Tower Hamlets 3 Brentwood Town 3

Pre Season Friendly, Monday 11th July 2016

So a week into my pre season coverage and tonight (Monday) I was over at Mabley Green,Hackney, for a game on the newer 3G pitch between Tower Hamlets and Brentwood Town.

It was a perfect evening for some footy with the late evening sunshine beating down on the pristine surface, perfect for some passing football, and both sides did indeed try and play the right way.

The match was played in 3 x 30 minute periods so both squads could be fully tested. And the game saw Hamlets create the first effort which was tipped wide by the keeper before both sides saw efforts kept out. The visitors then missed a sitter before they made amends on 12 minutes, slotting home after a brilliant through ball.

However the hosts responded by scoring two goals in a minute, firstly on 21 minutes when a through ball saw them round the keeper and slot home and then barely sixty seconds later another ball in behind found the same player who drilled a left footed effort beyond the Town keeper and saw the hosts lead after the first thirty minute period.

The second period saw greater pressure from the Brentwood forward line and they created some really good chances but failed to convert any of these, and yet again it was their defending that was to let them down again as they were caught cold four minutes from the hour mark when Hamlets skipped in down the left and a weak ball across saw the keeper gather then let the ball squirm from his grasp and allowed the hosts to just about squeeze the ball over the line and see the ESL outfit open up a two goal cushion.

So into the third and final period of thirty minutes and after yet more changes from both sides, the hosts had chances to make it 4-1 as Brentwood pushed on to try and get back into the contest, but saw these chances go array. Brentwood then began to assert more pressure in the final fifteen as the period took on a rather frenetic tempo.

With twelve minutes to go Brentwood pulled a goal back when they finally managed to get in on goal, round the keeper, and slot home, making the last ten or so minutes interesting. Town missed a couple of really good chances towards the end as they pressed for a leveller but it looked like Hamlets would hold on for a good win.

However as we entered stoppage time the visitors struck a brilliant leveller from twenty yards out and this looked likely to be the final action of this match. However in a dramatic ending the visitors then won a penalty after the linesman flagged for an infringement just inside the box over on the far side and the Ryman League outfit had the chance to win the game with the last kick but the hosts keeper dived to tip the spot kick away and the game ended all square.

So a thoroughly entertaining contest ended in a 3-3 draw with both managers knowing more than they did prior to this outing no doubt.

Full Time Tower Hamlets 3 Brentwood Town 3

The Walter Tull Trophy 2016 – Clapton, Hackney Wick & AC London

So the second Saturday of Pre Season took me to the Old Spotted Dog ground in Forest Gate, East London. Hosts Clapton were putting on a tournament and had invited Hackney Wick and AC London along for the ride.

The tournament was named the Walter Tull Trophy and would be made up of three sixty minute games (thirty minutes each way) in a round robin format, with the team on the most points after two games the winners of the tournament of course.

Clapton of course ply their trade in the Essex Senior League and are looking to build a decent squad to challenge towards the upper reaches of the division this season. Hackney Wick are only in their second season as a club after forming last summer, and they play their football in the Middlesex County Division One Central and East, some two levels below the hosts, whilst AC London have joined the Combined Counties League for the coming season.

Each side brought along squads capable of lasting two games in a day and so the tournament began at 12:30pm with the two visiting sides taking on each other first. Here are reports on the three games that took place:-

Game One
Hackney Wick 0 AC London 2

AC London grabbed the first win in the Walter Tull Trophy for 2016 after defeating Hackney Wick. The South London side began well and had the majority of the chances in the opening exchanges with Wick limited to occasional attacks when possible. The opening goal came five minutes before the end of the first half when a ball lobbed back over a static defence beat the offside trap and allowed AC in to lob over a stranded Wick keeper and into the net. Prior to this Wick felt they should of been awarded a penalty for a shove but this wasnt given but it was a rare moment for them in the last third. However the second period saw AC become sloppy in their general play and allowed Wick back into the contest and saw them go close on a couple of occasions. They couldn’t capitalise though and AC were then awarded a penalty with fifteen minutes left but saw this saved but they came on strong towards the end and with the last act of the match headed home from close range to seal the points and end Wicks resistance.

