Hornchurch 3 Enfield Town 2

Isthmian League Premier, Tuesday 16th August

Tuesday saw me over in Upminster, and saw an 84th minute header from Tom Wraight seal a pulsating Isthmian League Premier contest as his Hornchurch came from behind to beat Enfield Town in front of almost 500 at Bridge Avenue.

These two played out a dramatic contest the last time they met, the Premier Division play off semi final at Donkey Lane, and The Urchins left it very late to win that one, before going on to lose the final at home to Cheshunt, meaning another at this level, Hornchurch began this campaign with a narrow defeat at Bognor Regis Town, whereas Enfield managed to grab a point at home to Folkstone Invicta.

And just like that semi final last season these two were to play out another dramatic and pulsating contest, and saw the visitors almost lead inside a minute when they saw an effort come back off the bar, but just before the midway point of the half they did lead when after Sam Youngs had been fouled inside the box by Wraight, Jake Cass stepped up to thump home the spot kick.

It took Hornchurch only four minutes to respond though as lovely play from the hosts saw a one two on the edge of the area see Liam Nash get in on goal, and the striker lifted a neat finish over keeper Nathan McDonald for the equaliser, and if it had not been for McDonald thereafter in the half, The Urchins would have been ahead, the visiting keeper making three superb stops to keep them out.

And then seven minutes before the break the hosts were stunned when substitute Lyle Della-Verde, who replaced the stricken Scott Thomas after just 14 minutes, fired home a wonderful free kick from twenty yards out to restore the visitors lead and see them go into the break a goal ahead, which was harsh on the hosts who had created the better openings so far. It was a superb strike though and one worthy of winning this contest, although with a whole half to play out, surely this would not be the end of the goals. It had been a cracking game so far.

The tempo didn't really let up in the second period either, and with both sets of fans creating a superb atmosphere it was certainly adding to the occasion, both sides had goals chalked off, Enfield for offside whilst Hornchurch had one chalked off for handball, both were correct decisions as well.

Hornchurch continued to edge the contest despite the score line although Enfield did have their chances too, Joe Wright having to be smart to stop a flick on towards the near post finding the net in one such moment, but the visitors had to do a lot of defending as they looked to hold onto their lead and get a very hard earned win, McDonald again frustrated the hosts with another wonderful save to deny Ola Ogunwamide.

However, The Urchins were to finally make their pressure tell with thirteen minutes remaining as a ball in was flicked across goal to the far post where Nash was waiting to head home, and the home support believed their side could now go on and win the game, and they did just that as with six minutes of the ninety remaining, Wraight stooped to glance home a cross into the far corner and send the hosts wild, the atmosphere had reached fever pitch by this point,

Enfield tried all they could to find a leveller in the remaining time left, their best moment came when they sent a header just over the bar, but The Urchins managed to see out the game and win what had been an absolutely cracking game of football, such an entertaining watch, and well worth the £12 entrance fee. Well done to both sides for creating such a superb contest, it certainly left me with a bounce in my step afterwards, these are the games you certainly crave as a football fan that's for sure.

Full time Hornchurch 3 Enfield Town 2

Hashtag United 2 East Thurrock United 1

Isthmian League One North, Monday 15th August

I was over at The Len Salmon Stadium on a sultry Monday evening and saw a penalty from Kojo Apenteng and a thunderbolt from Matt Wooldridge prove enough for Hashtag United to edge to victory over East Thurrock United in their Isthmian League One North contest.

Both these sides came into this local derby having lost their opening games of the season, The Tags went down to a narrow 1-0 loss at Bury Town whilst United were beaten 4-2 at home by AFC Sudbury, meaning both sides were looking to put that right and bounce back from those losses at the weekend.

And a bumper crowd of 423 were in attendance too, including a healthy following from Corringham, to see if their sides could do just that, although a rather poor first half ensued and looked to be ending goalless until deep into added on time at the end of the half when Toby Aromolaran burst though and as he went past keeper Montel Joseph he went down, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Contact looked minimal at best and the visiting players were less than impressed with the decision, which also saw Joseph booked for his troubles, and this was compounded when Apenteng stepped up to dispatch the spot kick and send his side into the dressing room a goal to the good.  It had been a dour half of football though so we were all hoping for an improvement in the second period.

