Chelmsford City 1 Ebbsfleet United 5

Vanarama Conference South, Friday 26th December 2014

My first game of football for nearly three weeks saw a boxing day clash at Melbourne Stadium between Chelmsford City and Ebbsfleet United an Essex v Kent derby.  Fleet had a goal chalked off after four minutes for offside whilst City hit the bar as both teams looked to get their noses in front and it was Fleet who struck first when on ten minutes a corner kick was headed home by Kenny Clark.  Both teams created chances in a cracking first half but it was Fleet who doubled their lead on 36 minutes when Kenny Clark was shoved over in the box trying to get to a corner kick with his head and Billy Bricknell sent Bradley Watkins the wrong way for 2-0 to the visitors.  City continued to threaten and with five minutes of the half remaining pulled a goal back when Rhodell Gordon's centre found namesake Jaanai Gordon who headed past Brandon Hall for his debut goal and give the home side encouragement for the second half.   The second half started quietly, that was until the 55th minute when Fleet skipper Daryl McMahon curled home a beauty of a free kick from all of 30 yards out to make it 3-1 to the men from Kent.  Fleet were starting to take control and made it four on 71 minutes when after keeper Watkins had come out for a previous effort he was left stranded as sub Sean Shields lobbed him from the edge of the box and then it was five on 76 minutes when another sub Brendan Kiernon's run down the right ended with him squaring the ball to Billy Bricknell who slotted past Watkins first time for his second of the game and Fleet's fifth.  The scoreline was probably a little harsh on City but Fleet had been clinical when it mattered.  

Brantham Athletic 1 Yaxley 3

FA Vase 3rd Round Proper, Saturday 6th December 2014

My first game in December saw me travel to Brantham Leisure Centre in rural suffolk to see a FA Vase clash between Brantham Athletic and Yaxley.  The hosts certainly burst out of the traps quicker and took a 2nd minute lead when Jack Cawley's looping header from Kieran Lawler's corner found the far corner of the goal.  It was so nearly two a minute later when first of all Shawn Webb's effort was saved by Aaron Butcher before the rebound from Ollie Mann was also saved by Butcher.  The home side certainly created the better openings in a first half that was scrappy at times and devoid of much quality although the bobbley surface ceretainly made it difficult to play any sort of football although considering the amount of rain we have had lately it wasn't to bad.   Yaxley started to play some kind of football towards the end of the first half and this was a sign of things to come.  After the break Yaxley stepped it up and duly levelled six minutes into the second period when a cross was headed back into the dangerzone and Rob Hughes stabbed the ball past Joe Fowler high above his head to level this tie.  The hosts really had to dig deep as Yaxley came forward in waves and looked likely to go in front as they dominated the second half although Athletic did manage to weather the storm somewhat as the game went into a scrappy phase once again, possibly due to tired legs and the heavy pitch plus the enormity of the game itself.  With nine minutes to go Yaxley grabbed the all important second goal when full back Luke Hipwell drove forwards and eventually he managed to cut inside into the box and then drive the ball past Fowler inside the near post to send the visitors wild with delight, celebrating with their bench in front of the main stand.   Athletic tried to respond but found their efforts in vain and with two minutes left they were caught cold on the break when a long crossfield ball to Dan Cotton found him through on goal and he slotted past Fowler to seal the deal and send Yaxley into the next round.  It was a good effort from Brantham but they came up just short today against a very decent outfit.  I cant thank the club enough for making me feel so welcome today and for one of their official's to pay for my entry fee was just fabulous and epitimises what the club are like in my view.  It certainly made for an enjoyable day out and I'll certainly visit again.  Sadly for them they bow out of the Vase for this year though and congratulations to Yaxley for their victory.

Concord Rangers 0 Mansfield Town 1

FA Cup 1st Round Replay, Tuesday 25th November 2014

Ollie Palmer's second-half goal helped Mansfield edge past non-league Concord in their FA Cup first-round replay.   The Conference South side had the better of the first half, with Matt Fry and Lewis Taaffe both going close.   Mansfield improved after the break as Palmer forced a save from Josh Vickers and Fergus Bell struck a post.   And the League Two side found a winner just after the hour mark when Palmer slid in at the back post to put away Rob Taylor's cross.   Jordan Chiedozie, whose 30-yard strike 10 days ago had forced the replay, almost snatched a late equaliser but poked over from close range.   Managed by PE teacher Danny Cowley, the Canvey Island side were committed and spirited in the wet and cold conditions, particularly in the first period, against a team 46 places above them on the football ladder.   Mansfield, still managerless since Paul Cox's departure last week,pulled away though as the game drew on, with Palmer's back-post finish halting Concord's momentum.   The former Havant & Waterlooville man should have had a second, but failed to beat Arsenal loanee Vickers when through one-on-one.   And although Rangers forced a series of late corners, the Stags held on to secure a second-round tie at Cambridge United.

