05/12/2015 – Holland FC versus Cinque Port FC (EPC-R3)

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE                  ESSEX PREMIER CUP – ROUND 3

 

HOLLAND FC:        4.       (1)               CINQUE PORT FC:          1.          (1)

 

Date:   Saturday 05^th December 2015.                    Venue: Dulwich Road, Holland-on-sea

 

I had originally intended to watch this Essex Premier Cup, Round Three, fixture two weeks ago, that was  until Rush Green Bowl was declared unfit due to the wet weather during the preceding week, so keeping true to my plans I made the effort once again, but this time to Dulwich Road, Holland-on-sea. Undefeated Holland FC lie handily placed in sixth position in the Premier Division but will have to play catch up on all the teams above them if they want divisional honours this season but they also remain in both the KOC and the Essex Premier Cup. Division One, Cinque Port, lie fourth after gaining promotion as champions last season and having seen them win comfortably back in mid-October I thought they might spring a surprise in this fixture.

 

Now last week I had to endure the inclement weather in Jersey so by going to Holland I could not get much closer to the sea if I tried, the wind was howling straight off the white topped sea and any chance of a decent game was quickly dispelled. The intrepid Tiptree band of ground hopers were there to greet me in the clubhouse and after some usual friendly banter we made our way round to the pitch which sadly affords little shelter so I plumped for the far side facing the wind with numerous elastic bands holding the pages secure in my note-book!

 

The Match Official for this County Cup fixture was Colchester based referee, David Feline another referee that I had not met before, fortunately, I told him early in our introduction that I was the league’s roving reporter which dispelled his thought that I was an assessor!

 

Cinque Port FC kicked-off and within three minutes Yarwood dived into a challenge on Minter on the far side that saw him receive a very early caution and the same player sent the first shot towards goal from thirty-five yards but with the rising ball not troubling Ball, in goal for the home team. Holland had a tendency to over-hit the long ball with the Cinque Port defence able to let the ball fly through to their keeper who then had trouble trying to launch the ball back up-field from either his hands or from goal kicks. The first chance for Holland came when Bolton played the ball through to Eaton who steered the ball into the wide left side channel where Poole cut inside onto his right foot but his curling shot drifted away from goal with the wind, a decent chance though. Norman fouled Goldsworthy, who got up to take the free-kick finding the head of Eaton who steered the ball narrowly over and wide of the goal as the visitors still tried to get used to the strong wind which was blowing almost into their faces. Keeper Lloyd had to advance outside his penalty area to fly kick the ball away and Chapman fouled Sauka just on the half-way line with the home skipper receiving some cautionary words from the referee for querying what to me was an obvious foul. Huggins stroked the ball wide to the right side with Moss giving chase but he just narrowly failed to reach the ball before it went out for a goal-kick.

With twelve minutes gone neither team had mastered the windy conditions but Sorrell pushed a ball from Chapman towards Eaton who burst past Machin until fellow defender Watt and keeper Lloyd dived in to parry the goal-bound attempt. On the quarter hour mark, Goldsworthy conceded a corner on the left side but keeper Ball advanced to punch clear of the penalty area towards Chapman who only managed to foul Linnane, who then made an encouraging run down the right side only for Goldsworthy to put in a good tackle with the ball rolling free to Yarwood who lashed the ball wide of goal. The referee had been up with play and was easily able to give decisions bringing the ball back if an attack broke down after playing an initial advantage, but why is it that players still want to argue about that point. Sauka who did not look fit from the start soon pulled up and was forced to leave the pitch with Goldsworthy and Linnane clearly at loggerheads about some earlier decision and a deep cross from Cowler was held safely by Lloyd.

On twenty-five minutes Sauka, who had not returned to the pitch was substituted with Pyle coming on as his replacement but Cinque Port had put in a big effort to hold the home team who whilst playing better had failed to trouble the visitors defence. When Chapman fouled Yarwood the referee initially allowed play to continue then brought play back to the half-way line and when the free-kick was cleared Poole ran clear but in being selfish he shot at goal but the effort was way too high and when the visitors attacked again Goldsworthy had to defend when Linnane threatened with Machin taking the corner once again. Chapman eventually received his caution for dissent on the half-hour mark and three minutes later Pyle was put through down the right side and from his cross SAMUEL MOSS was first to reach the ball and comfortably steered the ball past keeper Ball. So were we shocked with this, to be honest no, as Cinque Port had competed for every ball and looked capable of scoring should they be given any chance to do so.

