01/03/2025 – REPORT – Great Bentley FC Reserves versus White Notley FC Reserves
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION TWO.
GREAT BENTLEY FC RESERVES. 2. WHITE NOTLEY FC RESERVES. 1.
Date: Saturday 01st March 2025. Venue: The Green, Great Bentley.
Without a car on Saturday, I let the train take the strain, to travel from Wivenhoe to Great Bentley for a Division Two match between mid-table Great Bentley Reserves and bottom team, White Notley Reserves. The afternoon was bathed in glorious sunshine, chilly with a slight breeze, but “The Green” looked a picture and today there were two matches being played with the home, “A” team playing a Division Three match against league leaders Hatfield Peverel Reserves, who won by five goals to two.
The match official for this afternoon was Zach Adams, another new young referee, finding his feet in the ESBFL, today he would be assisted by Club Assistants who, on the day, did their job well, in fact the game was played in good spirit with very few contentious issues and was started after a minute’s silence.
Great Bentley Reserves kicked off, Palmer won the first tackle and sent the ball long towards Bone, his control was good, but defender Williams was quickly in to concede a throw-in, Evans for the home team, then found space down the left side, Lightly, cut out the cross from Williams and a corner followed. The corner was swung in, Foley powered in a header that struck the underside of the cross-bar, a frantic scramble followed, did the ball cross the line, the game was stopped, the referee consulted his Club Assistant and no goal was awarded, conversations between both sets of players, later suggested that the ball had, indeed crossed the line but with so many players in the six yard box and some expert keeping skills by Smith (H) it was difficult to determine definitively! For the visitors they were reliant on the experience of Tyler (S), Bone and Palmer with the captains, son, Tyler (O) being their outlet upfront, who for a teenager looked a good prospect. When Evans for Great Bentley raced through his low driven effort was saved on his goal-line by Smith (H), maybe the forward could have done better but it started a trend for the rest of the game. Durrell found Patrick who passed to Powell, but his shot was somewhat wayward, then Simpson picked up a loose ball through midfield and after exchanging passes with Bone, defender Foley cut out the danger. Defender Simmonds managed to scoop a goal bound effort from Evans, over his own cross bar from a central position two yards out, probably easier to score, and a corner followed, comfortably cleared.
A cross from Brazitis was cleared by Pringle then Snell fouled Williams and was spoken too, a throw-in from Palmer fell to Simpson whose shot was saved by keeper, Bell, normally an outfield player but playing his first game of the season as the home team find themselves short of goalkeepers at this stage of the season! Brazitis passed to Taylor (O) but Pringle stepped across to block, then Bone, took a high ball down with his left foot and found Tyler (O) whose low shot was saved by keeper, Bell, this time at full stretch. On twenty-two minutes, White Notley Reserves took the lead, Snell found Tyler (S), a deft ball wide to OWEN TYLER saw him score, beating keeper, Bell at the near post with a fine finish. From the restart, Patrick ran forward to shoot goalwards but high and wide, Bone sent a left footed pass wide to Tyler (S) then onto Snell, who was blocked off by Smith (A). A free kick taken by Evans from the right side flew wide and when White Notley tried to use the offside trap an error by Snell should have resulted in a goal from Evans but Simmonds got across to block with Evans then having to defend when Taylor (O) threatened. Despite their lowly league position the visitors were always willing to push forward but in doing so left big spaces at the back that the home team should have done better with the ball when breaking forward, Simpson set up Lightly who volleyed wide, another error by Snell, under pressure from Smith (A) saw the ball reach Evans who beat Simmonds but shot well wide.
Great Bentley Reserves equalised on thirty-three minutes, the visitors failed to clear the loose ball and ARCHIE SMITH rifled the ball home from close range, from the restart Snell worked the ball to Simpson who took on three defenders before firing wide. The response from the home team came from Whiting who found Patrick who rounded Simmonds but shot wide, lots of chances now but none on target. That was until the thirty-seventh minute, a raking cross field ball from the right side seemed to be heading towards keeper, Smith (H) who had advanced to the edge of his penalty area to collect, the ball took an unpredictable bounce and changed direction behind the stricken keeper, this error allowed LEWIS EVANS to run through and score. Durrell pushed Brazitis in the back and from the free kick, Bone saw his shot well saved by keeper, Bell, Evans fouled Taylor (O), Tyler (S) set up Tyler (O) who was denied by a challenge from Whiting. When Smith ran through for Great Bentley, he surely had to score in a one-on-one situation, but keeper Smith (H) saved with his feet, when Smith had a similar opportunity minutes later, the keeper once again came out on top conceding a corner. The corner taken by Evans found the head of Pringle, centrally placed, the ball once again hit the underside of the cross bar, bounced down to be cleared, again questions were asked as to whether the ball crossed the line, this attempt was more clear-cut and no goal was scored, and this was the final action of a gritty first half.
