09/10/2021 – REPORT – Prettygate AFC versus Ramsey & Mistley FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

PRETTYGATE AFC:                   9.                 RAMSEY & MISTLEY FC:           1.

Date:               Saturday 09^th October 2021.

Venue:             Shrub End Playing Fields, Colchester.

            What a difference a week makes, a warm sunny afternoon greeted everyone for this Division Three match between, ESBFL newcomers, fifth placed, Prettygate AFC and an elevated Ramsey & Mistley FC, sitting second, who, this season, as a Club, have three teams competing in the lower three divisions, for this match they had the bare eleven which included the manager!

            The referee for this match, played on the artificial surface, was Aaron Mills, another relatively new referee to the ESBFL who joined the panel last season, this was the first time I had met him and overall, I thought he had an excellent match, plenty of talking to players in tight situations and free-kicks, only a couple of players were spoken too and no cautions.

            Prettygate AFC kicked off, Simpson (A) started the first move for the visitors, clearing the ball to Farmery who ran on to beat Pinto and Moorse, however keeper, Smith (C) made a fine save at the near post and also managed to capture the loose ball after the initial save. Smith (R) and Wheelans had an early chat from the referee following an entanglement as they fell to the ground, as play resumed Gillies fouled Nash, the free-kick was cleared but Nash was involved again down the right side, riding a tackle from Moorse leading to Farmery gaining a corner kick off of Pinto. Simpson (A) took the corner, the ball reached JON SPURGEON running into space six yards out and he was as surprised as anyone to score, seven minutes gone! Wheelans fouled Ager who got up to strike the free-kick against the defensive wall and the home team began to kick-start their own passing game urged on by some vocal management instructions from the side-lines. Keeper, Smith (C) cleared the ball to Brand down the left side only to be fouled by Carnegie, Czapla took the free-kick and Ager just failed to get a decent touch to the ball, which was gratefully held by keeper, Holland. From his clearance Nash controlled and fed the ball wide to Farmery but diminutive defender, Pinto was quickly in to tackle, good contest developing there. Ramsey had defended their early lead well and were pushing the ball around well using both sides of this pitch, Nash found Simpson (T) whose weak effort was picked out by keeper, Smith (C).

            On seventeen minutes, Smith (R) was again warned about a robust challenge on Spurgeon, Pinto passed across field to Brand and onto Ager who raced through only for keeper, Holland to advance and make a fine save at the feet of the flying midfielder. Jagiello fouled Smith (R) on twenty minutes, Ager took the free-kick finding the head of the unmarked but off-side, Czapla who headed straight at keeper, Holland. Ager and Czapla were beginning to cause problems, their passing interchange left defenders in their wake, this time Czapla was guilty of over-running the ball with only the keeper to beat. Pinto fouled Farmery and received his first warning and his team, the home team looked destined to score if they kept up this fast, passing game. On twenty-six minutes, the equaliser arrived, long overdue perhaps but Ramsey failed to clear the ball effectively out of defence, ROGER SMITH rode one challenge running wide to his right but turned to send a curling shot away from the reaches of keeper, Holland, the ball striking the inside of the left hand upright before entering the net. Gillies, in central midfield for Prettygate AFC was always involved in breaking down any forward movement from Ramsey & Mistley FC and from another astute pass, Smith (R) drifted wide before firing the ball into the side netting. Now back on level terms, Prettygate AFC stepped up their momentum, Beedon found Czapla only for Simpson (A) to get back and make a timely tackle.

            Right on the half-hour mark, Prettygate AFC got their noses in front, Beedon, down the right side got the better of Carnegie and from his pass inside Czapla drilled a shot against Spurgeon but ROBERT CZAPLA reacted quickest to rifle the ball home from close range. Five minutes later and you sensed this match was only going one way when the home team scored their third goal, Slack, who alongside Gillies and Smith (R) had dominated midfield, sent the ball down the left side, DEAN AGER ran forward, ran close to the goal-line before despatching the ball past keeper, Holland, who had plenty to say to his missing defenders! A free-kick taken by Ager was flicked on by Czapla and Ager produced some lovely foot-work to control and beat retreating defenders and this threat needed to be nullified, if the visitors wanted to get back into this game. As half-time approached Prettygate dominated, Wright fouled Brand, a silly foul to give away just on the edge of the penalty area, and the odd head looked despondent in the visitors ranks. Pinto scythed down Crane, to concede a foul, and get his second warning, Wheelans took the free-kick and Simpson (T) was inches away from scoring, forcing keeper, Smith (C) to save at the near post.

HALF-TIME:    3 – 1.

            Before Ramsey & Mistley FC got this game going again, Prettygate replaced Brand with Capon, the visitors got forward with Pinto shackling Farmery conceding a throw-in, clearly defensive lessons had not been discussed at half-time as with the Ramsey and Mistley FC defence in disarray Beedon and Slack got the ball through to ROBERT CZAPLA who rifled home his second goal of the match. Czapla and Ager were in the centre of the next attack which ended with keeper, Holland making a fine save at his near post. On fifty-two minutes Prettygate AFC replaced Beedon with Yates, Ramsey & Mistley FC forced a corner, taken by Simpson (T) and Spurgeon ghosted in unmarked to head over the cross-bar. When defender Yates headed the ball upwards rather than clear from across from Farmery, Jagiello ran onto the ball but his attempted volley flew well wide for a goal-kick, then Wheelans dithered on the ball with the ever-alert Ager robbing the ball away to shoot directly at keeper, Holland. Smith (R) found Czapla who in turn found Ager whose return ball into space behind the defence sent Czapla through, defender Spurgeon, lunged in, Czapla went to ground, looked like a penalty but nothing was awarded other than a sound explanation being given by the well-sighted referee.

            On the hour mark, the Ramsey & Mistley FC defence called for an off-side, the referee over-ruled the late flag from his Club Assistant and DEAN AGER ran through to score his second goal and Prettygate AFC had got five. The home management were giving out instructions and these were enforced on the field by Captain, Moorse, leading from the back. Czapla was denied a third goal by a fine tackle by Simpson (A) another Captain trying to lead and inspire his tiring team, Smith (R) engineered another attack finding Czapla and Ager eager to pounce but again Simpson (A) was there defending well. On sixty-five minutes a corner taken by Ager was headed powerfully home by substitute HARRISON YATES, a first goal on his return to the team, and within two minutes it was seven, DEAN AGER picked up the ball near the half-way line and ran on to score with relative ease, nobody on the pitch had the pace to match his acceleration and finishing for what was his hat-trick. During this period Slack had been replaced by Ellis, Ager, once again dribbling at pace was denied by another desperate tackle from Simpson (A), with keeper Holland also intervening at another attack. However, Simpson (T) did set up Jagiello but his turn and cross only found the side-netting with Nash and Farmery waiting inside the penalty area whilst Farmery got through down the left side only for Yates to step across to stop the attack.

            A poor clearance from Yates fell to Farmery who volleyed the ball goal-wards towards Simpson (T) who had strayed off-side, then Nash thought that Ross had handled the ball and his frustration almost got the better of him. Ager and Czapla, a dangerous double act for sure, running the visitors defence ragged at will, combined again with Czapla through, Simpson (A) put in a challenge and Czapla fired over the cross-bar from close range. When Ager raced through with the ball down the left side Farmery did get in a firm but unfair challenge, a penalty was rightly awarded, ROBERT CZAPLA claimed the ball and duly scored his third goal sending keeper, Holland the wrong way. Smith (R) should have scored after good work from Czapla and Ager, he beat keeper, Holland but pulled his shot wide from six yards, a big miss on an almost open goal. With the game was almost over, nobody had told DEAN AGER and he embarked on yet another run against a tired defence to duly score his fourth goal and his teams ninth.

FULL TIME:     9 – 1.

            When I selected this match as one to watch the relative league positions suggested that a close game would be the order of the day, how wrong can you be, to be fair, Ramsey & Mistley FC had numerous players missing and only a bare eleven players. Prettygate AFC, on the other hand also claimed to have players missing but with ex Colchester United FC player, Ager, playing they were a serious threat throughout. Commendably, despite being beaten by nine goals to one, the visitors kept going but lacked any player who could control proceedings or nullify the creativity and strike threat of the home team, who remain unbeaten in the league and with this victory climb to second place on twelve points, by a goal difference of one, from Wormingford Wanderers FC.