Game Two
Clapton 1 AC London 0

Tournament hosts Clapton recorded a win over AC London in the days second game. The first half yielded some half chances for both sides although neither keeper was fully tested as the first half ended goalless in what was a fairly even contest. However the second half was only seconds old when the telling moment of the contest came as the AC keeper went to control the ball only for it to bobble up and see the keeper mis control it allowing the hosts to steal the ball right in front of goal and tap home. AC tried to respond but the hosts slowly took control and had chances to seal the win late on but they held onto the win in any case and gave themselves a great chance to win their own tournament with a win in the final game. The game did end in worrying fashion when one of the AC players was accidentally caught and was treated on the pitch for several minutes before being walked off very gingerly indeed. We wish the player all the best and hope it’s wasn’t to serious.

Game Three
Clapton 1 Hackney Wick 1

Intermediate side Hackney Wick scored late on to grab a draw against tournament hosts Clapton although the Tons still picked up the point necessary to take the Trophy. The hosts, who are two levels above their opponents, squandered two free headers early on as they looked for an early advantage in this game. Wick, although underdogs, were never overawed by their opponents and gave as good as they got in this well contested match. The Tons though did create the bulk of the chances and saw a cross hit the bar before an overhead kick also struck the bar. Wick themselves had a penalty shout for handball before they also hit the bar but with three minutes to the half time whistle they headed a free kick home from close rangeand saw them go in at the break ahead. They so nearly doubled their lead at the start of the second period but saw the Wick keeper save well but thereafter the lower league opponents dominated pretty much the reminder of the half, going close on a couple of occasions and then with a minute left finally grabbing a deserved leveller when a ball in from the left saw the keeper parry onto the foot of his defender and bounce back past him and into the net. It was the least Wick deserved after a brilliant second half display. Clapton almost pinched it right at the death but it ended a draw which saw the hosts take Trophy success, finishing a point clear of AC London.

So hosts Clapton secure the Walter Tull Trophy although they were made to work very hard for it in what was a very well contested tournament and certainly entertained those who had come to see it. A very enjoyable day indeed.

Barkingside 1 Bishop’s Stortford 1

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday 5th July 2016

So it was only the fifth day into July and this was already my third pre season match in the build up to the 2016-17 season, which begins in less than a month. Tonight’s (Tuesday) venue was the Met Police Sports Ground in Chigwell for Barkingside’s first outing in pre season against National South side Bishop’s Stortford.

However my first visit to the grounds was rather eventful as following a signal failure on the Central Line I found myself stuck at Woodford and with no idea on buses decided to take an hours walk to Chigwell instead!!! Once I got there I managed to walk round the entire grounds before finding the actual pitch the game was taking place on!!! I made it with minutes to spare so all was well in the end.

Anyway enough about my shenanigans and onto the game. Barkingside are back in the Essex Senior League following relegation from the Ryman North Division last season and the club have stuck by boss Gursel Gulfer and have faith in him that he can form a squad to challenge at the top end of the division.

They were up against a decent outfit in Bishop’s Stortford who had finished 11th in the National League South last season and they were under a new manager in the shape of Gordon Boateng who was also looking to shape a squad to better last season’s 11th placed finish no doubt.

And it was the visitors who struck an early blow in this one as they went ahead after just nine minutes of the contest as the Side defence were caught cold and saw the visitors run beyond the back line before a ball squared to Scott Shulton saw him knock into the empty net and give his side an early advantage.

Stortford had certainly began the better of the two sides and were playing some nice stuff as they dominated the early exchanges but then just as the game hit its quarter hour mark the hosts managed to find an equaliser when the Stortford defence allowed the hosts a free run in on goal and the Barkingside forward duly finished via the keepers hand into the corner of the net.

