05/10/2024 – REPORT – Earls Colne FC versus Belle Vue Social FC

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

EARLS COLNE FC.       1.         BELLE VUE SOCIAL FC.                      0.

Date:   Saturday 05^th October 2024.

Venue: Earls Colne Recreation Club, Earls Colne.

            It was back to Premier Division action for me last Saturday, two teams with contrasting styles and leagues positions at opposite ends of the table but neither at the top or bottom, both teams had a couple of players absent, but I’m used to hearing that information before kick-off. The pitch looked in excellent condition, perhaps all the better for last weeks rain that softened up the surface and made for an attacking game of football.

            On a bright sunny day, with a slight breeze, the match official was ESBFL, Referees Appointment Secretary, Matthew Jarvis who would be assisted by Stuart Tredgett and M/s Joanna Withams, who drew the short straw by having the low sun in her eyes throughout.

             Earls Colne kick-off and when Walker sent Hadlow away down the left side his fine left-footed cross was superbly headed home by DEVON RAVEN with only twenty-three seconds on the clock, so anybody arriving late would have missed a fine goal. Earls Colne pushed forward again with Raven forcing a corner, taken by Shields towards Debrick who headed wide for a goal kick, Walker kept up the pressure and Halls conceded another corner, Shields played the ball to the near post and received the return ball only to cross the ball too far beyond the far post. Walker was almost provider again, this time for Morris whose left footed shot flew narrowly wide, Belle Vue Social were stung into action, Urwin found Cobden, whose excellent cross fell to Harrington who was rightly flagged off-side. Belle Vue Social, like so many teams these days were trying to play the ball out of defence, Henry got forward to force a corner off Walker then Shaikly passed inside to Harrington who fired the ball over the cross bar but that’s better from the visitors.

            Debrick tried to get Ladlow away but over-struck the long ball forward and a goal-kick resulted, both teams had been trying to pass the ball around and had not resorted to the continual long ball forward tactic, Walker seemingly put in a high challenge on Donellan, it looked bad but Walker had played the ball in the eyes of the officials and when play did stop, Donellan was treated for a shoulder injury. Debrick tried a shot from fully thirty-five yards but keeper, Francis was untroubled on his goal line, but tackles were becoming heavy but fair, as neither team wanted to give an inch in this hotly contested match. Harrington, not for the first time in his career, was caught off-side from a forward pass from Halls, from the restart, Debrick launched a long diagonal ball wide to the right side, Willsher had got forward and when he ran inside, he played the ball, first-time into the back of the net, sadly Willsher was flagged for off-side. When play reached the home end, “stand-in” keeper, Partridge was confronted with a short back-pass, Harrington was in close, proximity, but Partridge rolled-back the years with a shimmy and good feet to get himself out of trouble! Cobden had to track back to stop Walker, good contest that today, a corner resulted but after being taken by Shields, it was cleared.

            On thirty-five minutes, Urwin and Harrington set up Goodman, but Brown blocked the goal bound effort and play reverted to the other end where Cobden again conceded a corner when tackling Raven, again the corner from Shields was cleared and Belle Vue Social mounted another attack but could not find that killer pass to give them sight of the goal! Earls Colne, when pushing forward, always looked dangerous, Brown found Morris running through a defensive gap, his low cross was saved low down by keeper, Francis, at the feet of Ladlow. A free-kick taken by Shields found the unmarked Walker running in behind the last defender only to head wide, Hazlewood made a fine block tackle to deny Ladlow, such a tricky player in close situations and Donellan was spoken too by the Match Official as a corner was awarded, the corner taken by Shields flashed across the six yard box with no one getting the simplest of touches to score.

HALF-TIME:    1 – 0.

