07/12/2019 – REPORT – Gas Recreation FC versus West Bergholt FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION.

GAS RECREATION FC: 4. WEST BERGHOLT FC: 3.

Date: Saturday 07^th December 2019. Venue: Bromley Road, Colchester.

What should have been a comfortable three hour drive back from Lincoln on Saturday morning became a nightmare five-hour ordeal as a long stretch of the A14 heading towards the M11 was closed due to a new road opening on Monday. Anyway, I arrived un-prepared, at Bromley Road, with ten minutes to spare, just in time to get the team news and find a spot behind the fence to watch this eagerly awaited fixture, these teams are no strangers to each other and recently results have gone in their favour and they are the only two Premier Division teams remaining in the Essex Premier Cup.

Unfortunately, my notes this week will not be as comprehensive as I would normally like as my notebook was still at home and trying to write notes on a new “iPad” is fine so long as you remember to save your work, guess what, must have either erased my script or pressed delete, so for this report it’s back to my memory I’m afraid! At start of play Gas Recreation FC sat in sixth place and West Bergholt FC in fifth, the home team, as current champions are being pushed by more than one team this season, a refreshing change you might say, but only eleven points separate the top eight teams and some of those teams have three or four games in hand, this division might go, as they say, to the wire, there is still a lot to play for though.

Once again, this week a couple of fixtures fell by the way-side because of the weather, Club Secretaries, should apprise themselves of the procedure and use this friendly advice and make sure you notify postponements according to the Handbook (Rule 20 applies) and by the way, use of “Twitter” and “Facebook” ARE NOT recognised or authorised channels for this information. One team was about to travel to their way match only to read on “Twitter” that the game was off, fines will be sent out in due course. Sadly, three other games were postponed due to teams having insufficient players, ESBFL charges will be issued this weekend, this number is a poor reflection on certain teams and to me, it is hard to understand as at present there are over two thousand one hundred players registered to the forty-two Member Clubs, comprising sixty-two teams or an average of thirty-three per team, so who has all these players standing idle!

The three match officials were Jack Luckman, once again being observed for promotion, this week by an old friend Tony Trevor’s, the referee would be assisted by Keith Succamore and Philip Barham who for the second week running had the sun in his eyes in the first half! Well done to them as they kept this enthralling match under tight control with none of the shenanigans some might have witnessed, or maybe expected, between these teams as in the past, in fact both teams deserve credit for the manner in which they played entertaining football, some good goals and goal-keeping as well.

West Bergholt were quickly off the mark attacking down the right side with Davison, a former visitors player defending against Cripps, down by the corner flag. Gas struck back and Hewes went close having got the better of Gaisford but Bethell (L) was on hand to save. West Bergholt took the lead when Webb launched a high ball behind the retreating Gas defence, one bounce and really the ball should have been keeper, McQuoid’s, ball, but a moment’s hesitation allowed SAM CRIPPS to nip in to toe the ball over the keeper and goal-wards where defender Hooper raced back but in his attempt to clear the ball only managed to help the ball into the net, that’s an own goal by the way!. Play remained fairly even for the remainder of the half, Stoneman was cautioned for a foul on Cripps, this was way down by the corner flag, needless I suppose, because the player was not going anywhere from a tight position. Cripps was cautioned for a foul on Davison then Bethell (L) made a fine save to deny Gregory and Gas eventually had to rely on something special from LUKE TAYLOR who smacked the ball home after a poor clearance, just on the stroke of half-time, this from the corner of the penalty area.

HALF TIME: 1 – 1.

With just one goal apiece this game was hardly going to be a dull bore draw and soon after the restart the unfortunate Webb leant in towards the ball which struck his arm which allowed ASTEN FIRKINS to rifle home the spot kick. West Bergholt went in search on an equaliser and only a fine challenge by Stoneman stopped Close from scoring, Davison fouled Bethell then Hooper fouled Close just wide of the left side penalty area, Springett, struck a fine right footed shot which cleared the defensive wall and deserved a goal in its own right, but the ball struck the left hand upright, ricocheted across the goalmouth to strike the other upright and land in front of player-manager GARETH GIBSON who nudged the ball into the unguarded net, game on!

