13/04/2019 – REPORT – Gas Recreation FC versus Tiptree Heath FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION.

GAS RECREATION FC: 4. TIPTREE HEATH FC: 0.

Date: Saturday 13^th April 2019. Venue: Bromley Road, Colchester.

On a clear but cold afternoon, with slight occasional showers, this top of the table clash led me up to Bromley Road, Colchester where top guns Gas Recreation FC were to take on the second placed young pretenders from Tiptree Heath FC. Last year’s Premier Division Champions, Gas Recreation FC had lost numerous players for this season but have once again proved themselves and remain the side to finish above, and they remain at the top of their game, and the Premier Division for most if not all of this season. Looking at the team sheets before kick-off it was clear that both sides had notable regular players missing for a variety of reasons! The pitch, looked to be a good condition for this time of the season, hard and with a deceptive bounce and with a stiff breeze blowing, the game looked destined for an end-to-end encounter, what do I know, you say.

The appointed match official, once again for this reverse fixture was Michael Jarvis who would be assisted by Richard Oakes and John Watson, once again I personally thought the referee was excellent throughout a challenging match, five cautions and a straight red card were correctly applied.

Tiptree Heath kicked off and very quickly Hazell was caught off-side from a pass from Hawkins (M), Gas regrouped and on two minutes Taylor (L) clattered Chester into the side hoardings to earn the earliest caution I have witnessed this season. Stoneman was guilty of a clumsy challenge on Knill-Jones and vented his frustration before Gas eased into another gear, Guy running wide on the left side found Taylor (R) whose first-time effort flew straight to keeper, Hawkins (P). Stoneman started the next attack finding target player, Guy, who chested the ball into the path of Dale who shot left-footed but wide of the goal, perhaps lining up his next involvement. On nine minutes, a throw-in from Machin found Guy who turned the ball back from the goal-line where RYAN DALE ran in, unmarked, to score with ease. When, Knill-Jones fouled Hewes, Guy sent a shot just over the cross-bar but on thirteen minutes the score-line was two-nil, HARRY HEWES picked up the ball near the half-way line ran forward beating two retreating defenders before slotting the ball past, keeper, Hawkins (P) who, in my opinion, seemed slow to react to the ball placed across his goal but finding the bottom corner.

Worse followed on fifteen minutes, Hewes playing wide on the left side lofted a high ball into the six-yard box beating keeper, Hawkins (P) however with two defenders, Ramsey and Abrehart-Briggs, vying for the ball bouncing on or near the goal-line they somehow managed to put the ball into their own net, OWN GOAL for me, but I’m sure Hewes will be claiming the assist if nothing else! With Gas scoring three goals in the first fifteen minutes the omens did not look good for Tiptree Heath as their approach play saw them lose possession too cheaply and anything more positive was snuffed out by the eager home midfield and defenders with keeper, Mahoney virtually a spectator, thus far. A free-kick taken by Chester did find the head of Hawkins whose header flew straight to keeper, Mahoney, his first real save. By twenty minutes, Tiptree Heath had started to play better football but could not shift that stubborn Gas defensive line marshalled as usual by Taylor (L) who had a bit of a let off when a driven ball from Green glanced across his hand inside the penalty area, too close for him to move his hand and the referee was unimpressed as well but you do see them given, just not at Bromley Road! A late challenge on the half-way line by Gregory on Chester saw the Gas, midfielder, rightly cautioned probably for dissent rather than the challenge.

As we approached the thirty-minute mark there was a clash between Hewes and Chester, the same Tiptree Heath player again in the wars, with the referee deeming the challenge, a raised elbow, to be violent conduct and Hewes was summarily dismissed, my observation, why get involved like that when your team are three goals ahead, answers on a post card to…………. A free-kick taken by Hunt found Hazell whose rising shot forced keeper, Mahoney to save and the game remained lively, Guy showed a good turn of pace against Ramsey driving the ball low across the face of the goal with keeper, Hawkins, beaten, for a goal-kick. After thirty-seven minutes Tiptree Heath were still trying to play controlled passing football but stray passes at a crucial time in the build-up failed to conjure up any efforts on goal until a great forward pass from Green found Knill-Jones running on down the right side of Machin and seemingly in on goal, only for the player to stumble, looked like he tripped over his own feet, and the visitors best chance ebbed away. Mid-fielder Chester tracked back to help his defence and when Dale clipped the foot of Green, just as he was breaking forward, he was spoken too by the referee and half-time arrived to diffuse any further issues.

HALF-TIME: 3 – 0.

At the second half re-start Gas replaced Taylor (R) and Stoneman with Ogunsayna and Minter and early Gas pressure forced a corner taken by Machin, but Gas appeared to have dropped off and sat further back, most teams with a three-goal lead might probably do likewise. Green was caught off-side much to his annoyance, looked a close call but the decision was made, then Firkens, for Gas, sent a curling shot just wide of the left hand upright from twenty-five yards, another player setting his sights on goal! On fifty-two minutes Tiptree Heath replaced Newman with Hart, Green thought he had found Chester, but he too was flagged off-side, another close call, then Firkens tracked back to concede a corner as Tiptree Heath pressed forward. Hunt was cautioned for a late challenge on Ogunsayna wide on the right side in front of the building site area.