Wembley 3 Brantham Athletic 4 (aet)

FA Vase 2nd Round Proper, Saturday 22nd November 2014

Brantham Athletic won an epic at Vale Farm after beating ten man Wembley thanks to a stoppage time winner from Simon Mann put them through to Round Three.  The visitors were unlucky not to be ahead before the home side grabbed the lead with their first shot on target when a deflected through ball found Femmi who smacked past Fowler in the 22nd minute.  Nine minutes later and it was two nil when Femmi played a one two on the edge of the box before taking the ball on and slotting past Fowler brilliantly for 2-0.  It was very harsh on the visitors as they went in at the break two behind.   Six minutes into the second half Wembley skipper Ian Bates was sent off for a second bookable offence for a foul in midfield and the visitors put a lot of pressure on the backline but it was just one of those days in front of goal.  With ten minutes to go a corner for Brantham was cleared and Wembley broke and Femmi found himself clean through and he rounded Fowler but his weak poke at goal was cleared off the line by Beecham.  Oli Mann hit the bar for Brantham late on and it seemed as though that was that.  However a minute into stoppage time Simon Mann's cross was converted by Beecham and then two minutes later it was amazingly 2-2 when Simon Mann struck home from the edge of the box to take the tie to extra time.  Brantham then took the lead for the first time in the 113th minute when Lawler struck past Fogler from inside the box but Wembley fought back when a free kick whipped in was headed home from close range by Walters.  But after a long stoppage following a injury to Kywomya Brantham scored the winner three minutes into stoppage time at the end of extra time when Simon Mann struck home from the edge of the box again to send the Suffolk side through.

Southend United 1 Barnet 0

FA Youth Cup 2nd Round, Thursday 20th November 2014

George Burton's first half header proved the difference as Blues earned their place in the third round of the FA Youth Cup with a 1-0 win over Barnet at Roots Hall – despite being down to ten men for almost 45 minutes.  At the beginning of the second half, skipper Ross Johnson was sent off for a second bookable offence but Ricky Duncan's side held on galantly with a spirited display.  It was an encouraging start from Blues and after only three minutes, Brandon Scott's looping cross almost deceived Barnet goalkeeper Kai McKenzie Lyle, but the ball hit the bar and bounced away from danger.  Four minutes later and Blues went close again. A neat one-two between Burton and Scott saw the former take a snapshot, which made Lyle tip the powerful effort from just inside the box, away from danger.  On 21 minutes, Blues took the lead through Burton. A cross from the right was superbly headed over the despairing Lyle and into the back of the net off the post.  It could have been 2-0 just moments later. Scott was the instigator again, standing a cross up for skipper Johnson at the back post. The captain headed down but Lyle was there to save on the goal-line. Barnet had a chance just after the half an hour mark but Dan Masuzaka was on hand to block a strike by Shane Cojocarel.   The second half got off to a disaster for Blues, with Johnson seeing a red card just four minutes after the restart for a foul on an opposing midfielder. The Blues' skipper had already been shown a yellow mid-way through the first half and he walked down the tunnel.  The battling Blues were battling well and it took until the 69th minute for Barnet to muster a clear opportunity in the second half. Substitute Elliot Harris firing well over the bar, and minutes later, Stevens' effort touched the crossbar.  At the other end – with 15 minutes remaining – Matsuzaka headed over the bar after Scott's cross was headed on by Burton.  With six minutes of normal time left, another Barnet substitute – Ryan Gondoh fired into the side netting from an acute angle.  Substitute Imani Matthews saw his powerful strike saves brilliantly by Lyle with just a few minutes remaining.   And that meant Blues deservedly headed into round three, where they will face a home tie against Middlesbrough, after a professional display against their divisional rivals.