18/10/2025 – REPORT – Dedham Old Boys FC versus Dovercourt Rovers FC (PACC)

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

PETER ANDREWS CHARITY CUP – Round One.

DEDHAM OLD BOYS FC.                     0.         DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC.               4.           

Date:   18/10/2025.                                      Venue: The Drift, Southfields, Dedham.

            There are two teams in the ESBFL whose Club name begins with the letter “D”; however, they play in different divisions, where they both sit eighth, but in this Peter Andrews Charity Cup tie, Premier Division, Dedham Old Boys were playing Division One, Dovercourt Rovers. This ESBFL competition is normally for teams in Division One but depending on team numbers then invitations go to Premier Division teams who finished in or near the bottom last season and / or Division Two teams that were relegated from Division One last season.

            Today’s Match Official was Neil Lawson, who would be assisted by volunteer Assistant Referees appointed by their respective Clubs, as this was a cup match there was an early kick off, a result on the day was required, and with no extra-time in my view, this could be a close fought match and it might lead to penalty kicks, how wrong was I!

            Dovercourt Rovers kicked off, lost possession from the long ball forward which allowed Ruffles to make ground down the right side, from his cross Halsey stretched his leg to send a low shot towards keeper, Sims, and as expected it was the Premier Division team who had the early possession, with the visitors defending well, marshalled by Webb and Keeys. Garland for the visitors tried to hold the ball up when his team tried to get forward but too often he was outnumbered, then from a corner swung in by Moss, Welham and Kernott attacked a high ball with the defender needing treatment for an accidental blow to his head, when play restarted, Smith sent the ball, long towards Moss but defender Lammas made a fine tackle. Selwyn sent in a long throw-in, aren’t they becoming popular, Ridgeway-Lumley rose to head the ball on but Smith cleared, from where, Terry chased forward to send in a right wing cross that was met by Welham, only for keeper, Sims to catch on his goal line, then saw the flag raised for off-side! On eight minutes, a goal, not to Dedham, but to Dovercourt Rovers, Lammas cleared the ball down the left side, Selwyn just managed to keep the ball in play, moved it forward to Ridgeway-Lumley through midfield and from his pass to the right ROSS GARWOOD, volleyed home, top right hand corner, from outside the penalty area, with the home defence standing still! A free kick taken by keeper, Yates was hammered clear by Keeys, a long throw in from Ruffles fell to Slack who gained a corner kick, taken by Terry, again headed clear but only to Slack whose left footed effort crashed down off the underside of the crossbar to be cleared and the visitors were riding their luck.

            Garwood was caught offside from a pass from Selwyn, Terry, for Dedham Old Boys, looked lively and was prepared to chase anything hit long, so when he gave chase down the left side his cross was met by Newman whose header was saved on his goal line by keeper, Sims. Peters and Ridgeway-Lumley had a race towards a loose ball resulting in a throw in the home team, the visitors had mounted a strong rearguard defence thus far but had plenty of pace up front to cause the home team problems. A cross into the penalty area fell to Slack but keeper, Sims was quickly out at his feet to smother the ball at the second attempt, Slack having evaded the keeper’s first attempt. Dovercourt Rovers increased their lead on twenty minutes, Selwyn was the provider, his long ball through the home defence allowed MASON RIDGEWAY-LUMLEY to run through and beat the advancing and exposed keeper, Yates. Peters but in an overzealous challenge on Ridgeway-Lumley, the perpetrator was perhaps fortunate to not be cautioned, both team captains were called together by the match official and play resumed. This scoreline was certainly being enjoyed by the Dovercourt Rovers players and their supporting contingent and tackles became even more robust, Terry and Kernot clashing on the halfway line to earn a rebuke from the match official, well placed to consider what action to take.

            Garwood was caught in the face by the trailing arm of Peat after the defender had cleared his lines, the player had treatment but resumed soon after, Ruffles did well when standing up to Ridgeway-Lumley, then from the break forward Moss found Terry who sent in a decent cross that the unmarked Slack headed into the side netting, who probably could have done better there! Bowler, is there a smaller player, in this league, fouled Moss down by the corner flag, Terry took the free kick, keeper, Sims punched the ball clear under pressure from Welham, who was then caught offside from a free kick taken by Moss. Dovercourt Rovers had weathered the early pressure and found themselves two goals ahead, the home team sent another long ball forward, keeper, Sims was quickly out of his penalty area to head the ball away, not once but twice, as Terry threatened. Selwyn, as usual drifts through every bit of the midfield playing area, his pass to Ridgeway-Lumley saw his team gain a corner, off Peters, this corner, taken by Bowler, was eventually cleared off the goal-line as the ball was bouncing about inside the six-yard area. Peat and Garwood had another tussle outside the penalty area, Watkinson got back to help his defence and put in a great tackle on Halsey sending the ball long for Ridgeway-Lumley to chase, sadly, he was too quick off the mark and was flagged off-side. Keeper, Yates continued to pump the long high ball forward towards Slack, from his flick-on, Peters could not find enough strength to shoot properly and keeper, Sims saved. The pace, of this first half, had been unrelenting, Dedham Old Boys had chances and not taken them, whereas Dovercourt Rovers took theirs and then defended well when threatened, led by Webb in central defence.

