08/02/2020 – REPORT – Gosfield United FC versus FC Clacton Reserves

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE.

GOSFIELD UNITED FC: 2. FC CLACTON RESERVES: 2.

Date: Saturday 8^th February 2020. Venue: The Playing Fields, Church Road, Gosfield.

Back in Division One this week, a trip to Gosfield for the first time in several seasons, the fourth placed home team were to play seventh placed FC Clacton Reserves, not much between them points and goals in the bag for Gosfield United over the visitors who have games in hand and who have reached the Semi-Finals of the Essex Junior Cup, where they play Collier Row FC at the end of the month. I’d already seen both teams earlier this season, Gosfield United scrapped a last-minute winner at Cressing FC and FC Clacton Reserves lost by a solitary goal at Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves, a game they should have won.

A bright but cold afternoon welcomed a few hardy spectators and a Romford based ground-hopper I have got to know over the seasons, there are only a handful of ESBFL grounds he has not visited. On a soft pitch, the Match Official would be Lee Miller who would be assisted by Club Assistants.

Gosfield United kicked off gaining an early free kick taken by Gilder to Storey who laid the ball back to Gilder whose shot was blocked, Gilder again was at the forefront of the home attacks forcing keeper, Wales to turn the ball around the post for the first corner. FC Clacton Reserves got going up the slope, Toms found Nash who held the ball up for Bramhall who returned the ball to Nash who turned but straight into Vickery who cleared. FC Clacton Reserves kept up their patient approach, Nash held the ball up again to set Bramhall clear, turning inside then outside only to send his cross behind the top goal. Swann fouled the lively Bramhall, just outside the penalty area, Dolphin took the free kick which failed to test anyone except the defensive wall. Woodburn fouled Dolphin, again just outside the penalty area, Dolphin did better this time sending a dipping shot just over the crossbar, and upright. A long throw-in from Smith (A) caused panic inside the visitors six-yard box leading to a shot being blocked then cleared for another throw-in, same modus-operandi, a deep throw-in headed goal-wards, from six yards out, by Vickery but straight to keeper, Wales. A run and dribble by Bramhall got FC Clacton Reserves high up the pitch, his shot was blocked by, Woodburn but the direct running of Bramhall was causing problems for the home defence. A free-kick conceded by Ellis allowed Dolphin to send over a cross to Toms who was caught off-side wide on the far right, side of the pitch.

Smith (A), I don’t think he has played much lately but he was starting to get things going through midfield for Gosfield United, quickness of mind and a quick turn and pass almost set up Preston who was marginally off-side. A long free-kick from Vickery was headed away by Baldwin but only to Storey who fired just wide, but this game remained very open, I was not expecting many goals at this stage as each team cancelled each other out and both sets of forwards getting caught off-side. On twenty minutes Bramhall won a corner off Smith (K), Bramhall swung over the corner kick with keeper, Reeves punching clear with Smith (A) completing the clearance upfield. Preston was caught off-side from a pass by Pike, Newland fouled Woodburn with the ball cleared, then FC Clacton Reserves put together a decent move, Newland and Nash got the ball wide to Bramhall whose shot was blocked by Swann and Bramhall again, was prepared to take on the home defence who stood firm whilst retreating. Smith (K) fouled Eldridge then Preston fouled Newland, tit-for-tat as they say and when decent football returned Storey, Smith (A), Woodburn and Smith (A) set up Pike who won a corner off Newland.

Thompson for FC Clacton Reserves worked the ball inside a defender, ran on to the return from Nash only to be taken down from behind by Vickery, a clear penalty, you cannot tackle from behind even if you do win the ball, it’s a free-kick all day, and once the verbal’s had died down ROSS NASH stepped up to hammer home the spot-kick off the underside of the cross-bar and nine minutes remained to half-time. Vickery was again spoken too by the referee, Smith (K) fouled Bramhall, only way to stop him it seems, Bramhall swung in the free-kick finding the head of Nash, well placed to score but keeper, Reeves, was equally well placed to save on his goal-line. Another long throw-in by Smith (A) was headed on by Gilder to Vickery who found the safe arms of keeper, Wales. Gosfield United defender, Woodburn spoke out of turn when a free-kick was given against his team and was ordered from the field of play for a ten minute “sin-bin” cooling off session. Play became scrappy, passes failed to reach anyone in particular and clearances were hurried without purpose, a free kick, from Storey found the head of Pike but keeper, Wales was untroubled. On forty-two minutes, the visitors had the ball in the net, Nash had set Bramhall through but was flagged off-side, a minute later and Gosfield United got their first equaliser, a free kick taken by Swann was headed back to ADAM SMITH who ran onto the ball to strike an excellent low shot that beat everyone to enter the back of the net.

HALF TIME: 1 – 1.

FC Clacton restarted the second half kicking down the slope, into the sun, Woodburn returned to the pitch four minutes into the half evening up player numbers only to concede a free kick with his first touch. Dolphin took the free kick, finding Bramhall whose low driven shot was turned away one-handed by keeper, Reeves. Storey had a free kick cleared at the other end and when chasing back he impeded Bramhall. The free kick taken by Newland was punched clear by keeper, Reeves, to Findlay who set up Dolphin who dragged his shot narrowly wide. Thompson ran at Woodburn, ran round him only for keeper, Reeves to read the danger and run out to take the ball off the feet of the number eleven. On fifty-seven minutes, with play stopped, FC Clacton Reserves replaced Dolphin with Richardson, a long throw-in from Smith (A) was cleared by Baldwin but these long throw-ins were causing concern for the visitor’s defence.

