Hackney Wick 1 St Margaretsbury 0 - First half header from Victory Akam hands hosts seventh straight win to boost their Thurlow Nunn South play off aspirations

Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Wednesday 13th March

I was back at my spiritual home of football, Spa Road (or the Simarco Stadium as it's now known), in Witham (the place where I grew up and went to school of course) for a Thurlow Nunn South contest between two sides who are having very differing seasons and fortunes right now.

Hosts Hackney Wick were on an incredible run of form, since the start of February they had won eight games out of nine and were on a six match winning streak, form that had seen them with a very realistic shot at making the play offs, something that looked nigh on impossible at the turn of the year and even in late January, before they hit some amazing form.

And they were up against bottom side St Margaretsbury who had lost eight games in a row and were in danger of being cut adrift at the foot of the table, their last win had come all the way back on January 13th, a whole two months ago, but they desperately need to find some points from somewhere as they started the evening nine points off third bottom Park View, who occupy the final relegation spot and are level on points with the teams above.

Now as said Wick were right in with a shout of a play off spot, and this has been even more improved as sixth place will be enough for a play off spot most likely because Harlow Town, who are second and pretty much guaranteed a top five berth, cannot be promoted, so this means that an extra place will be provided, and if Wick could net an expected win in this one they would only be four points behind Dunmow Town who currently occupy sixth, and fifth placed Clapton CFC were only a point better off too, so very much in the mix.

The two sides did meet only eighteen days ago in the corresponding fixture at The Recreation Ground in St Margarets, and Wick ran out 5-3 winners in what was a very entertaining contest, and Wick striker Victory Akam netted four goals in that win too, would we get the same sort of entertainment here like there was back on February 24th?

As it turned out, not quite, but there were certainly plenty of openings in the game if not too much quality, the first half certainly belonged to the hosts and they did manage to break the deadlock in the 27th minute when Akam, St Mags nemesis over the last eighteen days, glanced home a header into the far corner, that's his fifth goal in less than a month against the bottom side, they would have been sick of the sight of him no doubt.

Wick had further chances to extend that lead but were unable too, and the visitors should have made them pay for not having a bigger lead at the break after they started the second half much the better side as Wick seemed to loose their concentration and were being pressured by their opponents.

St Mags hit the woodwork from an angle and then had a golden chance to level when winning a penalty after a good run into the box was ended with a foul, but, the visitors saw their spot kick hit the outside of the post and go out for a goal kick, and the chance to get back on level terms was wasted.

Wick then had chances to double their lead thereafter but were either wasteful or found the visiting keeper in the way as he made some good stops to prevent his side from slipping further behind, but Wick were always aware that their opponents were a danger when they went forward and that slender lead could easily be wiped out in an instant.

Despite all this however, no more goals came, and it meant the hosts rather laboured to a seventh straight win and in turn handed St Mags a ninth loss in a row, I suppose at this point of the season it doesn't matter how you win as long as you win, and they now head into a huge game at Clapton CFC at the weekend with the chance to close the gap even further to those play off spots.

For St Mags it really could have been so much more, especially if they had capitalised on those chances early in the second period, the penalty miss certainly didn't help, and all their efforts in this contest ended up counting for nothing, and with just nine games to go they are at least three or four wins away from safety, they will be hoping that only one goes down and they can overhaul Enfield Borough just four points above them, but time is running out for them that's for sure and they need their luck to turn soon. 

Full time Hackney Wick 1 St Margaretsbury 0

Southend United 2 Dorking Wanderers 0 - Goals from Gus Scott-Morriss & Harry Cardwell help Blues to the points at Roots Hall and extend their unbeaten run to eight games

Vanarama National League, Tuesday 12th March

I decided to get off the train at Prittlewell on the way home from the office in Billericay and pop to Roots Hall to see if Southend United could continue their unbeaten run in the division as they took on struggling Dorking Wanderers in another midweek match at the stadium.

Now when I lasted visited Roots Hall the Blues fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of play off chasing Gateshead, and at that point they were very close to falling into the bottom four, in fact after that game they lost 1-0 at home to struggling York City, and some Blues fans were fearing the worst at that point, well, since that defeat back on February 10th, they have been on a seven match unbeaten run which has eased those fears somewhat of dropping into the bottom four.

They began the evening in tenth spot, still only six points above the bottom four (it's very tight in the bottom half that's for sure) but they were also only ten points off the play offs too, so it was still possible with a late season run they could, just could, sneak into those top seven spots perhaps, although they firstly needed to make sure they stayed in the division and they were well on the way to doing that after this unbeaten run for sure.

