And with ten minutes to go Canvey made them pay by sealing the contest with a third as substitute Samrai Gebrai, who had recently signed from ESL side Walthamstow, set up Joseph to turn and fire beyond Budd.

Yemi Adelani, another hosts substitute, fired an effort towards the near post which Johnson got down well to tip round the post, before Purcell saw a terrific effort at the hosts goal saved by Budd, and then a Hullbridge corner was headed over the bar by centre half Perry Dunn.

Hullbridge did at least net a consolation in the 89^th minute when after Hornsley had been pushed over in the box, Adelani stepped up to slot home the spot-kick, but it was too little too late for the hosts who have now lost two of their first three at this level.

Full Time Hullbridge Sports 1 Canvey Island 3