Stowmarket Town 2 Swaffham Town 1

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Replay, Tuesday 4th December 2018

Sam Nunn’s 69^th minute header eventually saw Stowmarket Town edge out Swaffham Town in their Buildbase FA Vase Third Round replay at a cold and misty Greens Meadow and see the Suffolk side reach the Last 32 of the competition, setting up an away tie at either Biggleswade or Tring Athletic.

The sides had battled out a goalless draw at the weekend at Swaffham’s Shoemakers Lane ground but many thought that the hosts, one step above their opponents, would get the job done second time around more comfortably perhaps.

But this was not the case early on as Swaffham began the game well and created the games best chance in the opening fifteen minutes when a decent effort at goal saw home keeper Callum Robinson get down smartly to turn the effort away from goal.

However, in the 20^th minute the visitors did stun their opponents by taking the lead when after the hosts had gone close when a header across goal was almost converted at the far post, moments later Swaffham’s Joe Jackson pounced on a poor clearance to fire beyond Robinson and give the visiting side a shock lead.

Stow themselves created a chance thereafter when a header from set-play looked destined for the net until keeper Tommy Rix and a defender between them managed to scramble the ball away from the net, whilst down the other end the visitors passed up two decent openings to double their lead.

But in the 34^th minute the hosts did manage to pull themselves level when sloppy play in the visitor’s backline allowed Scott Chaplin to nip in and finish beyond Rix from close range, and the tie was now back on level terms once again.

The home side were getting stronger as the half wore on and saw a curled cross to the far post almost converted, whilst another attack saw a close-range effort cleared off the line by a scrambling Swaffham defence.  The visitors then almost restored their lead in spectacular circumstances when sending a first time volley a foot wide, but it meant the sides went in all square at the break.

Half Time Stowmarket Town 1 Swaffham Town 1

The early exchanges of the second period saw the hosts find the net after a header back into the dangerzone was fired home, only to see the flag go up for offside, whilst down the other end the visitors fired an effort straight at Robinson from a great position.

Swaffham then passed up two great opportunities to re-take the lead in this one, firstly seeing Robinson save but fire the rebound over the bar, and then secondly when a brilliant ball across the six-yard box was not converted, as the hosts continued to struggle against their step six opponents in this period of play.

But in the 69^th minute came the deciding moment as it turned out when a lovely free-kick into the visitor’s box saw Nunn rise highest to nod a header past Rix and give the hosts the lead with a quarter of the tie remaining.

Swaffham tried to respond but saw a weak poke at goal easily saved by Robinson, whilst down the other end Stow saw a long-range looping header almost catch keeper Rix out, but the ball ended up on the roof of the net and not in it as the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.

With time running out it was the visitors who were doing the pressing, and two half chances came and went as the hosts managed to advert the danger, and then deep into stoppage time hosts midfielder Jack Baker was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident that the linesman on the far side had spotted and brought to the attention of the referee.

But despite this ending the hosts managed to take a hard-earned victory and take their place in the Fourth Round and a tie at either Biggleswade or Tring.  That match takes place this weekend and I’ll be there to see who wins that replay.  Stowmarket await the winners, we know that for now.

Full Time Stowmarket Town 2 Swaffham Town 1

Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0 (aet)

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Proper, Saturday 1st December 2018

Swaffham Town and Stowmarket Town will have to do it all again on Tuesday after the sides battled out a goalless draw after extra time in their huge Buildbase FA Vase Third Round tie at Shoemakers Lane.

Swaffham had seen off fellow step six outfit May & Baker in the last round to reach this stage and they now had another tough tie against Stow who were going for promotion in the Eastern Counties League Premier, so not unsurprisingly the visitors were seen as favourites to progress into the Last 32 of the competition.

Visitors Stow had seen off Baldock Town after extra time in the previous round to set up this Norfolk vs Suffolk clash, and with both teams being the last sides from their respective counties it was important in that sense too as well as pride.  So, although the visitors held the favourites tag, this was cup football so you could not rule out a surprise here.

The visitors did have the first chance early on when Jack Baker sent a header wide, whilst down the other end the hosts also saw a looping header go over the goal as the opening fifteen minutes saw both sides playing with a decent tempo.

The next period of play saw the hosts come close a couple of times as they had a decent spell, one effort beaten away by Stow keeper Callum Robinson and another when a miscued header from a decent position allowed the visitors to scramble clear the danger.