There opponents on the evening, Dorking Wanderers, occupied the final spot in the bottom four going into this contest, only two points from safety, so a win could see them get themselves out of the relegation spots, and the hosts should have been weary of their visitors after Dorking smashed runaway leaders Chesterfield 4-1 at home recently in what was an extraordinary result, however form in their other games recently hasn't been so good, including a 4-2 reverse at Maidenhead United last time out.

So that Chesterfield result was certainly out of the blue, but they knew they had it in them that was for sure, so Southend had to be on their metal to make sure they could extend their good form lately, but it was the visitors who did begin the game on the front foot, although The Blues did see a couple of openings wasted inside the opening fifteen minutes.

Noor Husin found Harry Cardwell inside the opening fifteen seconds but the latter's shot went wide, and then Nathan Ralph tried to find Cardwell with a through ball but the ball went out for a goal kick, Wanderers did pose a threat as said, Pybus dragging a shot wide after winning the ball in the final third, a warning to the Blues who seemed to have had a habit of going 1-0 down in games lately too.

That wasn't to be the case this evening though, as after twenty six minutes Cardwell was fouled outside the box by Muitt, and up stepped Gus Scott-Morriss to bend a wonderful free kick into the top corner from twenty five yards out, it was an exquisite strike and it meant the Blues were again on their way to a positive results perhaps.

The majority of the 5,164 crowd inside Roots Hall certainly hoped so, although the small band of 75 fans from Dorking were hoping their side could find a leveller and maybe even more, and early in the second period they probably should have levelled when a cross was nodded wide by Prior, and The Blues knew they needed a second goal to make this more comfortable.

Ralph tried to do just that but saw an effort straight at keeper Male, and then Morton also did the same thing, before Cav then forced Male into a brilliant save from range, and then Crowther was also denied from close range by Male in a spell for the hosts where they really should have found a second goal to probably kill this contest.

Two more openings came and went and Dorking almost made the hosts pay when a brilliant ball into the box right across the six yard box was turned over at the back post, but, with five minutes of the ninety left The Blues finally made the game safe when Husin broke down the left and saw a shot saved but Cardwell was there to fire home the rebound and finally give his side some breathing space.

Dorking to their credit never gave up though, and they had two wonderful chances in stoppage time to pull one back, Collin making a decent stop three minutes into time added on before the visitors then somehow struck the inside of the post a minute later, but despite these hairy moments the hosts ran out 2-0 winners and extended that unbeaten run to eight now. Certainly a much happier camp this time around compared to last time I was there.

It means that Southend are nine points away from the drop zone now, and only eight points off the play offs, so they are actually closer to those top seven spots rather than the bottom four places, still in tenth, and looking a lot more comfortable in the division now, for Dorking well they actually drop a place to 22nd, still only two points from safety mind so still only a win from getting out of the relegation zone potentially, so no reason to panic despite tonight's defeat.

Full time Southend United 2 Dorking Wanderers 0

My blog from Mayesbrook Park & Burroughs Park which saw Ilford come from behind to net important win in Essex Senior League & Great Wakering Rovers defeat Falmouth Town to reach Semi Finals of Isuzu FA Vase

(Action from Great Wakering Rovers 2-0 FA Vase Quarter Final success over Falmouth Town at Burroughs Park)

Essex Senior League & Isuzu FA Vase Quarter Finals, Friday 8th/Saturday 9th March

This weekend saw me over at Mayesbrook Park for a league game between Ilford & Little Oakley on Friday night before I headed to Burroughs Park to see my local side Great Wakering Rovers do battle with Falmouth Town from Cornwall for a place in the Semi Finals of the Isuzu FA Vase, more on the latter later but first to Mayesbrook Park for that Friday night showing.....

Ilford 3 Little Oakley 1

The Foxes knew that a win would put twelve points between themselves and bottom side Coggeshall Town and almost guarantee their ESL and Step Five status for next season, but they were up against a Little Oakley side who despite their lowly position in the bottom half of the table knew a win here could see them only four points off the top five, so still very much all to play for.

The Foxes league form in February had seen them win at Saffron Walden Town before they were humbled by landlords Barking last time out, and with their form through January see them lose four straight games, all at home, this was very much one they wanted to win and make it six points from nine in their last three, Oakley themselves had picked up nine points from their five league games as they had gone through February undefeated in the league, and had netted a 5-0 thrashing on bottom side Coggeshall Town last time out, so on paper you fancied the visitors perhaps to pick up the points here.

The first forty five minutes of the contest yielded very little in the way of excitement if truth be told, and the only moment of quality in the entire half produced the opening goal of the game just before the half hour mark, Dan Rowe giving Oakley the lead with a wonderful effort from range thumping off the post and into the far corner, it was a brilliant strike and it meant Oakley had the lead at the break.