The second half was thankfully a much better spectacle too, and eight minutes into it saw a superb strike from Wooldridge, letting fly from range and seeing the ball thump off the underside of the bar and down and just over the line according to the assistant on the far side, which upset the visitors who were adamant the ball had not crossed the line, but anyway the goal was given and The Tags had a two goal cushion, leaving the visitors a mountain to climb.

It was a mountain they very nearly climbed though, pulling one back when a corner from Daryl Byron-samuels found the head of Jack McQueen who sent a bullet of a header into the net with fifteen minutes remaining, and had it not been for a couple of decent stops from Tags keeper Anthony Page, the visitors could easily have left with a point.

Tags did have chances to seal it too, their best moment came when a cross into the box found Joni Vukaj totally alone twelve yards or so out, but he took his eye off the ball and missed the cross completely, however the Tags did hold on to take a very hard earned three points and get their first points of the campaign on the board, whilst the visitors have lost both their games so far.

Full time Hashtag United 2 East Thurrock United 1

 

Great Wakering Rovers 0 Lowestoft Town 3

Isthmian League One North, Saturday 13th August

I was over at Burroughs Park on a sweltering Saturday afternoon as the Isthmian Leagues got underway, and late goals from Jake Reed, Chris Henderson & Travis Cole handed Lowestoft Town all three points against Great Wakering Rovers.

The hosts ended up surviving the drop last season from the North division quite comfortably in the end after finishing seven points above third bottom Witham Town and a further point above the automatic relegation spot occupied by Barking, whereas there opponents from the most easterly point in the UK had come down from Step Three lasts season after finishing bottom of the Southern South Central Division.

Of course you cannot read to much into this at the start of a completely new campaign, both teams had changed several personal over the summer too, but which side would get their 2022/23 campaign off to a positive start?

Both sides made positive starts, in fact if it had not been for both keepers, Wakering's Harry Fairs, and Town's Warren Burwood, the game could easily had been 3-3 after half an hour, or maybe even earlier than that, as the first period saw many openings for both sides, but amazingly the half ended goalless, somehow, but it had been a terrific watch despite the blank score line.

The second period was initially much of the same, both sides having openings, not to the extent of the opening half, but still the game was fairly even and could have gone either way, but then in the 63rd minute the visitors introduced Henderson into the fray, and he was to have a huge impact on proceedings as the hosts looked to be tiring as the game entered it's latter stages.

Henderson's first major piece of action came with ten minutes to go and saw him slip a lovely pass through to Reed who charged into the box and fired an effort across Fairs and into the far corner, and then he turned goal scorer four minutes later when he charged into the box and sent a low bobbling effort across Fairs and into the far corner, and pretty much settle this one.

Town still had enough time to net a third and definitely clinch this contest when they made it three goals in eight minutes as skipper Cole headed home a corner at the back post and put some gloss on a score line which probably didn't reflect how the game had gone as the hosts had been well in it for most of the contest, but a late surge from the visitors ultimately settled this match and saw the points go to the Suffolk side.

Full time Great Wakering Rovers 0 Lowestoft Town 3

Jolof Sports 0 FC Petrocub 5

Essex Alliance League Senior Division, Friday 12th August

I was over at Mayesbrook Park on Friday evening as the Essex Alliance 2022/23 season got underway and saw FC Petrocub hit five as they got their Senior Division campaign off to a great start against Jolof Sports in Barking.

Sports had finished their 2021/22 season in a respectable fourth place in the Senior Division, whereas FC Petrocub had finished in mid table (7th) some thirteen points behind tonight's opponents, but this was a new season so nobody really knew what to expect, although the majority felt the hosts would probably grab victory here. The visitors though had not read the script, more on that later.

On arriving at the ground I was handed a laminated team sheet for the contest by Sports boss Dan Brissett, which was a pleasant surprise, and in fact every supporter who attended were handed one at the gate, a very nice touch and in theory should have been very useful when blogging/reporting on the game.

