14/09/2019 – REPORT – Tiptree Jobserve FC versus Sudbury Sports FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE.

TIPTREE JOBSERVE FC: 0. SUDBURY SPORTS FC: 0.

Date: Saturday 14^th September 2019. Venue: Florence Park, Tiptree

It was back to Saturday football this week and a trip down to Florence Park, Tiptree to watch the home team, Tiptree Jobserve FC take on Sudbury Sports FC, a new “academy” team based on youth, in fact every one of their players was just sixteen years old! The home team had played three matches to date, winning them all scoring seventeen goals and not conceding any, their opposition had won two, drawn one and lost one but they were the divisions leading scorers with twenty-four goals so something must surely give!

On a bright, sunny and warm, a balmy 26C, afternoon the pitches at Florence Park looked in very good shape and this match would be refereed by Benjamin Ridge who not only had me writing a report on the players but also Ernie Osborne, a respected “County Observer” would be watching as well. The “Respect”, handshake was carried out, yes, it is “mandatory” across all divisions, but players still question why it is done, if professionals can do it why not the ESBFL!

Sudbury kicked-off and home, Player-Manager, Wiggett got stuck into the first challenge to send Flatts away down the right side to earn the first corner of the match then on two minutes Sudbury threatened, Temple ran forward and swept the ball across to Banyard who lost his balance at a crucial time and volleyed wide of the goal. Banyard was then the victim of two heavy challenges from Tiptree defenders as he tried to waltz through but play continued as he still had the ball at his feet and when Tiptree won the ball back Barham chased forward to send in a cross to Cameron who struck a shot at goal but Adams (A) dived in to divert the ball for a corner, as usual taken by Flatts, finding the head of Wiggett but the direction of the ball was high and over the cross-bar. On five minutes, Allen, in central defence for Sudbury was caught out by the flight of the ball and fouled Barham, Flatts drove his right-footed free-kick into the defensive wall and the danger passed. This game was already moving quickly, both teams pushing forward with some good slick passing and movement by players with defences to the fore. Temple found Long and in turn he found Ambrose and with his sights on goal he shot straight at keeper, Williams. Griffin put his head down towards the ball just as Palmer tried to clear with his foot, Griffin took exception to this and was spoken too. Ambrose was again in the thick of the action running across the penalty area, beating three defenders before shooting where Wiggett blocked the ball, another fine run by Temple also saw his shot blocked, this time by Irons as the visitors got on top with more possession and when they lost the ball they ran back to recover and win the ball back. Gregory tried his luck from long range, he is capable of that sort of impudent effort, but his sights were set too high this time.

Another Sudbury attack was foiled by Irons whose snapped clearance cannoned of fellow defender Wiggett and flew for a corner, then Gregory raced back to defend when Ambrose threatened down the left side, Griffin made a telling interception to a forward ball from Allen that would otherwise have seen Temple through, but having gained possession, lost it with a stray pass, not that many of his team-mates were forward as they had dropped back with the visitors getting forward in numbers. Sudbury were prepared to play the ball around at feet, pass and move, pass and move, some of this was a delight to watch and then they would break, at pace, down either flank. Griffin bull-dozed his way forward beating three players, that was until Temple got back to make a decent challenge and then Ambrose and Monk had words with the home player spoken too by the official. The free-kick taken by Temple flew straight to keeper, Williams who excelled with a save at the near post this after a cross from Temple fell nicely to Hipkin whose shot was just creeping inside the net until the keeper intervened at full stretch. Tiptree had been pushed back and forced to defend as we approached the thirty-minute mark, Barham fouled Ambrose, no need really, as the player was going nowhere other than backwards! Gregory caught an arm across his face, the game was stopped and a drop-ball from Wiggett to his keeper, Williams re-started this entertaining match but from his throw-out towards Lindsay, Temple reacted quickest to gain possession, but keeper Williams atoned to stop the next attack. Flatts sent Gregory away down the right side with Allen conceding a corner kick, then Allen sent Hipkin away and when he found Gunn the shot at goal was tame and keeper, Williams collected low down.