However, nobody could see the second half transformation from the hosts as they came out with much more purpose and energy, and ten minutes after the break levelled when Emmanuel Wazola fired home a lovely effort into the bottom corner from outside the box and then with just over twenty minutes remaining they grabbed a deserved lead after a loose ball was poked home at the far post by Joel Appiah.

The Foxes were playing some lovely football and Oakley could not live with their pace and power going forward, and the superb Mohamed Habib was played through with fifteen minutes of the contest to go to emphatically fire past the keeper into the far corner to hand the hosts a two goal cushion, a cushion they never really looked like giving away, and the home side grabbed a brilliant comeback win as a result to almost guarantee their status at this level for another season and put another nail in the coffin of bottom side Coggeshall Town as a result.

This was a damaging defeat for Oakley who lost for the first time in the league since the end of January, they ended the weekend ten points off the top five and down in twelfth, so it will take a lot to happen now for them to sneak in with only seven games remaining in their campaign.

Full time Ilford 3 Little Oakley 1

Onto Saturday now, and Great Wakering Rovers's massive FA Vase Quarter Final against Falmouth Town, let's see how that one went shall we.....

Great Wakering Rovers 2 Falmouth Town 0

This was a massive tie for both, Rovers had never reached this stage of the competition before, Falmouth hadn't reached this stage since the 86/87 season, so both were in alien territory, and a bumper crowd of almost 700 came to see if their sides could continue their journey towards a Wembley final and a chance of glory.

Now Rovers had began their Vase campaign back in August (seems a lifetime ago now!!!) with a 5-2 win Basildon Town, which ironically is where their now management team of Bowers & Bunny were for this game, little did they know that months down the line they would be managing their opponents that day and be at this stage of the competition, funny how things work isn't it.

Rovers went onto see off Buckhurst Hill at home, and then after Bowers & Bunny joined in mid October they saw off St Neots Town away on penalties, defeated Downham Town and then Fakenham Town at home, before winning at Whitchurch Alport and then netting a 95th minute winner at Highworth Town to set up today's tie against Western League Premier side Falmouth Town.

Falmouth themselves started at the same stage as today's opponents back in August, netting a home win over Honiton, before a home win over Credition United and then a superb 1-0 win at Fareham Town (Fareham had won every league game in the season at that point too) before a home win over Moneyfields was followed by a win on the road at Barnstaple Town, another home win over Hartbury College, and then a very impressive 3-0 win at Jersey Bulls saw them take their Quarter Final berth.

Both then had earned their right to reach the Final Eight of the competition, both in a season where promotion is also the aim too, Rovers were way down in tenth in the Essex Senior League but only five points off the play offs with games in hand due to this run in the Vase, Falmouth were sitting third in the Toolstation Western League and in touching distance of the top two with games in hand for the same reason, but league concerns were once again put on the back burner for this weekend as Vase success was very much back on the agenda.

Who could deal with the pressure and the nerves better then? There was a superb atmosphere inside the ground with a very sizable contingent from Cornwall certainly making a lot of noise, as said officially their was almost 700 inside the ground although it certainly looked and sounded like their was a lot more, it certainly pointed towards a good day indeed, who would deal with it better as said?

Both teams had chances in the opening forty five minutes in what was a very hard fought half of football, unsurprisingly with this being a major Quarter Final, and had it not been for Morgan Coxhead in the visitors goal then Rovers would have had two first half goals for sure, he saved from Harry Talbot early on before later on in the half he produced an unbelievable, almost impossible one handed save to deny Jake Gordon, it was a magnificent save and left us all gasping in the stands.

Falmouth themselves probably had more of the ball after they settled into the tie in the opening half, but any finishes that came their way were either straight at Rovers keeper Luis Shamshoum or off target, one such header from close range from a long throw in into the box was sent over the bar when it really should have been on target and a goal, but at the half time break it was fairly even and hard to call who was going to go on and win this tie.

Neither wanted penalties for sure, am not sure me or anyone else inside Burroughs Park could stand the tension of that, and as the tie went on you could feel that inside the ground as the enormity of the prize became more and more apparent, but it was the hosts who began to have the better of the tie in the second period, but could they take advantage of this?

The first goal was always going to be important in such a big tense and tight contest, and with twenty minutes of the second half gone, Rovers grabbed the lead, as wonderful work down the right from Gordon saw him send a ball into the box which bobbled across the area, and after a defender took an airshot at trying to clear the ball, it found it's way through to Talbot who composed himself before slotting past Coxhead, sending the home players, staff and fans wild with delight, they could now believe.

