Cockfosters 1 Wembley 2

The Buildbase FA Vase 2nd Round Proper, Tuesday 15th November 2016

Tuesday night and some FA Vase Second Round Proper action as I made my first visit to Chalk Lane, Cockfosters, as hosts Cockfosters took on Wembley.

Both sides play in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division and sit third and fourth respectively so a good contest was expected.

The match should of taken place on Saturday but due to an unplayable surface at the weekend the match was postponed until this evening. The winners would host Peterborough Sports in the next round of my Vase trail so a tough opponent awaited these two.

However these two would find each other a tough nut to crack no doubt and so it proved. The first effort came after five minutes from the hosts but it was an easy save down to the keepers right before the home side volleyed a cross well over two minutes later as the game had started at a good tempo.

The visitors first opening came on nine minutes when a good ball found the visitors in but a great last ditch challenge thwarted the attacker and then five minutes later came a concerning moment for the visitors keeper as his own defender misplaced a back header beyond him but the keeper managed to chase back and grab the ball, then moments later was forced to save from point blank range as the hosts threatened again.

Midway through the half saw an effort from Wembley come when the ball dropped to them on the edge of the box but saw a decent effort well held by keeper before moments later only a great save from hosts keeper Byfield denied a terrific curling effort which was headed for the top corner.

Eight minutes before the half time break the hosts went close as firstly a defensive block denied an effort on goal then the keeper saved a second effort at the feet of a striker before a minute later another effort from the hosts was saved as they begin to crank up the pressure.

A minute before the break a Wembley corner caused some concern but ended up drifting away for a goal kick and soon after the whistle went for half time and although the hosts were edging the contest the game was finely balanced at the break.

Half Time Cockfosters 0 Wembley 0

Whatever was said to Wembley in the changing rooms at half time woke them up as they began the second half much the better side and seven minutes into it saw a good move end with a weak left footed effort at keeper Byfield.

Moments later and the hosts almost gave the visitors the lead in calamitous fashion as a misunderstanding between defender and keeper almost allowed the visitors to walk into an empty net but the hosts just about recovered the situation, before minutes later the visitors saw a free kick come off the bar as they looked to turn the screw.

Just before the hour mark a good break from the hosts saw a defensive block inside the six yard area deny them however in the 65th minute came the opening goal which went the way of the hosts as the visitors failed to clear the ball into the box and saw the loose ball rammed into the roof of the net by Ben Hart.

But this lead lasted only three minutes as Wembley levelled as Joe Wright netted a rebound after keeper Byfield had saved an initial effort from the visitors, meaning the tie was right back in the melting pot again.

And on 79 minutes came a great chance for the visitors to take the lead when they got in on goal but the effort was dragged wide of the far post and then a minute later came the hosts chance as they broke clear but saw their effort tipped inches wide of the far post.

But the winner was to arrive for one of these sides and with seven minutes left saw the visitors smash home a loose ball inside the box via Byfields hands and give the visitors a passage into Round Three and a home tie with Peterborough Sports on December 3rd.

Full Time Cockfosters 1 Wembley 2

Tower Hamlets 1 Barkingside 3

Essex Senior League, Monday 14th November 2016

Monday night football for the current week saw me over at the Mile End Stadium for an ESL clash between Tower Hamlets and Barkingside.

The hosts were looking to try and put a three games loosing streak behind them whilst the visitors were looking to make it back to back league wins after victory at Clapton at the weekend.

The hosts began the better though and on three minutes went close to taking lead as a long range effort skipped up off the wet surface, bounced off keeper Jack Francis in goal, but was alert enough to tip over the follow up effort from Ruben Junior.

However a minute later the hosts did take the lead as after the visitors failed to clear a corner kick, Rahim Adama Bamba netted from close range and give the home side an early advantage.

The goal seemed to wake Barkingside up though and immediately from the restart almost got in but saw host keeper Jean Manata just gets to ball first before the lurking visiting attack nipped in to surely score.

On eleven minutes good football from the visitors saw Jason Fontaine in on goal but his effort forced a good save from Manata but on the quarter hour mark the away side found an equaliser as a ball squared to Marvin Birch saw the midfielder side foot home from twelve yards and see the game all square.

The visitors continued to attack and midway through the half went close as two efforts were blocked inside the box but just past the half hour mark it was the hosts who so nearly retook the lead as Jairo Pedro cracked an effort against the bar before moments later the visitors should of taken the lead when Adam Ademilya got through on goal but keeper Manata saved again.

And then with just over ten minutes of the half left Barkingside should of taken the lead when they were awarded a penalty following a handball inside the box, but David Laird saw his spot kick tipped onto the post by Manata to keep the scoreline at 1-1. But it only stayed this way for a further two minutes as Side did manage to take the lead as Fontaine burst through to eventually loft the ball over a stranded Manata and into the net.