Ambrose embarked on a run and dribble past two static players before finding space to shoot but sadly, over the cross-bar, at the other end his keeper, Blunkell made a fine save at the near post diverting a shot from Barham who had been set up by a combination of Flatts and Gregory. Allen took down Barham just outside the penalty area and was cautioned however the free-kick from Flatts failed to test anyone and went out for a throw-in on the far side. Once again, Flatts was the instigator for Tiptree, finding Gregory who turned one way then the other before curling a left footed effort just wide of the left hand upright but still not testing the keeper. Tiptree keeper, Williams saved well from a low shot from Banyard, who had eluded the Tiptree defence once again and when play switched to the other end defender Adams (A) blocked a driven cross from Flatts, the ball could have gone anywhere as he smashed the ball clear from a central position six yards out. Hipkin burst through for Sudbury only for keeper, Williams to save when advancing forward to narrow the angle, and then Irons launched a long clearance which Adams (A) headed clear and the last action saw Banyard send the ball forward towards Temple who was not quite quick enough to capitalise as the home defence struggled to get back. This half was full of endeavour, plenty of action, not so many chances, mainly due to that final pass but the approach work was excellent from both teams.

HALF TIME: 0 – 0.

The home team kicked-off the second half and pushed forward with defender Thomson getting through, avoiding a lunged tackle attempt from Hipkin only to be foiled by keeper, Blunkell, who parried the first shot then dived on the loose ball inside the six-yard box. Defender Adams (A) drove forward from defensive duties but his attempt to split the retreating Tiptree defence was thwarted by midfielder Griffin, whose team had started this half in much better shape. A corner taken by Flatts was headed goal-wards by Wiggett, a fine reaction save from keeper, Blunkell, from point blank range preceded a goal-mouth scramble before the ball was cleared. The referee called Barham and Temple together to discuss an off the ball altercation, this following several tasty challenges from both teams, as players frustrations began to show with no goals on the score card. A break down the left side by Flatts, once again an influential player for the home team, saw his driven cross scooped over his own cross-bar by Adams (A), probably easier to score but good defending all the same. On fifty-three minutes, Temple got away from Lindsay to find Ambrose inside the penalty area, as the player turned, Wiggett and Irons closed him down but he nevertheless managed to get a low shot away, from where I stood, it was destined for the bottom left corner of the goal, that was until keeper, Williams, probably un-sighted, launched himself at full stretch to just get his fingers to the ball and divert the ball out for a corner, a fine save though.

Adams (A) sent a long ball forward to Temple who gave chase but defender Wiggett had read the danger and got across to clear the ball for a corner and with play stopped Tiptree replaced Griffin with Williamson and this brought fresh life down the right side for the home team. On sixty minutes, Flatts and Williamson set Gregory up for a long-range volley which failed to find the target, Williamson drifted through to test keeper, Blunkell and when the ball fell back to Gregory his rasping shot was blocked by Adams (A). A minute later, defender Wiggett cleared the ball wide to Lindsay then crumpled to the ground with what seemed to be a calf injury which eventually saw him replaced by Gill. Several heavy challenges followed through midfield as no team had dominated that area so far and from a break forward Temple ran through only for keeper, Williams to advance and make another fine save on the edge of his penalty area, catching the rebound when he reacted quickest to the loose bouncing ball. Another break from Ambrose petered out as Tiptree defenders closed ranks finding a welcome release through Gregory who tried to race through only to be hauled back by Ambrose near the half-way line, with Adams (A) cautioned for his protests.

