07/01/2017 – Report – Boxted Lodgers FC versus Gas Recreation FC Reserves

ANDREAS CARTER ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE

BOXTED LODGERS FC:                                             2.

GAS RECREATION FC RESERVES:                          4.

 

Date:   Saturday 07^th January 2017.                                                            Venue: Cage Lane, Boxted.

 

Last Saturday, a visit to Boxted, to watch their First Team take-on Gas Recreation FC Reserves, both teams sat mid-table but Gas Reserves are playing “catch-up” having played five games less than today’s hosts and if their form continues they could be challenging for honours, but not promotion as their First Team already occupy a Premier Division slot.

 

On a damp but cold afternoon, the match official for this Division One game was local referee George Sleigh and he ensured the players observed a minutes silence in recognition of Terry Farrow, former Club Secretary of West Bergholt FC who sadly passed away before the end of last year.

 

Gas kicked off playing down the slight slope but Boxted worked the ball down the left side to win a throw-in taken by Moon but cleared by Duffett leading to a Gas break with Brooks steaming forward until his team-mate Willoughby inadvertently intervened, allowing Seldon to gain control for the hosts. Moon tried his luck with a run down the right wing but Duffett and Brooks sandwiched the player just level with the penalty area, Macklin took the free-kick and Duffett headed clear to allow Williams to break into the Boxted half only to be tackled by Macklin and with the ball rolling free Ellis hurdled the two prostrate players with Watts covering his team’s defence. On five minutes Gas won the first corner of the game, Willoughby playing the ball off Trussler with Burton claiming the corner kick and clearing long downfield where Pyle controlled the dropping ball, to turn and run goalwards past two flat-footed defenders then crossing towards Whinney but the cross was over-hit. Just before ten minutes had elapsed a neat through ball from Warriner to Willoughby found the Gas forward, much to his annoyance, in an off-side position, but from the free-kick pumped forward by Watts, keeper Wilk advanced to his six-yard line, called for the ball, but promptly dropped it at the feet of LIAM MACKLIN who had the simplest of tasks to stroke the ball into the unguarded net.

Straight from the re-start a free-kick taken by Warriner was headed clear by Watts but only to Peters whose rising shot from the edge of the penalty area, was held just under the cross-bar by keeper, Burton, but from his poor clearance Brooks tried an audacious long range effort with the keeper way of his line but the effort drifted wide. Another teasing cross from the right wing by Warriner almost found the head of Peters but the close presence of Burton may have put the forward off as he headed wide. Boxted were perhaps lucky not to concede a penalty when Seldon appeared to pull back Ellis as they both ran into the penalty area, needless to say Ellis was not happy and when played continued Willoughby fouled Whinney and the frenetic start continued with Gas just having the upper hand despite being a goal behind. That soon changed when Willoughby ran, at pace past three retreating defenders to cross towards the far post where RYAN ELLIS rose to head against the inside of the near post and watch as the ball bounced across the goal to hit the inside of the far post and drop into the net for the equaliser.

On twenty minutes a free-kick taken by Warriner found the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for a pushing infringement by Brooks standing on the end of the defensive wall and it was Brooks who was play maker in chief for the Gas spraying the ball to all parts of the pitch particularly the right where Warriner always looked a threat. Boxted through Macklin pushed forward on the right side finding Pyle who beat Williams but fired over the cross-bar then a poor clearance by Wilk fell at the feet of Brace (L) who pushed forward “one-on-one” with the keeper who came out on top to save his own blushes, having already made one error in the match, with Duffett clearing the loose ball. Ellis clattered into Macklin, protested his innocence, but was promptly cautioned as other voices were raised by the visitors but it was the poorest challenge made so far and the player was nowhere near the ball. Beeson had taken over the goal-kicking duties for the Gas and from one long kick, Brooks flicked the ball on and Seldon had to be alert as Willoughby challenged for the loose ball earning a corner on the far side. As tackles flew in from both sides, Ayton wiped out Whinney to earn a warning from the referee but Brooks continued his prompting by setting Webb away down the right side and when the ball came back to Brooks he was caught by Macklin who seemed to make a genuine attempt to win the ball, just as Brooks ran across his outstretched leg but a caution followed.

Despite the better possession being had by the visitors the home team were looking to capitalise on the pace of Pyle but he was stopped by a good covering tackle by the improving Beeson in the Gas defence. From the corner, numerous Boxted players failed to get a touch as the ball bounced agonisingly through the middle of the six-yard area but Gas took the lead with ten minutes of the first half remaining. A long free-kick taken by Beeson was dropped by keeper Burton allowing LIAM PETERS to stab the ball home, so that’s two similar goal-keeping errors that have resulted in goals so far. Beeson then had to defend forcing Pyle wide however a cross was eventually made with Wilk punching clear to Moon who fed Whinney whose cross was cleared. Another long goal-kick from Beeson found Ellis who turned, only to shoot wide. Beeson again defended well when Pyle and Moon approached down the right side then Brace (L) got into the act but Duffett made a clumsy tackle and Whinney was spoken too by the referee. Another long ball from the Gas put Willoughby through but Burton advanced to parry the goal attempt then Warriner sent in a low cross which was met on the full by Willoughby but somehow Burton got in the way to save at point-blank range. Not to be out-done, Gas keeper Wilk made a great save from Pyle who raced through onto a pass from Whinney after good approach play from firstly Trussler, then Moon down the right side.

