03/10/2020 – REPORT – Stanway Pegasus FC versus Great Bentley FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION.

STANWAY PEGASUS FC: 4. GREAT BENTLEY FC: 1.

Date: Saturday 3^rd October 2020. Venue: Stanway School, Stanway, Colchester.

More rain over the last two days threatened to undermine the ESBFL Fixture list for last Saturday, six games did fall by the wayside for a variety of reasons but the other thirty-two were played and some high scoring games there were too. The Premier Division had at least four eye-catching matches, my reporting colleague Spencer took in the Tiptree Heath FC (1) versus Gas Recreation FC (3) match whilst I took a look at the Stanway Pegasus FC versus Great Bentley FC match, two teams that were at the top of the Premier Division before it was curtailed early and who no doubt would be up there again this season.

The match official for this match was John McGill, a Billericay based referee who would be assisted by his son, also John McGill, with a Club Linesman doing the honours on one side, for each half. The morning had seen more rain fall but the first half was mainly dry, and a decent sized crowd gathered along one side.

Great Bentley kicked off, the first free-kick was awarded to the home team which the visitors cleared as far as Dillon who fouled Hurd, the first talking too of the game and the first treatment of an injury was required. A first corner fell to Great Bentley taken by Herbert with Baker unable to capitalise leaning back to strike the loose ball but totally missing itl, allowing keeper, Grove to collect on his goal-line. Pegasus woke up and pushed forward starting with Minter who got the ball forward to Griffiths who hit the post and he was again unlucky when defender Baker intervened in the ensuing goal-mouth scramble. Bentley were also looking lively, a ball forward from Herbert found Hurd who was pulled back by Minter and Marangou also fouled the flying Hurd in mid-field. With seven minutes gone there had been plenty of “banter” between the respective “dug-outs” and supporters from each side, there was certainly plenty of competitive action on the field to talk about, but not always “pc” let’s say! Griffiths appeared to foul Stallan but that went un-punished, then Baker made a fine interception to cover the threat of Griffiths conceding a corner.

On fifteen minutes, Griffiths latched onto through ball from Dillon and from his driven cross, Herbert intervened to concede a corner just as Plane was about to score, from the corner taken by Plane, Barker headed over the cross-bar. The pace and running of the Pegasus forwards, Griffiths, Plane and Mahon was giving the visitors plenty to think about, then from a long clearance by keeper, Allwood, the ball bounced once before Hurd and keeper, Groves challenged for it in the air, with the unfortunate keeper landing heavily on his back, on the 3G pitch, probably winded but quickly okay to resume. Mahon chased a ball forward from Davis and when his cross came in both Plane and Griffith challenged for it, the ball looping over the cross-bar. The next attack came from Pegasus, through Dillon, who put Plane away and it needed a fine tackle from Herbert, six yards from goal to thwart a goal chance for Griffith, for the home team. Pegasus had grasped the momentum of this game a great cross from Mahon required a fine defensive header from Baker to clear the danger. Bentley had started to rely on the long ball approach, perhaps not the best route as there were many tall players for both teams out on the pitch. Bentley put a decent attack together on twenty-five minutes, Baker found Bowles who tried to get the ball to Hurd, but Barker covered and guided the ball back to his keeper, Groves. Herbert, playing at right wing back was seeing plenty of the ball and from one pass Vaughan was set clear but he failed to get the ball into a position to make a cross and fluffed his eventual shot. When Dillon fouled Bowles, Flack took the free-kick and a free-header beckoned for Bowles at the far post, but he missed the target.

With an hour gone there had been plenty of effort from both teams, Pegasus were probably ahead on effort and attacking possession, but Bentley were still in this game they just needed to control their passing and show better accuracy when on the ball. Herbert and Bowles linked up with the final cross destined for Olymbios, but his headed effort was weak and flew just wide, Clark dived into a challenge on Vaughan, taken by Flack but comfortably cleared by Barker for Pegasus. When Bowles crashed into Clark there was some hearty clapping and raised voices from the home management leading to both Booth and Turner being shown a yellow card. A typical Braddon challenge saw him foul Baker, not his first infringement nor his last and as the midfield battle continued Olymbios was cautioned for a stupid challenge on Minter and the flood-lights came on. Braddon fouled Yarwood, another rebuke from the referee, I thought that was at least a caution but what do I know! With five minutes to half-time Bentley, through Baker then Bowles got the ball into Olymbios, but his first-time shot was weak and keeper, Grove collected six-yards out. Another fine tackle from Herbert denied Griffiths and the visitors got forward again, Bowles found Vaughan whose first time shot cleared the cross-bar. Bowles fouled Plane, who took the free-kick himself with keeper, Allwood out to collect near the penalty mark and from his clearance Vaughan broke forward finding Olymbios who smashed the ball against the cross-bar to be cleared by Clark.

HALF-TIME: 0 – 0

At the second-half restart Pegasus replaced Marangou with Daniels, a straight midfield swop, Herbert put in another great tackle on Davis for a corner, taken by Plane and twice headed clear by Baker, Vaughan sent Hurd away down the right side only to be hauled down by Minter, almost the last man but still plenty of space to run onto, so Minter only saw yellow. Herbert took the free-kick, a floated effort that eluded everyone to bounce out at the far post. When Dillon picked up the ball on the half-way line you immediately knew his intentions, keep the ball, keep running and shoot, this he did and only a fine save by keeper, Allwood kept the score-line level, then an effort from Barker drifted just over the cross-bar with keeper, Allwood watching the ball all the way. Another fine interception by Herbert, this time on Plane denied the home team but seven minutes into the second half the dead-lock was broken, Olymbios and Yarwood hesitated going into a challenge, not sure if they would have clattered the referee though, and JOSH DILLON strode on into some space to curl a fine effort into the top corner of the goal. The response from Bentley was immediate when Hurd broke through but shot wide with no support around him, and when the visitors were forced to defend again the outstretched foot of keeper, Allwood stopped Griffiths who was then stopped in his tracks by a fine challenge from Baker. Plane took the corner finding Daniels who leaned back to fire the ball over the cross-bar and fencing! For me, a turning point of the match was the dissent shown by Vaughan who was ordered to the “Sin-Bin” for a ten minute rest, as within a minute Pegasus scored their second goal, a defence splitting pass found CALLUM GRIFFITHS who rifled home past the hapless keeper.

Worse followed for the visitors as in the next minute, poor defensive play saw JOSH DILLON latch onto a loose ball and his fine lobbed volley from the corner of the penalty area cleared the defence and keeper, Allwood, landing in the side netting on the far side, surely that was game over! Dillon, having now scored two fine goals decided to cynically scythe down Yarwood from behind and he was duly cautioned. Bentley’s best form of attack was probably from free-kicks, and there were many, Herbert almost found Olymbios whose glancing header went out for a goal-kick. On sixty-three minutes Pegasus replaced Davis with Hearn, Hurd was caught off-side for Bentley and Herbert was there once again to save the day as when a strong shot from Griffiths was spilled by keeper, Allwood, the defender reacted superbly to stop Mahon right in front of the goal. Flack was cautioned for a foul on Plane, probably his first poor challenge of the game, and Vaughan re-entered play suitably refreshed! Yarwood picked up a caution for a foul on Barker and with play stopped Bentley replaced Bowles and Hurd with McMahon and Winney followed minutes later by Pegasus replacing Dillon with Newland.

Herbert started another attack for the visitors, Olymbios flicked the ball on to Vaughan who blazed wide at the far post, then play inevitably switched to the other end where a cross from Mahon found the head of Plane only for keeper, Allwood to make a fine save. On seventy-eight minutes Bentley replaced Baker with McMillan, they won a free-kick, taken by Herbert and he watched as his effort grazed the outside of the far post, bouncing to safety. Only eight minutes remained when Pegasus scored their fourth goal, a cross from Mahon flicked off the top of the head of Stallan and CALLUM GRIFFITHS was on hand to smash the ball home from close range. Braddon was eventually cautioned with five minutes remaining, this for a foul on Olymbios and as the minutes ticked away Bentley scored a consolation goal, a free-kick taken by Herbert was challenged for by Olymbios and Stallan, the ball ran free, Olymbios smashed a shot goal-wards hitting Minter standing on his goal-line and from the rebound LOUIS OLYMBIOS forced the ball home through a defenders legs. In the final passage of play Vaughan ran from half-way but his fine shot crashed back off the cross-bar, clearly not his team’s day having hit the cross-bar twice and the post twice as well!

FULL TIME: 4 – 1.

This score-line reflects that the better team won, Bentley will rue some poor defending in critical positions, there was also some clinical finishing by Pegasus, it also records that they hit the wood-work four times to the one of Pegasus, who played at a very high, competitive tempo throughout.

