01/02/2025 – REPORT – Dedham Old Boys FC versus Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION.
DEDHAM OLD BOYS FC. 3. STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES. 1.
Date: Saturday 01st February 2025. Venue: The Drift, Southfields, Dedham.
There were only three Premier Division teams that I’d not seen play this season so with these two playing each other it suited me to travel to Dedham for this match between fourteenth placed, Dedham Old Boys FC and twelfth placed Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves. To date, the home team, with thirteen points, had only won once but drawn ten matches, whereas the visitors had won five and drawn three to sit on eighteen points.
The afternoon was sunny, no wind but it was chilly, the referee for this match was Paul Sadler who would have Philip Barham and Jamie Emery as his Assistant Referees, overall, it was not a difficult match to officiate despite three cautions and a “sin-bin”, for dissent.
Stanway Pegasus kicked off and Payne rifled in a low effort from wide on the right side, keeper, Bentley, pushed the ball away for the first corner of the match, taken by Gee but headed clear by Perry. Slack through midfield sent Black away down the left side for Dedham Old Boys, his left footed shot from twenty-five yards flew straight to keeper Kendle and this match looked like it could be quite an open affair, given their league positions in relegation territory! Vallentyne handled the ball from a throw-in then Welham was sandwiched between two players but failed to get a free kick, much to his distain, but the home team still held possession! As the game switched to the other end Oliver won a corner, taken by Gee, but overhit, but a throw in followed, taken long by Morris as the visitors pushed forward, another corner hit towards the near post was cleared by Ruffles, off Gee for a goal kick. When Parker came out of defence with the ball, he found Ruffles down the right side, his low driven cross was just too far ahead of Halsey and a goal kick was the result. Dedham Old Boys took the lead just before the fifteen-minute mark, keeper Kendle played the ball short towards defender, Dutch, he was slow to react and JOHN VITELLI, ever alert in those positions, won the ball and placed it past the stranded keeper.
Dedham Old Boys pushed on from this goal and when Smith fouled Welham wide on the right side, Ruffles sent in a fine cross from the free kick and the unmarked LIAM MACKLIN rose to head home a fine goal, but where was the visitors defence! Stanway Pegasus, through Gee, set about getting back into this match, he found Francis down the right side, he rounded Black and forced keeper, Bentley to save low down. Welham was sent away down the right side by Slack but his attempted cross was high and wide behind the goal, more composure required to pull that off properly, at the back Perry was winning all the aerial balls, Ruffles made a good interception to a pass from Hudson, pushing the ball forward to Halsey who passed inside to Vallentyne whose low shot was blocked by King. On twenty-four minutes, Oliver fouled Macklin near the half-way line, Ruffles took the free kick, but Morris headed clear but only to Welham who shot wide, and a goal kick followed. A minute later and Dedham Old Boys were awarded a penalty kick when King was adjudged to have handled a cross that was chest height after one bounce, soft perhaps, but not contested, Welham set up the ball and hit the ball to the keeper’s left side, keeper, Kendle dived to save the ball, and also the follow up from Vallentyne, apparently not the first penalty miss for the home team this season! Hasley dived into a challenge on Oliver to earn a verbal rebuke from the referee, Morris took the free kick hitting Welham, stationed in the defensive wall and Dedham Old Boys attacked with keeper, Kendle left with the ball at his feet, a short pass to his left found Dutch who immediately played it back towards his keeper, who having been put in trouble, rushed his clearance out for a throw-in.
Despite Dedham Old Boys having seen more possession, Stanway Pegasus Reserves had tried to use the ball sensibly, often the final pass was lacking but the intent was there, Gee and Payne worked the ball down the right side and from the deep cross, Ruffles headed the ball out for a corner, the corner from Gee was once again struck too long and the danger passed. When Smith and Payne worked another attack, Perry headed away for a corner, taken by Gee, again Perry was first to the ball to head clear, whereupon Ruffles fouled Payne wide on the right side and from this free kick taken, on thirty-five minutes, by Gee, the ball found LUKE PAYNE who headed home. From the restart, Macklin fouled Boon from behind and was spoken too, from this free kick, Oliver tried an overhead kick from the cross from Boon, this is better from the visitors who were ending this half in better shape. The next attack, from the home team, saw Vitelli get forward to force a corner off Francis, Halsey took the corner, but Parker headed over the cross bar from close range. Slack tested keeper, Kendle with a shot, from his clearance, the visitors gained a corner when Hudson put pressure on Ruffles, Gee took the corner, Ruffles cleared from a near post position but only to Hudson whose shot was blocked by Parker and the half ended.