Sadly it seems the numbers on the sheets didn't entirely match up to what was actually on the pitch, the visitors squad list only went up to twenty, and they had a thirty-three and a ninety-seven on the pitch, so it was kind of unhelpful to say the least, at least Dan sent me his actual team sheet meaning at least I had the hosts correct line up!!! Always makes for a challenging evening that's for sure. I guess as long as the official ones are correct then that's all that matters.

Anyway back to the game, and it started very well for the visitors, who were awarded a spot kick after a pull back in the box when the visitors were about to shoot, and that number 33 stepped up to emphatically dispatch the penalty and give his side the lead in just the fourth minute, and twenty minutes later the visitors were awarded another penalty.

This was after the linesman on the near side had spotted an infringement inside the box which the referee had not spotted, and after discussion with his assistant awarded the penalty, and that number 33 stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way once again and gave his side a two goal cushion to take into the half time break.

And it was a lead that was to increase further still just before the hour mark when a mistake at the back allowed Cristie Ilie (I think, he was down as 17 on the sheet after all) to steal in and fire past the keeper, before late goals from Gheorghe Belibov (again assuming it was he who was wearing the number that the sheets suggested) and that number 33, who completed his hat-trick.

Belibov was the recipient of more charitable play from the hosts, the keeper losing the ball to the visitors player before he slotted home, and then the final goal came when that illusive number 33 fired home a decent effort from acute angle to complete his treble and cap a decent nights work for the visiting side.  

The score line suggested a one sided contest, but it certainly was not this, Jolof had several openings themselves but their mistakes at the back were punished to the max by the visiting side, not the result most expected but Jolof will have to pick themselves up and go again next weekend.

Full time Jolof Sports 0 FC Petrocub 5

 

Basildon Town 3 Burnham Ramblers 2

Eastern Senior South, Wednesday 3rd August

I was over at Rookery Hill for another Eastern Senior South contest on a beautiful evening and saw a brace from Rhys Fatt help Basildon Town maintain their 100% start to the season after victory over Burnham Ramblers in Corringham.

This was Town's first season in Senior football, and they got that off to a magnificent start at the weekend when thrashing Tower Hamlets 5-0 at Rookery Hill, but this was surely going to be a tougher test against a Burnham Ramblers side who also got their campaign off to a superb start when beating Frenford 3-0 at Leslie Field on Saturday.

A rather average opening to this game exploded into life in the 20th minute when Town got their noses in front as a free kick swung in from the right by Ryan Scougall found player boss Marcus Bowers, and he managed to knock it into the path of Fatt who charged onto the ball before rifling a powerful effort past George Arran Rae in the visitors goal.

And that seemed likely to be the only goal of the first period, that was until Ramblers found a leveller a minute before the break when Adebolu Adeyemi struck an effort at goal which took a sizable deflection, wrong footing keeper Matthew Knight, and nestling into the net, meaning the teams would go into the half time break all square, it sure was a tight affair, which had been expected prior to kick off.

The game though ultimately was decided in a two minute spell just past the hour mark as Town took control and seemingly seal the three points, taking the lead in the 63rd minute when Scougall turned goal scorer this time when his effort took a huge deflection, wrong footing Arran Rae and find the net, and then two minutes later great work by Billy Hutchinson down the right saw him drive into the box, fire across goal, and after that cross had come off a defender and cannoned off the bar, Fatt was quickest to react to plant the loose ball with his head into the net to make it 3-1.

The visitors didn't give up though, and made the last fifteen minutes or so interesting when they pulled one back in the 76th minute after Shemarie Perkins-Palmer burst through and fired a decent effort past Knight to make it 3-2, and now Town suddenly had to dig in somewhat to preserve their lead and the points.

The hosts though did manage to see the game out and keep their opponents at arms length to make it two wins from two and continue their perfect start to life as a Senior club, whereas for Ramblers it was a first defeat of their campaign, both are in league action at the weekend, Town travel to Wingate & Finchley to take on Enfield Borough, whilst Ramblers host St Margaretsbury at Leslie Field.

Full time Basildon Town 3 Burnham Ramblers 2

Frenford 3 May & Baker 3

Eastern Senior South, Tuesday 2nd August

I was over at The Drive in Ilford/Redbridge on Tuesday evening as Frenford and May & Baker played out a superb six goal thriller as both sides earned a point on another lovely evening on the Essex/East London border.