The hosts almost struck back with seven minutes of the half to go when Junior nipped in but saw his effort go just over and this meant the visitors went into the break a goal up on their opponents.

Half Time Tower Hamlets 1 Barkingside 2

The opening exchanges of the second period saw little in the way of goalmouth action with the best moment in the first ten minutes of the second period seeing Sides Luke With with a sight of goal but he totally missed his kick and then on 56 minutes and with Hamlets now putting some pressure on the visitors defence, O’Neal Rowe struck over the bar.

Just beyond the hour mark a Hamlets free kick was flicked towards goal but Francis fielded well and then two minutes later the visitors somehow spurned another chance when Laird got in on goal but lifted his effort wide of the far post.

With twenty minutes remaining the visitors went oh so close again as a cross was so nearly put into his own net by Sergio Sheymz at the back post before moments later With saw an effort tipped wide by Manata who almost made a right mess of a fairly ordinary effort, before the resulting corner found Augustus Ruzgas whose drilled effort was saved by Manata.

But with just over fifteen minutes to go Barkingside finally sealed the deal and grabbed a two goal cushion as the superb Fontaine grabbed his second as after getting through and rounding Manata, he composed himself before slotting into the far corner to put Side on their way to victory.

Hamlets tried to respond five minutes later but saw Samuel Olanipekun strike his effort over before the visitors missed another opportunity eight minutes from time as a free kick swung in by skipper Paul Wright somehow invaded everyone in the box.

With three minutes remaining and with Hamlets frustrations boiling over, teammates Lukman Atunda and Rowe came together in the middle of the park and had to be separated, resulting in a booking for each. It certainly wasn’t what the hosts were looking for as they were heading for four straight defeats.

There was just time for Laird to spurn another chance for Side, getting in again but seeing keeper Manata saves down to his right but it mattered not as the away side came away with a well earned three points, taking them up three places to eighth, whilst Hamlets remain down in eighteenth.

Full Time Tower Hamlets 1 Barkingside 3

Snaresbrook 1 Great Baddow 2

Essex Olympian League Senior One Division, Saturday 12th November 2016

So my latest Saturday saw me over at Nutters Lane in Wanstead as Snaresbrook hostedGreat Baddow in a top of the table clash in the Essex Olympian Senior One Division.

The hosts sat in fourth place knowing an win would take them closer to the top three whilst the visitors sat second and knew a win would take them to the summit of the division as league leaders Catholic United were not in league action.

Conditions were pretty damp and dismal as the game kicked off almost ten minutes late, and after two minutes the hosts had the first effort at goal after a backheel set up a chance but the effort went straight at the visiting keeper. Three minutes later and the visitors first sight of goal saw a free header at the back post go into the keepers arms before an effort flashed across the hosts goal just invaded players before the visitors then shot wide.

Action swung up the other end on eight minutes when a ricochet fell to the hosts just inside the box but the effort was straight at the keeper before the visitors attacked again on 17 minutes and saw a good effort from outside the box force a decent save from the keeper, then the resulting corner was headed just over.

But then on 20 minutes the hosts took the lead as after a foul from the visiting centre half, the ball ran through to see Matthew Shrubsole go clean through so the referee rightly allowed the advantage and the home striker duly slotted home to give the East London side the opening goal of the contest.

Moments later Baddow hit an effort wide and then just before the half hour mark only a brilliant save from the hosts keeper, tipping over a visitors first time effort, kept them in front and then two minutes later another chance for the visitors saw the ball fly across the face of goal and miss the far post by inches.

Three minutes before half time Baddow again caused problems in the hosts box but the final effort sailed over and just before half time the hosts almost pinched a second goal when they sent a decent effort just over the bar but they did make it to the break a goal to the good.

Half Time Snaresbrook 1 Great Baddow 0

The hosts came out and almost netted a second straight after the restart when forcing the visitors keeper into a decent save, with the resulting corner seeing a close range header go straight at the keeper. Then a minute or so later another chance for the hosts after a poor defensive header saw a shot which was poor and straight at the keeper.

Would the hosts rue missing these opportunities? Well on 50 minutes the visitors had their first effort of the second half but the long range effort was straight at the keeper and then three minutes later Baddow saw another effort drift wide of the near post, however they were to find a leveller a minute later when Daniel Gage drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box and the game was back in the balance once again.

After this setback the hosts went on the front foot to try and retake the lead and on 57 minutes they went so close to going back in front but saw the keeper brilliantly tip a lob just over and then just past the hour mark the visitors put together a decent move which ended with a ball across goal then an effort blocked at the near post.

