Chelmsford City 5 Billericay Town 1

Vanarama National League South, Wednesday 26th December 2018

Rhys Murphy netted a hat-trick for hosts Chelmsford City as they thrashed near neighbours Billericay Town in their Boxing Day showdown at the Melbourne Community Stadium.

The hosts didn’t take long to get their noses in front when Scott Fenwick ran onto a cut-back into his path and sent a brilliant left footed effort beyond Alan Julian and into the corner of the net, whilst down the other end after this the visitors saw Ross Lafayette get in behind but miscue his effort into the grateful hands of Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Lafayette then tested keeper Maynard-Brewer moments later as the Blues looked to quickly get on level terms, but they then found themselves two goals behind after only 16 minutes when Thomas Wraight saw his free-kick deflect, wrong footing Julian and end up in the corner of the net as City already had a two-goal cushion.

City then created further chances to increase their lead, firstly when a close-range effort was beaten away by Julian before another effort saw a looping header fall the wrong side of the post, and then the visitors saw Maynard-Brewer claw away a dangerous ball into the back post, but City still held that two goal lead.

And in the 27^th minute that lead did increase as a wonderful team move ended with a ball into the path of Murphy who sent a brilliant effort across Julian and into the far corner, that certainly had the majority of the 1,404 inside the ground up on their feet, it was a quality goal and the hosts were three goals to the good.

A shell-shocked Blues saw an effort blocked as they tried to find a route back into this one, but the hosts then should of made it four but fired into the side-netting, before the Blues almost found a lifeline when a decent effort was deflected and then saved by Maynard-Brewer.

Fenwick then saw an effort blocked by the Billericay back-line, before Murphy then stung the palms of Julian with a powerful effort from outside the box, but the hosts did go into the break three goals up and in a comfortable position in this one.

Half Time Chelmsford City 3 Billericay Town 0

The visitors needed an early second half goal to have any chance of a remarkable comeback, and they grabbed one six minutes into the period when after two efforts had been saved, the third saw substitute Adam Coombes sweep home from close range and suddenly the visitors believed, and you could feel a notable tension inside the ground.

The Blues were well on the front foot and almost grabbed a second when Coombes sent a swerving free-kick at goal which Maynard-Brewer just about palmed away, had that gone in it really would have been game on.

But any thoughts of a comeback were totally flatted in the 56^th minute when the hosts swept forward and the ball eventually was cut-back into the path of Murphy who applied another brilliant finish across the keeper to grab his second and City’s fourth, and the relief inside the ground from the home fans was clear to see.

Relief then turned back into joy and relative comfortableness as City added another three minutes later when a poor visiting defence failed to clear their lines, and the ball broke to that man Murphy who fired home from close range to punish the Blues once again, and complete his hat-trick in the process.

The visitors were beginning to lose the plot rather and then saw another substitute Danny Waldren given a straight red for an appalling challenge on City player Elliott Omuzusi, and it meant the visitors had to complete the remaining 25 minutes or so with a player less.

City were cruising now and could afford to take off hat-trick hero Murphy, who received a standing ovation from the City faithful, and then both teams saw effort blocked before City nearly netted a sixth when Fenwick saw a decent strike beaten away by Julian.

Coombes then tested home keeper Maynard-Brewer once again, he had been the only bright spark for the Blues in what had been a rather forgetful afternoon on the whole for the visiting side, and the hosts comfortably took the spoils in this one.

It means City now climb to sixth and are now only three points a one place behind their opponents, and victory for City in the return fixture on new years day would see them go above them on goal difference, oooooh.

Full Time Chelmsford City 5 Billericay Town 1

Walthamstow 1 West Essex 0

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Saturday 22nd December 2018


Dwade James netted a minute into the second half to see Walthamstow take all three points at home to West Essex at Kitchener Road and see the hosts go into sixth in the ESL Premier Division.



The opening quarter hour saw the hosts dominate, with the best chances seeing Leon McKenzie head over from six yards, James force a decent stop from Jack Coker and then finally when a ball to the back post saw Marcus Bowers hit an effort into the side netting.



James then headed an effort into the net however the flag had gone up for offside, and the hosts so nearly paid for all these misses when the visitors almost netted with their first attack of note when Symeon Taylor burst in on the right and struck an effort across goal which home keeper Harry Girling brilliant tipped wide.



There were also some meaty challenges going in too from both sides, as the teams continued to battle hard, but it was the hosts who were having the better of it and saw McKenzie find the net again, but again the flag had gone up and the game remained goalless.



