15/02/2020 – REPORT – West Bergholt FC versus Lawford Lads FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION.

WEST BERGHOLT FC: 2. LAWFORD LADS FC: 0.

Date: Saturday 15^th February 2020. Venue: Lorkin Daniel Field, West Bergholt.

Well what could “Storm Dennis” throw at the ESBFL Fixture list on Saturday! Only five matches were completed in the Thurlow Nunn League, the Suffolk & Ipswich League saw all forty-seven matches postponed whereas only three of twenty-five ESBFL matches were postponed, a commendable effort I must say. It is important to reflect that matches should only be cancelled for the right reasons, however, pre-empting the weather, and it unreliability from three or four days before match day is not necessarily right but every effort must be taken to ensure the safety of players and supporters and the somewhat more tricky issue of whether, travelling is a good idea!

Several weeks ago, I had ear-marked the Premier Division mid-table match between ninth placed West Bergholt FC (27 points) and eighth placed Lawford Lads FC (28 points) with the home team having games in hand and the visitors with just eight games left to play at kick-off. I was reliably informed that both teams were understrength for this match, but a close game was to be expected provided the wind and rain did not spoil the players efforts.

The appointed match official was Neil Lawson who would be supported by Assistant Referees, Phil Molloy and Kelvin Llewellyn, an experienced team to be fair and I counted just over forty hardy soles watching from the side lines and few more inside the clubhouse and cars in the car park.

West Bergholt kicked off, kicking with the assistance of the gale force wind which was blowing straight down the middle of the pitch, they carved out the first chance with Newman finding Harrington who was beaten to the loose ball by keeper, Webb (F) and Newman was involved in the build up to the next attack setting up Cripps who lobbed the ball over the cross-bar from the edge of the penalty area. On three minutes a clever flick of the ball by Harrington saw the ball clear Lamb, Harrington ran onto the ball to find Cripps in support but keeper, Webb (F) made a fine save on his six-yard line, the ball was initially parried then spent an age in the air as the wind held it up only for another defender to try to lash it away without much success. Difficult conditions, you bet they were! On six minutes a cross from the right side by Roll was headed narrowly wide by Close, the resultant goal-kick from keeper, Webb (F) only reached half-way, that’s half-way into his own half, such was the strength of the wind. It took until nine minutes before Lawford got forward into an attacking position, Mann, held the ball up to find Watson who drifted inside Farthing to find Ainger, but he delayed his cross and a goal-kick followed. Roll set Cripps through but once again keeper, Webb (F) was quicker to the ball but his kicked clearance fell to Bethell (J) and the pressure mounted on the visitor’s defence once again.

On fifteen minutes, the first goal arrived and what a gift it was, keeper, Webb (F) rolled the ball out to defender, Lamb, the ball hit his heel and fell kindly to SAM CRIPPS who lashed the loose ball home from the edge of the penalty area. Buoyed by this goal, West Bergholt got forward again on eighteen minutes, Murrells found Bloomfield who passed inside to Cripps who dragged his shot wide of the goal, then Cripps was again denied by keeper, Webb (F) who saved on his goal-line as the home forward ran through. Another flowing move started by Close to Harrington again found Cripps whose shot was saved by keeper, Webb (F) already a very busy custodian. A deep cross from the left side from Bloomfield was also fielded by the keeper and from his clearance, Roll dived into a challenge on Watson and was perhaps lucky to not be cautioned, the conditions probably helping his cause and several more robust challenges followed from each team. Home keeper, Bethell (L) punched clear a free-kick taken by O’Brien, this for a foul by Bloomfield on Ainger, the cleared ball fell to Newman who ran from the half-way line and just when he was in sight of goal he lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper, and the cross-bar.

West Bergholt had, at thirty minutes seen far more possession of the ball and one goal was scant reward for their attacking play, with the visitors rarely troubling the home defence, a lobbed ball forward from Bloomfield fell to Newman, keeper, Webb (F) advanced to save and despite Harrington putting the loose ball in the net it was correctly ruled out for off-side. After thirty-five minutes a free kick taken by O’Brien fell to Allam, a pass inside to Mann was met by a return pass to Allam then back to Mann but the home defence marshalled by Townrow and Farthing snuffed out any further danger this time. West Bergholt scored their long awaited second goal on thirty-eight minutes, once again the opportunity arose from poor Lawford defending and when the ball sat at the feet of LUKE BLOMMFIELD he looked up, sized up the goal and struck a fine left-footed effort with the outside of his foot that clipped the under-side of the cross-bar before nestling in the side netting, a great strike.

HALF TIME: 2 – 0.

Lawford re-started this match, this time kicking with the wind, would this match turn out to be the proverbial game of two contrasting halves with the wind dictating events. A foul by Allam on Roll, it looked a bit soft, wide on the right side led to a free-kick taken by Bethell (J) which was sent deep to Harrington who controlled the ball before returning it into the six-yard box to Farthing who put the ball into the net only to be flagged off-side. Home keeper, Bethell (L) was having more success when driving goal-kicks against the wind, which had stiffened and the rain persisted as well, the ball nearly always reaching the visitors half. A throw-in from O’Brien to Mann was held up despite the leading goal-scorer being closely marked by Farthing and when the ball was put into the path of Watson his control let him down and Townrow cleared for a corner, taken by Thompson but with a wicked curl the ball drifted behind for a goal-kick. On fifty minutes West Bergholt replaced Bloomfield with Kiley, Webb (J) fouled Harrington, Bethell (J) took the free-kick but Mann had gone back to defend effectively and Lawford managed to break forward to gain a corner off Kiley, the in-swinging corner caused havoc inside the six-yard box and Harrington cleared the ball off his own goal-line. Another defensive error by Lamb almost set up Cripps who took aim only to be denied by keeper, Webb (F) who leapt to palm the ball over the crossbar, Murrells took the corner kick, keeper, Webb (F) palmed the ball clear and another goal-mouth scramble followed.

West Bergholt attempts at goal showed no signs of abating, a long clearance from Bethell (L) found Bethell (J) who set Cripps away, he beat the advancing keeper, Webb (F) and after being forced wide turned to shoot goal-wards from outside the penalty area, but wide of the empty net, another glorious chance. From a long throw-in from Upton the ball was played back to him by Mann, but his deep cross was fielded by keeper, Bethell (L) at last seeing some action, from his clearance the persistence of Close and Cripps forced a corner, taken by Murrells with Farthing heading straight at keeper, Webb (F). Another long throw-in this time from O’Brien was easy fodder for the home defence, maybe the short throw to feet would have been the better option at least you stood a chance of holding onto the ball. Despite the conditions, I thought the referee had allowed the game to be played with few stoppages and players just wanted to get on with the game as well. A cross from Murrells forced keeper, Webb (F) to punch clear but only to Cripps whose first time shot cannoned off the back of Webb (J) for a corner, taken by Murrells and cleared by Bolingbroke.

On seventy minutes Lawford replaced Lamb with Ruth, Farthing shackled Mann when danger came just outside the penalty area, another throw-in from Webb (J) was cleared by Roll for a corner, but Lawford could make no further inroad as the kick fell short and was cleared upfield. At the other end a corner taken by Newman fell to Harrington who scuffed his snatched effort wide of the goal, a ball forward by Murrells saw Newman chasing who shot wide. Despite playing the second half, kicking against the wind, the home team had acquitted themselves well, defensively sound, the midfield, were running this match and in Cripps and Harrington should really have scored more goals. With eight minutes to play Lawford replaced Upton with Griffith, who immediately fouled Cripps, Bethell (J) took the free-kick, keeper, Webb (F) was once again to the rescue blocking the ball on the goal-line before falling on the loose ball, at least two home players should have scored, from one yard out, but they were not owning up in the clubhouse afterwards! The predictable long throw-in route for Lawford, Webb (J) sending the ball in, this time finding Bolingbroke who hit a shot on the run which Murrells cleared. With just minutes remaining, Kiley was cautioned for kicking the ball away at a throw-in, shame really as there had not really been any poor challenges all game. On eighty-nine minutes Mann was hauled to the floor by Farthing, just outside the penalty area, Mann took the kick driving the ball into the defensive wall and as the ball was cleared Cripps and Griffith clashed heads on the half-way line when attacking the bouncing ball. Both players received lengthy treatment, I understand Griffith, who had a nasty gash, was taken to hospital his head streaming with blood, apparently stitches were required but he is OK and home, Cripps had a lump on his forehead to show for his involvement, let’s hope both players recover quickly.

FULL TIME: 2 – 0.

As predicted the wind probably won the day, West Bergholt won the match but Lawford stuck to their task but for a change could not work the ball effectively to their forwards who rarely troubled the home defence, I was reliably informed that West Bergholt had eighteen chances, most of them saved by keeper, Webb (F) whereas his opposite number, Bethell (L) had seen little action throughout. By virtue of this result the teams exchange places in a very competitive Premier Division.

Now, for my Player-of-the-Match choice, for Lawford, their keeper, Webb (F) had a busy afternoon, save after save followed at regular intervals, but beaten twice by decent shots following give-away defensive errors. West Bergholt were the better team, the late addition of Farthing alongside Townrow bolstered their defence, Cripps should have scored maybe half-a-dozen goals and Harrington could have had a couple himself and in midfield Close, Bethell (J) and Bloomfield took the game forward with Newman, back at West Bergholt after a couple of seasons away, he gets my nod this week, excellent work-rate and positioning to enable his team to start and finish attacking moves.

Teams:

WEST BERGHOLT FC: Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Luke Bethell., Anthony Roll., Johnny Murrells., Nicolas Farthing., Lee Townrow., Liam Close., Perry Newman., Jake Bethell (C)., Jack Harrington., Sam Cripps., Luke Bloomfield.

Acting Managers: Mitchell Springett & Lee Townrow.

Used Substitutes: Jack Kiley.

Unused Substitutes: Keiron Webb., Mitchell Springett.

LAWFORD LADS FC: Colours: White Shirts, Sky-Blue Shorts and Sky-Blue Socks.

Frank Webb., Ben Upton., Reagan O’Brien., Adam Thompson., Elliot Lamb., Jack Webb., Nathan Ainger., Nicholas Bolingbroke., Oliver Mann (C)., Macauley Watson.

Manager: Andrew Young.

Used Substitutes: Tom Ruth., Dylan Griffith.

Unused Substitutes: Michael Southee., James Thompson

Referee: Neil Lawson.

Assistants: Phil Molloy.

And Kelvin Llewellyn.

Player of the Match: Perry NEWMAN (WEST BERGHOLT 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 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 )

NOTICE TO CUP & TROPHY HOLDERS

Please note that all Cups & Trophies won by teams last season should be returned to ESBFL before the end of February 2020.

These should be clean and should have been engraved accordingly.

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ESBFL “web-site”

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