            For my weekly “Star Player”, this got harder as the game wore on as for Ramsey & Mistley FC, this was a, backs to the wall game with Simpson (A) giving a whole-hearted display with numerous goal-saving challenges. Prettygate AFC did impress, despite going behind, defensively they were sound, Pinto, Brand, Ross and Moorse rarely gave the opposition a sight of goal and “stand-in” keeper, Smith (C) was a virtual spectator especially in the second half.  Through midfield, Gillies, Smith (R) (1), Beedon and Slack won everything to provide goal-scoring opportunities for Czapla (3) and Ager (4) this pair were a constant threat, even substitute yates got on the score-sheet. It is often easy to give the highest goal-scorer the “Star Player” accolade, today I’m going for Graeme Gillies in midfield, he did a lot of the so called “dirty” work breaking down situations and setting up new plays for his own team.

Teams:

PRETTYGATE AFC:     

Colours:            Red and Black Striped Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Charlie Smith., Calum Pinto., Mitcham Brand., Graeme Gillies., Aaron Ross., Daniel Moorse (C)., Frankie Beedon., Ryan Slack., Robert Czapla., Dean Ager., Roger Smith.

Manager:                      Bret Woodward.

Assistant Manager:        Steven Ellis

Used Substitutes:           Henry Ellis., Matt Capon., Harrison Yates.

Unused Substitutes:       Samuel Hall.

RAMSEY & MISTLEY FC:                   

Colours:            Purple Shirts, Purple Shorts and Purple Socks.

Team:

Sam Holland., Lee Carnegie., Jevon Farmery., Jordan Wheelans., Daniel Crane., John Spurgeon

Fraser Wright., Adam Simpson (C)., Thomas Simpson., Kyle Nash., Krzysztof Jagiello.

Manager:                      Jordan Wheelans.

Referee:                        Aaron Mills.

Star Player:                Graeme GILLIES                                 (PRETTYGATE AFC)

REMINDERS:

MATCH NOTIFICATIONS

Clubs are required to notify all match details, date venue, kick-off time, colours etc, to their opposition and any appointed official/s, FIVE days before the match.

TEAM SHEETS

Team Sheets should be shown or sent to the Referee and the Opposition team either by text, email etc

The BLUE “League Copy” of the Team Sheet should be sent by First Class Post to reach Mick Willmore by the Thursday after a Saturday match, this is the ONLY item of correspondence that is required by post.

RESULTS REPORTING

Rule 21(B)

BOTH Clubs shall notify/SMS the result of each Competition Match to the Competition within 30 minutes of the finish of the match. This will include Football Association and County Football Association matches. The results of all League and Cup matches in the Competition should be reported by the FA Full-Time “SMS” (text) System. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.

FA FULL-TIME

The Referees marks, team, players, substitutes, goal scorers, red / yellow cards, and sin-bin, etc MUST be entered to FA Full-Time by the end of the Tuesday following a Saturday match (ie 48 hours after any match). Failure to complete FAFT correctly and on time WILL incur a League Fine/s.

DISCIPLINE

Since the start of the season there have been 30 players dismissed and over 400 cautions, there have also been several incidences of misconduct towards players, Match officials, members of the public and county officials. These are situations the ESBFL Management feel very strongly about, and the statistics make poor reading, the ECFA will deal with all these cases as deemed appropriate but bear in mind these actions can be very costly both for players and your, Clubs.

WHOLE GAME SYSTEM (“WGS”)

All Club Secretaries should check “WGS” on a regular basis, if you don’t, the ECFA levy a fine (25%) for late acknowledgements and payments of fines and the Club could be put into a “SINE-DIE” situation meaning they cannot play until those debts are cleared.

Club Secretaries are also responsible for adding the matches missed by players who have been suspended.

Whilst the ESBFL regularly reviews the whole Club contents on “WGS” it is not their responsibility to monitor failures by Member Clubs to follow procedure/s.