Great Wakering Rovers 2 Tilbury 2

Ryman One North, Tuesday 16th September 2014

GWR and Tilbury played out a decent 2-2 draw in the Essex Derby at Burroughs Park.  The home side started the better and had two or three decent chances to take the lead but they were made to pay for these misses when Tilbury took the lead on 27 minutes with only their second real effort on goal when Joe Christou came inside and let fly from 25 yards and beat Seal down to his left.  The next ten minutes or so was a barrage of chances for the visitors as GWR lost their way and on 37 minutes Tilbury doubled their lead from the penalty spot following a handball and Jack West cooly struck the spot kick to Seal's right for 2-0.  GWR grabbed a lifeline on 45 minutes when a cross was volleyed home brilliantly by George Artemi to give the home side something to grab onto going into the break. And on 59 minutes GWR had their equaliser when Jay Nash was played through and he slotted past keeper Ramos to set up a good last half hour.  Chances came and went, the majority to the home side, but neither side could find a winner so the points were shared.

Rochford Town 4 Basildon Town 3

EOFL Senior Two, Saturday 13th September 2014

Rochford Town won a seven goal thriller at home to top of the table and previously unbeaten Basildon Town.  The home side flew out of the blocks and lead after 5 minutes when a corner whipped into the six yard box was tapped in from barely a yard out by Carl Read.  A minute later Read had his and Rochford's second when he rounded the keeper before cutting back onto his right foot and finishing brilliantly from an acute angle.  Rochford made it 3-0 on 36 minutes when a cracking ball into the box by Mark Pope found Benn Smith whose glancing header found the bottom corner.  Basildon's best player Chris Charlery pulled a goal back on 42 minutes, cutting inside his marker before beating Skinner down at his near post and then on 45 minutes Chris Charlery was played through, flagged offside, but the referee chose to ignore his lino and allowed Charlery to round Skinner and place the ball into the empty net.  Rochford regained their two goal cusion four minutes into the second half when Lee Anderson flicked home a dangerous cross via a deflection over keeper and defender for 4-2 and seemed to be comfortable until Chris Charlery completed his hat trick on 82 minutes, heading home a decent cross but Rochford managed to hang on and claim the three points.

Bowers & Pitsea 4 Codicote 2

FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round, Saturday 6th September 2014

Bowers booked their place in the 2nd Qualifying Round thanks to two late goals from Ashley Wackers-Kyriacou.  After a slowish start Codicote took a surprise lead on 21 minutes when Charlie Marshall's excellent long ball over the Bowers defence found Ben La Honore in the box he finished left footed past Baker for the opening goal.  This lead only lasted two minutes as Bowers hit back when they attacked down the right through Neil Marron and his cross was hit against their own bar by the defence before coming out to Rob Whitnell who headed in the rebound.  On 28 minutes Bowers took the lead when Jamie Salmons pinpoint free kick found Luke Wilson unmarked in the box and he volleyed home with his left foot past keeper Barnes.  But the away side weren't done there and levelled the tie up right on half time when Ben La Honore drove at the box and then unleashed a 20 yard left footed strike which swerved past a helpless Baker to make it 2-2.  The second half was being played at 100 miles an hour as both teams looked to gain and edge but Codicote's job was made more difficult when Keith Coughlin was shown a second yellow on 62 minutes for a poor challenge on Salmon and so left the away side down to ten men.  Bowers kept pushing and eventually grabbed the lead ten minutes from time when a ball into the six yard box found Ashley Wackers-Kyriacou whose point blank effort was somehow kept out by Barnes although the ball bounced back off him and then off a combination of Wackers-Kyriacou and defender Ricky Bridge and went just over the line for a scrappy goal.  The tie was sealed a minute before the end when a lovely through ball by Jamie Salmon found Ashley Wackers-Kyriacou who duly slotted past the onrushing Barnes to seal the deal. Bowers now entertain Haverhill Rovers in the next round.

FC Romania 2 Heybridge Swifts 1

FA Cup Preliminary Round, Sunday 31st August 2014

FCR caused a 'cupset' of sorts by knocking out Ryman North side Heybridge Swifts this afternoon at Theobalds Lane.  Swifts took an early lead when Billy Hunt won the ball on the edge of the box and swivelled before smacking the ball into the far corner past the keepers hand making it 0-1 to Swifts. FCR began to get into their stride there after, putting together some lovely moves before they levelled on 24 minutes from a corner which was met by a towering header from centre back Claudiu Vilcu for 1-1.  FCR's diminutive winger Ilie Vasile was causing Swifts plenty of problems and most of the home sides play was going through him.  Five minutes before half time and the home side went in front when a pinpoint ball over the Swifts defence was latched onto by striker Sorin Bugiu who took a touch before firing past keeper Sambridge to send the FCR fans wild with joy.   FCR missed two golden chances to increase their lead at the start of the second half before a flashpoint on 63 minutes saw Claudiu Vilcu sent off for an apparent head butt during a melee in the home sides penalty area.  The referee also awarded a penalty for the infringement but Neil Richmond saw his spot kick saved.  Swifts created a couple of chances thereafter but could not capitalise on their one man advantage.  On 85 minutes FCR broke away but this attack was ended illegally by Swifts Andy Tomlinson who was duly shown a second yellow to make it ten against ten.  FCR managed to hold out for the win and take them through to a date with either Redbridge or AFC Sudbury in the 1st Qualifying Round.

  

Chelmsford City 1 Staines Town 3

Conference South, Saturday 30th August 2014

City were defeated for the first time in four outings going down 3-1 at Melbourne to Staines Town.  After both sides had a sight of goal Town took the lead in the 21st minute with a very much route one look to it.  A long ball over the top of the City defence saw three players converging on the bouncing ball, City keeper Eyre and defender Haines and Town forward Willock, and it was Willock who won the race to the ball and headed over the advancing Eyre into the unguarded net for the opening goal.  City's Cheek missed a golden chance on 34 minutes before the home side levelled from the penalty spot through Southam bang on half time after Haines was bundled over in the box.  However the second half was only eight minutes old when Town restored their lead when a cross into the box was headed towards the corner of the goal by Willock but somehow keeper Eyre let the ball go through his hands and it nestled in the bottom corner.  It was poor keeping and should of been saved.  City put numerous crossed into Town's box thereafter but failed to covert any of these chances and Town stood firm, choosing to soak up the pressure and hit City on the counter.  And on 86 minutes they sealed the match when Theophanous was played in on goal and he knocked the ball past an advancing Eyre into the corner to send the dozen or so Town fans behind the goal wild with delight.

Basildon United 0 Bowers & Pitsea 3

Essex Senior Cup 1st Round, Wednesday 27th August 2014

Bowers won the Essex derby at Gardiners Close this evening by 3 goals to nil. In a poor first half Bowers controlled most of the possession and the best chance fell to them a minute before the break when Simon-Parson's centre was headed downwards towards the corner by Fergus but keeper Harley saved well. Ten minutes into the second half and Bowers broke the deadlock when Wilson's cross into the six yard box was tapped home by Simon-Parson to give the away side a 1-0 lead. Both teams then created a chance each before Basildon had a five minute spell of sustained pressure towards the last ten minutes of the game. However it was Bowers who doubled their lead on 84 minutes when substitute Hine's cross shot from the right looped over keeper Harley and in off the inside of the post. Bowers sealed the win with three minutes to go when the ball was played to another substitute Whitnall who cut back inside and hammered the ball past Harley. Bowers now meet Stansted away in the next round.