15/11/2025 – REPORT – Boxted Lodgers FC versus Silver End United FC Reserves

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

DIVISION THREE.

BOXTED LODGERS FC.           3.         SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES. 5.        

Date:   15/11/2025.                          Venue: George V Playing Field, Cage Lane, Boxted

            Whilst not stuck for a choice of a game, the rain during the week might have taken its toll elsewhere, but one thing is for certain was that Division Three, Boxted Lodgers home match against Silver End United Reserves would be played. Coming into this match, Boxted Lodgers sat seventh and Silver End United Reserves were sixth, both had twelve points, so I was expecting a close match and I wasn’t disappointed!

            Today’s match official was William Dowzell, this is his first season on the ESBFL and overall, he controlled the game well, one late caution and only a couple of verbal interventions when players frustration got the better of them, the Club Assistant Referees also played their part.

            Silver End Reserves kicked off and began by pushing forward through Borein, only for Ribbans to foul Amos, Norris took the free kick, Borein used his height to head clear, but another free kick followed on the far side, taken by Johnson but headed away by Quance. Keeble played a long through ball, Borein gave chase and gained a corner, taken left footed by Keeble but headed wide by Ribbans and this had been a positive start from both teams. The next Boxted Lodgers attack was started by Smith (A), his cross was overhit, but Lewis picked up the ball and sent another low cross into the penalty area, Sage latched onto the ball, his shot on the volley hit Keeble and looped over the crossbar. Visiting keeper, Smith (H) made a smart save from Lewis before Boxted Lodgers took the lead on ten minutes, a cross from Johnson on the right side was flicked on by Sage and ISAAC LEWIS running through lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper, Smith (H). Morris-Jones was caught offside from a forward pass from Ribbans, then a long throw-in from Keeble was headed on by Borein but straight to new, home keeper, Dillaway.

            Boxted Lodgers increased their lead on sixteen minutes, Lawrence beat wing-back, Riley for pace, down the right side, from his low cross BARRY SAGE latched onto the ball, the shot was on target, and the keeper probably had it covered until it hit Quance and was deflected past the keeper off the near post. Silver End United Reserves hit back on twenty minutes, a free kick taken by Keeble was headed out to JOSHUA MORRISON-JONES who volleyed low through a crowd of players beating the dive of keeper, Dillaway. Two minutes later and the scores were level, Morrison-Jones made a fine run down the right side, from his low driven cross there was ROBERT WOOD running through to steer the ball home from close range. Whitnell dived into a challenge on Quance and was spoken too, Whitnell then impeded Keeble, who took the free kick himself sending the ball, just dipping over the crossbar. On thirty minutes, Avery sent the ball wide to Lewis who used his pace to evade three challenges to gain a corner off Downs, this was cleared but Rickard fouled Lawrence on the half-way line, Johnson took this free kick but keeper, Smith (H) caught the ball at the second attempt. From his clearance, Riley made a strong run down the left side, keeper, Dillaway was caught in no-mans-land but the lobbed effort was drifting wide of the unguarded net but defender Avery made sure by conceding a corner.

            Morrison-Jones took the corner, left-footed, this clipped the top of the crossbar and a goal kick followed, Amos dived into a challenge on Quance, no contact on the first attempt, but there definitely was on the second though! When Rickard threatened for the visitors, keeper, Dillaway was quickly out to tackle and then showed the footwork of a forward to beat the recovery of Rickard, play moved up field, the visitors regained possession, Morrison-Jones beat Amos, for pace, and gained a corner when Hull stopped any further advance. There was a moment of great hilarity during this phase of play, the ball was thrashed out of play by Whitnell, three gentlemen were sitting on a wooden bench, two of them jumped up to stop the ball, meaning the third was unceremoniously dumped on the ground, as the weight, his, shifted to his end, fortunately nobody was hurt. When Quance challenged Whitnell unfairly, those two again, the referee had cause to speak to both players, sensible refereeing in my opinion as the game had been played in a good spirit. Johnson got the ball forward to Avery, keeper, Smith (H) was quickly out to block and Downes poked the ball out for a throw-in. On forty-three minutes, Boxted Lodgers regained the lead, Avery sent a long high ball forward, ISAAC LEWIS took the ball down with his right foot and from the edge of the penalty area, despatched it low into the corner of the net with his left foot, great goal that!

HALF-TIME:    3 – 2.

