16/11/2024 – REPORT – Gas Recreation FC versus Dovercourt Rovers FC

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE

GAS RECREATION FC.            3.                     DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC.               3.

Date:   Saturday 16^th November 2024.                                Venue: Bromley Road, Colchester.

            This week its Division One, its tight at the top, as they say, Dovercourt Rovers FC (nineteen points from nine games) arrived at Bromley Road to play second placed and unbeaten, Gas Recreation FC (nineteen points from seven games), Little Oakley FC Reserves and Lawford Lads FC sat third and fourth respectively, also on sixteen points. Despite visiting numerous grounds lasts season, Bromley Road, was not one of them, in fact it was October 2021 that I last visited the home of “The Gas”, they were in the Premier Division that season but took a demotion to keep the Club alive!

Clearly, after promotion from Division Two last season, there is a renewed vigour in the way the home Club is moving forward, a young team with a couple of Gas stalwarts, the facilities are being upgraded, new car park, new dug-outs, Club refreshment room and a pitch looking in excellent condition with a new red and black, colour coded perimeter fence, so does the Premier Division beckon, once again! Dovercourt Rovers finished fourth, behind the three promoted teams, in Division One last season, this season they lead the division by having played more games, but it is a long season, and some crucial matches were also played today and more will follow in the next few weeks

The match official was Dean Welham who would be helped by Assistant Referees provided by each Club, with two normal cautions and a second caution for the Gas player, his job was made, fairly, easy in what was a very competitive match, a match that was a credit to both teams, the division and the competition.

            Dovercourt Rovers kicked off, Selwyn launched the ball high and long to Ridgeway-Lumley who was stopped by Hynes, the visitors kept pushing forward, a long throw-in from Selwyn fell to McDonald who squeezed a low shot through numerous bodies to keeper, Quinn. The response from Gas Recreation was a cross from Webb, which was headed over by Stone, then Hynes worked his way forward down the right side, but his cross was overhit, having retrieved the ball, Stone forced a corner off Keeys, and the first five minutes had been end-to-end. Lammas found Bradley, whose, cross was headed on by defender Ayling to Watkinson, but his shot flew to keeper, Quinn. Dovercourt Rovers had started with a new central defensive partnership, and it was a cross from Maiden that fell to the unmarked JACK WEBB who had the simplest of tasks to side-foot home with the defence and keeper rooted to the ground. When the referee played an advantage through mid-field, Ridgeway-Lumley was allowed to keep running but from his pass Watkinson fired high over the goal, it the next attack a shot from Bradley was blocked by Webb, back helping his defence.

            Macklin fouled Eades as he came out of defence with the ball, on twenty minutes a fine move started by Lammas, to Selwyn then Ridgeway-Lumley to Watkinson whose shot was turned away for a corner by West, taken by Fay and turned away by keeper, Quinn. Dovercourt Rovers sensed that an equaliser was overdue and pressed forward, Watkinson gave chase down the right side, to gain a throw-in, taken by Selwyn, but quickly cleared up field where Maiden gave chase but missed the target in a one-on-one situation with keeper, Sims, with his defence caught way up field for the corner. The long throw-ins from Selwyn kept the Gas Recreation defence on their toes, one reached Eades, up from the back, the ball struck Ayling and went out for a corner. Again, Gas Recreation moved the ball forward with purpose, Stone won a corner, taken by Harrison, headed away by Hawkins, but only to Stone whose teasing cross was headed out for a corner by Eades. On twenty-five minutes, Gas Recreation thought they had scored a second goal, a cross from Stone was heading goalwards, keeper, Sims, who stayed on his goal-line and Webb put the ball into the net, the Assistant Referee (Club Linesman) had his flag raised for an offside decision, having stopped the match, the referee consulted his assistant and the “goal” was not awarded, much to the derision of certain players from the home team. Minutes later Dovercourt Rovers equalised, keeper Sims launched the ball long down the left side towards KIERAN LAMMAS his control was good, his footwork to round Hynes, along the goal-line was exquisite and having cut back inside he thumped the ball past keeper, Quinn.

            This game was evenly poised, some of the tackles had been a bit spicy, hard and fair, a disallowed goal and an immediate equaliser had raised the tempo of what was becoming a fine match, Gas Recreation, through keeper, Quinn were quickly on the attack, the long ball forward fell to Maiden who headed on and Tansley in space volleyed over the cross bar. Both keepers tended to hit the long ball forward, when Sims did it, Bradley touched the ball on to Watkinson whose first timed effort at goal was blocked by Ayling, then McDonald took control down the right side, after beating Harrison his driven cross was headed goalwards by Watkinson, but team-mate Bradley was in the way and a decent chance went begging. Fay, then ran down the right side, again Harrison was beaten for pace and the low driven cross was diverted off the near post by defender West for a corner. The game remained end-to-end, a final, first half flourish from the home team saw a cross from Tansey heading towards Webb, but defender Eades stuck out a long leg to concede a corner, taken by Harrison, from where the unmarked JAY MACKLIN headed in off the underside of the cross bar, but on the balance of play Gas Recreation had just shaded the first half.

HALF-TIME:    2 – 1.

            As the second half was started the sun was sinking ever lower over the Greenstead estate, it remained to be seen if either team would fold, whilst Gas Recreation were ahead, Dovercourt Rovers had played some very good football themselves, so let’s have more of the same. The home team kicked off, Macklin saw keeper, Sims marginally off his goal-line and tried a cheeky chipped effort that resulted in a goal-kick, quick thinking by the player though! A fine run down the left side by Lammas saw him miss-kick his attempted cross to concede a throw-in from where the home team pushed forward, keeper Sims and defender Eades got themselves in a muddle as to who would or should have cleared the ball, either way a corner was awarded, perhaps this is endemic of teams trying to play the ball out from the back against a team that pressed every move. Ridgeway-Lumley gave chase to a forward ball from Fay, Bradley was found inside but a wild swing at the ball by Fay, with is left foot, failed to trouble the home keeper. When Ridgeway-Lumley picked up the ball inside his half of the centre-circle he embarked on a strong run diagonally across the pitch before sending a low cross goalwards, but keeper, Quinn was untroubled by that effort. On fifty-five minutes Dovercourt Rovers replaced McDonald with Garwood and the game remained end-to-end, as Macklin shot wide from a pass from Goodson. When Harrison pulled back Ridgeway-Lumley, the free-kick taken by Selwyn flew straight to keeper, Quinn, and an hour had been played.

            A corner taken by Goodson was headed clear by Keeys, when keeper, Sims next had the ball in his hands he sent it forward to Fay who was fouled by Ayling on the half-way line, not quite last man as defenders were either side, but a yellow card taken for the team as Dovercourt Rovers continued to threaten. Selwyn took the free kick, keeper, Quinn totally missed the ball, Garwood retrieved the ball and forced a corner, Selwyn took the corner, left-footed from the right side, HARRY BRADLEY got the faintest of touches inside the six-yard box and the ball ended up in the net. On sixty-five minutes Dovercourt Rovers made a double change, off went Hawkins and Watkinson with Johnson and Allen entering play, almost immediately Lammas sent in a fine cross from the left side, CHRIS JOHNSON ran in to thump a superb header, his first touch of the ball, past keeper, Quinn and the visitors were ahead, what a game we have here. Gas Recreation made a change themselves on seventy minutes, Harrison being replaced by Sheriff, Fay unnecessarily fouled Stone down the right side, Ayling hit the free kick long towards West, but Eades headed clear, and the visitors knew they would have to defend for the remaining fifteen minutes.

            Garwood picked up a cheap yellow card, again, one for the team as Maiden threatened to get down the left side, Goodson, took the free kick with West heading wide from close range, with the match at a stop the home team made two more changes, off went Maiden and Stone with Craig and Lee-Lazone coming on. A free kick taken wide on the right side by Craig was flicked wide by Tansey, Garwood then blocked a shot from Tansey as Gas Recreation increased the tempo of their attacks. With ten minutes remaining Dovercourt Rovers made their last change, on went Harvey for Fay, West had pushed up from defence, now playing wide on the right side, from his driven cross Macklin latched on to the ball which crashed back off the cross bar with Eades desperately clearing up field to relieve the pressure. Another player change happened with five minutes of normal time remaining, Goodson for Gas Recreation being replaced by Milton, another free kick taken by Craig was headed wide by Tansey, Allen, for Dovercourt Rovers went on a run forward but play was brought back for a foul earlier in the move, Selwyn took the free kick which drifted past the far post. When Sheriff threatened, Allen was back defending shielding the ball back to keeper, Sims. On ninety minutes the referee had signalled at least five minutes of additional time, when the ball was played into the crowded visitors penalty area, an almighty scramble followed which was unscrambled when JACK WEBB rifled in a hard left footed effort through a crowd of players, another fine strike which made the game all square. Sadly, having retrieved the ball from inside the net, Ayling, lost the plot and bounced the ball off the head of keeper, Sims, a second yellow and a red card followed, both accepted without any fuss.

FULL TIME:     3 – 3.

            As reported earlier, this was a cracking match, both teams played their part to the full, the result, a draw was in my opinion a fair outcome, both Managers might rue the number of chances missed but a draw, honours shared was right as neither team deserved to lose. Over the years we have been used to seeing the same players appear for their Clubs, Gas Recreation were forced to rebuild a few seasons ago, they are in the ascendency, once again, they remain unbeaten, but only just today, there are new players coming through which augers well. Dovercourt Rovers, on the back of beating, much fancied Great Bentley the previous week, have kept a young squad of players together ever since joining the ESBFL, each year a few new faces appear but the team continues to play entertaining football and even without a normal central defensive partnership were still good enough today, this division is going to be a close run contest, especially as teams below these two teams, have games in hand.

Turning to my Star Player, for Gas Recreation, captain West, leads from the back, encouraging and berating team-mates with the same enthusiasm he has always shown, the recent addition of two goal, Webb, from Belle Vue Social will strengthen the mid-field but a decent team performance non-the-less. For Dovercourt Rovers the engine room is midfield where captain, Selwyn takes centre stage, today he clearly relished the challenge, Bradley was strong alongside him, the front pairing of Watkinson and a not yet fit, McDonald, caused problems in the early absence of flu suffering Johnson who made a big impact when he entered play. So where else, the visitors defence were under pressure at various points of the match, both Lammas and Hawkins got forward but Keeys and especially Eades, not a normal centre half stood out.

Teams:

GAS RECREATION FC:          

Colours:                        Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Red Socks.

Team:

Sam Quinn., Fred Harrison., Callum Hynes., Luke Goodson., Kieran Ayling., Dean West (C)., Jay Macklin., Jack Webb., Keane Tansley., Brooklyn Maiden., Dean Stone.

Manager:                      Richard Elmes.

Assistant Manager:       Robert Thompson

Used Substitutes:          Callum Milton., Eldon Craig., Josh Sheriff., Mitchell Lee-Lazone.

Unused Substitutes:      Robert Thompson.

DOVERCOURT ROVER FC.

Colours:                        Navy & Grey Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Sam Sines., Joe Hawkins., Reuben Keeys., Jamie Eades., Keiran Lammas., Frankie Selwyn (C)., Harry Bradley., Keiran Watkinson., Elliot Fay., Max McDonald., Mason Ridgeway-Lumley.

Manager:                      Jake Whittingham.

Used Substitutes:          Chris Johnson., Thomas Allen., Ross Garwood., Conor Harvey.

Referee:                       Dean Welham.

STAR PLAYER:            Jamie EADES                                      (DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC)