06/01/2024 – REPORT – Great Bentley FC Reserves versus Dedham Old Boys FC Reserves
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION THREE
GREAT BENTLEY FC RESERVES. 1. DEDHAM OLD BOY’S FC RESERVES. 1.
Date: Saturday 06th January 2024. Venue: Great Bentley Green.
When the weather gets rough, it’s almost a certainty that the pitch on Great Bentley Green will be playable, so on a Saturday when only eighteen matches were played, I ventured down the road to watch the Division Three match between fifth placed, Great Bentley FC Reserves and league leaders Dedham Old Boys FC Reserves. The home team sat six points behind their visitors but have two matches in hand, but points in the bag mean an awful lot and we are only halfway through the season.
On an almost perfect afternoon, bright and breezy perhaps, the Match Official for this match was Robert Giles, and as usual at “The Green” there is the large, faithful and vocal crowd on one side, many of them, players, whose matches were postponed, that explained the crowded Clubhouse pre-match!
Dedham Old Boys kicked-off, lost possession and Morton was caught off-side in the first real attack by Great Bentley down the left side, Britton for the home team started another move, this time down the right side, an error by defender Green let in Morton who ran on, but his cross was poor. When Black fouled Britton, Green was spoken too for disputing the decision, Duce took the free kick, which was headed away by Grimsey. The home team were on top for these opening five minutes, with Dedham on the back foot but rarely troubled with Findlay and Newman stemming any central attacks. When Black found space on the left side he dribbled down the side-line before cutting inside to the edge of the penalty area before crossing to the far post where the unmarked Nash stood, he decided to control the ball rather than hitting it first time, but when he struck the ball low and hard towards goal, keeper, French was quickly down to save at the near post.
This attack had woken Dedham Old Boys and they pushed forward once again, McLean ran wide on the right to find Nash, also wide on the right side, from his low driven cross Black and McLean could not get on the end of the loose ball and Wainer cleared up-field. Whiting was spoken too for something he said, when will players learn, Dedham still retained possession and Black was put through by Parker, his pace was good, his run was straight, but Mounteney got back and with a long, outstretched leg nudged the ball back to keeper, French. On twelve minutes Morton tried to take on Findlay, but the experienced defender guided the ball out of play, albeit for a corner which the same defender then cleared. Great Bentley were denied by the far side upright when Wright sent Duce through, having found space he ran forward to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a fine rising shot that beat, keeper, Bentley but smashed against the post and back into play.
This match was now all about midfield, both teams were basically cancelling each other out in that area, but from a cross from Whiting, Morton headed wide. Durrell fouled Nash, Parker, set up the free-kick but could only strike the ball against the four-man defensive wall from which Macklin forced a corner. McLean took the corner on the right side, the ball was headed out by Durrell to Parker whose shot on the volley flew wide. At the other end Wright gained a corner for Great Bentley, Parker headed clear but only to Mounteney who blasted the ball over the crossbar. When defending at the other end, Mounteney conceded a corner when Black threatened, then Nash slid into a challenge on Whiting, it looked heavy, but no foul was given. The next chance saw a free kick, on the left side, taken by Duce but it hit the left hand, post with keeper, Bentley, nowhere near the ball until the follow up shot from Morton was saved low down to his left side. To me, the first half was a gritty affair, both teams getting stuck in but with no end result, the home had hit the woodwork twice but the visitors had also seen shots saved.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 0.
Dedham Old Boys made a player change at half-time, with Macklin being replaced by Moodie, as the home team kicked-off kicking towards the Clubhouse. An error by Whiting, when trying to play the ball out from the back gave the ball to McLean on the right side, running free, Mclean entered the penalty area before striking the ball hard and low past keeper, French but the ball struck the far post to be cleared. Nash, picked up a stray pass, moved from his left to his right before shooting but defender Whiting cleared off the goal-line, with the follow-up cross from McLean being fielded by keeper, French. There were only three second half minutes on the clock when Great Bentley scored, a shot by Morley was blocked by Newman but BARNABY MORTON followed up to score. Dedham Old Boys retaliated through Parker, whose cross into the penalty area from the right side was attacked by Nash and Wyatt, keeper, French did well to claim the ball and was clattered for his troubles, however, no foul was given! A freekick taken by Grimsey flew through to keeper, French and this game was beginning to open-up. Morley fouled Findlay, the free kick was cleared, then Morton chased defender Findlay who calmly played the ball back to his keeper, Bentley, whose clearance was poor and fell to Morton who shifted the ball from his left foot to his right foot, but the finish was poor and he scuffed wide. On fifty minutes Black was replaced by O’Hart and a free kick from Whiting was cleared by Newman to Nash who was caught off-side.