The hosts had not started their league campaign that well at the weekend, going down to a 3-0 reverse at Burnham Ramblers, whereas Bakers were looking for a second win to keep up their 100% start after they had seen off new boys Cannons Wood at home on Friday night.

Frenford did actually start the better of the two sides but after eleven minutes they fell behind when a corner swung in saw skipper Jamie Marsh climb highest to head home, but just before the midway point of the first period Frenford responded when after a long range effort from Harry Daly had been beaten out by Seb Barford, James Peagram was on hand to bury the rebound.

Just three minutes after that though Bakers restored their lead when a lovely pass in behind the backline from Idris Aminu found Abidemi Lamina and the latter made no mistake by slotting past Jack Ryan, however this bonkers first half continued to deliver as the hosts then levelled eleven minutes before the break when Sam Munton managed to get free inside the box to slot home.

And then two minutes after that the hosts led as a flick on released Raheem Gray in on goal and he brilliantly lofted over Barford, it had been a breathless half of football, and one the hosts managed to edge in terms of the score line as it came to a conclusion, allowing everyone to try and get their breath back, it had been sublime.

Bakers came out and immediately missed two great chances to level, but eight minutes into the half they did find a leveller to make it 3-3 when after hosts keeper Ryan had made two brilliant saves, he could nothing about the third as Rob Bagnall was on hand to smash home the loose ball from close range, and the visitors were very much on top.

They could not capitalise on the several openings that came there way though, either through poor finishing or keeper Ryan getting in the way (the keeper had a brilliant game it has to be said) but towards the end of the match Bakers almost paid for these misses when Frenford had a couple of golden chances to nick it, but they could not and it meant this pulsating contest ended all square, but it had been a thoroughly entertaining encounter.

Lastly I would like to thank Frenford boss Dave Forbes, or Forbesy as he is known, for handing me and Scott W a pass for the season to their games at The Drive, it's little things like this that make you want to come back and cover teams like this, a magnificent gesture indeed, have always found the club very welcoming and appreciative of our efforts, so we applaud you for that. And if all the games here are as entertaining as this one was, it's a no brainer!!!

Full time Frenford 3 May & Baker 3

  

Southend Manor 1 Stansted 1

Essex Senior League, Saturday 30th July

I was over at Southchurch Park as the Essex Senior League got underway this weekend, and saw Southend Manor and Stansted play out a very hard fought draw in very warm and muggy conditions on the Essex Coast.

Both these sides harboured hopes of having a very good season indeed, Manor had made ten signings over the summer and had a decent pre season showing, whereas The Airportmen had also seen a few changes of personal in their squad and had also had a decent showing leading up to this season beginning, although pre season doesn't count for much if you have a poor start to the campaign.

The visitors could and should have netted inside the opening minute but saw an effort scrambled away somehow, before they saw another effort cleared off the line and a shot somehow slotted wide of the post, Manor's only real effort of note saw a long range effort fly inches wide from outside the box, but the hosts were lucky to be level as they approached the latter part of the first half.  

And with six minutes of the half remaining the home side edged themselves in front, which was totally undeserved on balance of how the half had gone, when Jon Evans nodded home a cross from the left, although that lead was short lived as just three minutes later a lovely ball from Ashaan Siddik released Jack Mitchell who lofted a lovely effort over a stranded Luca Collins, and it meant the sides went into the break all square.

Manor boss James Wakeling had a right go at his players in the dressing room at the break and it seemed to have the desired affect as they looked much more of a threat second period, and almost took the lead when Ben Allen's superb effort was brilliantly saved by Louis Hawes, but it was a much tighter second period overall and Manor keeper Collins had to make a smart save late on to make sure his side came away with something.

So a point a piece in the end, Stansted will be unhappy they didn't take all three points after their first half showing, but Manor would have been pleased the way they came back in the second period an at times dug in and stayed in the game, especially first half, and could easily have won it in the second period, but both teams at least are off and running now ahead of important FA Cup ties next weekend.

Full time Southend Manor 1 Stansted 1