Now let’s turn to my Star Player, a number of players did stand out but my eventual choice will not be from the victors, for Pegasus they were strong in defence, midfield was key with Braddon doing what he does well, break up play and let someone else create, Marangou supported well in the first half as did Dillon who was pushed more forward in the second half to score two excellent goals. The front three of the home team, Mahon, Plane and Griffiths will cause problems for most teams with their pace and running off the ball the later scoring two good goals whilst the other two were thwarted on regular occasions by Herbert. For Bentley, this was a wake-up call, plenty of effort for little return, Baker and Stallan did well particularly for the high balls, Bowles, Yarwood and Wallis were often over-run and Olymbios, Vaughan and Hurd got little change out of the solid home defence. If you count-back through this report, and I alluded to this player earlier in this paragraph, for me Herbert of Bentley, had an outstanding game, good free-kicks and corners, good passing throughout but today his tackling in defence deserves a special mention, but for his numerous interventions the score-line would have been greater.

Teams:

STANWAY PEGASUS FC: Colours: Yellow Shirts, Black Shorts and Yellow Socks.

Matthew Grove., Craig Minter., Joseph Davis., Lee Braddon (C)., Jay Barker., Daniel Clark., Reife Marangou., Josh Dillon., Ryan Mahon., Jake Plane., Callum Griffith.

Managers: Ian Booth & Ray Turner.

Used Substitutes: Keian Daniels., Jake Hearn., Paris Newland.

Unused Substitutes: Max Caulfield., Leighton Galvin.

GREAT BENTLEY FC: Colours: White Shirts, Blue Shorts and White Socks.

Jake Allwood., Archie Herbert., Tim Flack., Darryl Wallis., Scott Stallan., Keiron Baker., Christopher Bowles., Aran Yarwood (C)., Joseph Hurd., Luis Olymbios., Jake Vaughan.

Acting Managers: Greg Taylor & Gordon Lawrence.

Used Substitutes: Ryan McMahon., Elliot McMillan., Samuel Winney.

Unused Substitutes: Matthew Hill., Rhys Morley.

Referee: John McGill. (Ref)

Assistant Referees: John McGill (Asst).

Star Player: Archie HERBERT (Great Bentley FC)

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“COVID-19” “CORONAVIRUS”

THE “ESBFL” IS MINDFUL OF THE CONTINUING SERIOUSNESS OF THIS INFECTION, MATCHES CURRENTLY BEING PLAYED WERE ALLOWED TO PROCEED UNDER THE GUIDANCE GIVEN BY THE “FA”.

THIS SITUATION IS BEING CONSTANTLY MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE “FA” WHO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES DIRECTLY TO CLUBS AND THE LEAGUE. PLEASE ENSURE THESE ARE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND ADHERED TOO.

IT IS INCUMBENT ON ALL MEMBER CLUBS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF VISITORS, THE FA HAS ISSUED NUMEROUS DIRECTIVES THEREFORE THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE OF THESE GUIDELINES etc

ALL MEMBER CLUBS, ITS OFFICIALS, PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS “MUST” ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES OTHERWISE THIS SEASON MAY ALSO BE CURTAILED EARLY.

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Additional Reporting:

YOU TUBE., FACEBOOK (x2) & TWITTER

Once again, this season the ESBFL is widening its match-day reporting coverage, in addition to a full report written by Brian Reed, our other roving reporter, Spencer Hume, has once again made himself known during the friendlies season and he will also attend games reporting via You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to communicate up-to-date information and replicate other match reports. In addition, John Campany, Vice Chairman will continue to provide a weekly summary, published in The Gazette.

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Reminder to Club Secretaries / Fixture Secretaries

Once again this season the fixtures, results, referees and “kick-off” times will be shown automatically on “The FA Full-Time / The Whole Game System” ( http://full-time.thefa.com ) but would all Club / Fixture Secretaries please advise any agreed changes, as required, to either Mick Willmore (mjw1947@sky.com)

or M/s Alison Stanford (esblsec@icloud.com) especially for evening games and for those matches being played under floodlights etc.

KO is 3:00pm from: October

KO is 2:00pm from: November, December & January

KO is 2:30pm during: February

KO is 3:00pm from: March to end of season

Cup Matches:

Kick-Off times for ESBFL cup matches, are generally 30 minutes earlier than those shown above but check competition rules beforehand.

Kick-Off times for Essex County Football Association cup matches are published on the ECFA web-site.

( www.essexfa.com/competitions/county-cups )

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