Stow carved out more chances late on in the half as James sliced over, another effort was deflected wide, whilst down the other end West almost netted with a rare attack as Joe Lefley got in but saw his goal bound effort headed away as the hosts managed to thwart them.



Despite all this though the game was goalless at the break, the hosts had been pretty dominant although the visitors had created two big chances despite them being on the defence for most of the half.



Half Time Walthamstow 0 West Essex 0



Any team talk given by West Essex to remain solid for the opening exchanges of the second period went out of the window barely a minute after the restart as Stow got their noses in front as a lovely pass from McKenzie found James who slotted home and Stow had the lead they deserved.



West didn’t crumble though and almost levelled when Stow keeper Girling came for a cross and got nowhere near it and saw the ball hit a defender and creep a foot wide of the post, whilst down the other end McKenzie looped a header way over the bar.



But the hosts began to create chances again and saw one chance headed off the line whilst another opening saw James send an effort towards goal and see it deflect just wide, and then McKenzie sent a powerful effort goal wards which Coker managed to beat away.



The hosts should have really have had this game wrapped up by now and saw another effort blocked before an ensuing scramble eventually saw the visitors clear their lines, and then another hosts chance saw substitute Samrai Gebrai force another save from Coker as the game entered it’s final few minutes.



Those final few minutes saw the hosts survive a bit of late pressure but they did see themselves to the three points, it should have been much more comfortable than it was but they picked up the win nonetheless against a battling West Essex side.



Full Time Walthamstow 1 West Essex 0

Hainault Athletic 3 Debden Sports 2

Essex Sunday Football Combination Division Two, Sunday 16th December 2018

Hosts Hainault Athletic netted a 94^th minute winner as they grabbed only their second win of the season to haul themselves off the foot of the table with victory over Debden Sports at Barkingside Recreation Ground.

The hosts came into this one having lost five of their six league games so far, whilst it was a mirrored season for the visitors who had won five of their six games and knew a win could send them top of the table, so understandably the Debden boys would have been confident of victory.

Athletic player/manager/chairman Damien Clark is good friends with Sports joint boss Martin Brazier so it was obvious that ‘Damo’ had his side well up for this one so I was expecting a pretty good battle out there in nice mild sunny conditions in Barkingside.

And after both sides had efforts on goal, the hosts took a seventh minute lead with a good finish across the keeper into the far corner, and Hainault had made a good start to this contest.

The home side then saw a free-kick go straight at the keeper, before they scuffed another effort wide, whilst down the other end the visitors saw a curling effort go a foot wide of the far post before the hosts keeper then tipped an effort wide of the post brilliantly.

And then Athletic missed a golden chance to make it two nil when they saw the visiting keeper make a decent save with his legs, but it had been a decent opening to this one

Athletic then missed another golden chance to score again when they headed over from point blank range, before the visitors then struck an effort wide of the near post, as they looked to try and get on level terms before the break.

Sports then missed a decent chance late on in the first period and it meant the home side held a 1-0 lead at the break and were certainly making a mockery of their position in the table that’s for sure.

Half Time Hainault Athletic 1 Debden Sports 0

It got better for the hosts two minutes into the second period and worse for the visitors when Hainault doubled their lead as after the keeper had saved an initial effort, the rebound was smashed home, and Debden now had a mountain to climb.

However, it was a mountain they soon were making there way up, as after they saw two long range efforts saved by the hosts keeper, they pulled one back ten minutes into the half when a neat move ended with a cross being converted first time into the bottom corner, and the visitors now believed they could get something from this one.

Hainault tried to restore their two-goal cushion but screwed an effort wide, whilst visitors were getting into good positions but were finding that final ball lacking on many occasions as the hosts stood firm.

The hosts were under the cosh though, and Sports sent another effort wide of the far post, and they had around twenty-five minutes or so to find at least one goal to get something from this one.

But with just over fifteen minutes remaining they found that leveller, as after two efforts had been blocked on the line by a desperate hosts back-line, the third attempt from the visitors was rammed home, and you felt that Debden may go onto win this one now.

Hainault though did curl a free-kick wide, but Debden came so close to a third when they sent a close-range effort wide of the post, and then thought they had taken the lead late on when powering home a header, but a push meant the referee gave a free-kick to the hosts, much to their relief.

Credit to Hainault though as they rode out that storm and then pounced in the fourth minute of stoppage time as when after the visitors had lost the ball on the wing, the ball was played into the box and saw the hosts ram home into the roof of the net to win this entertaining contest and give ‘Damo’ a win over his good friend Brazier.

Full Time Hainault Athletic 3 Debden Sports 2

Saffron Walden Town 3 Stansted 5

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Saturday 15th December 2018

Callum Ibe netted a brace as Stansted moved back to the summit of the Essex Senior League Premier Division after they netted five in an extraordinary derby at Catons Lane against Saffron Walden Town on a cold and wet afternoon in North West Essex.

This was billed as ‘game of the day’ in the division as fourth placed Walden, who could leapfrog their opponents and take second spot with victory, took on The Airportmen who knew a win would take them back above Hullbridge and reclaim top spot in the league.

Walden had won the corresponding fixture at Hargrave Park 1-0 in front of 250, and a similar crowd were in attendance for this one to see who would come out on top in this much anticipated matchup.  I myself had predicted a tight home win, but what do I know!!!

The visitors certainly began the match the better and soon saw a couple of early chances go by, firstly when Callum Ibe went close and then secondly when Connor Hammond sent a long range effort a foot or so over the hosts bar, but in the eighth minute Stansted led when Ibe cut inside and curled a beautiful effort into the far corner and gave the visitors early dominance a goal.

And in the 17^th minute the visitors were in dreamland when Ibe was brought down inside the box and saw the referee award a spot-kick, and Hammond stepped up to send the ball into the corner of the net and Stansted were in complete control of this contest.

Saffron Walden, who had not even made it out of the changing room thus far, won a free-kick in a decent position, and Spike Bell, who was making his 400^th appearance for The Bloods and had been at the club since U12s, smacked home the set-play and suddenly the hosts were back in this contest.

Walden skipper Ryan Fleming then almost netted a leveller when his header from a Bell corner was cleared off the line, and then moments later another Walden effort deflected wide as they were now on the front foot.  But then Walden player Mason Taylor suffered an injury soon after and was carried off by two of his teammates, and then bundled down the tunnel by a volunteer.

We all thought maybe a twisted/sprained ankle perhaps, however it turned out to be a broken leg, so we wish him a full and speedy recovery, it halted momentarily what had been a electric opening to the game.

Charlie Turner, Stansted’s keeper, had to be alert to save another hosts effort, whilst down the other end Ibe almost got onto a ball forward, but six minutes before the break a huge moment of controversy saw the hosts level, and after a ball was headed towards goal, Turner was bundled over the line and the ball ended up in the net.

We all thought surely a foul on the keeper, but no, referee Graham Swanton allowed the goal and saw a furious Stansted surround the linesman on the near side, resulting in a booking, but the visitors were furious but the contest was now all square.

Stansted though used this negative to fuel a wonderful move that led to them re-taking the lead two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half, and saw the move finished off by Ibe, who applied a close-range finish, and it meant the visitors went into the break 2-3 up.  It had been a breathless half of football and almost made you forget about the horrid conditions, almost.

Half Time Saffron Walden Town 2 Stansted 3

Stansted skipper Billy Coyne saw a deflected free-kick zip just wide of the hosts post as conditions were now very tricky for both sides, but just before the hour mark Walden were awarded a penalty after Dan Trendall had been brought down inside the box, and Lewis Francis stepped up to ram home the spot-kick and the game was level once again.

Ibe then tried to restore the visitors lead once again, sending an effort through a crowd of players but seeing Neil O’Sullivan save, whilst down the other end Trendall saw a close-range effort brilliantly tipped over by Turner, as this absorbing contest continued to give and give.

And just six minutes after Walden had levelled, Stansted yet again checked their opponents’ stride by re-taking the lead for the second time in this contest as a break saw Ibe down the left-hand side and with fellow attacker Jack Mitchell all alone in the middle, he squared the ball to him and Mitchell shrugged off a recovering defender before slotting beyond O’Sullivan and give his side the advantage again.

The Bloods so nearly fought straight back though as Craig Calver slotted an effort across the goal but wide of the far post, as this wonderful game ebbed and flowed in the pouring rain at Catons Lane, and it was still very much in the balance.

The Airportmen almost netted a fifth when a close-range effort flew through a crowded area and needed a smart save from O’Sullivan to keep the ball out, before the hosts then bundled a corner wide of the post up the other end.

