10/09/2016 – Report – Great Bentley FC versus Colchester Athletic FC
ANDREAS CARTER ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION TWO
GREAT BENTLEY FC: 3.
COLCHESTER ATHLETIC FC: 2.
Date: Saturday 10th September 2016. Venue: The Green, Great Bentley.
A first dip into Division Two this week and a short trip to what is still the biggest village green in the country, somewhere on that parched and windswept landscape was the football pitch whilst the more than welcoming clubhouse with Mary, at the helm, offering a pre-match cup of tea.
Great Bentley FC have been in the doldrums over recent seasons however a new First Team Manager and the influx of new players has enabled the club to also field a Reserve Team this season, in Division Three with young players migrating through from the Under 18’s. The club is efficiently run by club stalwarts, Clive French, Tim Tricker, Andy Walker and Doug Bains to name just four but without their efforts this club might have struggled to continue through previous difficult times. The club has also sealed a sponsorship deal with “U-Learn” a “Learner Driving School” run by another old player, Peter Everitt who now helps on match-days, good to see an old player putting something back into his local club.
Colchester Athletic FC joined the ESBFL two seasons ago and have steadily acclimatised themselves to the way the competitive ESBFL is run and whilst Manager / Secretary, Shaun Ellis was on holiday, player and Team Captain Zac Maddock held the reins with new recruit Tony Birkin on the sidelines.
The match official for this Division Two game was Jack Willmore, who would be assessed by an FA Official as part of his quest for promotion to Level 5, we wish him well. The “Respect” handshake was held as is now customary, although I would point out to clubs that all participating players, inclusive of substitutes should take part.
Colchester Athletic FC kicked off but an early free-kick was awarded when Clark up-ended Bennett with Evans hitting his free-kick directly to Chitty, a goal-keeper who has just started playing again. Brough and Maddock (Z) had a running battle with Maddock (Z) getting the ball wide to Maddock (F) whose cross found the head of Maddock (Z) with the ball hitting the cross-bar with Evans clearing but only to Maddock (Z) whose direction was poor. On four minutes Chitty showed some deft touches to a back-pass as Hurd approached before clearing into touch for a home throw-in. A minute later a long throw-in from Maddock (Z) flew into the six-yard area where MARC EASON ghosted in to head home the opening goal. Chitty excelled with a fine full length save from a driven shot by Evans whose first attempt from a free-kick cannoned back off the defensive wall but within the first ten minutes we had seen both teams go close and / or score. Hill headed narrowly wide for the home team, this from a cross by Bennett who took on two defenders down the left side before crossing.
Great Bentley were not behind for very long, Hill broke down the right side crossing into the penalty area where LEE BENNETT ran in to touch the ball home and give Chitty little chance to save. Colchester Athletic hit back with an attack of their own, Jack failed to control the ball allowing Maddock (Z) to run forward, turn inside before volleying wide of the target. The pace of Bennett and Hurd for the home team was to be a feature of this game and when they drifted into space and received the ball they looked dangerous. Chitty pulled off another fine save to deny Hill who had received the ball from Hurd and when the ball ran loose Jack failed to connect properly and his left footed effort flew wide. Another break by Hurd was stopped by Spurgeon but in dallying on the ball he allowed Evans to steal in and hit a shot high and wide. On twenty-one minutes the referee had little hesitation to award a penalty when Brough tripped Perryman which allowed ZAC MADDOCK to step up and bury the ball into the back of the net. The wind had not abated and was effectively spoiling what was becoming a really sporty and competitive match.
From a Brough corner Southee sent in a towering header which just cleared the cross-bar and the frustration of Evans was compounded when he was cautioned for a poor challenge from behind and just in front of the home dug-out. Evans shrugged this blemish off by providing a neat pass to Hill, found galloping away but keeper, Chitty saved with his feet and it was obvious that the ball, at feet, on the ground was the best bet. A foul for a deliberate trip by Everett on Evans saw the visiting player cautioned whilst at the other end defender Hughes was fortunate not to receive some severe neck injuries as his stumbling momentum carried him into the touch-line rope. Evans was dictating play for Great Bentley and a fine cross-field pass picked out Russell who gave chase and won a corner off Cross. The corner taken by Bennett was cleared to Evans who volleyed wide with a first time effort, Bennett and Hurd linked up with the return ball being struck by Bennett who watched as the ball struck the inside of the right hand upright and safety. Maddock (F) fouled Jack but the driven free-kick from Evans did not trouble Chitty and the half ended with Maddock (Z) being flagged for off-side when trying to reach a forward ball from Szmodics.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 2
Great Bentley FC were eager to restart this match, they had created chances without finishing their good approach play however, the visitors for their part also looked capable of scoring themselves. Hill forced the visitors to defend an early corner which was cleared by Spurgeon and the home team were now playing into the wind but using the ball effectively on the ground. Jack and Russell linked up down the left side allowing Jack to send in a cross to the feet of Hurd but Moorse was on hand to clear. Colchester Athletic replaced Cross with Warren, a corner from Bennett led to an infringement inside the penalty area and the visitors cleared up-field from which Maddock (F) sent in a high cross which was met by the head of Maddock (Z) who could only watch as his well placed header back across the face of the goal was headed off the goal-line by home captain Brough.