            Boxted Lodgers restarted this pulsating match, Wood, for Silver End United Reserves tried his luck from outside the penalty area, keeper, Dillaway saved with his feet, and Avery covered, but only to Rickard who had a shot at goal, but the left-footed effort drifted wide. The visitors looked to get back on level terms as quickly as possible, Downes sent the ball forward to Rickard who laid it off to Borein whose low shot was blocked by Avery. Boxted Lodgers weathered that early pressure and in their first attack of this half, Sage was bundled over by Quance, it looked a bit soft from my position, the referee, perfectly placed awarded the spot kick, Avery stepped up to hit the ball hard and low to the keepers left side, keeper Smith (H) guessed correctly and saved the kick at full stretch. Keeper, Smith (H) was in action again soon after, from a corner, Avery struck a low shot which the keeper, diving the wrong way, saved with his feet! Boxted Lodgers had got themselves back into the game but might rue that penalty kick miss! On fifty-five minutes, the referee stopped the match and spoke to Amos and Borein for something that happened off the ball, the match restarted with a drop ball with home keeper, Dillaway.

            Morrison-Jones had looked useful down the right side for the visitors and from his probing against Norris he gained a corner, taken by Morrison-Jones who found the head of Borein who headed just over the crossbar. On fifty-seven minutes Boxted Lodgers replaced Amos with Roberts, Wood made his last contribution sending in a cross to Morrison-Jones who was blocked by Avery who cleared. On the hour mark, Silver End United Reserves replaced Wood with Reid and two minutes later Boxted Lodgers made another change, taking off Whitnell with Reynolds entering play, Riley sent a long searching ball forward, substitute Reid, showed that he has pace and chased the ball all the way to keeper, Dillaway. More substitutions followed as on sixty-seven minutes Johnson went off to be replaced by Reed for the home team and Silver End United Reserves sent on Joyce for Downes to put more emphasis on attack and playing a high defensive line. Riley, who had started at left wing back, then moved to central defence, was now in midfield where he made some crucial interceptions, Ribbans forced a corner off Hull, taken by Morrison-Jones and cleared away for another corner on the other side. With seventeen minutes remaining, the home team made their last change, Kenny replacing Smith (A) and Rickard made way for Sadler for the visitors. This half had been a full-blooded affair, both teams had given everything, the home team remained ahead, but only just, as the visitors still searched for some reward for their efforts, Sanders and Reed were spoken too, from the free kick Lawrence was sent through on goal but totally missed the goal, a costly miss!

            On eighty minutes the threatened equaliser arrived, Quance was fouled by Sage, Quance took a quick free kick from inside his own half, Boxted Lodgers were caught out of position and ADAM REID used his pace to run through to score, game on. A minute later and ADAM REID scored his second, running onto a cross-field pass to score with a deflection off a defender, what a turnaround, from three goals to two down to four goals to three up, all inside two minutes. Joyce received the only caution of the match when he crashed through the back of Hull, no arguments from the player, a nailed-on yellow card. When the referee signalled nine minutes remaining, Silver End United Reserves struck again, Reid, what a difference he had made, played the ball through for JOSHUA MORRISON-JONES who scored with ease. Morrison-Jones was substituted on eighty-seven minutes, bemoaning the fact he might have been able to score a hat-trick, Howard was his replacement, and he almost had an immediate impact himself, beating two defenders and gaining a corner. From the last piece of active play, home keeper, Dillaway showed more good footwork to come away with the ball from inside his penalty area, many keepers would have hacked the ball away, oh no, not this keeper, who has a lot of confidence when on the ball, he may have been beaten five times but his handling was assured, otherwise.

FULL TIME:     3 – 5.

            I expected a close match and got far more than that, eight goals and some good individual and team play throughout, Silver End United Reserves, with this win, move up to fourth, Boxted Lodgers stay seventh.

Turning to my choice of Star player, team effort was the watch-word today, both teams gave everything making my choice difficult, however, Quance, captain of the visitors remained solid all game.

Teams:

BOXTED LODGERS FC:

Colours:                        Navy Blue Shirts, Navy Blue Shorts and Navy Blue Socks.

Team:

Kenny Dillaway., Alex Smith., Matthew Norris., Craig Avery (C)., Joshua Hull., Glen Amos., James Whitnell., Aiden Johnson., Addison Lawrence., Isaac Lewis., Barry Sage.

Manager:                      Vinnie Flynn.

Used Substitutes:          Liam Roberts., Miles Reed., Callum Reynolds., Mark Kenny.

Unused Substitutes:      Vinny Flynn.

SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES 

Colours:                        Orange Shirts, Blue Shorts and Orange Socks.

Team:

Hadley Smith., Danny Downes., James Riley., Ollie Sanders., Jack Keeble., Paul Quance (C)., Robert Wood., Joe Borein., George Rickard., Harry Ribbans., Joshua Morrison-Jones.

Manager:                      Colin Newman.

Used Substitutes:          Elliot Sadler., Callum Joyce., William Howard., Adam Reid.

Unused Substitutes:      Charlie Ellis.

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee:                       William Dowzell

STAR PLAYERS:          Paul QUANCE                         (SILVER END UNITED FC RESERVES)