06/04/2024 – REPORT – CO4 ULTRA’S FC VERSUS KINGS PARK RANGERS FC – ABANDONED.
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE
CO4 ULTRA’S FC. 0. (ABANDONED – 75m) KINGS PARK RANGERS FC 3.
Date: Saturday 06th April 2024.
Venue: Corporal Budd VC Gymnasium, Berechurch Road, Colchester.
Having been incapacitated by a knee replacement operation, five weeks ago, my attendance at matches has been somewhat curtailed, however, with the offer of a lift I went to watch the keenly advertised match between CO4 Ultra’s FC and Kings Park Rangers FC. The home team languish second bottom, but still have half of their fixtures to play in a reduced competition, with two teams having already dropped out. Kings Park Rangers sat third with four matches to play, were unbeaten in ten matches but still sat twelve points behind league leaders Thorpe Athletic FC, but fourth placed Cressing United still have six games to play, all to play for then!
The referee for this match, was ESBFL, Referees Appointment Secretary, Matthew Jarvis and with special dispensation, the ECFA allowed the competition to appoint David Stacey and Alex Hodder as Assistant Referees. When we arrived at the ground, we were advised that the visitors had picked up the wrong kit bag, arriving with their blue kit rather than a change, hasty arrangements had been made to source a change of shirts, eventually white shirts with marker pen numbers added were worn, the match kicking off ten minutes late! A fairly, large crowd had also assembled, I believe the match was also being filmed with a drone also seen in the first half, flying over the far perimeter of the ground.
On a hard, bumpy pitch, CO4 kicked-off, lost possession and conceded an early corner with Balaam under threat from Milliard, the pressure from Kings Park Rangers remained as CO4 failed to clear their lines effectively. On five minutes, a cross field ball from the right side split the home defence, Last, raced across the edge of the penalty area, keeper Kerr advanced to make an interception, Last, went to ground, now whether there was real contact or whether the incident took place inside the penalty area was hard to tell from my position on the half-way line, however, the referee pointed to the spot and ASA MILLIARD rifled the ball home. Milliard was already proving to be a big threat, his strength when holding up the ball and when running with the ball and he was to give the home defence a hard game, Hooper in particular, was easily bundled off the ball, conceding a cheap free kick. Quinney received an early caution for delaying the restart at that free kick, taken by Milliard with keeper, Kerr forced to make an excellent parry from the fiercely struck kick.
On seventeen minutes, Hooper chopped down Milliard, just outside the penalty area, Hooper was shown a yellow card then following a verbal outburst was shown another yellow card, meaning a ten-minute break in the “sin-bin”. Hewes and Cunningham had a running spat near the centre-circle and for a period play was scrappy, CO4 could not get going into forward positions, whilst Kings Park Rangers held possession with ease with Collard (N) receiving a caution for pulling back Lampton by his shirt. Ballam and Baker had a mild confrontation, or a verbal difference of opinion, down by the corner flag and Balaam was almost caught out by trying to play the ball out from an overworked defensive position, his outlets were limited however with the visitors, closing, down any space, very quickly. Hooper rejoined the match on twenty-eight minutes, William tried to put Cocklin into touch with a rash challenge on the half-way line, Cocklin was just too quick and avoided any contact and play continued with the visitors in possession. Another talking point came just before the half hour mark, Southwell chased forward, the ball was loose, keeper, Kerr was at the edge of his penalty area and successfully fly kicked the ball away as Southwell dived in, were his studs up, possibly, was he out of control, possibly, no foul was given as the home team had possession, I’m sure any contact would have had severe repercussions!
The first real attack and a chance at goal for CO4 came around thirty-two minutes, Stoneman played the ball forward, Cook, chased after it, beating the advancing keeper, Whymark, but Cocklin had run back almost thirty yards to place the ball out of play before Cook could reach it, good defending from the midfielder. From the corner, taken by Hewes, keeper, Whymark was untroubled, and from playing the ball out underarm, to Hayes-Brown the ball reached Milliard who held off both Quinney and hooper, before setting up the ball for NOAH COLLARD to score from the edge of the penalty area. A long throw-in from Hayes-Brown was only partially cleared allowing Last, to shoot goalwards, keeper, Kerr was equal to it, pushing the ball over the crossbar, a fine save. Cunningham took the corner, the ball hit the knee of the unmarked Last, and flew over the crossbar from three yards out, Baker was caught off-side in another quick break before Cocklin shot from thirty yards with keeper, Kerr holding the ball on his goal-line. The rushed clearance from keeper, Kerr, almost cost his team, the ball went straight to Milliard who was fouled by Hewes with Hewes and Cunningham coming together shortly afterwards for an innocuous clip by Hewes. A frantic half of football, Kings Park Rangers were clearly on top, two goals ahead and rarely troubled when defending, there had been some niggly fouls and dissent from both teams, no more than in any match these days, but so far dealt with by the match officials.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 2.