With fifteen minutes and a lengthy period of injury time to be played I wrote down that this game had “one nil” written all over it and I felt the respective team support realised the same thought! A run from Hipkin, through the home defence saw him faced by the keepers advance to the edge of the penalty area, keeper Williams won the challenge but was clattered by two players in the process, good goal-keeping though and when the ball ran loose Banyard drove the ball wide of the open goal and Sudbury replaced Lennie with Adams (B), whilst Tiptree replaced Barham with Longdon. A run and cross from Gill fell just behind the Sudbury goal and then we witnessed one of those curious events that needs some explaining! Gregory, for Tiptree, has the ability to score from outrageous positions so when he picked up the ball thirty-five yards out and slightly to the left of the visitors half he sent a high dipping volley goal-wards, keeper, Blunkell was way off his line, to me the ball struck the underside of the cross-bar to nestle in the back of the net, I looked down and wrote a “worldy” of a goal, and the home players ran off to celebrate, then I heard mutterings as play was continuing out of the Sudbury defence, what happened there, to me it was a goal, no question, but apparently not given! Monk was cautioned for a poor challenge on Banyard perhaps out of frustration for the “non-goal” event just before, Flatts continued to pull the home attacking strings and when he played the ball into the feet of Williamson, keeper, Blunkell was quickly out to save at the forwards feet. With two minutes of normal time remaining Sudbury made their third change taking off Temple and sent Field-Mullins on for the remainder of this enthralling match. A late free-kick taken by Flatts, who else, found Williamson running just off-side and both teams made useful attacks before the game ended all square, a fair result.

FULL TIME: 0 – 0.

It’s not often I witness a goal-less draw, going into this game Tiptree Jobserve FC had not conceded any goals and you could see why with big defenders winning anything in the air and getting stuck-in, in all positions, when it mattered and when the ball was played on the ground. Sudbury have scored freely this season and again you could see why, their movement and fleet of foot with some excellent team play will cause numerous problems for teams this season. What other ESBFL teams may not realise is that this team is made up of only sixteen-year olds, their performance, adaptability and all-round effort is a credit to their coaches and for me they were a joy to watch. Even after this match had finished we collectively tried to unravel of the “ non-goal” situation, most thought it was a goal, we saw the ball strike the crossbar, then perhaps the metal bar on the ground inside the net and bounce back into play where the keeper picked it up. The keeper could not tell as he was on the edge of his penalty area when the lob came in and the linesman was still way upfield in line with the last defender, so it was hard to tell if the ball did cross the line!

Now, for my Player-of-the-Match choice, both teams battled away in this match throughout, no quarter was given, some excellent football from both teams but a goal-less stalemate was the correct result. For Sudbury Sports FC it was hard to choose any particular player as they played as a team, a close-knit unit that defended and attacked with skill and pace, taking some robust challenges in their stride and giving some back, nothing shirked here. Like-wise for Tiptree Jobserve FC, a solid unit, they defended well and showed some good attacking options mainly through the experienced footwork and vision of Flatts but for me the star player was keeper, Williams for the home team, for a big player he was immense and never looked like being beaten, excelling with his positioning with numerous saves which I defy other goal-keepers to make.

Teams:

TIPTREE JOBSERVE FC: Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Daniel Williams., Josh Lindsay., Matthew Thomson., Lewis irons., Glen Wiggett., Matthew Griffin., Perrie Flatts., Lee Monk., Ewan Cameron., Kevin Barham (C)., Tommy Gregory.

Manager: Glen Wiggett.

Used Substitutes: Ben Williamson., Daniel ill., Lewis Longdon.

Unused Substitutes: Harry Page

SUDBURY SPORTS FC: Colours: Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts and Yellow Socks.

Joshua Blunkell., Finlay Long., Owen Lennie., Joshua Gunn., Jack Palmer., Jake Banyard (C). Shane Temple., Dejaa Allen., Alfie Adams., Luke Hipkin., Joshua Ambrose.

Managers: Craig Power & Jamie D’Souza.

Used Substitutes: Callum Field-Mullins., Ben Adams.

Referee: Benjamin Ridge.

Player of the Match: Daniel WILLIAMS (TIPTREE JOBSERVE FC)

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Additional Reporting:

YOU TUBE., FACEBOOK (x2) & TWITTER

Once again, this season the ESBFL is widening its match-day reporting coverage, in addition to a full report written by Brian Reed, our other roving reporter, Spencer Hume, has once again made himself known during the friendlies season and he will also attend games reporting via You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to communicate up-to-date information and replicate other match reports. In addition, John Campany, Vice Chairman will continue to provide a weekly summary, published in The Gazette.

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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: September & 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 )

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