On the hour mark, Great Bentley replaced Wright with Smith but it was Dedham who now threatened down the right side, Parker played the ball down to McLean, he ran along the goal-line to send in a low cross, Jordan had got back to defend at the near post, the ball hit his prone body, struck his outstretched arm and rolled out of play. The referee, rather than award the expected corner, pointed to the penalty spot, to cue some vociferous shouts from the side-lines, in the current climate, any ball striking an outstretched arm would see a handball decision made, one could consider that the cross was handled thus denying a goal-scoring opportunity given that there were plenty of players inside the six-yard box. Nash put the ball on the spot and blasted the ball home, in the meantime the Referee had walked back to caution Moonie who had waved the “imaginary” card, only to rightly get a yellow card himself, so, be warned, if you copy what professional managers are doing then expect grassroots referees to adopt the same and correct stance! Back to the penalty kick, and an unflustered ROSS NASH stroked the ball into the other side of the net to bring the scores level, when words were said from the side-lines, following that penalty kick, the Great Bentley, Manager, Archibald was cautioned.
When Parker played a long ball over the top, Nash gave chase, keeper, French was out, right to the edge of his penalty area only to be in a clash with Nash, it looked a fifty-fifty challenge, but a free-kick was given and Nash under the totting-up process, was cautioned. Soon after, Dedham replaced Nash with Rush and Great Bentley replaced Duce with Robinson. Home keeper, French made an outstanding save to deny Rush, this from a pass from Parker, who was then substituted, with Oscar entering play, McLean won a corner off Whiting, taken by McLean into Grimsey who sent a right-footed effort over the crossbar. One or two players were now going down with cramp and that was the youngsters which led to Evans replacing Jordan, the match remained end-to-end with McLean almost sending Oscar through then Rush played in McLean who was denied by a fine save from keeper, French.
FULL TIME: 1 – 1.
Another match, not a classic, it was two teams who basically snuffed each other out, there were chances, both teams hit the metalwork a number of times and both keepers made saves when required, however, by half-time this match had one-nil written all over it, in the end honours were even and neither team would moan about that result.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, a difficult selection this week, every player had played a part and nullified, each others efforts, but to stick my neck out I’m opting for French, the young Great Bentley, goalkeeper, not afraid to advance at feet, good in the air and made three excellent saves from goal-scoring efforts.
Once back in the Clubhouse, the place was packed, its good to see the visitors stay for a drink, the atmosphere was good, plenty of talk about the match, the frustrations that some Teams have with opponents, Clubs who are trying too hard to achieve success and Match Officials, without whom there is no match, the refreshments for the teams were welcomed and I wasn’t quite the last one to leave, way after the match had finished.
On an historic note, most readers are aware that I rarely stand with the Team Management and supporters, but I was joined on the road-side by two gentlemen, one, whose son, Parker, was playing, the other, here for a weekend said, cricket is my game and I used to play for Stock. How strange, because back in the late 1970’s I played for Weeley against Stock in the Haig Village Cup and at the time Weeley were dismissed for eight runs, yes, that’s eight runs, of which I scored four, which for a couple of years stood as the lowest ever scored, it did eventually get beaten by a team scoring only six! This, gentlemen, did buy me a drink in the bar, having also admitted that he fielded in the slips next to a certain Mervyn Day, the former West Ham goalkeeper, whom I recall opening the batting, if only briefly, for Stock. What a small world we live in!
Teams:
GREAT BENTLEY FC RESERVES:
Colours: Blue & White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Jack French., Toby Britton., James Whiting., Callum Durrell., Greg Wainer (C)., Adam Duce., James Wright., Lewis Mounteney., Barnaby Morton., Alfie Morley., Rafferty Jordan.
Manager: William Archibald.
Used Substitutes: Archie Smith., Gareth Evans., Bradley Robinson.
Unused Substitutes: William Archibald.
DEDHAM OLD BOY’S FC RESERVES:
Colours: Red Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Ryan Bentley., Archie Grimsey., Jude green., Daniel Findlay, Toby Newman., Liam Macklin., Ruissell McLean., James Parker (C)., Ross Nash., Elliot Black., Ben Wyatt.
Manager: Darren Tarling.
Used Substitutes: Nathan Moodie., Luke Brady., Jamie Rush., Luke Oscar., Aiden O’Hart.
Referee: Robert Giles.
Star Player: Jack FRENCH (GREAT BENTLY FC RESERVES)
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