West Bergholt replaced Gaisford and Cripps with Kiley and Weir, with Gas replacing Gregory with Taylor (R) going on, Hooper, who else, fouled Close once too often to receive his caution, however, the Gas defence cleared the ball forward to Firkens breaking down the left side, making ground at pace he swept the ball across into that area inside the “D” and when LUKE TAYLOR controlled the ball, a step to his left opened up enough of a gap from which he rifled home his second goal of the match, another great strike that left keeper, Bethell (L) with little chance to save. Girling, who had come on as a substitute was cautioned for kicking the ball away from a restart and with the game stopped West Bergholt introduced Roll for Webb, similarly, Harrington was cautioned for Persistent offending.

Gas, keeper, McQuoid made a fine save to deny Townrow and following a series of corners to the visitors there was another equaliser, a corner from Murrells found Close and Townrow vying for the same ball, somehow, Harrington blocked their combined goal-bound effort but from another scramble JACK HARRINGTON did manage to head home off the right side upright and with the scores now level at three goals apiece and five minutes to play, could this be a time to settle back and take a point each, because right now this is what both teams deserved. Keeper, McQuoid made another fine save to deny Harrington who like his opposite number had been beaten by good goals despite making several telling saves when required. With time added-on, slipping away, the attacks continued at both ends and from the last of these, a corner taken by Davison flashed into the six-yard box where BEN GIRLING stole a march on any defender to firmly plant a great header past keeper, Bethell (L) to queue some wilds scenes from the home team, management and their supporters.

FULL TIME: 4 – 3.

This was a game that was a credit to the ESBFL, two top teams battling away for supremacy, after a poor start West Bergholt’s season has improved of late, Gas Recreation had also struggled earlier but they have strung together some useful results lately and with their “never beaten until the final whistle” tag they probably remain favourites to retain the Premier Division title!

Now, for my Player-of-the-Match choice for both teams this was very much a team effort, both keepers made crucial saves, both defences, centrally through Edwards and Hooper for Gas and Gibson and Springett for West Bergholt, stuck to their task despite their being seven goals. The midfield was always going to be a crucial battle to supply the respective forwards who kept going throughout, however, one player always seems to stand out, equally effective as a defender, midfielder or a forward, so with two fine goals and all round display, this week its Luke Taylor.

Teams:

GAS RECREATION FC: Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Red Socks.

Jack McQuoid., Jack Stoneman., Connor Davison., Kyle Bergin., Luke Edwards., Scott Hooper., Harry Hewes., Jack Gregory., Luke Taylor (C)., Ryan Dale., Asten Firkins.

Manager: Dean West.

Used Substitutes: Ben Girling., Ryan Taylor.

Unused Substitutes: Dean West.

WEST BERGHOLT FC: Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Luke Bethell., Mark Gaisford., Johnny Murrells., Liam Springett (C)., Gareth Gibson., Kieron Webb., Jake Bethell., Liam Close., Jack Harrington., Sam Cripps.

Manager: Gareth Gibson.

Used Substitutes: Jack Kiley., David Weir., Anthony Roll.

Unused Substitute: Luke Whybrow., Christopher Sambou.

Referee: Jack Luckman

Assistants: Keith Succamore

and Philip Barham.

Player of the Match: Luke TAYLOR (GAS RECREATION FC)

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Additional Reporting:

YOU TUBE., FACEBOOK (x2) & TWITTER

Once again, this season the ESBFL is widening its match-day reporting coverage, in addition to a full report written by Brian Reed, our other roving reporter, Spencer Hume, has once again made himself known during the friendlies season and he will also attend games reporting via You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to communicate up-to-date information and replicate other match reports. In addition, John Campany, Vice Chairman will continue to provide a weekly summary, published in The Gazette.

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Reminder to Club / Fixture Secretaries

Once again 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 advise 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: 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 )

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ESBFL “web-site”

The web-site for the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League is: www.esblfootball.com

Clubs are reminded that the following documents are all available on this website under Clubs / Documents etc:

ESBFL Handbook,