08/10/2022 – REPORT – Great Bentley FC versus Tiptree Jobserve FC
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE
GREAT BENTLEY FC 1. TIPTREE JOBSERVE FC 2.
Date: Saturday 08Th October 2022. Venue: Great Bentley Green.
Despite a certain amount of friendly banter requesting that I don’t publish my match report, here it is, the match was the Division One clash between Great Bentley FC and Tiptree Jobserve FC. As usual I was afforded a welcome cup of tea before catching up on recent football stories with real grassroots football people and there are always plenty of them!
The hosts lay second in the table with one defeat to date, this after their deserved promotion at the end of last season, whereas Tiptree Jobserve FC sat fifth with just two defeats to date. The visitors normally enjoy a good season, they are an experienced outfit, but this season have started poorly with player availability issues and even today were shorn of two central defenders and had a substitute with cracked ribs!
On a bright October afternoon, for this afternoon’s match, the appointed Match Official was Simon Bird, resplendent in a green jersey, and he was ably assisted by home Club Assistant, Peter Everitt whilst the visitors, used substitutes, Jake Young and Perry Flatts.
The visitors kicked off and Gregory tested his boots with a low shot to keeper, Allwood, from the keeper’s long clearance Herbert was caught off-side but Tiptree Jobserve worked the ball out of defence to good effect as with only five minutes on the clock they took the lead. Andrew raced down the right side before crossing low into the penalty area, central defender Grace failed to get any power or distance on his attempted clearance which allowed RYAN OAKLEY to rifle the ball home across the face of the goal from the edge of the penalty area. The home team countered immediately, Herbert was sent away down the right side with defender Barham and keeper, Aherne steering the ball out for the first corner kick of the match. Great Bentley had upped their tempo slightly, Kadar-Keogh sent Vaughan running wide and from his cross Herbert shafted the ball wide.
The match had a distinctive midfield battle about it, despite the goal, neither keeper had been really tested as defences stood firm, Barham was adjudged to have impeded Herbert close to the penalty area, Herbert took the free-kick himself, but Barham headed away under no pressure. Another run and cross from Herbert saw Evans, in space, head high and wide when well placed to punish the opposition, who moved the other end of the pitch where Bell impeded Gregory whose teasing free-kick almost crept under the body of keeper, Allwood, who had fumbled the ball at the near post. On twenty-two minutes, Bell, again impeded Oakley, Gregory lined up the free-kick and when the defensive wall jumped the ball was skilfully placed beneath that wall and keeper, Allwood gathered on his goal-line. Andrew fouled Keogh-Kadar to become the first recipient of a yellow card, however, Cliftons free-kick troubled nobody having cleared the goal and the road that runs behind it! After a bright start this match had become scrappy and disjointed, Tiptree Jobserve, a goal ahead, seemed happy to sit back and defend when required, something they did to good effect. When Thomson fouled Clifton just outside the penalty area, the free-kick, taken by Bell was easily intercepted by Barham standing just off the defensive wall, but Great Bentley retrieved the ball and Vaughan ran across the pitch before passing back to Whiting who rifled the ball high and wide.
When Evans burrowed his way forward, he seemed to be impeded inside the penalty area by both Andrew and Barham, nothing was given, a few verbal mutterings were heard but Tiptree Jobserve kept going and when breaking forward through Griffin, Peace had to defend as Gregory and Booty threatened on the left side. Another break forward by Griffin saw him impeded as was Andrew with the referee bringing play back despite an offside flag being waved, with the danger cleared Vaughan broke forward but fouled Thomson, unfortunately his verbal comments meant he had ten minutes to cool off in the “sin bin”. Tiptree Jobserve defender, Andrew was causing problems down the right side, his neat footwork and pace saw him get forward on numerous occasions, Grace cleared one cross and Bell another until Williamson pulled back Whiting deep in his own half. Andrew and Goddard linked up with the latter playing in a teasing cross that Grace headed away for a corner, at the other end a shot from Firkins struck the hand of Barham but once again the delivery from the free-kick was poor with Evans weakly finding keeper, Aherne on his goal-line, one could say that is was not even a save!
HALF-TIME: 0 – 1.