This goal saw an improved Side thereafter as they gave as good as they got against their much higher level opponents and the game took on a real end to end feel for most of the rest of the half, with both sides having chances to take the lead before the break. However neither side could find that second goal and the teams ended the first half all square.

Half Time Barkingside 1 Bishop’s Stortford 1

Barkingside would of been encouraged by their first half showing after their goal and they initially began the second half ok but the visitors gradually began to create some decent chances as they looked to get their noses in front in this keenly contested encounter. However after an hour or so of the contest the game was still very much end to end.

But as the half went on the visitors really upped the tempo and missed some golden chances to go in front as the ESL side clung onto the 1-1 scoreline somewhat, but they dug in which would have pleased their boss.

Side were now resorting to playing their opponents on the break and they almost got in a couple of times near the end when they did manage to attack but Stortford held firm at the back to thwart the hosts of any chance of a sight of goal.

However neither side could muster a winner and the game ended in a draw. Side , although clinging on a bit in the second half, more than held their own in what was a good performance. Lots of positives for boss Gursel Gulfer to work with no doubt in what was a very good workout for both sides.

Full Time Barkingside 1 Bishop’s Stortford 1

Waltham Forest 1 Brentwood Town 2

Pre Season Friendly, Monday 4th July 2016

So it was July 4th, Independence Day across the pond in the US of A, yet in little oldEngland it was more pre season football as the local non league sides continued their build up to the new season.

Last night (Monday) saw me over at Wadham Lodge on the 3G surface there as Waltham Foresthosted Brentwood Town. Forest will again be competing in the Essex Senior League this season whilst for Town they will be back in the Ryman North after relegation from the Premier last season.

New Brentwood manager is of course Tony Ievoli, former Forest and of course Wadham Lodge manager, and his new look squad contained some former players from both those sides too. For Forest they were looking to build a squad to have a far better crack at the ESL this time round after last season’s struggles and it was they who had a decent start here as they had a couple of decent chances in the first quarter hour of the game.

The game itself would be, in agreement of both sides, be split into three thirty minute periods. This was so both squads could have decent run outs and use all the players sufficiently as of course this is pre season and that’s what it’s all about. The latter part of the first period remained goal less although both sides looked lively going forward.

After around 35 minutes (due to the hosts failing to notify the referee that three thirty minute period’s had been agreed!!!!) Part One ended with the scoreline at 0-0. The hosts were still just edging it going forward though.

End Of 1st: Waltham Forest 0 Brentwood Town 0

The Ryman North side came out brighter at the beginning of the second period of thirty minutes and three minutes into this went in front as Russell Downes received the ball inside the box and duly rammed home a left footed effort for a very well taken goal to give the visitors the lead.

Thereafter for about ten minutes or so the hosts continued to have more of the attacking threat but just could not find an end product as the Brentwood back line stood firm. As the period was coming to it’s end the visitors started to have their best spell of the game and three minutes before the end of it doubled their lead as a through ball saw Downes run onto it, round the keeper, and slot home for another well taken goal and a 2-0 lead for Town.

However Forest were to pull one back right at the end of the second period as the hosts caught Town napping and burst into the box before a ball squared to the back post saw a Forest player finish from close range and bring them right back into this contest.

End Of 2nd: Waltham Forest 1 Brentwood 2

So following yet more wholesale changes for the final third of this contest the game was becoming a rather feisty encounter with some rather heavy challenges going in although the scoreline still remained 2-1 in favour of the visiting Ryman North outfit.

Forest again had a spell of pressuring the visitors but as was the pattern in this contest the hosts could not find a way through. Brentwood themselves had chances to kill the game late on themselves, on one occasion seeing the same player heading against the bar within five seconds of each other.

However the contest ended with the visitors running out winners although boss Ievoli will demand improvement from his new look squad although their were no doubt positives to take from this too. Forest new boss Kem Kemal can also take many positives from this defeat as his side created plenty going forward but were guilty of lapses in concentration for both goals.

So a good competitive workout for both sides and a more than useful exercise for both squads.

Full Time Waltham Forest 1 Brentwood Town 2