When Jack fed Hurd his attempt to turn and run was blocked, unfairly by Everett just inside the “D” of the
penalty area, in a central position twenty yards out, with the defensive wall lined up and keeper Chitty covering the rest of the goal, GARETH EVANS stepped up to hammer the ball “under” the wall whose players had all jumped in the expectation of a dipping shot over the wall and thus bring the scores level. Moorse was cautioned for dissent, not sure why he had any argument, the foul was “nailed-on” perhaps it was for the way his team-mates failed to defend the free-kick. Great Bentley replaced Southee with Bell and the home team pressed again with Bennett crossing to Brough whose header found Chitty and the home team were certainly pressing for victory. Bell was over zealous in his first challenge on Warren and was perhaps lucky not to have been cautioned but then again it was his first action, just as it was for Warren!
Another substitution by the visitors saw Overill replace Maddock (F) and Moorse fouled Hill on the corner, of the penalty area, with a short free-kick by Jack to Evans whose cross was headed just wide by Hill as the visitors stood watching. Maddock (Z) fouled Hurd, just as he was about to break clear and a deflected shot by Evans flew straight to Chitty. Great Bentley maintained their forward push, Hurd was always looking for the forward ball to chase and his team replaced Russell with Newman with twenty-three minutes remaining. With Bell slotting in at the back it allowed Brough to push forward and when he received a pass from Jack he beat three players before finding Evans whose volley missed the target. A poor goal-kick by keeper, Waltham was retrieved when Overill failed to control the ball and Overill was in the thick of the visitor’s action again only to be stopped by an unfair challenge by Hughes. The game continued to be lively, almost end to end but Great Bentley were in the ascendency going forward and looking more likely to score.
Hurd continued to chase everything and with ten minutes remaining Maddock (Z) was replaced by Sheriff making a welcome, but steady return to action following a broken leg last season. Overill fouled Bell, good tussle that was developing into, Evans took the free-kick but hit the ball straight to Chitty but Evans again drove forward but Newman fouled Warren and Hughes was adjudged to have fouled Sheriff. Brough was cautioned for a foul on Moorse and Bennett raced clear to cross to Hurd who blasted wide, would the home team rue missing these chances and trying to walk the ball into the net! Well the answer was no as in the last minute Jack broke away and sent in a fine cross that was met by an excellent header from PETER BROUGH who secured the winning goal and the points for Great Bentley FC.
FULL TIME: 3 – 2
Yes there is life in Division Two and these two teams had a real go at winning the game, as it was undefeated Great Bentley FC now sit proudly on top of the league, club stalwart Tim Tricker could probably tell me instantly when that last happened, but as they say is early days and plenty to play for. Colchester Athletic FC probably thought they had done enough to secure a point but Great Bentley had other ideas.
For my Man of the Match selection, visiting keeper Chitty made numerous excellent saves to keep his team in a tight match, Maddock (Z) always looked a threat in attack but it was the home team players who were the pick of the players. Defender Brand was solid throughout, never shirked a challenge against bigger opposition, Evans, in midfield worked tirelessly, taker of free-kicks and a goal-scorer, Hurd looked dangerous but could not find the net, Hill and Bennett likewise looked useful in attack but for me home Captain, Brough just shaded the rest, solid in defence, creative in midfield, making a goal-line clearance when the scores were level then popping up in the last minute to score the winning goal.
Teams:
GREAT BENTLEY FC: Colours: White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Greg Waltham., Adam Brand., Tom Jack., Daniel Hughes., Peter Brough (C)., Michael Southee., Benjamin Russell., Gareth Evans., Joe Hurd., Danny Hill., Lee Bennett.
Used Substitutes: Freddie Newman., Jake Bell.
Unused Substitutes: Jim Smith., Phil Burnett., Luke Cornwall.
COLCHESTER ATHLETIC FC: Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Dean Chitty., Toby Clarke., James Spurgeon., Daniel Moorse., Wayne Everett., Forrest Maddock., Jack Szmodics., Jack Cross., Ben Perryman., Zac Maddock (C).
Acting Managers: Zac Maddock., Tony Birkin.
Used Substitutes: Craig Warren., Joshua Sheriff., Gary Overill
Referee: Jack Willmore (Clacton-on-sea)
Man of the Match: Peter BROUGH (GREAT BENTLEY FC)
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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 3:00pm from: August to October
KO is 2:00pm in: November, December & 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
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