20/04/2024 – REPORT- Brightlingsea Town FC versus Silver End United FC
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION.
BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC. 2. SILVER END UNITED FC . 1.
Date: Saturday 20th April 2024. Venue: Strangers Corner, Brightlingsea.
Strangers Corner, Brightlingsea, where best to go for an action-packed Premier Division match, well that what I was hoping for when fourth placed Brightlingsea Town FC played third placed Silver End United FC, however, the grass was long, the pitch was bumpy, and the wind was strong, needless to say, good football would be at a premium and amongst my curtailed travels this season, these two teams were the last Premier Division Teams that I had not watched.
The referee for this match was Rob Giles and he was assisted by two new Assistant Referees in Dan Sage and Jamie Emery.
The visitors kicked-off against the wind, there was almost drama in the first minutes, Silver End attacked down the left side, the ball was played low into the corner of the penalty area, keeper, Groves advanced to try to kick the ball clear, Wallman also attempted to make a challenge, the players collided, free-kick or penalty, the match official decided a free-kick to Brightlingsea Town, words were shouted and Hollocks (S) was shown a yellow card, meaning a ten minute stay in the “sin-bin”, earliest I’ve ever witnessed! Within minutes when the ball bounced up unnaturally, it struck the hand of Griggs, nothing given, probably right decision though, but VAR would have taken ten minutes to determine a result with no conclusion! Fosker got down the left side against Borein to gain a corner, curled in under the cross bar by Sauka. Seven minutes in and the visitors attacked down the left side, Borein got forward down the right to meet the cross and set up Wallman whose left footed shot cannoned off Wallis for a corner. Hollocks (T) rejoined the match, but Brightlingsea Town took the lead, Fosker broke down the right side, his low cross into the penalty area was only partially blocked by the wrong-footed Johnson, the ball bounced free and was met by DOMINIC RYAN who thumped the ball into the goal. Ryan was now on a high and when drifting in from the left side sent a fine curling effort towards the far post, keeper, Jones was struggling, Hewitt was also back-pedalling, but the ball drifted narrowly wide.
Home keeper, Groves was quickly out to punch clear a cross from Wallman, the same keeper, was almost surprised, when a low ground effort from Gage, was rolling effortlessly towards him when the ball hit a divot and reared up forcing keeper, Groves to jump and palm the ball away for a corner. Fosker used his pace to attack against Hollocks (T) and Borein, then holding up the ball and draw a foul, from the free-kick the ball was played across the penalty area and when it reached JAKE BETHELL, he struck a low shot through a crowd of players to beat keeper, Jones and we had reached the half-way point of the first half. Hollocks (S) got the better of Ryan, the referee let the match continue and when the attack broke down Charnock was spoken too. A left footed, goal bound shot from Wallman deflected off Baker (C) for a corner, Charnock took the corner and the header from Gage was cleared off the goal-line by Boyland, with Lee completing the clearance, more words were shouted from the visitors “dug-out” area and a yellow card was flashed at someone! What is it about “dissent”, by action or verbally, the rules are quite clear, the punishment is straight forward, as is delaying the restart of the match, so when Brightlingsea Town had a goal-kick, visiting keeper, Jones shouted out and was issued a yellow card!
The match should have lived up to expectations given the respective league positions of these two teams, Brightlingsea Town, two goals ahead looked comfortable, Silver End United lacked a spark and generally play had become scrappy, not helped by the conditions. Fosker tested keeper, Jones with a high wind-assisted cross that the keeper, held on his goal-line, Lee, defended for the home team, used some good footwork to get out of a tricky situation created by Boyland inside the six-yard box! Close had a long range shot that keeper, Jones saved comfortably, Fosker, pulled Hollocks (T) back when he came through a melee of players inside the centre-circle, then a cross from Hollocks (S) was destined for the head Borein, until, keeper, Groves, rose to punch the ball away. On forty minutes, Brightlingsea Town broke down the left side, Fosker reached the ball just as it rebounded off the corner flag, keeper, Jones had rushed well outside his penalty area, only to foul Fosker, cynical perhaps and already on a caution, perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch, he did get a dressing down from the referee, with captain, Johnson in attendance, Sauka took the free-kick, curling the ball towards the near post where the keeper managed to punch the ball clear.
HALF-TIME: 2 – 0.
Now the big question, will the wind be of assistance to Silver End United, Brightlingsea Town kicked off, Ryan, drove forward and from his pass, Fosker struck a low shot to keeper, Jones, the opening minutes were littered with numerous fouls from both teams and Hollocks (S) was spoken too by the referee. From a free kick taken by Hollocks (S), keeper, Groves fumbled the ball behind, but from the corner Charnock was adjudged to have fouled the home keeper. Ryan embarked on a long dribble forward, evading three tackles before firing at goal, no threat from the shot but the approach was good, at the other end Hewitt tried his luck but the home keeper was untroubled. Baker (C) made a fine challenge to stop Banyard as he looked to get round the home defence, a goal-kick followed but Brightlingsea Town, were, closing down every potential attack by the visitors who had raised their game, as one would have expected. Ryan embarked on another long dribble, three defenders were left behind, but Hollocks (T) was cautioned at the last attempt, Coney replaced Banyard on fifty-five minutes, Wallman was spoken too as the visitors seemed to lose their composure. Sauka, went down, rather theatrically, under a challenge from Coney, the referee was unimpressed, Close passed to Fosker, but his shot flew straight at keeper, Jones and from his long clearance Boyland fouled Gage.