At the half-time restart, CO4 replaced Mitchell with Oliver, Kings Park Rangers kicked off and Oliver had to defend, making a good tackle on Southwell, Lampton fouled Cunningham, from the restart, Baker found Cocklin whose low shot was blocked by Quinney. Balaam for CO4 made a determined effort to raise his team and worked the ball forward down the left side but his final cross was over-hit for a goal kick. Cunningham and Hewes had another clash in the centre-circle and with the match stopped, Kings Park Rangers replaced Southwell with Cannell and two minutes later CO4 replaced Hooper with Dale. On fifty-six minutes, disaster for CO4, defender Quinney, stepped across a Kings Park Rangers forward, I couldn’t identify whom as the crowd were in the way, the result was a red card for Quinney, presumably for denying of a goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), last player as well! Stoneman fouled Baker, to pick up a caution, then from the poorly defended free-kick, the unmarked ASA MILLIARD reacted quickest to slam the ball past keeper, Kerr, game over!
An hour had now elapsed, the visitors were comfortable, three goals ahead and looking dangerous upon any attack, CO4 with only ten players were going to have to mount a rearguard defence to limit any further damage. Kings Park Rangers replaced Hayes-Brown and Last with Dalziel and Adenji, Oliver did extremely well to hold off Milliard as he threatened looking for his hat-trick whilst Balaam was unlucky when his shot hit the side netting, but too little too late in this game, with visiting keeper, Whymark largely a spectator. Hewes recklessly dived into a challenge with Collard (N) and was promptly cautioned. On seventy minutes Kings Park Rangers broke swiftly out of defence down the left side, everyone was following the ball including the three match officials when a shout went up to bring their attention too two players grappling on the ground inside the visitors, own half. The match was rightly stopped, players rushed back to try to separate those two players, the Management of both teams and numerous supporters from both teams also entered the field of play and a mass confrontation developed. Once relative calm had been restored, I say relative because there was a lot of feeling being expressed from all parties, the CO4 physio was bowled over in this melee and required help to leave the field. The match referee, after consulting with his Assistant Referees then issued a red card to both Hewes and Collard (N) these being the players being guilty of violent conduct. The consequence of this mass confrontation led to the Match Officials declaring that the match was abandoned and that it would be reported to Essex County FA for their further consideration.
MATCH ABANDONED @ 75m: 0 – 3.
An unsavoury end to a match that had big expectations, especially for teams vying at the top of Division One and not representative of what is expected of teams who play in the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League.
Teams:
CO4 ULTRA’s FC:
Colours: Blue & Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
David Kerr., Elliot Gosling-Clarke., Jack Balaam (C)., Aaron William., DJ Quinney., Harry Hewes., Ziggy Lampton., Jack Stoneman., Jake Mitchell., Charlie Cook., Scott Hooper.
Manager: Ryan Brown.
Used Substitutes: Ryan Dale., Joshua Oliver.
Unused Substitutes: Lawrence Wilson., Shane Goodyear., Elliot Leeks.
KINGS PARK RANGERS FC:
Colours: White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Laurene Whymark., Joshua Pollard., Callum Tracey., Curtis Hayes-Brown., Bailey last., Matthew Southwell., Dan Cunningham (C)., George Cocklin., Noah Collard., Jack Baker., Asa Milliard.
Manager: John Pollard.
Assistant manager: Jamie Dobkin
Used Substitutes: Joshua Dalziel., Ben Cannell., Saburi Adenji.
Unused Substitutes: Sam Bishop., Joshua Jones.
Referee: Matthew Jarvis.
Assistant Referees: David Stacey & Alex Hodder.
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