Norman was wrongly flagged for off-side when nearest to the club linesman who had in fact flagged for Linnane being off-side in the middle of the pitch but nowhere near the ball, a decision which Norman contested vociferously. At the other end a free-kick from Ball cannoned off the head of Poole then defender Hunt, with the referee giving a goal-kick, cue more dissent from the home team but in my opinion it happened so quickly in the growing gloom it was easy to miss, however the referee called both captains together and Goldsworthy was told to calm down. Five minutes before half time and Holland should have equalised as when Poole cut inside his pass across goal fell to Kearney who latched onto the ball only for keeper Lloyd to make a great save from close range with his defenders clearing up-field. Lloyd then sent Linnane scampering away down the right wing Minter dived into a tackle, missing ball and player with the game again brought back for the intent to foul after the attack foundered further up-field. Defender Watt had been covering well for Cinque Port chasing all the long balls forward from Holland but their tactics had not created any real chances apart from the close range save by Lloyd.

 

HALF-TIME:       0 – 1

 

Holland kicked-off the second half, this time against the wind which seemed to have got stronger as the first half progressed, Eaton was caught off-side from a pass by Sorrell but Cinque Port started to assert their advantage of now having the wind in their favour. Moss crossed to Budd on the far side but his shot lacked power then Machin sent in a free-kick which both Pyle and Huggins both went for and luckily for Holland neither connected with the ball when well placed. Once again the referee was spot on to see an infringement by Kearney on Huggins and Machin again took a free-kick, this time when Chapman fouled Yarwood, Machin struck the ball against the defensive wall and watched when hi follow up was held at the second time of asking by Ball. Cinque Port continued to battle for every ball in every challenge and were not fazed by their Premier Division opponents who were becoming more desperate as time went by. An in-swinging corner from Norman had the home team scrambling and the presence of Yarwood through midfield was a telling factor as well, but would this effort be rewarded as players began to tire.

Just on the hour mark Holland played the ball from left to right and back with the Cinque Port defence stretched until keeper Lloyd dived to save low to his right hand side as Poole managed to get on the end of the final pass from Sorrell. Holland replaced Cowler with Parrish three minutes later but Poole pulled back Watt who had just dispossessed him to concede a free-kick taken by Lloyd and at this time of the match it was the visitors who still held the upper hand with a goal advantage and the wind at their backs. Lloyd had to advance to stop Eaton who was looking to get on the end of a through ball from Goldsworthy and Eaton was again stopped in his tracks by a timely challenge from Huggins. With fifteen minutes to go Eaton fouled Huggins and nothing seemed to be going the way of the home team and Cinque Port looked quite comfortable when defending. Poole headed over from a teasing cross from Kearney and Huggins had to clear quickly as Eaton used his pace to close down any clearance. Holland were definitely competing, asking for every decision to go their way but the visitors stood their ground even when Poole found Chapman whose weak effort flew straight to Lloyd who cleared down-field with Linnane not giving up the chase to win a corner off Minter, who perhaps thought the wind would take the ball to safety and a goal-kick!

On seventy-one minutes Holland equalised, when a fine curling cross from the left side by Goldsworthy, was swept home by the left foot of STEVEN EATON, we certainly had not seen that coming but a well taken goal and suddenly Holland believed they could go on to win this tight cup-tie. Minter fouled Yarwood, Linnane lined up his shot and Ball saved the directly hit shot from twenty yards out. Watt conceded a corner but the kick from Kearney only found the side netting. Cinque Port replaced substitute Pyle with Redfern with five minutes remaining, Linnane forced Minter into conceding a corner with Goldsworthy arguing about the decision to a point that a yellow card was shown. Norman took the corner Machin struck goal-wards, Bolton cleared at the far post with Budd dragging his soft effort just wide and the second half ended at one goal apiece, meaning extra-time on a dark and gloomy afternoon.

