13/05/2023 – REPORT – Dovercourt Rovers FC versus Hatfield Peverel FC Reserves

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION TWO.

DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC.     5.                 HATFIELD PEVEREL FC RESERVES.  3.

Date:               Saturday 13^th MAY 2023                   

Venue:             Low Road Playing Fields, Dovercourt, Harwich.

            Another bright Saturday welcomed the players to Low Road Playing Fields, Dovercourt for this Division Two match, the hosts, already champions were to play Hatfield Peveral FC Reserves, in tenth place. Unusually for this time of the season, the pitch looked in good condition, very green and few bare patches, don’t children play in goalmouths anymore or have they all become coach potatoes!

            This afternoon’s referee was to be Tony Vaughan, and no I’m following him about, but he was watching the same match as me the week before and he was present up for the excellent Tommy Thompson Cup Final, last Wednesday when Dovercourt Rovers FC beat Gas Recreation FC by three goals to two. One could, perhaps forgive, the hosts, for being a bit jaded after their mid-week celebrations but Manager, Whittingham made numerous changes, all to good effect and it shows the squad depth, this relatively new Club have and how well they have progressed in just a couple of seasons.

            Dovercourt Rovers kicked-off, lost possession with Watt fouling Sampaney, the free-kick was taken quickly, Cansdale gained possession and shot at goal, keeper, Sims stopped the ball with his feet at the near post conceding the first corner of the match, Sims claiming the corner played in by Nial, Cansdale was again the target player and again he ran through, keeper, Sims ran out to force Cansdale wide and his effort at goal hit the side netting and before we had reached three minutes Cansdale was played through the middle, keeper, Sims stuck out a leg to stop the ball but in reality Hatfield Peverel Reserves could have been three goals up, the hosts were living dangerously! Johnson was, fouled by Pretty, twenty-five yards from goal, Selwyn and Bowler were over the ball but the free-kick just eluded everyone except keeper, Rolfe. White fouled Watkinson, Bowler sent in a fine cross, and Webb ghosted in at the far post but headed straight at keeper, Rolfe, Selwyn sent a long searching ball forward for Johnson to chase, keeper, Rolfe reached the ball first to launch it into touch. Hatfield Peveral countered with Pirie sending Cansdale away, one-on-one with keeper, Sims, again Cansdale, was forced wide, his cross-cum-shot was firm, and it was left to the recovering Lammas to get a touch on the ball to divert it away from goal. Fitzgerald (S) fouled MacDonald just inside the Hatfield Peverel half, Selwyn hit a fine free-kick towards the far post, just missing the target, then Fay and MacDonald linked up with the latter player forcing keeper, Rolfe to save with his feet, at the near post.

            After the initial onslaught from the visitors, the hosts had weathered that period and were now beginning to click in mid-field with Selwyn and Bowler prominent, Lammas played the ball out of defence to Johnson whose control was good as was his pass to MacDonald whose pace had put him in an off-side position. A corner taken by Cansdale, flew across the goalmouth, a defender got a touch to concede a throw-in on the far side, Watkinson who had been quiet so far, threaded a ball to Fay whose cross, was met by MacDonald, but Fitzgerald (J) defended well. Nial was sent clear down the right side but his cross was poor, Reading was pulled up for a foul throw, the ball hardly reached his head let alone start from behind it, Smith got back to defend when Pretty threatened on the left side and Hockey held back Johnson just as he was getting into second gear, running towards goal. MacDonald chased down a ball from Bowler, gaining a corner off Hockey, Fay took the corner, Selwyn ran in to head downwards, one bounce to keeper, Rolfe.

            Cansdale remained a major threat for Hatfield Peveral, Watt had to be alert, every time the ball reached the tall forward, but having turned his defender the shot from Cansdale flashed across the penalty area. An error by Watt, wide on the right side, let in Pirie, and from his pass Cansdale should have scored, no worries the first goal came on thirty-five minutes, White played in LEWIS NIAL who ran on the score. Within minutes, Cansdale, was almost, a provider, setting up White but keeper, Sims made a great save to deny the visitors a deserved second goal, Bowler was held back in midfield and his team were still trying to find their rhythm as we approached half-time. Hockey made a fine tackle on Selwyn who had been played in by Watkinson, Hockey was not so lucky, on the stroke of half-time as he was adjudged to have handled a free-kick taken by Selwyn, the referee, well placed awarded a penalty kick which allowed CHRIS JOHNSON to find the back of the net with a hard and low shot to the right side of the keeper.

HALF – TIME:  1 – 1.

            The reality was that Hatfield Peverel Reserves should have been several goals ahead by half-time, Dovercourt Rovers had to improve, and that late penalty award gave them some hope, now the scores were level again. The visitors kick-off, lost possession cheaply and MacDonald raced away but failed to hit the target, Hatfield Peverel countered and got forward, Cansdale was the instigator with a great run, dribbling this way, then that, before crossing to Nial, three yards out, the result was not a goal, but one of the misses of the season, Nial scooping the ball over the cross-bar, what a charmed life the hosts are having today. Johnson and MacDonald gave chase to a forward ball, Fitzgerald (S) defended well but the ball fell to Selwyn who took aim from twenty-five yards out, just missing the goal, Fay ran after another long ball, crossing to MacDonald who chose to use his right foot when the left was a better option, assuming he has one! Dovercourt Rovers by keeping the ball wide could use their fast wingers to exploit the spaces in the middle where Johnson and Watkinson could relish a chance at goal, Johnson lobbing wide when well placed. On fifty minutes a long throw-in, and I mean a long throw-in, from Selwyn was headed clear by Fitzgerald (S), Johnson won another throw-in, mid-half, Selwyn launched another huge throw-in finding CHRIS JOHNSON who controlled the ball before shooting, the ball hit keeper, Rolfe, who could only watch as the ball bounced once, hit the inside of the post and nestled in the back of the net.

