11/09/2021 – REPORT – Chelmsford City FC Reserves versus White Notley FC
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
CHELMSFORD CITY FC RESERVES: 3. WHITE NOTLEY FC: 2.
Date: Saturday 11th September 2021.
Venue: Heybridge Swifts FC, Scraley Road, Heybridge
So, it’s back to football reporting after another Saturday off, a trip down to Scraley Road, Heybridge was on the cards for the Premier Division match between new club Chelmsford City FC Reserves and White Notley FC. Surprisingly, the venue was a new one for me and matches only recommenced there again last week after the new 4G pitch was completed, I have to say it looked superb and it’s a big pitch and today with the hot weather was clearly going to sap the energy of both teams.
A lot has been written and said about the fact that Chelmsford City FC have entered their Reserve Team, who are a joint venture with Heybridge Swifts FC into the ESBFL, as a League, we welcome all clubs provide they meet the criteria to enter any Division or particularly the Premier Division which is a National Feeder League (Step 7) competition. Yes, they have played potential “first teamers” in earlier matches but at this early stage of the season no player is considered a “first teamer”, the rule states that you need to play six matches for that and then you can play five players! That said their results so far have been mixed, six victories, one draw and two defeats, Alresford Colne Rangers FC on the opening day and then against equally youthful Sudbury Sports FC last week. Today, they could not be accused of strengthening up, as of the starting eleven, their oldest player was twenty-one with the average age being seventeen, in addition all four substitutes were only sixteen, commendable! Todays, opposition, White Notley FC clearly had, judging by the changes to the Team Sheet, a number of key players missing not helped by late call-off’s, with only one unused substitute present.
The match official was John McGill, and he was ably assisted by Club Assistants in a match that had no bad tackles, no dissent, no back-chat and no cautions with only two players spoken too, and that in the eighty-eighth minute, the game being played in good spirit with a lot of effort from both teams, keep it up.
The home team started this match in bright sunshine, a loud disco was playing at one end and a small crowd increased as the game progressed, Wade sent in a deep cross which King headed away for the first corner, Wade took the corner, short to Lang, whose low shot was fielded by keeper, Higgins. Quinn fouled Wade whose free-kick was cleared by Knightbridge, and after five minutes Motobaluti headed over from close range, this from a left-wing cross from Farmer and even at this stage players looked “leggy” on the artificial surface. Hussein and Farmer started another move down the left side with Quinn conceding a corner when under pressure from Sargeant, Wade took the corner, once again playing the ball back to Farmer whose attempted cross was charged down by Palmer for a throw-in which led to yet another corner. Wade went in a decent kick but Sargeant headed up and over the cross-bar from six-yards out, these chances are building up! Bennet for White Notley FC received a throw-in down at his feet, a shift to his left and a shot at goal led to their first corner, taken by Knight, Bennett rose but could not get his head on the ball which fell to Quinn at the far post but his snap-shot fell invitingly to Griffiths who fired high over the cross-bar.
Farmer and Sargeant worked the ball forward to Howson whose shot was blocked by King, today playing as a sweeper, and leading his defence in what had been fifteen minutes of prolonged defending. Wade embarked on a run down the right side, but his cross was fielded by keeper, Higgins, Sargeant produced another right wing cross which King intercepted just before Motobaluti arrived, who was involved in a challenge which saw Waugh injured and the players took a welcome drinks break. King used his left foot to good effect sending a long searching ball forward towards Knight who was stopped by Caplan, a neat chip into the penalty area from Palmer saw Bennett head the ball onto the far post area where Knight could only chip the ball over the keeper, Kingston, but onto the roof of the net, a close call. Chelmsford City had used the left side to good effect with Farmer and Sargeant prominent, the latter being caught off-side at the end of one attack. At the other end King was fouled by Howson but from the free-kick Otaniya dominated the aerial threat in the home defence and cleared his lines effectively.
On thirty minutes, the first goal, King had fouled Sargeant wide on the right side, Wade took the free-kick, a short effort and when the ball arrived in the penalty area KELEAN MOTOBALUTI took a pass in his stride and fairly rifled the ball past keeper, Higgins who had no chance to save. Buoyed by this goal the home team upped their attacking effort and penned the visitors back, King fouled Sargeant, who was then thwarted when keeper, Higgins raced off his line to smother the ball at his feet. White Notley tended to overhit their forward passing and conceded possession too easier high up the pitch, a pass from Griffiths left Bennett with a long chase. As we approached half-time the home team had much the higher ball possession but White Notley had defended well even though on the balance of play they should be more than one goal behind! Wade worked the ball into Attwood who ran along the goal-line until Quinn put in a block close to the near post coming away with the ball finding Knightbridge who had little time to control before Caplan nipped in to steal the ball away. White Notley started their first decent move through Quinn, Bennett, Quinn again with Knight forcing the ball towards keeper, Kingston, then a long cross from Knight just eluded the outstretched boot of Knightbridge at the far post and the visitors were ending this half on the attack. Chelmsford countered with a move from Lang and Farmer whose cross fell to Howson who headed straight to keeper, Higgins. The equaliser for White Notley came right on half-time a long raking cross from the left foot of Bennett found MATT KNIGHT steaming in at the far post to head firmly home and end a decent half of football.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 1.
