14/05/2016 – Holland FC versus Coggeshall Town FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE      –           PREMIER DIVISION

 

HOLLAND FC:        0.                            COGGESHALL TOWN FC:          1.

         

Date:   Saturday 14^th May 2016.                   Venue: Rush Green Bowl, Clacton-on-sea.

 

This was probably the last time we would be able to see either third placed, Holland FC or champions, Coggeshall Town FC play in the Essex & Suffolk Border Football League, Premier Division as both clubs have elected to join and have been accepted into the Thurlow Nunn Football League, Division One and play at Step 6 of the National League System. A decent crowd had gathered with the home team at almost full strength whereas the visitors chose to use some fringe first team players.

 

The referee for this top of the table clash was Adrian Arnott and he was to be assisted by Lee Millar and Jack Willmore, the pitch was hard with a good covering of grass for this time of the season whilst a strong wind blew straight down the pitch.

 

Coggeshall kicked off and McCullock immediately tested Ball with a low drive that the keeper parried then caught at the second attempt and this gave a clear sign that the visitors would attack and give Holland no time to dwell on the ball. Coggeshall took the lead in the seventh minute, Dobrowolski ran around Panrucker, then Oldhampstead to send in a low cross that was met by KAMAL GUTHMY who steered the ball into the far corner of the net. The Holland response came when Martin threaded the ball through to Poole but Walker narrowed the tight angle to firstly parry then catch the low goal-bound effort. With the visitors so dominant at this early stage, Holland were having to feed of any scraps if the opposition lost possession with Poole and Eaton having to chase whereas Dobrowolski, McCullock, Stockwell and Guthmy were given too much time and space and their team looked the more composed.

A huge wind assisted clearance from Walker fell kindly into the path of Dobrowolski who continued his run forcing Ball to make an excellent save with Oldhampstead completing the clearance. Guthmy always looked likely to score again using his pace to easily go round retreating defenders, in fact Coggeshall used both flanks with pace to good effect but failed to find the net from several well constructed attacks. A rare break from Holland found Eaton in an offside position whilst Poole rode two challenges before being fouled by Clark with Goldsworthy curling the free-kick just wide of the goal. The competitive Chapman fouled Guthmy to earn the first caution of the game and plenty more were to follow for dissent although some of the language heard could simply be described as industrial!

A long ball forward from Panrucker found Eaton and when he laid the ball back, Sorrell volleyed a dipping ball onto the roof of the net for the best chance so far by Holland. A poor clearance from Panrucker led to Martin crudely tackling the elusive Dobrowolski from behind and another caution rightly followed and Sorrell also fouled Dobrowolski once he had returned to the field of play. With play stopped the limping Minter was replaced by Palmer and Holland tried their luck when Chapman knocked down a high ball into the path of Eaton whose volley flew straight to Walker, a good effort though. Another penetrating run from Dobrowolski saw him set up Stockwell but his shot flew just over the corner of the upright and cross-bar.

Poole was rightly judged to have raised a high boot as Farthing challenged and berated the referee for awarding a free kick but his team made a foray forward with Eaton sending Palmer galloping away down the left wing to bypass Scott but the resilient Coggeshall defence got back to clear any further danger. Panrucker gave chase to a long forward ball and managed to get in a cross to Poole who rose to head the ball just over the cross-bar from six yards out. When Gregory ran the ball out of defence he “nut-megged” Pittaway whose immediate reaction was to chase back and subsequently foul Gregory and once the free-kick was launched the referee blew for half-time.

 

HALF-TIME:       0 – 1

 

Holland kicked off the second half but the first touch of the ball by Sorrell let him down and Guthmy chased forward only to be caught unfairly by Palmer who also entered the referee’s notebook and once again Holland had to defend. Young Sorrell got a decent ball into Eaton who had drifted wide on the left side but his cross flew straight to Walker, then Palmer found Poole, with Palmer crossing towards Poole then Sorrell found Chapman who only managed to loop the ball over the crossbar, better possession and patience by the home team but Coggeshall did not look troubled. An error by Goldsworthy led to Guthmy racing away but Ball advanced to narrow the angle and the shot from Guthmy curled wide of the target into the side netting. With ten minutes of the half played Coggeshall were still the dominant team with Holland defending when Guthmy and Scott combined to force Oldhampstead to scuff his clearance just over his own cross-bar. Holland had a habit of losing the ball too easily, either because of their control was poor or perhaps because the visitors wanted the ball more and competed for it and won it by honest endeavour.