            The second half was restarted by Belle Vue Social a quickly taken throw-in from Cobden was held up by Harrington who then tried to lob the ball goalwards, the ball drifting narrowly wide. Shaikly was blocked off by McNicholas, from the throw-in taken by Hazlewood, Henry was spoken too, and from the restart, Andress played in Ladlow whose first time shot was saved on his goal-line by keeper, Francis. On fifty minutes the first of many substitutions, off went Donellan and on went Pointer, whose first action was to put Harrington free inside the penalty area however, even the defensive mix-up between keeper, Partridge and defender Debrick, failed to be punished and the ball was cleared. Shaikly sent a free kick direct to keeper, Partridge, Sainsbury did get the ball into Urwin, but the ball bounced onto his hand and the chance disappeared, at the other end two big blocks by Sainsbury kept the score line at one nil. Sainsbury then fouled Ladlow, the free kick taken by Debrick fell to McNicholas but keeper, Francis made a timely save with his feet, and on fifty-eight minutes Earls Colne replaced Debrick with O’Keefe and Belle Vue Social made another change removing Shaikly with Nicoll entering play.

When McNicholas fouled Harrington, the free kick failed to trouble the home defence, Willsher sent a long ball forward, Raven gave chase with the visitors, defence still trying to get back, keeper Francis advanced and made a fine save from Raven. Just past the hour mark Earls Colne made two changes, off went Andress and Ladlow with Carr and Fitzsimmons taking their places. Play remained even through midfield, the home had the better chances, but Belle Vue had yet to raise a shot that needed saving, Harrington did force a corner, taken by Pointer with the unmarked Henry totally missing his header at the far post, that was a genuine chance as well! Brown was replaced by Calladine on sixty-five minutes, Raven galloped away down the right side, no offside, flag was shown but Raven slashed his shot wide when through on goal. Goodman forced a corner off O’Keefe, taken by Pointer with O’Keefe flicking the ball away, but only back to Pointer whose, cross was just too long for Harrington and a goal kick followed.

As we entered the last fifteen minutes, Earls Colne took off Shields sending on Harris, Belle Vue Social made their last two substitutions with Henry and Goodman giving way for Barr and Lancaster, Urwin made a rash challenge, probably out of frustration, from behind, on Carr and was spoken too, probably deserved a caution but it was not that sort of game. Harris took the free kick shooting straight at keeper, Francis, Hazlewood did receive a caution when fouling Raven, and from Harringtons lofted pass Halls headed wide as the visitors mounted a late charge. A great cross from Hazlewood eluded both Cobden and Harrington inside the six-yard box, a simple touch was all that was needed, Walker fouled Cobden, Pointer took the free kick which deflected off a defender for a corner, taken by Pointer, but keeper, Partridge rose to punch clear, and Hazlewood shielded the ball out for a corner. In the dying minutes, Earls Colne though they should have had a penalty, that was waved away but Sainsbury and then Francis picked up yellow cards as the game ended.

FULL TIME:     1 – 0.

            A fine headed goal inside twenty-three seconds then nothing of note for the rest of the match, two evenly matched teams who gave nothing away, the best chances did fall to Earls Colne, but the visitors defence stood firm supported by their captain and keeper. The visitors lacked that final ball upfront and home “stand-in” keeper did not have a shot to save, which sums up their game really.

Turning to my Star Player, having said the above, one player, Devon Raven, did stand out, he scored the early goal and was generally a handful throughout, in fact he could have scored two more but for a fine save and a wild shot at goal with only the keeper to beat

Teams:

EARLS COLNE FC:      

Colours:                        Blue & White striped Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Team:

Jordan Partridge., William Willsher., Ross Debrick., Ben Brown. James Walker (C)., Ryan McNicholas., Alfie Shields, Brenan Andress., Harry Ladlow., Devon Raven., Joe Morris.

Manager:                      Ross Debrick.

Assistant Manager:       Gary Pearce.

Used Substitutes:          Charlie Carr., Thomas O’Keefe., Daniel Calladine., William Harris., Jake Fitzsimmons.

BELLE VUE SOCIAL FC.

Colours:                        Red & White striped Shirts, Red Shorts and Red Socks.

Team:

Dylan Francis (., Shaun Hazlewood., Wesley Henry., Tom Halls., Will Sainsbury., Michael Shaikly., Lewis Cobden., Jacob Donellan., Jack Urwin., Jack Harrington., Daniel Goodman.

Manager:                      Billy Clarke.

Used Substitutes:          Cameron Nicholl., Joshua Pointer., Drew barr., Owen Lancaster.

Referee:                       Matthew Jarvis.

Assistant Referees:       Stuart Tredgett & M/s Joanna Withams

STAR PLAYER:            Devon RAVEN                         (EARLS COLNE FC)