White Notley restarted the second half, Chelmsford City FC Reserves had replaced Lang with Gilbey, once again Wade was prominent in the forward movement of the home team, his cross found the head of Motobaluti who headed over the cross-bar from close range, then Motobaluti passed inside to Wade, three yards out, whose instant flick towards goal was well held by keeper, Higgins who had anticipated the move. Sargeant embarked on a dribble beating three retreating defenders before sending in a low shot that was saved low to his right side by keeper, Higgins. White Notley FC had steered clear of the long high ball approach as central defender Otaniya was always going to win the ariel ball straight down the middle. Howson rifled a shot against the cross-bar, keeper, Higgins was well beaten, the rebound fell to Sargeant whose effort hit the post after a touch from the keeper and from that rebound, Motobaluti sent in a shot that was scuffed wide by Sargeant who was actually flagged for off-side at the far post. Ten minutes into the half and Chelmsford City FC Reserves regained the lead, JORDAN SARGEANT raced away and despite a valiant attempt to tackle by King, he ran on to score in the bottom corner. The home team replaced Motobaluti with Herbert but immediately White Notley FC equalised, the ball was worked down the right side and when a low cross came in, it eluded everyone except MATT KNIGHT who was on hand to score, side-footing home from eight yards, in my book, sloppy defending perhaps but a deserved equaliser!
Clever play by Knight drew a free-kick for the buoyant visitors, that second equalising goal had given them some hope and so far, this half, they had been the more dominant team, King took the free-kick but despite keeper, Kingston making a save, Bennett was adjudged to be off-side. Attwood raced onto a raking cross-field ball from Wade but his rising shot at goal flew just over the cross-bar and in response Palmer found Knightbridge who was fouled just outside the penalty area by Hussein, King took the free-kick, left-footed, in-swinging but the ball flew narrowly wide. On sixty-five minutes Chelmsford City FC Reserves replaced Sargeant with Kilcast, for the visitors their attacking outlet was Knight who chased and harried throughout and linked up with the improving Makanjuola through the middle. A run and shot at goal from Knightbridge forced keeper, Kingston to save low to his right side, Quinn sent Knight through but keeper, Kingston was quickly off his goal-line and at the other end Herbert tried his luck from thirty yards out.
King was injured when making a tackle on Wade and from the free-kick Bennett, for a big player, ran through several challenges before Otaniya stepped in and shielded the ball out for a corner which was cleared. On eighty minutes, Chelmsford City FC Reserves regained the lead, White Notley FC were caught up-field, legs were getting tired, and this allowed KIAN HERBERT to run through from almost the half-way line, draw the keeper before scoring what turned out to be the winning goal. Another fine run by Bennett forced keeper, Kingston to save and right up until the end White Notley FC persisted, Bennett won a corner, taken by Knight but headed clear by Otaniya to Herbert who ran on, eluded the challenge of King, and again forced keeper, Higgins to save, conceding a corner and that was it, game over.
FULL TIME: 3 – 2.
Once again, I enjoyed this match, a new venue, a new team to the ESBFL, plenty of action between two fairly evenly matched teams, one team full of young players and one a team with experience, today youth won, but only just, as I thought the visitors deserved a point.
For my weekly “Star Player” I was left in a quandary, both teams had played as a team, there was a lot of effort from everybody some players were more prominent, even considering the warm playing conditions. However, when I arrived and was walking to the stand’s I had met an elderly lady who was decked out in White Notley FC colours, random or coincidence perhaps, but she was there to support them. Her football knowledge and her perception of the game led me to ask her for an opinion on a player or players who stood out, number nine for Chelmsford was her response and frankly I had to agree, so Samuel Wade you get our vote this week.
Teams:
CHELMSFORD CITY FC RESERVES: Colours: Claret Shirts, Claret Shorts and White Socks.
Team:
Samuel Kingston., Zakeriya Hussein., Aaron Lang., Harvey Farmer., Roland Otaniya (C)., Kelean Motobaluti., Niall Attwood., Samuel Wade., Elliott Howson., Harry Caplan., Jordan Sargeant.
Manager: Marc Stephen.
Used Substitutes: Alfie Gilbey., Kian Herbert., Tommy Kilcast.
Unused Substitutes: Nathaniel Conde.
WHITE NOTLEY FC: Colours: Amber Shirts, Amber Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Lewis Higgins., Charlie Griffiths., Jack Pitts., Bobby Quinn., Anthony Waugh., Robert King., Ben Palmer., Robbie Bennett (C)., Matt Knight., James Makanjuola., Callum Knightbridge.
Manager: Peter Gillott.
Unused Substitutes: Gareth Hutchings., Stuart Payling., Jack Stracey.
Referee: John McGill.
Star Player: Samuel WADE (CHELMSFORD CITY FC RESERVES)
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.
The team, players, substitutes, goal scorers, red / yellow cards, sin-bin, and referee’s marks must be entered to FA Full-Time by the end of the Tuesday following a Saturday match (ie 48 hours after any match).
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