12/03/2016 – Frenford Senior FC versus Weeley Athletic FC (EPC-S/F)
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
ESSEX PREMIER CUP – SEMI-FINAL
FRENFORD SENIOR FC: 4. WEELEY ATHLETIC FC: 1.
Date: Saturday 12th March 2016. Venue: Jack Carter Centre, The Drive, Ilford
There is an old song that goes along the lines of “The wheels of the bus go round and round” and for five matches in this season’s Essex Premier Cup, the wheels have stayed on allowing Weeley Athletic FC to progress further than ever before with victories over opposition from the Prokit Essex Olympian Football League (Debden Sports FC, Ongar Town FC, Ramsden Scotia FC, AFC Hornchurch Under 21’s and then Harold Wood Athletic FC), however on Saturday the long trip to the well appointed Jack Carter Centre, Ilford, the home of re-instated Frenford Senior FC proved one match too far and they suffered a slightly flattering, defeat by four goals to one.
Once again, I was hard pressed not to go and watch my old club Weeley Athletic FC appearing in the Semi-Final of the Essex Premier Cup, for the first time ever, and was eventually press-ganged into driving the hire bus, courtesy of Churchill’s of Clacton.
The Match Officials for this Essex County Cup Semi-Final fixture were Samuel Everett who would be assisted by Ryan Fox and Paul Sturton and personally I thought they were excellent throughout with the man in the middle never far away from the action.
So, on a bright sunny afternoon and on a huge, flat but squelchy pitch the game started with Weeley kicking off but with Frenford pushing forward onto a long clearance in the first real attack which Weeley defended well until Woodward hit a shot that cannoned off Findlay, before bouncing once over the cross-bar. Clough took the corner kick and Freeman punched clear with Frenford players Marsh and Watling colliding with each other with the game stopped on the half-way line to allow treatment to the players lying in the goalmouth. Frenford keeper Hinton hit a long clearance which Heffer headed clear to Collins whose ball forward was guided back to Freeman by the head of Downes. The first constructive attack from Weeley came after two minutes with Newland feeding Nash who set Rawlinson through only for Hinton to advance and save at his feet. On three minutes Weeley were awarded a penalty kick when Newland put McLean through only for Conway to upend McLean near the six yard area, earning a caution for Conway, which could so easily have been a red card as Conway appeared to be the last player. ROSS NASH stepped up to bury the ball just inside the right hand post, into the back of the net and Weeley had a shock lead at a very early stage in proceedings.
Frenford hit back straight away with Fairhead forcing Freeman to save at the near post and it was clear that Frenford were a good side that belied their just above mid-table league position. Findlay blocked another shot with his chest to concede a corner allowing Frenford to push their tall players forward with Weeley defending this effort well but having to fight for every challenge. Even after only ten minutes the guile of Fairhead was beginning to show and almost every Frenford move started with him or passed through him and when he laid the ball off to Collins, Freeman reacted by tipping the rising ball over the cross-bar. Watling passed infield to Fairhead who sent a looping ball over Westrip allowing Watling to chase and cross into the six yard box where Marsh attempted an over-head kick, fortunately missing the ball but fouling Downes in the process. The referee had cause to speak to Marsh and East after a foul by the Weeley player, the free-kick was cleared by Weeley and McLean broke forward only to be tackled on the edge of the penalty area by the last defender, from where Pegg played a long ball forward to LUKE WOODWARD who looked up before firing the ball low across the face of the goal, the ball hitting the inside of the far post before nestling in the back of the net for an equaliser.
A break down the left side by Rawlinson was stopped when he over-ran the ball out of play and keeper Hinton launched the ball downfield from a goal kick where Heffer won the first of many towering headers against the Frenford forwards. With only fifteen minutes gone the game had settled to a fairly even affair but that was soon to change on eighteen minutes when a long cross from the right wing by Woodward was about to be claimed by keeper Freeman who was hit mid-air by Clouth, no foul was given and DANIEL CLOUTH reacted quickest to slam the ball home from only a few yards out, Freeman was, needless to say a bit incensed that no foul had been given and was duly cautioned for his verbal protest. Heffer was pulled up for a heavy challenge on Watling and Weeley needed to get the ball, keep the ball and play to their strengths on the ground as Frenford had two tall central defenders who would win most aerial challenges. The free-kick taken by Bartrip fell to Fairhead who shot narrowly wide as Weeley hesitated but Weeley managed to work the ball down the left side with McLean setting up Rawlinson whose low shot was saved at the near post by the diving Hinton, then Newland set up McLean for a shot which Hinton caught on the six-yard line and Weeley attacked again when Westrip set Rawlinson away and his cross found Newland who was surrounded by three players.