 

HALF-TIME:       1 – 2

 

As the gloomy conditions persisted, Boxted restarted the match, with a cross from Brace (S) deflecting off Whinney and Wilk collected at the near post then Watts leaned back to fire over the cross-bar, this from a free-kick taken by Macklin but not headed clear by the Gas defence, certainly a chance to score. When Webb intercepted a poor home pass his forward ball to Willoughby was volleyed high and wide when a first touch to control the ball might have set up a better option given the space he had moved into! Ayton, who had been spoken too in the first half, launched himself into one challenge too many and was duly cautioned for his tackle on Whinney with Wilk clutching the free-kick taken by Watts. A strong run out of defence by Beeson led to a decent pass forward for Ellis but he had strayed off-side, but next time, as a wide player he must look across the pitch to judge and time his run better. Willoughby clashed with Trussler, both players sporting these short pony tails to receive a warning and with the free-kick cleared, Brooks stroked the ball forward where Willoughby raced through but found Burton advancing to collect. Burton cleared to Macklin and from his forward ball, Pyle was caught marginally off-side but the threat from the pace of Pyle remained.

On fifty-three minutes Brooks played a fine ball wide from the left side to the right wing finding Warriner who skipped past Brace (S) before crossing to the near post where LIAM PETERS slotted home his second goal of the match. Following a throw-in by Williams the outstretched arm of Brooks accidently caught Brace (L) in the face as Brooks persisted in his quest to cover every blade of grass on the well-maintained pitch. Duffett received a caution for a foul inside the Boxted penalty area whilst at the other end Beeson cleared the ball off his own goal-line from a Pyle effort and Brace (L) was again injured in the resulting melee. On sixty-five minutes Gas replaced Ayton with Poore and soon after a double change by Boxted saw Barker and Congdon take the places of Moon and Brace (L) respectively. Another poor clearance from Wilk fell to Pyle but Beeson defended well and when play stopped Gas replaced Duffett with Binns. Binns had not even touched the ball when Ellis for Gas, deliberately handled a goal bound shot from Boxted, near the penalty spot. Having already been cautioned the referee had little choice but to issue a second card and Ellis took a walk off the pitch with DANIEL WATTS blasting home the penalty kick.

From the next ball forward from Brooks, who else, Binns pushed the ball into Willoughby whose shot was held by Burton and from his long clearance Warriner conceded a corner, taken by Macklin, headed goalwards by Watts only for Wilk to save on the gaol-line at the foot of the post. With fifteen minutes remaining Gas scored again, Warriner took a corner, deep towards the back of the six-yard box where ROBERT BROOKS rose highest to head home his team’s fourth goal. Gas still had the upper hand and from a pass by Webb, Brooks strode through to find Poore who found Willoughby who shot just wide, certainly not his day in front of goal. Poore fouled Seldon then from the clearance Barker did likewise on Willoughby with Warriner taking this kick from just outside the penalty area but hitting the defensive wall. Beeson blocked a chance from Trussler with Brooks again sweeping up in front of his defence as both teams pressed forward in search of more goals. Peters tried his luck with a shot for his hat-trick but Watts deflected the ball for a corner, taken by Warriner but caught by Burton. Then from a corner taken by Macklin substitute Congdon fired over and Wilk excelled with a fine save at the feet of Howard, this from a pass forward by Seldon and the final whistle was sounded soon after.

 

FULL TIME:        2 – 4

 

End to end it certainly was, if teams wanted to clear away the excesses of Christmas Day or New Year spirits then they probably did so here, both teams had a right go with Gas probably deserving their victory but Boxted had their chances as well and the score-line could well have been greater if all the chances were taken.

 

For my usual Man of the Match selection, for Boxted Watts and Seldon had to play well to thwart the Gas attacks, Macklin and Whinney needed to work hard in mid-field and if Pyle could have got the ball on target more often, then a different score-line might have been seen. As for Gas, defender Beeson improved as the game wore on, Willoughby should, like Pyle have scored goals, with the experienced Warriner a constant threat, down the right side. However with both Warriner and Brooks seemingly turning back the years to put in impressive displays, Brooks seemed to be everywhere, one minute, back in defence, next found charging forward from midfield and setting up numerous attacking chances, plus scoring the final goal himself so no question who gets this weeks nomination!

 

Teams:

 

BOXTED LODGERS FC:                                       Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

James Burton., Ryan Trussler., Scott Brace., Daniel Watts., Alan Seldon., Liam Macklin., Josh Moon., Matthew Whinney., Benedict Pyle., Liam Brace., Connor Howard.

 

Manager:                        Stefan Falla

Used Substitutes:             Jonathan Barker., Josh Congdon.

Unused Substitutes:         Peter Dwight.

 

 

GAS RECREATION FC RESERVES:                       Colours: Yellow Shirts, Black Shorts and Yellow Socks.

Radek Wilk., Lewis Ayton., Aaron Williams., Daniel Beeson., Jamie Duffett., Robert Brooks., Mark Warriner., Harry Webb., Liam Peters., Harry Willoughby., Ryan Ellis.

 

Manager:                        John Cansdale.

Assistant Manager:           Ryan Savill.

Used Substitutes:             Kyle Binns., Oliver Poore.

Unused Substitutes:         John Cansdale.

 

 

Referee:                        George Sleigh                             (West Bergholt)

 

Man of the Match:          Robert BROOKS                                           (GAS RECREATION 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:             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