James Peagram, who was making his debut for his new club, was on as a second half substitute, and he unsurprisingly netted his first goal for the club with five minutes remaining, volleying home a cross that had deflected towards the back post into the far corner, and cued celebrations in that corner of the ground as it was the clinching moment in this super contest.

It means the visitors go back top of the division, whilst Walden remain in fourth but are now five points off the leaders.  What a game it had been, and well worth the journey and freezing my proverbials off.  My hands and feet have just been handed back to me!!!

Full Time Saffron Walden Town 3 Stansted 5

Hullbridge Sports 2 Woodford Town 1

Essex Senior League Premier Division, Tuesday 11th December 2018

Michael Salako netted an 84^th minute winner as Hullbridge Sports edged out ten-man Woodford Town at Lower Road to go two points clear at the top of the Essex Senior League Premier Division.

Both sides knew coming into this big top of the table clash that victory would take them top of the division, the hosts knew they would go two clear at the top with a game in hand whilst the visitors, who were fifth, would take over at the summit on goal difference.

So a big incentive for both sides then, and the early exchanges belonged to the visitors and Taku Mashingaidze had the first opening for the visitors when he forced a smart stop from hosts keeper George Marsh, and then another Woodford chance saw Temi Babalola lob wide after Marsh had come to clear with his head but headed it straight to the striker.

The hosts first chance saw them go even closer than their opponents when hotshot Nathan Scarborough managed to get in and round keeper Alex Reed but see his effort from the angle strike the post, and the game remained goalless through the first fifteen minutes.

But then in the 17^th minute came a dramatic moment when Woodford centre half Luke Edgar was sent off for dissent towards the official and it left the visitors down to ten men for the remainder of the game and it certainly looked like it was most certainly advantage Hullbridge now.

From the outset though it didn’t affect the visitors and after the red card they created a couple more openings, firstly when Mashingaidze sent a ball across the goal and almost found Samir Ali, before secondly Andrea Mantovani struck wide of the post from a decent position.

But as the half went on the hosts began to take control and saw Emmanual Okunja take a pot shot at the Woodford goal but it was easy for Reed, before more chances saw Salako poke home from close range but was given offside, Luke Hornsley see an effort blocked before Jimmy Cox then curled an effort over from the edge of the area.

The hosts were really knocking on the door towards the end of the half and Hornsley saw an effort well saved by Reed, and then just before the break Reed made a terrific double stop from Okunja to keep the scoreline blank, and it meant the teams went into the half time break level but with the hosts certainly with the momentum.

Half Time Hullbridge Sports 0 Woodford Town 0

That momentum initially carried into the second period as Hullbridge dominated the first ten minutes of the half, and saw Cox send a lobbed effort at goal which Reed caught, and then after Reed had parried an effort into the path of Hornsley, the Hullbridge forward sent his rebound effort way over the bar.

The hosts also flashed a couple of dangerous balls across the six-yard box as they continued to threaten an opening goal in this one, but then from nowhere Woodford so nearly took the lead themselves when substitute Giorgiou Sallangow found himself clean through but he tried to dink over Marsh but fluffed his effort and Marsh grabbed the loose ball.

Woodford then saw Jaden Thompson-Brisset find himself in space inside the hosts box but could only fire an effort straight at Marsh, and the visitors were suddenly right back in this contest. 

But in the 61^st minute the home side did finally break the deadlock in fortuitous circumstances as a shot from Scarborough was saved by Reed but the ball bounced back off Woodford defender Bailey Brown and back into the net for an unfortunate own goal and the hosts now had a slender lead.

That lead should have been doubled soon after too as Scarborough found himself in a great position but could only drag a left-footed effort wide of the target, whilst down the other end Woodford threatened to level as Thompson-Brisset saw an effort saved by Marsh, before another second half substitute, De’juane Taylor-Crossdale, went even closer to a leveller when sending an effort under Marsh and off the post.

The hosts though didn’t heed those warnings and saw Woodford find an equaliser when Taylor-Crossdale raced in behind to slot under Marsh and into the net, and you felt the momentum was now with the visitors and they could possibly turn this one around.

Mantovani had a chance to give the visitors the lead when a ball was played to him in a good position, but his left footed effort flew way over, whilst down the other end the hosts forced Reed into yet another save, and the game remained level heading in the final ten minutes.

And with six minutes remaining the hosts grabbed the winner when Salako struck an effort through Reed, who should have done better, and into the net.  It was tough on Reed who had been excellent all game but the hosts now had the lead once again.