HALF-TIME: 2 – 1.
It was Dedham Old Boys who would restart this close match, but within a minute they had to replace Vitelli with Mulenga, this after a strong but fair challenge on the edge of the penalty area, as play resumed Macklin intercepted a loose pass and sent Mulenga chasing forward, from his control and pass to his right, there was GEORGE VALLENYNE who slipped the ball past Morris, ran round the player and when reaching the ball he struck a fine shot that keeper, Kendle could only help into the net for a well taken goal. Stanway Pegasus Reserves immediately tried to get back into this match, Oliver and Gee worked the ball down the right to gain a corner off Parker, comfortably headed clear by Perry. The visitors continued to have more possession but failed to break down the home defence with Parker and Perry in resolute mood, this meant most of the play was through midfield, with Payne and Oliver trying to work an opening down the left side.
On the hour mark both teams made changes, Morris was replaced by Taylor for the visitors and Slack was replaced by Clarke-Jackson two minutes later, when Halsey fouled Boon, wide on the right side, the ball was seemingly kicked away by Macklin, no action was taken against him, but Smith, for Stanway Pegasus Reserves showed dissent and was sent to the “sin-bin” for a ten minute breather! With frustration showing, Dutch was cautioned for a foul on Vallentyne, and Francis fouled Halsey, who gave a good impression of a dying swan as he fell to the ground! On seventy minutes Vidler replaced Macklin and Clarke-Jackson picked up a caution for a heavy challenge on Dutch, more fouls followed, Oliver on Clarke-Jackson, and not for the first time a visiting player was pulled up for a foul throw-in, how simple a task is that!
Ruffles had been a good outlet for the home team, getting forward from defensive duties and when he found Vallentyne, he was thwarted by keeper, Kendle who made a good save on his goal line and the game remained open but with few chances to score. Smith rejoined the action and set up Hudson, for a run down the left side, again Perry cleared out of defence, with Francis having to put in a good challenge to stop Mulenga who was just about to use his pace to run through. With eight minutes remaining, Stanway Pegasus Reserves replaced Hudson with Richards, who almost immediately made a fine dribble forward beating Black and Perry but not keeper, Bentley who had a simple save to make. A cross from the left side by Taylor was headed clear by Parker, he chased the loose ball out of the penalty area only to make a rash challenge on Boon for which he received a caution and in the second minutes of added time, Went, replaced Vallentyne.
FULL TIME: 3 – 1.
This match, between two teams at the wrong end of the table was always likely to be close, the teams had met in early January where todays, visitors won, by the same scoreline, this win means Dedham have arrested their slump with a first league victory since August, but they remain second bottom, two points behind Stanway Pegasus Reserves!
Turning to my Star Player, this was always going to be difficult as few players caught the eye with an outstanding performance, but one thing I will say is, young defender, Francis for Stanway Pegasus Reserves was not overawed by the bigger players around him, his tackling, bar one challenge were well timed and he used his pace effectively when defending and there was a lot of that at times.
Teams:
DEDHAM OLD BOYS FC
Colours: Blue Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Ryuan Bentley., James Ruffles., Elliot Black., Sam Perry., James Parker., Liam Macklin., Matthew Halsey (C)., Henry Welham., John Vitelli., George Vallentyne., Ryan Slack.
Manager: Luke Tuttlebee.
Used Substitutes: Peter Mulenga., Harrison Clarke-Jackson., Jack Vidler., Myles Went.
Unused Substitutes: Daniel Bell.
STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES.
Colours: Yellow Shirts, Black Shorts and Yellow Socks.
Team:
Samuel Kendle., Kayne Francis., Lewis King (C)., Hayden Dutch., Ben Morris., Harry Boon., Harrison Smith., Dylan Gee., Luke Payne., Liam Oliver., Rhys Hudson.
Manager: Aaron Lyon.
Used Substitutes: Robert Taylor., Travis Richards.
Unused Substitutes: Aaron Lyon.
Referee: Paul Sadler.
Assistant Referees: Philip Barham
And Jamie Emery.
STAR PLAYER: Kayne FRANCIS (STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES)
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