When play restarted after the half-time break, Vaughan still had three minutes to be patient off the pitch, Tiptree Jobserve kept the upper hand when in possession meaning the hosts would have to dig deep to get anything out of this encounter. Whiting showed some clever footwork against Andrew to gain a corner, taken by Herbert, the ball swinging into the crowded penalty area, Grace ran forward, missed the ball with his head and Clifton, unsighted, could not react as the ball hit him and bounced away for a goal kick. Just as in the first half, a goal came soon after the restart, on fifty-five minutes, Williamson won the ball inside his own half, ran to the right side before sending a fine cross field ball to the other side, defender Grace failed to deal with the cross which allowed TOBY BOOTY to lob the ball over the static keeper for number two. So despite having more of the second half possession the home team were even further behind, goal scoring chances had been at a premium at both ends with neither keeper forced to make telling saves. Clifton tried a speculative pass to Vaughan, now re-instated up front, but keeper, Aherne was quickly out to the edge of his penalty area and the action continued in front of the “dug-out” area where Firkins was cautioned for a foul on Booty.
On sixty minutes, a double change from Great Bentley, off went Clifton and Firkins with Gray and Mounteney their, replacements, Vaughan got the better of Barham, but Griffin was on hand to cover and five minutes after the first substitutions then two more followed, Peace and Whiting being replaced by Hurd and Warin. Booty having previously been warned, was cautioned for a tackle on the far side and within minutes he received a second yellow card followed by a red which was perhaps unfortunate as he was seemingly fouled by Bell with his momentum taking him into a clash with Grace whom he grabbed around the neck and at this stoppage Tiptree Jobserve replaced Goddard with Young.
So, with fifteen minutes remaining Great Bentley had everything to play for, Tiptree Jobserve on the other hand seemed content to sit back and defend to good effect, then break forward and return the pressure perhaps to better effect, Gregory was cautioned for a silly and obvious push on Mounteney and when Herbert ran five yards to push Gregory he also received a yellow card. When play resumed Warin fired over from the free-kick taken by Bell, at some stage McMahon had replaced Evans but Tiptree Jobserve came close again at the other end, Williamson set about the home defence, wriggled through three players to set up Oakley whose first time effort effort was pushed over the cross-bar by keeper, Allwood, excellent reflex action there, the referee gave a goal-kick, his assistant gave the corner which decision was upheld and peace resumed! With minutes remaining Flatts replaced Oakley, Great Bentley broke forward and a fine Crossfield pass from Warin eluded everyone including keeper, Aherne who was well out of position, then in the last minute a corner, taken by Vaughan was scrambled home at the far post by THOMAS GRAY to give the score-line a better perspective.
FULL TIME: 1 – 2.
Another week and again in my opinion, not a classic match, the better team on the day were victorious, these two teams remain in the top half of a competitive division, sadly reduced in the last week from fourteen teams to twelve teams following the withdrawals of both Little Oakley FC Reserves and West Bergholt FC Reserves. I have to say that the hospitality provided by Great Bentley FC is excellent and it was good to see that Tiptree Jobserve players stayed for a drink and refreshments, and even their defeated Reserve Team players came back despite a defeat at Brantham Athletic FC “A”.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, perhaps a difficult choice, given the closeness of the action, but for Tiptree Jobserve FC, Andrew at left wing back had a good game, only surpassed, in my opinion by the performance of Williamson, creative throughout, an assist for the second goal but tracking back to help defend when required, a captain’s example.
Teams:
GREAT BENTLEY FC:
Colours: Blue & White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Jake Allwood., Alfie Peace., Jake Bell (C)., Blake Keogh-Kadar., Ryan Grace., Joe Whiting., Arron Clifton., Kurt Firkins., Harvey Evans., Jake Vaughan., Archie Herbert.
Manager: Jack Murray.
Assistant Manager: Greg Taylor.
Used Substitutes: Thomas Gray., Lewis Mounteney., Joe Hurd., Rory Warin, Ryan McMahon.
TIPTREE JOBSERVE AFC
Colours: Red Shirts, Red Shorts and Red Socks.
Team:
Jordan Aherne., Mario Andrew. Josh Lindsay., Kevin Barham., Matthew Thomson., Ben Williamson (C)., Ryan Oakley., Matthew Griffin., Paul Goddard., Toby Booty., Tommy Gregory.
Manager: Kevin Barham
Used Substitutes: Jake Young, Perrie Flatts
Referee: Simon Bird.
Star Player: Ben WILLIAMSON (TIPTREE JOBSERVE FC)
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