A corner, won by Minter against Hazell, on sixty minutes, taken by Machin saw keeper, Hawkins (P) rise to collect in a crowd of players, and from his long clearance and subsequent team build up here were two more disputed off-side decisions given against Hart and Hazell. A cross from Hart was comfortably held by keeper, Mahoney whose clearance found Dale who passed to Guy and from the lay-back Dale ran on, only to over-run the ball which was collected by keeper, Hawkins (P). When Gas were awarded a free-kick five yards inside heir own half, Taylor (L) ran up and tried his luck at goal with keeper, Hawkins (P) still back-tracking and fortunately for him the ball drifted just wide, but few players in the ESBFL have that vision or skill to execute such a goal attempt! With the second half more even, Firkens tested keeper Hawkins (P) with a low shot that bounced just in front of the keeper, who just managed to palm the ball away for a corner.

When Hunt tried to force his way between Ogunsayna and Gregory he was up-ended and from the resulting free-kick, taken by Hunt, Green, ran in to try to head the ball which landed in the net but via the hand, Maradona like, and Green was cautioned. Guy then challenged a long clearance, with keeper, Hawkins (P) opting to punch clear at the edge of the penalty area the ball reaching Dale whose first time shot flew straight to the centrally placed custodian. With fifteen minutes remaining, the goal of the game arrived, ASTEN FIRKENS picked up the loose ball in midfield, ran forward, and from fully thirty yards smacked a great left footed shot past keeper Hawkins (P) and the Gas celebrations were almost complete. Gas replaced Machin with Willoughby, whose first action was to latch onto a long ball from keeper, Mahoney, to Guy who laid the ball back invitingly, but Willoughby scuffed a decent chance wide of the right side upright. The persistence of Guy down he right side saw his low cross scooped up into the air by Ramsey and after one bounce keeper, Hawkins (P) snatched the ball almost off the head of Willoughby near the goal-line. Tiptree Heath still pressed forward without really troubling the home defence and almost the last piece of action saw Hart cautioned for a clumsy foul on Firkens who had almost run himself into the ground.

FULL TIME: 4 – 0.

This top of the table clash did not quite live up to expectations, the visitors were three goals down inside fifteen minutes and Gas rarely concede a lead of one goal let alone three, the Gas dominated the first half with the second more even but lacking real goal-scoring chances. The victory means that Gas Recreation FC have once again won he ESBFL Premier Division with Tiptree Heath FC and Alresford Colne Rangers FC still vying for the runners-up spot.

After the final whistle, the ESBFL Results and Registration Secretary, Mick Willmore gave a short speech before handing over the Premier Division, Champions Cup to Luke Taylor and Dean West before they joined their team-mates for a raucous celebration outside the clubhouse, congratulations to them for retaining the trophy once again.

Now for my Player-of-the-Match choice, Tiptree Heath really didn’t get started until it was too late, a number of players seemed out of sorts for this match, the defence was under almost constant pressure and the midfield was over-run despite the efforts of Hawkins (M), Green and Chester. For Gas, another team performance, strong and comfortable in most positions for this match with Manager, Simon Hayward really given a selection problem before kick-off. At the back Taylor (L) and Edwards dealt with any attack supported by Stoneman and Machin, upfront, Guy was target player in chief, holding the ball up well and showing some neat touches and a turn of pace as well. However, it was in midfield where the game was won, Gregory, Taylor (R), Hewes with a goal, then an assist for the own goal, before his just dismissal, Dale, with the opening goal ran a close second to Firkens who was always in the mix and scored a fine goal in the second half.

Teams:

GAS RECREATION FC: Colours: Yellow Shirts., Yellow Shorts and Yellow Socks

Lee Mahoney., Jack Stoneman., Gary Machin., Ryan Dale., Luke Taylor (C)., Luke Edwards., Harry Hewes., Jack Gregory., Jamie Guy., Ryan Taylor., Asten Firkens.

Manager: Simon Hayward.

Assistant Manager: Calvin Firkins.

Used Substitutes: Jonathan Ogunsayna., Harry Willoughby., Craig Minter.

Unused Substitutes: Nicky Taylor., Chris Davison.

TIPTREE HEATH FC: Colours: Green & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Green Socks.

Paddi Hawkins., Pacey Grimshaw., John Newman., Charlie Abrehart-Briggs (C)., Matt Ramsey., Max Hawkins., Joe Chester., Harry Hazell., Ryan Knill-Jones., Callum Hunt.

Manager: Steven Chester.

Assistant Manager: Gary Wood.

Used Substitutes: Joe Hart.

Unused Substitutes: Luke Thurston., Jamie Chesney.

Referee: Michael Jarvis.

Assistant Referee: Richard Oakes

and John Watson

Player-of-the-Match: Asten FIRKENS (GAS RECREATION FC)

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Additional Reporting – FACEBOOK (x2) & TWITTER

This season the ESBFL is widening its match-day reporting coverage, in addition to a full report written by Brian Reed, the league has enlisted the help of a young volunteer, Spencer Hume, who will also attend games using Facebook and Twitter to communicate up-to-date information and replicate other match reports, please make him welcome.

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Reminder to Club / Fixture Secretaries

Once again 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 advise 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: 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 )

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ESBFL “web-site”

The web-site for the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League is: www.esblfootball.com

Clubs are reminded that the following documents are all available on this website under Clubs / Documents etc:

ESBFL Handbook,

Player Registration Sheet,

Player “Signed-On-Match-Day” Form,