            Fay was denied by keeper, Rolfe who advanced a long way to narrow the angle, making a fine save as the home team clicked into another gear. Bowler, industrious as ever, got the ball into Johnson who was manhandled to the ground on the edge of the “D” by Fitzgerald (S) who was cautioned, Selwyn took the free-kick, low and hard, under the defensive wall and keeper, Rolfe gathered on his goal-line. Fay found space down the right and when keeper, Rolfe, and defender Fitzgerald (J) dithered, MacDonald nipped in to steal the ball, but Hockey conceded a corner. From the corner taken by Bowler, CHRIS JOHNSON headed goal-wards, keeper Rolfe, could not keep the ball out and the scorer ran off to celebrate his hat-trick. On sixty minutes, Dovercourt make two changes, off went Johnson and Watkinson, on went Ramplin and Harvey, Fitzgerald (J) under pressure made an error in trying to clear the ball, Fay pounced and keeper, Rolfe made a fine save, there followed another testing corner taken by Bowler. The fourth goal came on sixty-two minutes, Selwyn sent in a fine cross towards the far post, ELLIOT FAY ran in unmarked to slot the ball home with his trailing leg, to flick the ball into the net.

            Dovercourt Rovers made two more changes a minutes later, Webb and Smith left the field and Simpson and Boyne entering play, and with players still to settle Hatfield Peverel pulled a goal back, when ASA CANSDALE ran through to scorer, virtually from the kick-off, slack defending though! Hatfield Peverel made their first change taking off Pretty and sending on Walton, despite the scoreline there were more goals to come, at least I thought so. MacDonald got forward to set up Ramplin, but when electing to use his left foot, he watched as keeper, Rolfe made a fine save in a one-on-one situation, despite hopeful calls for off-side. Dovercourt Rovers made their fifth and final player change with Lammas making way for Brundle, whose immediate impact was to gain a throw-in. Once again from a mid-half position on the left side, Selwyn, launched another long-range missile, there was confusion inside the penalty area, players stood off, but one bounce later and the ball hit the cross-bar to be cleared. Hatfield Peverel made a second change, putting Duke and Wyatt into the fray with Reading and Pirie making way. Watt defended well against Cansdale, in full flight, what impressed me was the use of the Dovercourt Rovers substitutes, a range of players who were given their chance late in the season and especially after a tough cup-final a few nights before. Cansdale just missed out on a fine cross from Nial, but their team scored their third when CHARLIE WYATT netted, that could make the last few minutes interesting! Not to be outdone, Dovercourt Rovers attacked again, and with defences stretched ELLIOT FAY added the fifth and his second. In the dying minutes, Brundle was denied by keeper, Rolfe, then Brundle, set up MacDonald who chose to pass to Bowler who lofted the ball over the cross-bar, game over.

FULL TIME:     5 – 3.

            This was an entertaining match, eight goals, some tired players, one caution and hardly any sign of dissent, what a refreshing change, it can be done, so an easy match for the referee! After the final whistle I had the pleasure of presenting the Division Two, Champions Cup to Frankie Selwyn, Captain of Dovercourt Rovers and they still have two matches remaining, so a job well done, I did make a hasty retreat as the players celebrated.

            Finally, turning to my “Star Player” choice there were some new players on show today, for Hatfield Peverel, Cansdale was tormentor in chief, scoring one but squandering several more, keeper, Rolfe, beaten five times but still made numerous other saves and Nial used his experience down the right side to give the home defence cause for concern. For Dovercourt Rovers, led by Selwyn and aided by Bowler in midfield, the wide player, Fay and MacDonald use their pace well, Johnson hit a hat-trick but defensively, after a troubled start, Webb and especially Watt, got to grips with the opposition attack, the latter player not having played for several months, so his performance was special.

Teams:

DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC.

Colours:                        Red Shirts, Black Shirts, Red Socks.

Team:

Samuel Sims., Bailey Smith., Joseph Watt., Kieran Lammas Miles Webb., Frankie Selwyn (C)., Elliot Fay., Leon Bowler., Chris Johnson., Max MacDonald., Kieran Watkinson.,

Manager:                      Jake Whittingham.

Used Substitutes:           Mitch Ramplin., Bradley Simpson., Callum Boyne., Harry Brundle., Conor Harvey.

HATFIELD PEVEREL FC RESERVES:  

Colours:                        Blue & Black Shirts, White Shorts and White Socks.

Team:

Jamie Rolfe., Woody Reading., James Fitzgerald., Toby Hockey., Scott Fitzgerald (C)., George Pretty., James Pirie., Kieran Sampaney., Asa Cansdale., Tom White., Lewis Nial

Manager:                      Steven Harding

Used Substitutes:           Connor Watson., Charlie Wyatt., Louis Duke

Unused Substitutes:       Ross Catchpole.

Referee:                        Tony Vaughan.

Star Player:                Joseph WATT                                      (DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC)

FUTURE DATES:

COVID CUP FINAL

Wednesday 17^th May 2023    @         Brantham Leisure Centre

Kick-Off:         19:45pm

Between:

Gas Recreation FC versus High Roding FC

Referee:                      M/s Elora Hardstaff.

Assistant Referees:    Stephen Vieira and Lewis Earl.

4^th Official:                  M/s Wendy Townsend.

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KO CUP FINAL

Tuesday 23^rd May 2023          @         Stanway Rovers FC

Kick-off:          19:45pm

between:

Dunmow Town FC versus Colne Athletic FC

Referee:                      Stuart Franklin.

Assistant Referees:    Adrian Arnot and Aaron Mills.

4^th Official:                  Carl Pearse

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