Borein, always a danger when going forward, got round the back of the home defence, Boyland cleared the ball, but only to Hollocks (S) who produced a fine curling effort with his left foot, the ball struck the crossbar but chances for Silver End United were now appearing. A cross from Charnock was palmed over his crossbar by keeper, Groves, then the keeper, made a fine save to deny Charnock after Hollocks (S), Hollocks (T) and Gage put together their best attack of the match, then Hollocks (S) was then cautioned for persistent fouling. Sauka for Brightlingsea Town was always an easy outlet down the right side, good early control, a turn, head down, then use his pace, yes, it’s still there, he found Ryan who moved the ball back to Sauka who was caught off-side. On seventy minutes, Johnson was replaced by Holland, Brightlingsea Town were soon on the attack again, Bethell set up Close but keeper, Jones saved at full stretch, Close then defended well and from his long clearance, Sauka tried a speculative shot that flew well wide. On seventy-five minutes Wallis fouled Charnock, Charnock took the free kick, Baker (C) headed away and with the ball out of play, Brightlingsea Town replaced Fosker and Wallis with Gomesh and Simmons and Silver End United made their final change bringing on Brown for Haines.
Wallman was set up for a shot by Gage, Holland used his feet well to find space and set up Gage who had both his efforts blocked by firstly Baker (C) then Boyland. Baker (K) entered play with ten minutes remaining, replacing Close, from a cross by Brown the ball reared up to hit the hand of Bethell, not sure he knew much about it, but a free kick was awarded just outside the penalty area. TODD HOLLOCKS stepped up to drive a fine free kick through the defensive wall, well from where I stood it looked that way, but a fine free kick, so will that should make the last ten minutes more interesting! Ryan had made a lot of running up front for the home team, he defended well as well chasing back to deny Charnock, Sauka was fouled by Brown, the free kick was cleared up field, Hollocks (T) was upended, again just on the edge of the penalty area, Charnock lined up the free-kick, but hit the defensive wall with Hollocks (T) lobbing the bouncing rebound over the crossbar. Silver End United were now in the ascendency, perhaps, too little, too late but there were still four added minutes to play. Charnock and Wallman found some space, the shot was well saved by keeper, Groves, the home defence had dropped back allowing the visitors the space to play, perhaps a bit risky! Baker (C) used his height to head clear another towering cross, Holland, should have done better when clear through but lobbed the ball over the goal. Holland was then guilty of placing a bouncing ball over the same cross bar from six yards out when the home defence failed to clear the ball, there were so many bodies inside the penalty area though!
FULL-TIME: 2 – 1.
So, a tight game, this win took Brightlingsea Town, they have one match remaining above Silver End United, today’s visitors have four, the points difference is just two but six points from those games would suffice to finish runners-up, having been promoted last season.
Moving to my Star player, for Silver End United the Hollocks brothers eventually got going in the second half, leading scorer Gage hardly saw the ball but Charnock, Wallman and Banyard tried hard, for Brightlingsea Town, defensively, they were sound, Wallis, Close, Bethell and Sauka did enough in midfield allowing Fosker and particularly Ryan the freedom to get forward, I was impressed by Ryan though, scored a goal but covered most of the park.
Teams:
BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC:
Colours: Blue Shirts, Black Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Matthew grove., Callum Lee., Ricky Griggs., Philip Boyland., Daryl Wallis., Liam Close., Jake Bethell., Rocha Fosker., Dominic Ryan., Ashley Sauka., Conrad Baker (C).
Manager: Keiron Baker.
Assistant: Matt Hill.
Used Substitutes: Keiron Baker., Lee Gomesh., Matt Simmons.
Unused Substitutes: Matt Hills.
SILVER END UNITED FC:
Colours: Orange Shirts, Black Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Ben Jones., Tom Johnson (C)., Adam Hewitt., Stuart Haines., Joe Borein., Sam Hollocks., Todd Hollocks., Alex Banyard., Lewis Wakeman., Dan Gage., Jack Charnock.
Manager: David Harrington.
Used Substitutes: Connor Holland., Liam Coney., Mitchell Brown.
Unused Substitutes: Jack Vidler., David Harrington.
Referee: Rob Giles.
Assistant Referees: Daniel Sage & Jamie Emery.
STAR PLAYER: Dominic RYAN (BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC)
About Post Author