Stow then fired an effort over the top but it was the home side who were looking more dangerous as the half entered its latter stages, and saw a couple of dangerous crosses into the area cause the visitors issues, but the hosts so nearly went in behind as Stow created a great chance which saw Baker free inside the box, but his effort was brilliantly blocked behind for a corner.

This was certainly a well contested FA Vase tie, and it remained goalless at the break with the hosts no doubt much the happier of how the game was going.

Half Time Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

It was a lively start to the second period too, Stow saw a bouncing ball run onto by Remi Garrett and he beat hosts keeper Tommy Rix to it but saw his header trickle wide, whilst they also saw two other headers at goal rebuffed by the hosts, whilst down the other end the tricky Alex Vincent fired an effort just wide whilst another went into the side netting.

The home side were then screaming for a penalty after keeper Robinson tried to run the ball out of play, was caught out and in an attempt to get back to try and reclaim the ball appeared to bundle over the home player, but the referee said nothing doing and the hosts were left frustrated.

The tie then took on a new edge when Garrett tried to break clear of hosts full-back David Weaver-Pope but the defender took the visiting forward out, sparking a melee and much pushing and shoving as Stow were far from happy with the challenge.  Referee Joshua Crofts managed to calm the situation and booked the full-back but the tie had taken on a certain edge now.

 What was becoming more apparent though was that the visitors were beginning to turn the screw now in what was a frantic cup tie, and after Vincent had sent an effort from outside the box straight at visitor’s keeper Robinson, Stow saw a header back across goal somehow cleared away, and then they saw a brilliant chance blocked from inside the box by a desperate Swaffham defender.

And then came the closest anyone had come to scoring at this point when Scott Chaplin burst into the visitor’s box and fired a terrific effort off the inside of the post, see the ball bounce off a defender and then see keeper Rix dive onto the ball to stop it going back into the net, it was a huge let off for the hosts.

The visitors then saw a deflected effort strike what they thought was a hand of a defender inside the area, but referee Crofts waved away their protests, and after the hosts had seen a breakaway end with a cross going straight to Robinson, Stow went down the other end and curled an effort inches wide of the far post.

It had been a second half that saw the visitors much the better but they could not find that illusive goal and it meant this cracking battle would go to extra time, the second time in a row Stow had gone to the extra half hour.

Full Time Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

The first period of extra time saw both teams go close early on, Stow somehow heading over from point blank range, whilst the visitors curled wide of the far post after a slip from the visiting backline, and you began to think it wouldn’t be Stow’s day when they had two goals chalked off, one for a tight offside call, and another for a foul.

They were understandably frustrated but they were given a boost two minutes before the end of the first period when home defender Danny Tindall was given a second yellow for a foul, meaning the hosts would have to play the remainder of extra time with ten men.

The second period saw Stow flash a ball across the box, and then send a free header wide of the far post, before another effort also missed the target as Swaffham put in one last shift to earn a replay.  

And a replay they did earn indeed after a huge effort against a side a level above them, both sides certainly had given their all and you could tell at the final whistle just how much, with some slumped to the floor with nothing left in the tank.  A proper cup tie was had, and they go again on Tuesday in Stowmarket to see who wins through to the Last 32 of the competition.

Full Time (aet) Swaffham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 0

One last thing, the club gave me a superb welcome, and the chairman, Cllr Ian Sherwood, even asked to have a selfie with me in the clubhouse (photo included below with others).  Also thanks to Stowmarket assistant manager Paul Musgrove for buying me a pint after the game, much appreciated.  Enjoyed my day immensely and look forward ton Tuesday’s reply, if I can get there that is!!!  Here’s hoping.

Tower Hamlets 0 Walthamstow 2

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Saturday 24th November 2018

Early second half strikes from Craig Pope and Matt Brinklow were enough for Walthamstow to get back to winning ways by defeating Tower Hamlets at Mile End and inflict the hosts second home defeat in less than a week in the ESL Premier Division.

The home side had lost at home to Enfield on Monday night but prior to that had beaten Sawbridgeworth Town in the cup before pulling off a stunning win at Stansted in the league last weekend, whilst for Walthamstow they suffered a rare defeat at home to Woodford Town last time out, so wanted to quickly bounce back from that.