The expected response from Falmouth though never really came, they seemed to lack energy and faded somewhat in the second period, and the hosts seized upon this and with ten minutes remaining put the final nail in the visitors coffin in terms of the Vase for this season when substitute Max Gnandi brilliantly retrieved the ball from the byline, cut inside into the box, before being taken out and saw the referee award the hosts a spot kick.

Talbot took responsibility for the spot kick, he had been brilliant all game and had given full back Jacob Grange all kinds of problems throughout the game, and he kept his nerve to send Coxhead the wrong way and find the bottom corner, and help send Wakering through to their first ever FA Vase semi final in their history.

A wonderful day for the club then, and it was brilliant to be part of it and see a local side get through to the Final Four of the competition, commiserations to Falmouth though whose fans were superb throughout and were a credit to their side, I hope they can now go on and gain promotion this season as they deserve it, and they should be proud of reaching the Quarter Final stage for the very first time as well, well done.

Full time Great Wakering Rovers 2 Falmouth Town 0

Now, Great Wakering Rovers were not the only Essex Senior League side in the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase, Romford were also looking to reach the semi finals too and they were away at Combined Counties side North Greenford United, who had knocked Tilbury out in the previous round on penalties, let's see how that went.....

North Greenford United 0 Romford 1

Romford made it two Essex Senior League sides through to the Last Four of the Vase after Remi Sutton's 24th minute goal was enough to earn them a 1-0 win.

It means the semi final line up of the FA Vase sees Great Wakering Rovers and Romford joined by Worcester City and Lincoln United, who are both now favourites to win the competition, although I am sure both Essex Senior League sides will have something to say about that, what an achievement for the league to have two sides in the Last Four, lets hope at least one of them can make the final and win it!!!!

Right there was other league action this weekend too, let's have a look at how that went.....

Friday

Woodford Town 3 Frenford 1

The other Friday night game of the weekend saw Woodford defeat Frenford to continue their superb run of late, Peter Angelov gave the hosts the lead just past the half hour mark before Alex Bolovan doubled that advantage five minutes into the second period. Dion Johnson did reduce the arrears with eleven minutes to go but the hosts sealed the points when Bolovan netted his second and Woodford's third with two minutes to go.

Saturday

Barking 2 Athletic Newham 1

A late penalty from Sam Dowridge handed Barking a big win against play off rivals Athletic Newham at Mayesbrook Park, Brad Rowland had given the hosts a seventh minute lead but Abdul Shobowale levelled for the visitors just past the half hour mark. And it looked like the game would end that way until Dowridge netted a 90th minute penalty to hand the hosts the points.

Buckhurst Hill 2 Takeley 0

A brace from George Thompson helped Buckhurst Hill to the points against Takeley at Roding Lane, Thompson gave them a 28th minute lead before he doubled their advantage a minute before the break, and that proved enough for the home side to take the points in this one.

FC Clacton 2 Hullbridge Sports 5

Oluwatobi Coker netted two as Sports hit five at The Austin Arena against FC Clacton, Adam Topley gave the visitors the lead on the half hour mark before Coker netted five minutes later to double their lead. Jonathan Evans then made it 3-0 just before the hour mark before Coker then made it four just three minutes later, and then Owen Bellamy then made it 5-0 to the visitors with eighteen to go. Noah Alsterlind & Jenson Mulqueen netted late on for the hosts but it was far too little to late for them as they fell to a heavy home loss.

Halstead Town 0 Sporting Bengal United 4

Sporting kept up their play off hopes with a thumping win at Rosemary Lane against a decent Halstead side, and remarkably it was a hat-trick from centre half Freddy Tandon that did the damage (he had played up front so maybe he did today who knows!!!). After a goalless first half Tandon netted three minutes into the second half before adding further goals on 51 & 72 minutes, and then Tanvir Ahmed netted a fourth goal with nine minutes to go to cap a brilliant performance.

Stanway Rovers 2 Coggeshall Town 0

It looks even more bleak for bottom side Coggeshall Town now as they fell to yet another loss, this time at Stanway Rovers, after goals from Reece Conway & Jamie Bennett either side of the break handed the hosts all three points at The Hawthorns.

Tilbury 1 Saffron Walden Town 0

Runaway leaders Tilbury continued their charge for the title and promotion as a goal from Alex Clark proved enough for them to increase their lead back up to fourteen points with just nine games to go in the season.

Let's look at how the table is after this weekend's games.....

It's going to take a lot to stop Tilbury from winning the league now, so everyone else is playing for those four play off spots, and anyone down to probably Great Wakering Rovers in tenth have a shot at finishing in the top five, so it's going to be a crazy end to the season it seems.