HALF-TIME: 2 – 1.
Substitutions were made before the second half commenced, for Great Bentley Reserves, Morton replaced Whiting and for White Notley Reserves, Davies replaced French and from a corner, taken by Brazitis, awarded just minutes into the half, the ball was played short to Tyler (S) who returned the ball to Brazitis who launched a fine shot that was pushed onto the crossbar and safety by keeper, Bell, another corner followed. On fifty minutes a high challenge by Simmonds on Evans earnt the defender a caution and play, with forty minutes to go had become scrappy! A long free kick taken by Lightly was easy fodder for keeper, Bell, play switched to the other end where keeper, Smith (H) saved from a shot from Britton. On fifty-eight minutes off went Williams with Newman coming on for the home team.
On the hour mark, the visitors made a change themselves, off went Bone, who was replaced by Wager, Morton let fly with a left footed effort after a good move involving Patrick from a free kick taken by Foley. White Notley Reserves made their third change on sixty-seven minutes, Lacey replacing Snell, there seemed more action from players being substituted than playing football, the quality, if there had been any this half, had indeed been poor, only a left footed shot, well wide, from Evans breaking the trend!
Seventy-three minutes, and another change, Simpson went off and Kirby entered play, a poor, under-hit free kick from Brazitis failed to make the penalty area, Great Bentley failed to clear though and Tyler (S) set up Tyler (O) who scuffed his effort just wide at the far post. The final player change came on seventy-eight minutes with Bryant taking the place of Palmer, Simmonds fouled Patrick, but the free kick taken by Morton troubled nobody! Home keeper, Bell, did well to collect the ball just on the edge of his penalty area, this from a raking cross field pass, made by Brazitis, his team had defended well and when keeper Smith (H) saved from Smith (A) the rebound fell to Patrick who was rightly flagged off-side. In the last minute, a poor clearance from keeper Smith (H) fell to Patrick, who smashed the ball out for a goal kick, game over, thankfully, some wag was heard to say!
FULL TIME: 2 – 1.
Was I expecting a classic, certainly not, and anybody watching will perhaps wonder how I’ve managed to get so much information on which to report, the first half was better and there were goals, the second half, whilst having plenty of effort from the players was lacking anything meaningful or entertaining, next stop the bar!
Great Bentley FC are fortunate to have facilities like their Clubhouse, the pitches are always well maintained, albeit a short walk away but the setting on Saturday was superb, perhaps only spoilt by cars, given that it’s a thirty mile-an-hour limit, racing down the main road! What else stands out is the fact that all three of the Club’s teams came back to the Clubhouse and with two away teams also inside, it made a good atmosphere where I could catch up with like-minded footballing people.
Turning to my Star Player, this was going to be difficult, so lets’ cut to the chase, Durrell for Great Bentley and Owen Tyler for the visitors, the latter scoring a goal to get the vote.
Teams:
GREAT BENTLEY FC RESERVES
Colours: Blue & White striped Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Jake Bell., Jack Williams., Joseph Whiting., Callum Durrell., Samuel Foley., Jamie Pringle (C)., Toby Brittain., Daniel Powell., Luke Patrick., Archie Smith., Lewis Evans.
Manager: Neil French.
Used Substitutes: Adam Morton., Freddie Newman.
Unused Substitute: James Smith.
WHITE NOTLEY FC RESERVES.
Colours: Amber & Black striped Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Hadley Smith., Ben Palmer., Charlei French., Tom Lightly., Harry Simmonds., Jordan Brazitis., Alfie Snell., Sam Taylor., Owen Taylor., Rory Bone., Matthew Simpson.
Manager: Steven Daniels
Used Substitutes: Jack Kirby., Tom Wager., Jamie Bryant., Samuel Davies., Josh Lacey.
Referee: Zach Adams
STAR PLAYER: Owen TYLER (WHITE NOTLEY FC RESERVES)
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