And it was a lead they were not to relinquish meaning they returned to the top of the table, whilst it had been an extraordinary effort from the visitors to play with ten men for 73 minutes and push the hosts all the way, but defeat leaves them still in fifth but now five points off the top.

Full Time Hullbridge Sports 2 Woodford Town 1

Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0 (aet; Biggleswade FC won 5-3 on penalties)

Buildbase FA Vase Third Round Replay, Saturday 8th December 2018

Lawrie Marsh netted the winning spot-kick in the shoot-out as Biggleswade FC finally saw off Tring Athletic on penalties after the sides could not be separated after 120 minutes for the second successive week, meaning the hosts now host Stowmarket Town in the Last 32 of the Buildbase FA Vase.

These two currently occupy first and second respectively in the Spartan South Midlands Premier so when the draw was originally made it was immediately thought it would be a tight and tense affair, and last weekend’s 1-1 draw certainly lived up to that.

Biggleswade also had to play most of the second half and all of extra time with ten men last week after a sending off, so they were certainly the happier to have another chance of progressing in this one, and the same type of game was again expected at Langford Road in this one.

The game started in a rather subdued manor if truth be told and neither keeper were tested in the opening exchanges, and the first real opening didn’t arrive until midway through the half and it fell to the hosts when Pat McCafferty got in down the right but his cutback saw an effort blocked twice before the Tring backline managed to clear their lines.

Athletic then thumped one over at the other end before Biggleswade skipper Alex Marsh got in behind the Tring backline but visiting keeper Pat Sinfield came to thwart the striker, and it ended with them both needing treatment after they came crashing together.  Both were ok to continue though.

McCafferty then headed a free-kick wide of the visitor’s goal, which would have been controversial as it was hard to see why the hosts had been awarded the free-kick after it appeared the foul had been committed by the hosts, however it mattered not in the end and this game remained tight and goalless.   

In the latter stages of the first half George Ironton went on a run and after cutting inside sent an effort inches wide of the hosts net, it looked like it was going to nestle in the bottom corner but it just went the wrong side of the post, and then down the other end Alex Marsh saw a free-kick saved, and this tie remained level going into the break.

Half Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0

The opening exchanges of the second period saw Biggleswade’s Ryan Inskip fire an effort straight at Sinfield in the Tring goal, but it took a while for both sides to really find their feet again after the restart.

Both sides then had chances, Tring’s skipper Kieran Turner fired a decent effort just off target before the hosts saw a header from Nick Henebery plucked out of the air by Sinfield.  McCafferty then saw another header well saved by Sinfield before up the other end Tring fired a loose ball just wide after Biggleswade had failed to clear their lines.

It remained goalless though and the hosts passed up two more opportunities to take the lead, firstly when Henebery saw an effort blocked, and from the resulting corner the hosts fired wide.  Down the other end Tring forward Ashton Campbell stretched to direct a header at goal but hosts keeper Dan Child plucked that effort out of the air.

Biggleswade then saw an effort glance of the top of the bar, and with no further chances to speak of the tie went into an extra half hour for the second week running, and with all of us no nearer to who would be progressing into the Fourth Round.

Full Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0

The only real chance of note in the opening fifteen minutes saw visitor’s midfielder Mark Rodick head over from six yards out, and Tring created the second noteworthy chance in extra time early in the second period when Campbell saw an effort deflected over the bar.

Tring then thought they had taken the lead when Campbell raced clear and with hosts keeper Child having raced out of goal to try and thwart the forward, Campbell got to the ball first and knocked it past him and into the net it seemed, until a terrific clearance from a recovering defender saw the ball off the line and away.

And minutes later it was Biggleswade who were holding their heads in their hands as they saw a close-range effort blocked on the line before the rebound was somehow hooked over the bar, and still neither side could find that winner.

It meant penalties would be needed to decide this tie, and after five successful penalties had been taken, Tring’s Campbell missed his by blazing over the bar, handing the advantage to the hosts.  With two more successful penalties it meant Lawrie Marsh had the chance to net the winning spot kick, and he sent it high into the top corner and cued celebrations amongst the home side.

Sadly their had to be a loser in this tie and hard luck on Tring who were the ones who had to go out, but both teams should be proud how well they battled in this tie over the 240 minutes they played against each other.  Good proper cup football.  It does mean it Biggleswade FC vs Stowmarket Town in the Last 32, should be a good un.

Full Time Biggleswade FC 0 Tring Athletic 0 (aet; Biggleswade FC won 5-3 on penalties)