05/11/2016 – Report – Cressing United FC versus Little Oakley FC Reserves
ANDREAS CARTER ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE
CRESSING UNITED FC: 1.
LITTLE OAKLEY FC RESERVES: 5.
Date: Saturday 05th November 2016. Venue: Jeffreys Road, Cressing
Division One again this week but I’ll be back to Premier action next week though, this week a trip to the compact ground in Cressing, home of Cressing United FC who last season fairly romped away with the Division Two championship. For them, this season has to be a season of consolidation in Division One whereas today’s unbeaten opponents would as usual be stiff opposition for any opposition having finished fourth in the division last season. Home Manager, Ivan Gooday was bemoaning the fact that so many players were either injured or not available for a number of reasons, this is a common trend and a fact that I am fully aware of following my weekly visits to watch other matches in the ESBFL.
On a still but bright but windy afternoon the match official for this Division One game was Braintree based referee, Stephen Vieira and for the second week running I found this young official being assessed for promotion.
Little Oakley FC Reserves kicked-off and an even start ensued with the visitors perhaps having the more positive approach and with Cressing relying on big clearances to push the visitors back but it did set up an attack where Stone crossed to Carney whose header was patted down by keeper Felgate, a recent acquisition from Harwich & Parkeston FC. However, by trying to dribble the ball out, Copas moved forward to harass the keeper who whilst avoiding the challenge promptly skied, the ball, behind for a corner when having no defensive support to help him out. Up until ten minutes the football action was centred around midfield with little quality so far and I noted that this game might be a long one to report on! For things to change we did not have long to wait as a long raking ball from the right wing fell kindly to DARYL HINKS in space and he managed to lob the tall advancing keeper to open the scoring for the visitors. A free-kick conceded by White for a foul on Stanford set up Mayhew for a direct shot at goal with defender White making a fine block at the foot of the post but the warning signs had started to appear for the home team even before a confident Hinks tried an overhead kick.
Stanford chased a long through ball and when keeper Simmonds went to ground to collect the ball the forward slid into the keeper who needed some treatment, maybe an unnecessary challenge but many managers would probably criticise their player for not going for what started out as a loose ball! After thirty minutes Cressing had started to play some better football but the visitors always looked dangerous and as usual the final pass in any move proved to be the undoing of some decent approach work from both teams. Olding set the ball up for Watts to drive a rising volley to Felgate and Stone set Storey (J) into space but his long range effort bounced wide and Storey (J) then caused havoc with a curling free-kick that was not dealt with by the Little Oakley defence, Carney and Olding could not capitalise on the loose ball and only a last gasp clearance by the foot of Felgate saved the day.
Little Oakley increased their narrow lead on forty-three minutes, another high cross from the right wing, this time from Lewis, should have been an easy catch for the keeper but by misjudging the height of the ball he fumbled the ball to the feet of GARY STANFORD who had the easiest of chances to turn and pass the ball into the empty net despite a valiant attempt by Watts to reach the ball as it crossed the line. A minute later and Cressing got a life-line back into the match when a free-kick from Storey (J) was poorly cleared and ROBERT OLDING fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 2
Cressing restarted the match, no substitutions were evident and the assessor seemed satisfied, so far, Reynolds cleared from the near post although the ball was probably going wide as Thorndyke broke through to reach the ball before Felgate. A passing move involving both Stanford and Rusby set up the youngster and his stretched attempt at a shot did force keeper Simmonds made a smart full stretch save. Cressing had started this half much more positively and Lord had to step in to stop Storey (M) who had dribbled the ball forward from the half-way line. Copas was late into a challenge on Lewis who was left both limping and cursing, no change there then but with no foul awarded Cressing pushed forward and put pressure of the Little Oakley defence marshalled well by Eldridge and Sullivan with Lord playing just in front to break up any attack. On sixty minutes Hinks was replaced by Duly and immediately his pass found Mayhew whose cross was headed out for a corner by Ellis
At the other end Felgate made a fine save low to his right hand side as Copas latched onto a cross-field pass from Storey (M) and when Stanford chased forward with only the advancing keeper to beat his attempted shot saw him overstretch, forcing the keeper to save but the stricken Stanford had to leave the field with an injury with Good taking his place. After sixty-five minutes the standard of football had been better this half and Thorndyke again tested Felgate who made a fine reflex save having got onto the end of a cross from Copas. Three minutes later and the visitors increased their lead again when Good set the move going from the left side when passing to Rusby whose lay back was drilled home by DARYLL ELMER. Another goal followed as when Stone conceded a corner, Mayhew took the kick quickly to Rusby whose first time cross was missed by all defenders before dropping to Elmer who set the ball up for LUKE GOOD to rifle home from close range with the Cressing defence in disarray.
On seventy-five minutes Cessing substituted Stone to be replaced by Campbell and Olding almost capitalised when a miscued shot from Copas fell his way, his effort going narrowly wide with the visitors defence, standing still. Cressing introduced Ware for Thorndyke on eighty minutes but the direction of play remained unchanged as Little Oakley had raised a gear, or two as the half progressed. On eighty-five minutes Lord won the ball deep inside his own half and set a move going down the left side where the ball eventually reached Good and when his curling cross dissected the retreating defence there was IAN LORD charging through to score the fifth goal. White was then on the receiving end of a Lord challenge and eventually and definitely reluctantly had to leave the field with a shin injury. With play coming to an end a fine goal-line clearance followed when Mayhew, who should really have scored after Simmonds had spilled the ball at the feet of Good, and whose pass back into the penalty area fell to Mayhew whose shot was true but Watts recovered to stop the goal attempt.
FULL TIME: 1 – 5
Certainly, not exactly a thriller of a game, two honest sides who can definitely play better, no cautions, probably should have been a couple, however, the visitors fully deserved their victory.
My Man of the Match selection might have been difficult given the football played but in a side that sports numerous young players brought through from their youth set-up, then an older, more experienced player would have to set an example, skipper Lewis encouraged throughout but with a non-stop display from defence, through midfield, to attack and a late goal as well, my choice goes to Ian Lord.
Teams:
CRESSING UNITED FC: Colours: Maroon & Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Stephen Simmonds., Adam Watts., Darren Stone., Karl Ellis., Sam White., Michael Storey., James Storey., Redmond Carney., Craig Copas., Robert Olding., Luke Thorndyke.
Manager: Ivan Gooday.
Used Substitutes: Jordan Campbell., Robert Ware.
Unused Substitutes: Lloyd Gooday.
LITTLE OAKLEY FC: Colours: Blue & Black Shirts, Black Shorts & Black Socks
Samuel Felgate., Trevor Lewis (C)., Luis Reynolds., Ian Lord., Adam Eldridge., Tyler Sullivan., Luke mayhew., Brandon Rusby., Gary Stanford., Daryll Elmer., Daryl Hinks.
Assistant Manager: Paul Beasley
Used Substitutes: Liam Duly., Luke Good.
Referee: Stephen VIEIRA (Braintree)
Man of the Match: Ian LORD (LITTLE OAKLEY FC RESERVES)
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Request to Club / Fixture Secretaries
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 advice any agreed changes, as required, to Alison Willmore ( mjw1947@sky.com ) especially for evening games and for those matches being played under floodlights etc.
KO is 2:00pm in: November, December & January
KO is 2:30pm in: 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 )
ESBFL “web-site”
The web-site for the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League is: www.esblfootball.com
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