On twenty-seven minutes disaster struck again, Findlay ventured up-field taking the ball out of defence but when losing the ball inside the Frenford half they attacked at pace through LUKE WOODWARD who drew the keeper before sliding the ball home for number three. To be fair the three front runners for Frenford, Woodward, Watling and Marsh, showed to be very competent when on the ball and switched places across the pitch on a regular basis, to pull the Weeley defence out of position. East put in a strong challenge on play-maker Fairhead to earn a rebuke from the referee but East rallied to take throw-in to Newland who found Nash whose hard and low shot forced Hinton to save smartly at the near post. Ten minutes before half-time and a miss timed challenge by Findlay on Watling earned him a warning but Weeley defended the dead-ball kick well. Newland was prompting through midfield but had less freedom as in previous EPC matches but did manage to get McLean into space before a covering defender arrived. Heffer in midfield had been covering his defence as Frenford pushed forward winning numerous headers from the long ball approach whilst putting in some strong tackles. A final attack of the half saw Downes play the ball to McLean whose pass to Nash was slightly over-hit but there were still chances being created and the half ended with Newland finding Rawlinson but Chibambo tackled on the edge of the penalty area.
HALF-TIME: 3 – 1
So what was the difference between the two teams before half-time, well Frenford had taken their chances and Weeley had not, so all to play for as Frenford re-started the match and getting an early free-kick awarded when Findlay slipped and fouled Watling, mid-half on the right side. The next goal might prove to be crucial as Heffer cleared with another towering header sending the ball up to Nash who held onto the ball despite the presence of Bartrip then Woodward embarked on a mazy run against Westrip running one way then the other and when the Weeley defender got the ball he had to work hard to get the ball forward to unmarked players as Frenford closed down every outlet. Challenges were again getting fierce, but fair but Weeley needed to get hold of and retain possession of the ball. East was fouled by Marsh, asked for treatment but eventually ran off the knock and Westrip had to be alert to stop Fairhead, a clever player, from creating another chance for Frenford. On fifty-five minutes another storming clearance with his head followed from Heffer this time into touch which allowed Weeley to make their first change with Griffin making way for Davis in midfield. McLean and Nash with East in support won a corner for Weeley, taken by Davis but headed clear by Bartrip despite Findlay and Downes being inside the penalty area to challenge.
When McLean got the ball forward to Newland he was standing in an off-side position but play was allowed to continue until Conway for Frenford put in a tackle and at the other end Marsh held the ball up for the home team. But Weeley stole the ball and sent McLean away down the middle to find Newland whose return pass led to McLean, for the second time being bundled over inside the penalty box by two defenders with the award of a penalty kick. Nash stepped up to drive the spot-kick hard and low towards the bottom right hand corner, just as before, but this time keeper Hinton guessed correctly and excelled in making a fine save. Would a second goal for Weeley at this stage, with thirty minutes remaining have made a difference, we will never know, but the momentum of the game might have changed in their favour and to be fair to Nash, he commendably took the responsibility to take the second penalty and he misses very few. Frenford were stung into action after that reprieve and Marsh ran down the left side passing to Woodward now in the centre and his goal-bound shot on the run cannoned off Watling, who was flagged for off-side. Frenford replaced Marsh with O’Neill and he immediately tried to play in Woodward but he had strayed off-side and the game had opened up again.