Coggeshall Town as said look doomed now as they are twelve points behind Ilford after the Foxes won and they lost this weekend, both have seven games to go so it really does look like The Seedgrowers are all but down now.

Anyway, what a weekend, and I hope you enjoyed this blog, thanks for reading as always, it's very much appreciated.

Hertford Town 1 Welwyn Garden City 2 - Citizens end hosts four match winning streak after coming from behind to win derby at Hertingfordbury Park

Southern League One Central, Saturday 2nd March

The first Saturday in March saw me over at Hertingfordbury Park for the very first time, I was in the town to see a friend who was having a gathering for her 40th birthday so earlier in the day and saw that Hertford Town were hosting a local rival in the shape of Welwyn Garden City so it seemed like a good idea to go and take that in as well, after all I was over there anyway so why not.

It was a good job that the pitch was also 3G as had it been grass it probably would not have taken place due to all the wet weather we have been having lately, including today, the river and fields surrounding the ground were flooded and I did think that if the river burst it's banks would we even get out of the property!!! Thankfully the rain did abate and the sun shone once I arrived at the ground although it did not feel like spring that's for sure!!! It was very cold.

The ground is one of those old ones with character with some modern mixed into it, the old stand is the only covered seating and to be honest I didn't chose to sit in it mainly because unless you sat in the centre of it and towards the front you would probably have a blocked view and also watch some of the game through the windows at each end of the stand, but it certainly had character that was for sure, and there was a covered terrace at one end known as 'The Stable End' and this was quite an old looking structure too, but a decent terrace and one that when filled looks pretty good.

Their was a small bar there and a decent burger place too nearby serving all you needed at a football game, and of course the pitch was pretty modern as were the fencing and dugouts, it's a decent facility and all that Hertford Town need right now, and plenty of room for the 377 who were in attendance for this game to see who could grab bragging rights in this derby fixture.

Now the hosts were on a four match winning run heading into this fixture, and sat eight in the division only a point off fifth placed Cirencester Town who occupied that final play off spot in the division, so they knew that if they made it five wins on the bounce they could end up in the top five come the end of the game, and they would have been confident against a Welwyn Garden City side who were seven points behind them in 13th spot.

The Citizens themselves were in a mixed run in the last few games, since the turn of the year they had lost three times and won the other two, with a very exciting 5-4 success at Biggleswade last time out, so who knew what we would get this time around, on paper it looked like the hosts may edge it, but in a derby game you just never know do you.

For the opening forty minutes not a lot happened and it certainly did not feel like a derby game, very subdued at times to be honest, however just before half came two goals out of nowhere, firstly the hosts grabbed the lead when a ball behind the visitors back line saw Sonny Coughlan-Brown run onto it, and with visiting keeper Donnabhan Green way off his line, the hosts attacker duly lobbed him superbly and saw the ball bounce into the empty net.

But, barely a minute or so after this and whilst I was still typing my tweet for the Hertford goal, Welwyn responded in emphatic style after their number nine Lynton Goss burst through to fire a brilliant effort beyond hosts keeper William Kiers into the bottom corner and bring his side level immediately, meaning the sides went into the break all square.

Who would, if anyone, go on and win this game? The Citizens thought they had gone in front early on in the second period but saw Kiers make a wonderful stop to deny Goss a second goal of the contest, superbly tipping wide his effort, and then down the other end Coughlin-Brown almost got on the end of a Wilson Palomeque Bernal centre, this after the former had sent him down the right hand side.

However, just beyond the hour mark, the visitors got their noses in front when a corner from the left by Dernell Wynter was floated to the back post and keeper Kiers kind of got underneath it and was unable to prevent centre half James Kaloczi from nodding home and sending the small band of WGC fans behind that goal wild with delight, they now had something to hold onto, could the hosts respond?

In a word, no, their only attempt on goal saw a Bernal effort go straight at Green in the final ten minutes or so, but The Citizens did more than enough to hold on and claim a very good win here, ending the hosts winning run in the process whilst they made it three wins from four, getting themselves back into the play off picture as a result.

Welwyn have games in hand and are now only eight points off the play offs now, and are now up to ninth and only one place and four points behind today's opponents who have played three games more, Hertford are now four points off the top five now too, so they are still in a good position despite a first defeat since the end of January.

A good enjoyable battle it was though, played hard but fair, and as derbies go it wasn't too bad in terms of niggle and silliness, so that was good too, just two teams playing to win, and it was the visitors who did more, especially second half, to earn this and claim the points at Hertingfordbury Park.

Full time Hertford Town 1 Welwyn Garden City 2