08/02/2025 – REPORT – Tendring Borough FC versus Silver End United FC Reserves

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION FOUR.

TENDRING BOROUGH FC. 2. SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES. 10.

Date: Saturday 08^th February 2025. Venue: Plough Corner, Little Clacton.

A Division Four match was my destination last Saturday, third placed Tendring Borough in their first season in the ESBFL were matched up against second placed Silver End United Reserves, who had also joined as the Clubs “A” team until their First team pulled out of the Premier Division before the season started! Both teams had only lost once and drawn once with the home team three games behind, the visitors had drawn their last match and lost to in-form Brooklands the week before, to me, on paper this should have been a close match! In Coyle, Tendring Borough have the Competitions leading scorer with thirty-nine goals from sixteen appearances and Silver End United Reserves had Coney with twenty-eight goals from sixteen matches.

The afternoon was chilly, the pitches looked heavy, and water lay in the ground as you walked towards the pitches with a Division Two, top of the table clash, on an adjoining pitch, the referee was Alistair Hawkins, another young referee who has joined the ESBFL this season, it’s a steep learning curve for these new referees and overall I thought he had a good game, helped in part by two Club Assistants, a thankless task that can be, at times!.

Silver End United Reserves kicked off, Edmeades fouled Catchpole, but the free kick taken by Sopowski was collected comfortably by keeper, Turner (D), Coyle, given far too much space on the right side raced towards goal and only a fine interception by the feet of keeper Hill stopped an almost certain opening goal, conceding a corner. On four minutes the visitors got forward and a shot from Catchpole cannoned off the back of Lewis-Garrod for a corner, Sopowski took the corner with keeper, Turner (D) collecting at his feet having dropped the initial cross. When Catchpole tripped Coyle, he was spoken too by the on-the-spot referee, the resulting free kick taken by Spiers was headed wide by Coyle, ever a danger inside the penalty area. The ball quickly switched to the other end with the visitors starting to play the ball around with conviction and when Pirie turned to play the ball into the six-yard box, there was Sopowski, whose first time effort forced a great point-blank save from keeper, Turner (D). The heavy ground was making ball control difficult at times and players were slipping over, especially if forced to turn and chase a player but at this stage it was not kick-and-rush! Colclough got forward for Tendring Borough playing the ball to the feet of Waring but keeper, Hill, was quickly out to smother the ball, the running of Sopowski was beginning to cause problems, a rangy stride and strong body eased him past defenders and only a robust challenge by Francis stopped him and a throw-in followed. When Cruddas got forward down the left side for the visitors, he left Terry and another defender in his wake, a run along the goal-line was only stopped when keeper, Turner (D) did his job, to save at the near post. From a keeper’s clearance, Coyle controlled the ball well, down the right side, his free run was only stopped when defender Skubich made a telling challenge on the edge of the penalty area. Coney, running down the left side found Sopowski, and despite having time and space was thwarted by keeper, Turner (D) who saved at the second attempt, then Skubich made a strong run to cross from the left side finding Turner (B), whose effort hit the side netting.

The opening goal came on sixteen minutes, Catchpole found Skubich and from his pass JAMES PIRIE slotted home, minutes later, home keeper, Turner (D) made another great save to deny Skubich and the balance of play started to sway towards the visitors with only a long-range effort from Spiers, from a headed clearance causing concern. A second goal duly followed, good attacking play down the left side saw the ball reach the feet of Coney and his defence splitting pass fell into the path of SAM SOPOWSKI who ran through to score with ease. Tendring Borough, to me, started to rely on Coyle as their outlet, his experience is clearly the driving force of a team of “youth team managers” who want to enjoy a game themselves and clearly their lofty league position is testament to that wish. Sensing more goals were there for the taking, Silver End United Reserves pushed forward again, excellent footwork from Turner (B) through midfield left three players confused until Lewis-Garrad stopped any further advance up field with a timely tackle with Terry guiding the ball back to his keeper, when Coney threatened.

On thirty minutes, Coney was caught off-side from a pass from Cruddas, and like Coyle, Coney has been the target player, his control and vision clearly helps the younger players in his team, Lewis-Garrad defended well to concede a corner, taken by Sopowski, punched clear by keeper, Turner (D) but only to Skubich who used his knee to get the ball forward again, finding Coney who headed over the cross-bar from close range. Coney and Sopowski had led the line well for Silver End United Reserves, but in Catchpole, Pirie and Turner (B) had control of the midfield as we approached half-time. When Coney found Sopowski his shot crashed back off the crossbar, at the other end a cross from Spiers flew out of play, when play switched back again Skubich fouled Waring, Coyle took the free kick but hit the defensive wall from twenty-two yards. With play switching regularly, keeper, Turner (D) saved at the feet of Sopowski who was then fouled by Archer, and from the free kick taken by Fisher found the unmarked Catchpole who chipped the ball over the crossbar and half-time arrived.

HALF-TIME: 0 – 2.