On sixty-three minutes a long ball from Bartrip found Woodward who beat Westrip to cross but Heffer was there once again to head clear but it was obvious that Frenford wanted another goal. Weeley replaced Westrip with Andrews in defence and a free-kick from Newland flew straight to Hinton then a cross from Andrews from a pass by Downes had to be cut out by Bartrip with Downes being fouled rather late by Woodward although play continued and several dodgy tackles were seen from both teams! Fairhead continued to dictate his teams attacking moves and when he tried a cross-cum-shot from a free-kick, Freeman had it covered, despite Bartrip straying into an off-side position when putting the ball in the net. With fifteen minutes to go East was replaced by Clover and Weeley adopted a “three-at-the-back” formation pushing Andrews forward into midfield. Newland picked out a run by Rawlinson bur Pegg recovered to win a goal-kick and Weeley continued to press forward only to meet a stubborn and well drilled home defence. Heffer who had been immense for Weeley in this half blotted his copy-book when fouling Fairhead to earn his caution but the free-kick taken centrally by Fairhead was comfortably cleared.
With eight minutes to go, Frenford replaced Pegg with Hughes and he scored a somewhat fortunate fourth goal to effectively finish off the tie, as when Fairhead shot at goal from outside the penalty area the ball hit NICK HUGHES on the shoulder and deflected past the static defence into the net. Freeman saved off the knee of Downes who diverted a shot from Fairhead into his arms then Bartrip headed against the cross-bar from a corner with Chibambo guilty of scooping the loose ball over the cross-bar from four yards out after more good approach work by Fairhead. Weeley had not dropped their heads despite time running out and when Newland played in Clover he lashed the ball goalwards only for Hinton to save high to his left side allowing Chibambo to clear. With added time now being played a last ditch attack started by McLean and Newland led to Rawlinson lashing the ball high and wide with his left foot and the referee blew for full-time once the goal-kick had been taken.
FULL TIME: 4 – 1
So, whilst trying to forget the result, a four goals to one defeat perhaps flattered a very good Frenford Senior FC team, but a great cup run by an equally committed Weeley Athletic FC team has come to an end, try they certainly did, as I said at the start of the second half, Frenford had taken their chances and Weeley had not, so when their second penalty was saved one would have thought their heads would drop but just as in the quarter final they stuck at their task and did not give up, continuing to press until the end.
Now normally it would be polite to wish the victors all the best for the final but given that Frenford now play Little Oakley FC, from the ESBFL, it was left to a polite “well done” see you at the final at Thurrock FC on Wednesday 30th March 2016, but I’ll be supporting Little Oakley FC that night.
For this semi-final tie between teams from different competitions I’m choosing a “Star Player” from each team so with Fairhead of Frenford being a real menace all game and Heffer for Weeley being an immovable object from midfield it is a well done to not only those two players but every player who took part, and I know for a fact that various supporters of Frenford were impressed with the way Weeley played and conducted themselves on the field of play.
For Weeley, its back to ESBFL action next Saturday (19th March) with a Knock-Out Cup quarter-final, away to Harwich & Parkeston FC on the Royal Oak with the winners destined to play Holland FC in the semi-finals.
Teams:
FRENFORD SENIOR FC: Colours: Red & White Shirts, Red Shorts and Red Socks.
Sean Hinton., Nick Pegg., Matty Chibambo., Carl Conway (C)., Lewis Bartrip., Adam Collins., Daniel Clouth., Charlie Fairhead., Jake Marsh., Billy Watling., Luke Woodward
Manager: David Forbes.
Used Substitutes: Simon O’Neill., Nick Hughes., Christiaan Beaupierre.
WEELEY ATHLETIC FC Colours: Orange Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Mitchell Freeman., Robert East., Matthew Westrip., Steven Downes (C)., Daniel Findlay., Tom Heffer., Louie Newland., Jimmy Griffin., Ross Nash., Russell McLean., Scott Rawlinson.
Manager: Keiron Shelley.
Assistant Manager: Richard Downes.
Used Substitutes: Steven Davis., Kieran Andrews., Jarrad Clover.
Referee: Samuel Everett (Stanford-le-Hope)
Assistant Referee’s: Ryan Fox (Benfleet)
and Paul Sturton (Billericay)
Star Player: Charlie FAIRHEAD (FRENFORD SENIOR FC)
Star Player: Tom HEFFER (WEELEY ATHLETIC FC)
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