Snaresbrook then saw a 64th minute effort almost embarrass the visiting keeper as he let the slippery ball escape from his grasp and go across the face of goal before the hosts wanted a penalty, firstly for a foul, and then for an effort that was blocked, as they claimed it had hit a hand. The visitors then wanted a penalty of ther own in the 69th minute for a foul but it looked an ambitious shout and fell on deaf ears.

And then with twenty minutes left the hosts really should of taken the lead when a cross into the box found Bradley O’Donovan, who last season was part of the Berkhamsted side who reached the last 32 of the FA Vase, totally unmarked and alone about ten yards out but he headed his effort way wide of goal and cue hand in hands moment from the hosts. It was a great chance indeed.

The relieved visitors then should of gone in front themselves three minutes later when they headed over a corner from point blank range but with just over ten minutes to go they managed to get their noses in front when after a ball was hit across the box, the ball was returned into the dangerzone and was side footed home from close range by Dane Nelson to spark joyous scenes on the visiting bench and amongst the Baddow players.

The remaining ten or so minutes saw the visitors hold their opponents at arms length and take a very hard earned victory against a decent Snaresbrook outfit. It was a really good competitive contest and it meant that the visitors rose to the top of Senior One whilst the hosts slipped a place to fifth.

Full Time Snaresbrook 1 Great Baddow 2

Bowers & Pitsea 2 Thurrock 0

Ryman League North, Friday 11th November 2016

So Friday night football on Remembrance Day saw me over at the Len Salmon Stadium to see a Ryman North local derby between Bowers & Pitsea and Thurrock.

Four years ago the hosts were struggling at the bottom of the Essex Senior League whilst visitors Thurrock were in the equivalent of what is now the National League South, some three steps higher.

However the last couple of years have seen the hosts, under the management of Rob Small, finally win promotion last season whilst Thurrock have fallen two steps to now sit on a par with their opponents although Thurrock are looking to get back to where they used to be and currently occupy seventh spot after a difficult start to their season.

Hosts Bowers have begun life in the Ryman League fairly well although recent results have seen the slip into mid table but they knew a win over their local rivals would put them back into the top ten.

And they were to have the ideal start when ex-Bees striker Brad Warner curled home brilliantly from long range beyond the dive of Bobby Mason after only two minutes to give the hosts a very early advantage. Thurrock’s best moment in the opening quarter came from Charlie Stimson, who saw an effort fly a foot wide.

But the visitors were lucky not to go two down on 18 minutes when another ex-Basildon player, Ben Sartain, saw an effort come back off the underside of the bar after keeper Mason had allowed it to thinking it was missing the target. Thurrock then immediately went close themselves as David Cowley saw a free kick tipped over by Rhys Madden although after some confusion the kick was ordered to be retaken and Madden saved the second attempt too.

Midway through the half saw another chance for the hosts as after the referee allowed an advantage, David Knight’s effort went straight at Mason, and then on the half hour mark another hosts chance saw full back Vinny Durrant in down the left hand side but he dragged his effort wide.

Bowers continued to carve out openings and seconds later saw another decent move end with Knight hitting straight at Mason again and then a couple of minutes later it was the visitors turn to put a good move together and ended with Stimson seeing an effort well saved by Madden.

Eight minutes before the before almost saw an embarrassing moment for Thurrock keeper Mason as an Alfie Hilton cross saw the keeper miss judge the cross and saw the ball go over his head, hit Knight, before he managed to gather the ball at the second attempt with Knight lurking.

However with all this pressure from the hosts they so nearly were pegged back by Thurrock five minutes before half time when a visitors break upfield ended with Mark Onyemah striking the post with a decent effort which had Madden beaten. Two minutes later Bowers passed up another chance when Knight and Callum Leahy were both thwarted by Mason and then just before half time tempers flared between Bowers Ross Adams and Thurrock’s Stimson, resulting in a yellow card for each.

It had certainly been a highly competitive encounter, although the hosts were the better side and deserved their lead.

Half Time Bowers & Pitsea 1 Thurrock 0

The niggly affair that the first half ended in continued over into the early stages of the second period and saw Knight put in a challenge which saw his opponent come off worse, and then go face to face with an annoyed Thurrock defender, although the situation was soon dealt with by the man in the middle.

Eight minutes into the second half a great ball in behind the Thurrock defence by Leahy found Hilton but after cutting inside his effort went straight at Mason. Both sides then saw half chance go begging as the game went past the hour mark although the visitors were starting to crank up the pressure.

However just as they were looking dangerous, they saw themselves reduced to ten men midway through the half as skipper Richard Halle received a second booking for handball after going up for header in the hosts box. It was a moment of madness but it meant the visitors would have to play the remainder of the game with a man less.

Thurrock though didn’t seem that deterred and won a free kick in position ‘a’ but saw Cowley’s effort go way over the bar. Bowers tried to make life more difficult for the visitors on 77 minutes when Warner sent a ball flashing across the six yard box, but apart from this the ten men visitors had been having a decent spell without really testing the hosts goal.