Nash was adjudged to have fouled Swann then within minutes Storey and Findlay were spoken too when they clumsily fell chasing the ball off the pitch, from the throw-in Bramhall ran down the right side to send in a low cross from which Thompson should have scored but for a fine goal-line tackle and clearance by Woodburn for a corner. On sixty-six minutes a double change for FC Clacton Reserves, Eldridge and Bramhall were replaced by Mallett and Antoniou-Garcia with Gosfield United changing Woodburn with Foy. As we approached the last twenty minutes the standard of play had dropped, again a bit scrappy, few chances, few attacking moves and overall poor play from both sides. A free-kick taken by Newland was backheeled towards goal by Toms but straight to keeper, Reeves, the introduction of Antoniou-Garcia livened up the visitors attacking options and from only his second foray forward his low driven cross caused a scramble inside the six-yard box, the ball ricocheted around before going out for a goal-kick, did someone miss a sitter! Richardson sent Newland away down the left side, but his deep cross was fielded by keeper, Reeves, Swann fouled Mallett, another player with an extremely long throw-in. At the other end Pike set up Smith (A) who headed over the crossbar, a decent chance and it was Smith (A) who found Foy however, Mallett stood his ground to win the tackle.

Just eleven minutes remained when FC Clacton Reserves regained the lead, a sweeping free kick taken by Newland, just on the half-way line found ROSS NASH in acres of space wide of the far post and his looping header deceived everyone to land in the back of the net. Gosfield United had replaced Preston with Bowman and home keeper, Reeve, made an excellent save to deny Thompson running in from the left side. With five minutes remaining Gosfield United replaced Smith (K) with Doughty, the minutes ticked by, a long throw-in from Mallett found Richardson whose deep cross was cleared. Smith (A) found Storey and from his cross Gilder stepped inside to hammer a low shot which was blocked by Findlay, then a corner taken by Storey fell to Smith (A) and from his lay-off the shot from Foy flew straight at keeper, Wales. With a minute of normal play remaining Davis threaded a fine ball through to Nash, one-on-one with keeper Reeves who just edged the chase for the ball, a throw-in followed and treatment for Nash. In the second minute of time added on, Smith (A) launched a last-ditch throw-in, no visiting defender attacked the ball and before it could bounce RYAN VICKERY stole in to score a welcome equaliser for Gosfield United. A final flourish from FC Clacton Reserves was stopped when Pike chased back to defend, commitment to the last to secure a point.

FULL TIME: 2 – 2.

Another gritty top half of the of Division match, was a draw fair, most certainly it was, the first of the season for the visitors, a draw which sees Gosfield United drop to fifth and FC Clacton Reserves stay in seventh place, there is still a long way to go this season, my gut feel is that both these teams will have a say on who wins the division without doing enough to win it themselves.

Now, for my Player-of-the-Match choice, for the visitors, Bramhall, Dolphin and Thompson ran at the home team’s defence all game and for themselves, defensively, but for the two goals conceded just before half-time and full-time were rarely troubled, for me the pick of their players was Nash, two more goals to add to an increasing tally this season, his hold up play has always been good and today he led the front line well. For Gosfield United, keeper Reeves made timely saves, that’s what keepers are there to do, defensively it was not always pretty to watch, Pike led the line well, similar to Nash but it was through midfield that Gosfield got their point, Gilder as ever was in the thick of things with Storey and Smith (A) who with a good goal and all round display just gets my vote this week.

Teams:

GOSFIELD UNITED FC: Colours: Pink Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Oli Reeves., Theo Woodburn., Kieran Smith., Ryan Vickery., Ross Swann., Luke Ellis., Jake Gilder., Adam Smith., Michael Storey., Bobby Pike (C)., Joshua Preston.

Manager: Mark Wiskin.

Used Substitutes: Edward Foy., Liam Bowman., Tom Doughty.

FC CLACTON RESERVES: Colours: White Shirts, Royal Blue Shorts and Royal Blue Socks.

Kieran Wales., Billy-Lee Eldridge., Paris Newland., Steven Davis (C)., Daniel Baldwin., Daniel Findlay., Lyndon Bramhall., Charlie Toms., Ross Nash., Cameron Dolphin., Samuel Thompson.

Manager: Lionel Toms

Used Substitutes: Jordan Mallett., Andreas Antoniou-Garcia., Jake Richardson.

Unused Substitutes: Alex Forsythe

Referee: Lee Miller.

Player of the Match: Adam SMITH (GOSFIELD UNITED FC)

************************************************************************************

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.

****************************************************************************************

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 2:30pm 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 )

NOTICE TO CUP & TROPHY HOLDERS

Please note that all Cups & Trophies won by teams last season should be returned to ESBFL before the end of February 2020.

These should be clean and should have been engraved accordingly.

************************************************************************************

ESBFL “web-site”

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