Pittaway dived unsuccessfully into two tackles only to foul McCullock at the third attempt with Ball making a fine save to deny McCullock after some excellent footwork by Guthmy who had broken through from the half-way line. Pittaway was injured in an untimely tackle by him requiring treatment off the field whilst Coggeshall kept up the pressure with Stockwell and Guthmy breaking forward but they were denied by Ball who made a fine save. Panrucker was forced off the pitch to change his footwear but faring no better he was replaced by Cowler and Martin limped off to be replaced by Barnard but Guthmy continued his crusade to run at the Holland defence. With twenty minutes to go Poole fouled Scott and deservedly received his first caution and the mutterings from the stand were about the fact that Coggeshall were still only one goal up, it could have been three or four before half-time and the second half saw a continuation of missed chances! Another break by Dobrowolski ended with a poor cross, his final ball today had not been up to his team’s expectations but his strong direct running had kept Holland defenders on their toes.

On seventy-five minutes Goldsworthy just got the better of a tussle with McCullock who was injured in the tackle and when play moved to the other end Chapman was too far advanced for a cross from Palmer with the off-side flag being raised. A fine run and cross from Scott, who beat Palmer for pace was missed by the encroaching forwards allowing Goldsworthy to pick the ball up and run with it from his own penalty area to the other before over-running the ball to Walker on the edge of the penalty area with Walker despatching a high long ball forward which Dobrowolski who likewise over-ran the ball to keeper Ball. McCullock was replaced by Gilvray and before he had time to even touch the ball he was hurt when keeper Ball punched the ball clear but in doing so rolled over the back of the unfortunate Gilvray. Whilst Gilvray received treatment, Goldsworthy decided to speak out of turn and receive a needless caution and from the restart Poole clattered into Farthing and with this his second caution of the game he was dismissed from the field of play.

The cautions kept coming, Oldhampstead this time, for a poor challenge on Guthmy, Sorrell lost out to Guthmy who intercepted an under-hit pass and from his cross-field pass Gilvray was clear but with only the keeper to beat, Gilvray fluffed his shot and Ball collected at the near post. We were now entering the final stages of this game when Eaton found Palmer in the clear but Walker was not troubled and he cleared his lines with deep kick into the Holland half. Eaton did get clear of the last defender but when going for the spectacular he volleyed the ball well wide and to sum up his frustration he was cautioned in the last minute for a rash challenge on Scott.

 

FULL TIME:        0 – 1

 

Not a match for the faint-hearted, Holland, were, to say the least, poor in most areas with only keeper Ball, who made numerous saves and timely interceptions, and Sorrell who kept his head throughout the match earning credit, with the team receiving eight cautions plus a dismissal. In contrast Coggeshall played football, neat and concise passing, quick forwards, solid in defence, resolute in midfield but every player worked hard throughout and never looked like getting a caution and rarely disputed a refereeing decision. It will be interesting to see how these clubs fare in Step 6 next season but the ESBFL wish them well in the future.

 

Man-of-the-match time, it has to be a Coggeshall player, defensively sound and just doing their jobs, in midfield Captain Clark nullified the threat of Martin playing his role almost to perfection, but quick moving forwards always catch the eye so despite useful performances from Dobrowolski, Stockwell and McCullock my choice is the goal-scorer Guthmy, constantly on the move, good feet and very quick in close situations plus the only goal of the game but quite how Coggeshall only won by that single goal we may never know as chance after chance went begging.

 

 

Teams:

 

HOLLAND FC                                          Colours: Orange Shirts, White Shorts and Orange Socks.

Alex Ball., Blake Panrucker., Craig Minter., David Chapman (C)., Steven Oldhampstead., Neil Goldsworthy., Scott Pittaway., Joe Martin., Steven Eaton., Bruce Poole., Keelan Sorrell.

 

Manager:                        Rob Batten.

Assistant Manager:           Glen Cowan.

Coach:                           John Abbott.

Used Substitutes:             Harvey Cowler., Nicky Palmer., Bailey Barnard.

 

 

COGGESHALL TOWN FC:                        Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts, Red & Black Socks.

Matthew Walker., Daniel Scott., Dean Gilder., Luke Clark (C)., James Gregory., Nicholas Farthing., Kamal Guthmy., Sean Radley., Daniel McCullock., Matthew Southwell., Kane Dobrowolski.

 

Manager:                        Graeme Smith.

Assistant Manager:           John Pollard.

Used Substitutes:             Luke Gilvray.

Unused Substitutes:         Ben Brown., Tyler Hinds

 

 

Referee:                        Adrian Arnott                  (Colchester).

Assistant Referees:          Lee Miller                       (Colchester).

Jack Willmore                  (Clacton-on-sea).

 

 

 

Man of the Match:          KAMAL GUTHMY              (COGGESHALL TOWN FC)