Two minutes later Warner whipped a free kick from the right just over the Thurrock bar but with eight minutes to go came a truly wonderful moment when Knight cracked an incredible effort into the top corner from thirty yards out, giving Mason no chance whatsoever. Warner’s goal was spectacular but this one was off the scale, it was a truly awesome strike and it gave the hosts that two goal cushion they were craving.

To be fair to Thurrock they kept going and saw a Stimson effort force a smart stop from Madden and then deep into stoppage time another Thurrock effort was well held by Madden to make sure the home side kept a clean sheet as well. So Bowers ran out deserved winners on the night and climb into tenth as their decent start to Ryman Football continues, whilst Thurrock’s recent good form took a set back here as they remain seventh.

Full Time Bowers & Pitsea 2 Thurrock 0

Eton Manor 7 Sporting Bengal United 0

Essex Senior League, Wednesday 9th November 2016

My first visit to the V & E Sports Ground on the outskirts of Broxbourne saw me take in an Essex Senior League clash between Eton Manor and Sporting Bengal United.

The hosts had been having a mixed season with some good results followed by some disappointing ones, one being their home loss to Enfield 1893 at the weekend. Sporting on the other hand slipped to the foot of the table at the weekend after a rather poor start to the season so both sides would be looking to try and put their weekend’s disappointments behind them with a good performance here.

And it was the hosts who got their noses in front on nine minutes as sloppy play from the visitors allowed the hosts in and a ball across goal was duly tapped home by Joe Bricknell. The visitors almost responded seven minutes later when they had two good chances to find the net in quick succession but saw Manor keeper Michael Chowdry make two good saves.

And then moments later the hosts doubled their lead as Josh Skykes got in but saw an effort saved before the follow up from Bricknell smashed against the bar but the Manor attacker was quickest to react and he netted the rebound for his and Manor’s second. And the hosts quickly made it three two minutes afterwards as the ball broke to Ryan Marriott on the edge of the box and he placed an effort into the corner with ease.

Things were to get even worse for the Mile End side midway through the first half when centre halfDavid Tarwala was shown a straight red for a professional foul on Sykes and this kind of suggested Sporting would be in for a very long night although the resulting free kick from Bricknell sailed way over the visitors goal.

Soon afterwards the visitors fired an effort just wide of goal from distance but on 27 minutes the hosts made it four when Sykes got through and rounded the keeper before slotting home. The visitors had been defensively woeful in the game and it looked like Manor could score at will in this contest.

On the half hour mark Manor again got in down the left hand side but saw a lofted cross shot drift beyond the far post whilst up the other end another visitors effort went just wide of far post before Sporting saw an effort curl just wide. If they had taken some of their chances this game could of been a lot closer.

However whilst their attacking was ok their defending was abysmal at best and ten minutes before half time a chance for the hosts saw good work down the right from Bricknell and he played the ball across to Sykes but the striker could only send his effort inches wide of the far post.

However eight minutes before half time Sykes managed to win a penalty for the hosts when he was fouled just inside the box and Bricknell stepped up to convert the spot kick for his hat-trick and Manor’s fifth of the half. It had been a clinical performance from the hosts who had capitalized on some pretty poor defending from the away side.

Half Time Eton Manor 5 Sporting Bengal United 0

Sykes almost had his second and Manor’s sixth six minutes into the second period when volleying just over the bar but three minutes later he did find the net, converting from close range, meanwhile one of floodlights appeared to be catching fire just to the left of the benches and had an extinguisher used on it by one of the coaching staff. Luckily for the hosts the light remained in tact thereafter!!

Just past the hour mark the hosts had another good chance but saw keeper Denzel Kobia save and then minutes later Manor skipper Joe Johnson went down after getting his studs caught in the turf and was screaming in pain for a minute or two. After a couple more minutes of treatment he was helped off to the dugout with what looked like a serious leg injury. We wish him all the best and hope it’s not to bad.

The game took on a rather going through the motions feel until the 79th minute when the hosts netted their seventh as Sykes completed his hat-trick, converting a cross from close range. The hosts then missed four real guilt edged chances in the next four minutes as they threatened to hit double figures, and to be honest they really should of done, but they somehow failed to find the net again.

With two minutes to go Sporting nearly grabbed a consolidation but saw an effort blocked on route to goal before the last moment of the contest saw Sporting force a decent save from host keeper Chowdry but they were well beaten and remain bottom of the division after a shocking defensive showing at Goffs Lane.

For Eton Manor though it was a great response after the weekend’s loss and they will hope to take the form on going forward although no doubt will come up far better defences than this one although with players like Bradbury, Sykes and Bricknell in their side they will always pose a threat going forward.

Full Time Eton Manor 7 Sporting Bengal United 0