 

FULL TIME:        1 – 1

 

Just as at the start of the game Holland took the wind advantage and kicked off towards the car park end, a drifting cross from Kearney sailed just over the cross-bar then Parrish hauled down Moss to concede another free-kick wide on the right hand side, taken by Machin and cleared by Bolton. Play remained scrappy, too much at stake and still extremely windy to a point that good football was never going to be seen. When Kearney drove the ball through the visitor’s defence he chased forward but screwed his shot wide not once but twice and as the home team improved a move involving Kearney, Poole and Chapman forced a corner on the right side. Kearney took the corner kick but over-hit the cross however, Minter ran back to retrieve the ball and after slipping the ball past a defender he sent over a cross that BRUCE POOLE just managed to get his head to with the ball just squeezing past Lloyd on the bounce at the far post. This goal came in the ninety-eighth minute and two minutes later the game was made safe as once Eaton had chased another long ball but miss-hit his shot, AARON KEARNEY picked up the ball from Sorrell running past a defender to score a third for the home team. Cinque Port seemed to have gone into panic mode, a poor clearance from Lloyd but Watt in trouble and Eaton almost capitalised and as the first period of extra-time came to an end Linnane was spoken too by the referee after Minter had gone unpunished for a poor attempt at a challenge on Linnane, wide on the right side.

 

EXTRA-TIME – HALF-TIME:         3 – 1

 

Cinque Port made their last player change when Burnett replaced Yarwood who had put in a big midfield shift for his team and Moss and Goldsworthy tussled for the ball before Poole set Eaton away but his weaker left foot let him down. However, on one hundred and ten minutes Chapman threaded a fine ball through to STEVEN EATON who chased goal-wards drew the keeper before slotting home for number four. With more confidence now, Holland created two more chances as Cinque Port tired and with both teams asking how long remained as darkness fell.

 

EXTRA-TIME – FULL-TIME:         4 – 1

 

Well, I expected a close game and for ninety minutes that is what we saw, Cinque Port to their credit took the lead and held it until ten minutes before the end of normal time, both teams could have scored more goals in that time but the defences especially, that of Cinque Port, did their jobs admirably. Perhaps as extra-time wore on then the fitness of Holland would a telling factor and to me that is what happened but Cinque Port can take credit for making life very difficult for the hosts. With this victory Holland FC move on to play, away to Harold Wood Athletic FC in Round Four on Saturday 16^th January 2016 as one of five ESBFL teams that remain in the last sixteen of the competition..

 

This week my Man-of-the Match selection, and its becoming more difficult to choose some weeks, goes to Neil Goldsworthy of Holland FC, confident in defence, strong in the tackle and possessing some fine touches when on the ball whether in defence or when moving forward to support the attack.

 

Teams:

 

HOLLAND FC                                         Colours: Orange Shirts, White Shorts, Orange Socks.

Alex Ball., Harvey Cowler., James Bolton., David Chapman (C)., Craig Minter., Neil Goldsworthy., Alistair McInnes., Keelan Sorrell., Aaron Kearney., Steven Eaton., Bruce Poole.

 

Manager:                        Rob Batten.

Assistant Manager:           Glen Cowan.

Used Substitutes:             Frankie Parrish.

Unused Substitutes:         Ross Thorogood., Scott Pittaway.

 

 

CINQUE PORT FC:                                 Colours: Yellow shirts, Yellow Shorts, Yellow Socks.

Ben Lloyd., Danny Hunt., Billy Huggins (C)., James Watt., Garry Machin., Samuel Moss., Jacob Budd., Mark Norman., Aaron Yarwood., Ashley Sauka., Glen Linnane.

 

Manager:                        Ian Newman

Assistant Manager:           Kevin Murphy.

Used Substitutes:             Tom Redfearn., Harry Burnett., Sebastian Pyle.

 

 

Referee:                        David Feline                    (Colchester).

 

 

Man of the Match:          Neil GOLDSWORTHY                                   (HOLLAND FC)