HALF-TIME:    0 – 2.

            Dedham Old Boys would restart this cup-tie, more of the same please, effort, that is, an early long throw in from Ruffles was headed away by Webb but only to Terry who rounded Bowler, but his cross was poor. Selwyn fouled Peters, Terry took the free kick but the kick from twenty-five yards troubled nobody and a goal kick followed, Dovercourt Rovers did not start this half very well, Moss was allowed to run through, keeper, Sims, was quickly out but missed the ball, but perhaps, did enough to put Moss off and a clearance followed. The ball was quickly returned into the visitors, penalty area, Slack won his header and when the ball fell to Terry he leant back and volleyed wide. Webb headed clear when Welham attacked a cross from Terry, with Peters forcing a corner from a throw in from Smith. On fifty-two minutes Dedham Old Boys replaced Newman with Dare, Slack was caught offside from where Selwyn sent the ball to Bowler, Ridgeway-Lumley linked up with Bowler and Garwood played in Valentyne whose near post shot was saved by keeper, Yates.

            The scoreline perhaps did not reflect the balance of play, Dedham Old Boys continued to have more possession without making it count, Dovercourt Rovers had defended very well, Kernot, Webb, Keeys and Lammas never shirked a challenge and there were many, when they were beaten, keeper, Sims made a great save at the feet of Slack. On sixty-five minutes, Dedham Old Boys replaced Moss with Potter, and Dovercourt Rovers used their two substitutes, Windred and James to take the place of Bowler and Valentyne who had been playing against his old team. A third goal was scored on seventy minutes, Ridgeway-Lumley evaded two tackles before playing the ball through the home defence, who were playing a high line, substitute James gave chase from just inside his own half and with keeper Yates, caught in limbo, halfway in his own half, JACK JAMES ran on reaching the ball first, rounding the stranded keeper to swept the ball into the empty net. Keeper, Yates, whether through a lack of confidence, almost conceded again, a long-range effort slipped through his hands with the keeper having to chase back towards his goal to retrieve the ball!

            As we entered the last fifteen minutes of play Dedham Old Boys made another change, off went Peat and on came Panton to be followed by Patrick replacing Terry who had played well but was probably now suffering from and injury. As the home team pushed for some sort of consolation, both Ridgeway Lumley and Garwood tracked back to defend, Ridgeway-Lumley showed some great skill, some might call it show-boating, to turn the ball off to the left side to Selwyn and the visitors threatened again. Substitute, Patrick embarked on a fine solo run, beating three retreating defenders before scooping the ball over the crossbar, from the goal kick, taken by Simms, the ball found Selwyn, good close control on his left foot saw him hold off two players before threading the ball forward. MASON RIDGEWAY-LUMLEY had read the situation well, running through, he rode the challenge of Dare and ran on to score low down to the keeper’s right side, then stupidly ran off to remove his shirt and be shown a yellow card, why! There were only a few minutes remaining when Dare aggressively stepped across to stop another run of Ridgeway-Lumley and all hell broke loose. Players from both sides piled in and spoilt what had been an entertaining match, Dare was shown a straight red card whilst Ridgeway-Lumley, for his retaliation, saw yellow again, followed by a red card, I have to say that a number, of other players could quite easily been sent off as well, fortunately the match was ended soon after that stoppage.

FULL TIME:     0 – 4.

            Well, the result was probably not expected, as despite having more ball possession Dedham Old Boys could not break down a determined Dovercourt Rovers outfit, who were shorn of a number of regular players, but they all gave one hundred percent effort. The game whilst fast and physical had been played in a good spirit and until that late melee had given the match official few issues of note to contend with.

Turning to my choice of Star player, for Dedham Old Boys, hard to pick out a star, but Terry, whom I had not seen before, was prominent and was prepared to chase any forward ball, for Dovercourt Rovers, this was a fine team effort, strong in defence, strong through a five man midfield with Garwood as the lone striker, he took his goal well, the pace of Watkinson and two-goal, Ridgeway-Lumley on the flanks caused problems, Selwyn, as always, is the rock in the middle, I’ve already mentioned the “back four” elsewhere in this report but for me Miles Webb was outstanding in central defence.

Teams:

DEDHAM OLD BOYS FC:

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

Team:

Harry Yates., James Ruffles., Liam Peters., John-Joseph Peat., William Smith., Henry Welham., Matthew Halsey (C)., Toby Newman., Joseph Terry., Ryan Slack., Elliot Moss.

Manager:                      Luke Tuttlebee

Used Substitutes:          Oluwapelumi Dare., Reuben Patrick., Jack Panton., Jack Potter

Unused Substitutes:      Tristan Moseley.

DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC   

Colours:                        Grey Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Sam Sims., Mason Kernot., Reuben Keeys., Miles Webb., Kieran Lammas., Franky Selwyn (C)., Leon Bowler., Kieran Watkinson., George Valentyne., Mason Ridgeway-Lumley., Ross Garwood.

Manager:                      Jake Whittingham.

Used Substitutes:          Harry Windred., Jack James.

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee:                       Neil Lawson.

STAR PLAYERS:          Miles WEBB                (DOVERCOURT ROVERS FC)