The hosts were to have the first opening of the game, and it came early on when Luke With sent Ijah Currie-Williams clear and with Stow keeper Danny Sambridge off his line the Hamlets attacker sent a lofted effort crashing against the bar and the visitors survived that early scare.

James Peagram then had a decent opening for the visitors but saw his effort go straight at home keeper Jordan Stanbury, and then they saw another effort flash wide from range in what was a fast start at Mile End, but it did remain goalless.

Hamlets did then have the ball in the net but the flag had gone up for offside meaning Currie-Williams saw his effort chalked off, before a brilliant overhead kick from With saw Sambridge tip over smartly to keep the score level.

Stow finished the half well and saw a ball dangerously deflected across the goal, before a close-range header was sent over the top, but the half did end goalless with all to play for still.

Half Time Tower Hamlets 0 Walthamstow 0

Stow began the second period as they started the first and three minutes into it they got their noses in front when a ball to the far post eventually dropped to Pope who stretched to send an effort beyond Stanbury.

And just five minutes later Stow doubled their advantage when Brinklow shifted onto his left foot before firing a brilliant effort from outside the box into the top corner giving Stanbury no chance at all and the visitors suddenly had a two-goal cushion to savour.

Hamlets tried to respond and fired wide of the far post but the visitors were holding firm and making it difficult for their opponents, and when an opportunity did come along, the visiting defence brilliantly blocked the effort.

As the game entered its final quarter Hamlets felt they should have had a penalty when claiming a foul inside the box, but the referee waved away their claims and you felt it just wasn’t their day in this one.

Hamlet’s fired a free kick at goal which was flicked over by Sambridge, before another long-range effort from the hosts flew off target, whilst down the other end the visitors nearly sneaked in at the back post although the flag had gone up anyway so it would not have counted had they converted.

The remainder of the contest passed without incident meaning those early second half strikes were enough for Stow to take the points, meaning sixth place for the visitors and thirteen points off the leaders with two games in hand, whilst Hamlets sink back into the bottom three.

Full Time Tower Hamlets 0 Walthamstow 2

England 2 Croatia 1

UEFA Nations League Group A4, Sunday 18th November 2018

England netted twice in the last twelve minutes to turn what looked like relegation from the elite group around to qualification to the finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League and relegate opponents Croatia into Group B as a result.

Group A4 had certainly thrown up it’s drama so far and this was the final showdown in that Group with all results still possible as all three sides, Spain, England and Croatia could all still win the group and make next summer’s finals in Portugal.

Spain, who were hoping for a draw in this one to see them qualify, had began this group with two wins from two, however two losses then followed meaning a win for either England or Croatia would send them through whilst the losers would be relegated to the B group. 

It certainly all pointed to a tense and exciting afternoon at Wembley in the November sunshine and after the hosts had almost gifted the lead to the visitors inside two minutes, the hosts started to dominate proceedings.

The Croats were struggling to deal with the pace and directness of Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling, and the hosts were guilty of missing some guilt edged chances.  Sterling saw a one on one chance saved, before Harry Kane made a mess of a chance at the back post when totally unmarked, and Kane again saw a shot at goal blocked on the line by a defender after the keeper was left in no man’s land.

But for all of England’s attacking threat you always knew the Croatian side could cause problems, although they didn’t really test Jordan Pickford too much in the first half, with any efforts they had going off target, although just before the half time whistle a floated ball into the home box just invaded Perisic, in what was a warning to the hosts not to rest on their laurels.

So the half ended goalless, meaning it was as you were, with Spain through to the finals as group winners, England finishing second and Croatia facing relegation to Group B.  But there was a long way still to go as they say.

Half Time England 0 Croatia 0

So forty five minutes to decide this group, who would blink first?  Well just before the hour mark Croatia struck a major blow when Andrej Kramaric received the ball inside the box, twisted and turned and then sent a curling effort which took a nick off Eric Dier and beyond Pickford into the corner of the net, and suddenly Croatia were in the driving seat and England were now facing the drop.

The goal gave the visitors a boost for sure and you could sense the nervousness inside the stadium as Croatia threatened a second goal, but this did not arrive and England remained in the contest but knew they needed to find at least one goal to save their Group A status.

But it looked as though the hosts would find it very difficult to do this as the visitors had set up very well defensively and looked to counter at any opportunity and Gareth Southgate decided a change was necessary and brought on Jesse Lingard and Jadon Sancho to try and get the attacking flair back into the side.

This young England side now had to show some character, and boy did they do just that, as with twelve minutes remaining Kane stretched to squeeze an effort under keeper Kalinic’s body, and as the ball trickled towards the goal., Lingard was on hand to side foot into the empty net from a yard out and bring the Three Lions level.

It now meant we were back to square one again, with Spain now in the driving seat, so the final ten minutes would certainly be interesting to say the least.

Croatia then so nearly went back in front moments later though but Lingard turned defender to clear off the line and deny the visitors what could have been a massive blow to the hosts, just moments after they had got back on level terms.

But England poured forward again in search of that winner and with five minutes remaining found it when skipper Kane, who else, slid in to convert Ben Chillwell’s free-kick in off the post and send the home players and fans wild with delight, and it meant that England will take their place alongside Portugal and Switzerland in June’s UEFA Nations League finals with one spot still to be filled by either World Champions France or Netherlands.

It also means the Three Lions are guaranteed a EURO 2020 play off spot as well after reaching the finals, whilst defeat for Croatia means they are relegated to Group B along with Germany, Iceland and Poland.  A dramatic finish then, and the new look England continue to make strides to being one of the very best in the world.  Exciting times indeed!!!

Full Time England 2 Croatia 1

England 3 USA 0

International Friendly (Wayne Rooney Foundation Match), Thursday 15th November 2018

Goals from Jesse Lingard, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Callum Wilson saw the Three Lions to a fairly comfortable victory over the USA at Wembley Stadium on a night where the country paid their respects to Wayne Rooney in what was his farewell performance for his country.

This was also a friendly to help raise money for the Wayne Rooney Foundation so a great cause and a worthy charity to raise money for, and it was also fitting that his final game for England would be against the Americans considering the success he is now having out their with DC United in the States capital.

It was also a very important warm up game for the big one on Sunday against Croatia at Wembley in the final UEFA Nations League Group match, which we now know sees the winners take all and progress into the final stages of the competition, so Gareth Southgate took this chance to field some players who were on the fringes or coming back from spells out.

The much-changed team were soon into their stride and had much zip and enthusiasm about them and were soon causing the visitors problems with their pace and power, and you thought it would only be a matter of time before they broke the deadlock, however this didn’t arrive in the opening twenty minutes.

And in fact, it was the US who so nearly broke the deadlock when going clean through but Jordan Pickford made a brilliant stop to deny them, and kept the scoreline at 0-0.

The hosts then struck a double blow midway through the half to take control of the contest, firstly when Lingard received a pass from Deli Alli before curling a wonderful effort beyond Brad Guzan into the far corner of the net, and then secondly when Alexander-Arnold ran onto a through ball to fire an unstoppable effort into the far corner to double the Three Lions lead.

The hosts were now purring and threatened to overrun their opponents, but fair play to the Americans who did whether the storm eventually but these England players certainly showed that they have what it takes to play at the highest level as they reached the break two goals to the good.

Half Time England 2 USA 0

The early exchanges of the second half saw the visitors with a bit more of the ball than they had had in the early part of the first half, although England still looked threatening when in possession, and in the 58^th minute came the moment everyone had been waiting for, the introduction of Rooney for this 120^th and final cap for his country.

The cheer when he came on sent shivers down your spines, and I’m sure he must of felt amazing having that much love and support from a crowd he had wowed for 15 years as an international, but he also had an important half an hour or so to play and help out the youngsters around him.

Both teams had openings in the second period but could not find that goal, but the hosts always looked in control and did make it three inside the final fifteen minutes when Wilson got ahead of his marker to steer an effort beyond Guzan and in off the post to cap a memorable evening for the Three Lions.

Rooney showed class touches in his final appearance and played well, but all we wanted was a Rooney goal, and it so nearly came on a couple of occasions, one when he shifted onto his right before hitting an effort which Guzan saved, and then another when stretching to try and divert a ball across goal but couldn’t quite get there.

So alas it wasn’t to be for Rooney, but he had certainly bowed out with his head held high, whilst for this England team the squad looks healthy now and are certainly moving in the right direction.  Croatia awaits us on Sunday in what promises to be one hell of a showdown, can’t wait!!!

Full Time England 3 USA 0