Just before the restart, Tendring Borough made two changes, Spiers departed and Marven entered play, in the gloom, I missed the other player exchange but Coyle from the kick-off was stopped by Skubich, and Cruddas showed some quality when coming out a tight defensive position with the ball at his feet. Coyle and Waring linked up to find Edmeades, but Fisher defended well on the left side, then a shot from Archer flew high and wide. Silver End United Reserves had weathered a better second half start from the home team but a superb pass from Skubich fell to LIAM CONEY who ran on to score from close range, with keeper, Turner (D) very isolated! Two minutes later and it was four goals to nil, Coney was the provider with BEN TURNER allowed to run through, once again where was the defence! On fifty-five minutes the visitors replaced Fisher with Papple, and the home team introduced England following which Tendring Borough conjured up a fine shot from Archer, fully twenty-five yards out, but keeper, Hill was equal to it with a fine first proper save of the match! A corner followed but easily defended by Sopowski, the ball stayed in a forward position from which Cross was stopped by Jackson and another corner followed. Play switched, as expected to the home end, but only after Cruddas was replaced by Joyce, who immediately set up Papple whose curling effort was deflected wide by Lewis-Garrod for a corner. The corner taken as usual by Sopowski, took a touch off a head but only to LIAM CONEY who simply chested the ball into the net from a couple of yards out.

A few decisions from free kicks started to mount, Joyce floated in a cross which Coney headed on and, in the chase, keeper Turner (D) was injured as both players collided, no free kick was given although the stricken keeper had to have treatment. Another free kick, conceded by Joyce, this time on Crudgington, from Lewis-Garrad’s kick the ball fell loose but was eventually scrambled away and another goal followed, number six in fact and it was JAMES PIRIE who scored from a fine pass from Coney, once again the architect. Silver End United Reserves made their third and final change on seventy minutes with Tilley (O) replacing Sopowski who had run himself into the ground. Tilley (O) almost made an immediate impact when his left footed pass through the home defence fell to Coney whose own left footed effort hit the base of the right hand upright, however, goal number seven followed, Papple found JAMES PIRIE who ran through to score, to complete his hat-trick, whereupon Tendring Borough were forced to replace the injured Turner (D) with substitute keeper, Kyan.

Tendring Borough, as you would expect, looked deflated but when KEVIN COYLE picked up a loose pass, just inside the visitor’s half, he embarked on a fine solo goalwards run, beating three retreating defenders, and was rewarded with a fine individual goal, is there hope after all! Cross conceded a free kick on Turner (B), he took the free kick himself, but the ball took a deflection off Lewis-Garrad, and a corner followed. Silver End United Reserves were now a rampant team going forward, Tilley (O) started the move, Catchpole moved the ball on to LIAM CONEY who scored with ease, another hat-trick for the top scorer. A defensive error by Marven on the half-way line resulted in goal number nine, as with no other defenders around, this allowed RONNIE JACKSON to run through and beat keeper, Kyan. When Tendring Borough did threaten, Coyle received a caution for a late challenge on keeper, Hill who had saved at his feet, but the home team plugged away and were rewarded when England found space, hit a shot which the keeper, Hill, parried and GEORGIE ENGLAND followed up to score. Substitute keeper, Kyan made an excellent save to deny Tilley (O) and now, with the minutes ticking away, could the visitors score a tenth, meaning they would have scored one hundred goals this season, the answer was not long in coming as when we entered time added on AARON PAPPLE was allowed space to slot home that final goal.

FULL TIME: 2 – 10.

This was not the close game I expected, Silver End United Reserves deservedly won, the margin of the win looks excessive, but this was their afternoon, some of the football played was excellent, their finishing in front of goal from all areas was clinical, their defence was troubled perhaps three times and when the keeper, was needed, he made a fine save. At half-time there was a chance the home team could get back into this match however goals at regular intervals made the task more and more difficult, that said they did not drop their heads, on the day the better team won, and how!

Turning to my Star Player, for Tendring Borough, until his injury, keeper, Turner (D) had made numerous crucial saves and Coyle was always in the thick of attacking moves, for Silver End United FC Reserves, a number, of players stood out, Sopowski in the first half was a real handful and scored, but he was also denied twice by the home keeper. The midfield area was key but goals from six different players did the job, three for leading scorer Coney but Pirie also scored three and by using his extreme pace he gave the home defence a torrid time, never giving them any time on the ball, so he gets my vote this week.

Teams:

TENDRING BOROUGH FC

Colours: Pink & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Daniel Turner., Billy Terry., Paul Colclough., Connor Crudgington., Thomas Archer., Christopher Edmeades., Michael Francis., Connor Waring., Henry Spiers., Kyle Lewis-Garrad (C)., Kevin Coyle.

Manager: Kevin Coyle.

Used Substitutes: Liam Cross., George England., Jack Fairclough., Matthew Marven., Francis Kyan.

SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES.

Colours: Orange Shirts, Royal Blue Shorts and Royal Blue Socks.

Team:

Bradley Hill., Ethan Skubich., Brandon Whyton., Aidan Cruddas., Daniel Fisher., James Pirie., Ronnie Jackson., Ross Catchpole (C)., Benjamin Turner., Liam Coney., Sam Sopowski.

Manager: Robert Tilley

Used Substitutes: Oliver Tilley., Aaron Papple., Callum Joyce.

Unused Substitutes: Robert Tilley., Fletcher Walsh

Referee: Alistair Hawkins

STAR PLAYER: James PIRIE (SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES)