16/12/2023 – REPORT – Lawford Lads FC versus Hatfield Peverel FC
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
LAWFORD LADS FC. 2. HATFIELD PEVEREL FC. 2.
Date: Saturday 16th December 2023. Venue: School Lane, Lawford
At last, a Saturday with very few postponements, two weeks of inclement weather has caused numerous problems for the Fixtures Secretary, County Cup, League, and Cup matches have had to be re-scheduled and then we have the Saturday’s, before both Christmas and the New Year, and pitch availability comes at a premium, if you can get one!
The previous week saw the matches at School Road, Lawford, unusually postponed, but surface water was the problem, no such issues this week as Lawford Lads FC hosted two matches, their second bottom, First Team, against second top, Hatfield Peverel FC. On the other pitch, their Division Three, Reserves played Division Five, FC Clacton “A” in the COVID Cup, winning by four goals to nil, M/s Wendy Townsend was the Match Official and drew compliments from both teams for her contribution to a game played in a good spirit, borne out by no, cautions. Both matches were preceded by a minutes silence as a mark of Respect to a former Lawford Lads FC Club member.
Today, the weather was mild, if a touch breezy, on a perfect pitch, there were three appointed Match Officials, Referees Appointment Secretary, Matthew Jarvis was in the middle, and he was ably assisted by M/s Amelia Barret and M/s Joanna Withams.
Hatfield Peverel kicked-off and started positively hoping to get on top and recover from a recent defeat against Barnston AFC, but when in possession both teams passed the ball around comfortably, so well in fact that the referee stopped one passage of play when the ball hit him, the visitors retained possession from that point. Upton, hauled over Page mid-half and just off-centre, Pretty, shaped to take the free-kick but his effort hit the defensive wall and bounced away for the first corner of the match, this was cleared by Calladine for a throw-in. Pretty showed some nifty footwork to get himself out of a crowded space on the half-way line, but when losing control of the ball only managed to foul Rayner inside the centre-circle. Stocker took the free-kick finding Upton, but the danger passed, and Hatfield Peverel moved up-field through Page who gained a corner off Calladine. Pretty took the resulting corner finding the head of Baxter who headed just wide, from the goal-kick the visitors easily gained possession, Ashdown and Lodge linked up to find Watson who was summarily clattered by Rider, wide on the far side, first caution of the match there. Pretty, took the free-kick and Dawson headed wide and the visitors were the more likely team to score, Lawford Lads for their part had defended well but had trouble getting into the other half and the over-hit long ball gave possession away.
Hatfield Peverel took the lead on eighteen minutes, Dawson played a driven long diagonal ball from the left side towards Page running free on the right side, Upton was alongside but HARRY PAGE allowed the ball to drop over his right shoulder, before looking up and lobbing the ball over the stranded keeper for a fine strike, the home team were frustrated as having called for an off-side decision, this was turned away, the goal had been coming though. Lawford Lads kept trying the long ball tactic, allowing Hatfield Peverel to play out of defence, through Pretty and Ashdown to leading goal-scorer, Page, then Ashdown found Lodge whose first touch was poor, and his scuffed effort failed to trouble keeper, Sills. On twenty-five minutes, Lawford Lads put together a decent attack, Rand started the move on the right side, finding Kiwomya who took the ball on, cutting inside before shooting wide, but this route was their best so far. Hatfield Peverel were not rushing proceedings, playing comfortably out from the back looking for openings created by the movement for their forward, but neither keeper, had been really tested by having to makes saves.
On thirty minutes Watson found Page who, with his back to goal tried an overhead kick but the ball lacked any pace and keeper, Sills, comfortably collected on the six-yard line, the visitors followed up by winning a corner, off Upton, taken by Pretty, cleared by Stocker whereupon Watson fouled Rayner who required treatment. Page was off an running again when put through by Ashdown but his shot on the run was weak and keeper, Sills was untroubled, but from his throw-out, Stocker passed to Rand who moved forward to find Kiwomya, who ran on at pace, before cutting inside onto his left foot, his pass into Debenham was cut out by the combined challenges of Dawson and Baxter, Debenham went down, a shout for a penalty went up, but the ball ran loose and there was MARCEL KIWOMYA to pass the ball into the back of the empty net. The visitors pushed forward as you would expect after conceding, Page, threatened down the left side but was clipped from behind by Rayner who was cautioned by for the foul, Pretty found Pitt from the free kick, the home defended and the half ended all square.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 1.
Lawford Lads re-started this match and gained an early corner, taken by Kiwomya, but Baxter headed strongly away finding Ashdown, he set off across the half-way line and passed the ball forward towards Page who thought he had the better of Upton who hauled him back just outside the penalty area, a foul was given, no caution, perhaps expected, was given, was Upton the last man, probably not and Page still had work to do before finding the target. Ashdown took the free kick sending a dipping effort just over the crossbar, that was close though, Dawson sent another long ball forward to Page whose control was good but the tackle from Stocker was perfectly timed. Dawson again played a long ball forward to Davis on the right side, he in turn found Page who gained a throw-in down by the corner flag, from the throw-in the ball was played back to Pretty who sent in a fine dipping effort that the back-pedalling keeper, Sills did well to turn over his crossbar for a corner.
As we passed the hour mark, Hatfield Peverel had kept better possession and Lawford Lads seemed happy to defend the point on the board, with every player back in their own half when required. On sixty-three minutes Hatfield Peverel replaced Lodge with Reading and Lawford Lads made a change themselves replacing Rayner with Scott. Reading was quickly in action and looked lively causing Upton and Calladine to defend in numbers forcing Reading wide but conceding a corner, from which, in the six-yard box scramble FINLAY READING lashed the loose ball home, that’s what you call an impact. On seventy minutes more player changes, Upton was replaced by Gunn and Hockey was taken off as Mattema entered play. Not sure if Mattema had read the defenders script as he failed to clear the ball, likewise Dawson was wrong-footed as MARCEL KIWOMYA picked up the loose ball, using his pace to beat Mattema and Dawson before running along the goal-line to beat keeper, Bates at his near post, a fine individual goal to bring the scores level again.
Hatfield Peverel continued to push forward, prompted by Pretty, Page, Pitt and Watson, this left gaps at the back as the visitors pushed high up in their defensive half, then a deep long ball forward by Carradine, whether it was a defensive clearance or an attacking ploy by Lawford Lads, saw Kiwomya run at pace from the half-way line to a position wide on the right side, Dawson had got back to cover but Kiwomya, when shaping to run past the defender and was caught with a high challenge, was Dawson the last player, once again, in my opinion, no, as whilst heading towards the penalty area, Baxter had also got back, Dawson, accepted the yellow card with no argument, but those poorly timed, high challenges have often seen a red card brandished. From the resultant free kick, this was driven low and hard and keeper, Bates did extremely well to hold the ball at the near post as he would not have seen it until very late through the crowd of players in front of him. The final attack of the match saw Pretty and Ashdown get away and from the cross Page saw his overhead kick attempt safely gathered by keeper, Sills, so honours even.
FULL TIME: 2 – 2.
Not a classic match by any means, Hatfield Peverel FC, on paper at least, would have expected three points but due credit to Lawford Lads FC who, with discipline and hard work defended well, goal scoring opportunities were few and far between, neither keeper had more than a handful of meaningful saves to make, so a point apiece is how it ended.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, for Lawford lads FC, so much on the back-foot had their Captain, Stocker at the heart of a stubborn defence, leading by example, the midfield had to work hard but Kiwomya, playing wide on the right was their best player, scoring two goals and when running at pace with the ball was a problem for the retreating defence of the visitors. For Hatfield Peverel FC, Baxter, is a no nonsense central defender, if in doubt, you know the rest, their forward line was active throughout, led by leading scorer, Page, but it was the midfield where they controlled play, Captain, Pretty showed some nice touches and good distribution from set-pieces and in open play, for me Ashdown was everywhere, linking up from defence, through his midfield role to the forwards, strong in a challenge, good positional play and finding the right pass for his forwards when required.
Teams:
LAWFORD LADS FC:
Colours: Blue & White Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Tom Sills., Lee Rand., Callum Rider., Be Upton., Jamie Calladine., Alex Stocker (C)., Dylan Lonergan., Harvey Robinson., Aaron Debenham., Chris Rayner., Marcel Kiwomya.
Management: Jay Welham & Ben Upton.
Used Substitutes: Finlay Scott., Ross Gunn.
Unused Substitute: Daniel Edwards., Michael Southee., Jay Welham.
HATFIELD PEVEREL FC:
Colours: Yellow Shirts, Yellow Shorts and Yellow Socks.
Team:
Jamie Bates., Toby Hockey., Joe Davis., Jamie Baxter., Owen Dawson., George Pretty (C)., Ryan Pitt., Stefan Ashdown., Connor Watson., Joshua Lodge., Harry Page.
Manager: Steven Pretty.
Assistant Manager: Terry Haydon.
Used Substitutes: Warren Mattema., Finlay Reading.
Unused Substitutes: Andrew Chipperfield., Ben Adams., Owen Stewart.
Referee: Matthew Jarvis.
Assistant Referees: M/s Amelia Barrett & M/s Joanna Withams.
Star Player: Stefan ASHDOWN (HATFIELD PEVEREL FC)
About Post Author
