20/11/2021 – REPORT – Wormingford Wanderers FC versus Flitch United FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION THREE.

WORMINGFORD WANDERERS FC:             4.       FLITCH UNITED FC:       1.

Date:               Saturday 20^th November 2021.         Venue:             Robletts Way, Wormingford.

            I took a shortish journey to Wormingford on Saturday where the undefeated and top placed home, First Team, were to play eighth placed Flitch United FC, and how things have changed for these two Clubs over the last three seasons! The last time I watched Wormingford Wanderers FC they played in the ESBFL Premier Division and coincidentally the last time I watched Flitch United FC they too were in the Premier Division. Both Clubs had requested that their respective First teams be dropped down a couple of divisions having suffered from an exodus of players and this was duly sanctioned by the Member Clubs. This action would help the Club’s survive, last season Wormingford Wanderers FC had brought in a Reserve Team, playing in Division Four but sadly Flitch United were forced to withdraw theirs during the summer recess.

            On a cold afternoon with a two o’clock kick-off, a late change to the appointed match official led to Ralph Spooner taking charge, assisted by two Club volunteers as Assistants, a difficult job at the best of times.

            Flitch kicked-off, trying at an early stage to play the ball out of defence, their shirt numbering perhaps was a bit confusing, but every player had a shirt with a number on it and they had one player “signed-on-the-day”. Gale made good progress down the left side, crossing the half-way line, finding Wiles whose cross was headed powerfully away by Allum, another player wearing a shirt numbered greater than eleven! Veteran player, Spencer, who won’t thank me for mentioning this, probably the oldest player in the ESBFL still playing “every” week, played the ball out of defence to Howe who sent Bull racing away down the right side, defender Allum stumbled in his efforts to challenge and he was grateful to his keeper, Lloyd who saved with his feet at the expense of a corner, the first of this match. The first foul also went the way of the visitors when Watts tripped Cannon and they continued their good start with some neat passing across the pitch, Harvey fouled Fowler (B) near the half-way line, keeper, Lloyd took the free-kick with Harvey heading clear to Whittaker whose return ball found Watts in an off-side position. Slightly against the early possession ratio, it was the home team who scored first, Whittaker sent in a left footed shot from the edge of the penalty area that keeper, Sanger (H) spilled into the path of BEN FOWLER whose dying swan action led to him forcing the ball home. Flitch hit back and home keeper, Lloyd was quickly out of his penalty area, getting to the ball ahead of Wardley, however his attempted clearance rose up and the keeper was perhaps fortunate that his error went unpunished.

            A bit of frustration was shown by Bull when he tried, three times, unsuccessfully, to get the ball off Fitzpatrick, a stalwart defender for the home team, the referee giving him a verbal warning, successfully heeded for the rest of the match. Bull was caught twice in off-side positions his pace getting the better of him, it’s all about the timing of the run but the visitors where pushing for an equaliser. Fitzpatrick made a foray forward finding Fowler (B) who slipped a decent chance just wide of the far post and from the goal-kick Cannon, Spencer and Howe fed the ball wide to Bull who raced past Fitzpatrick only for keeper, Lloyd to be well placed to save. When Bull threatened again running at Allum, he gained a corner, took the corner himself and FREDDIE SANGER rose highest near the penalty spot to send a looping header over every defender and into the back of the net, his team deserved that goal as they had played some good football so far. Wiles was fouled by Fowler (B), wide of the penalty area, a really heavy challenge that was, possibly a cautionable offence, but after treatment Wiles resumed however the home team were determined to score again, Whittaker was fouled by Howe, right on the edge of the penalty area, a central position, inside the “D”, but the effort from Watts hit the defensive wall and was cleared. A home corner taken by Angell was punched away by keeper, Sanger (H) and his defence did the rest clearing up-field but only to Moss who played the ball to Whittaker whose curling cross was headed wide by Watts, and another chance goes begging!

            Fitzpatrick tried to get between Spencer and Harvey, forcing a foul adjudged to have been by Spencer, whom was a bit bemused, however, from the free-kick Fitzpatrick ran into his own player Watts and the chance disappeared. As the ball was worked up-field by Flitch a shout for off-side came up, the linesman flag was raised, the referee over-ruled his assistant and Allum sounded-off showing dissent for which he was “sin-binned”, a ten-minute cooling off period, off the pitch. Lamb fouled Bull, Gale ran at the retreating home defence but again Fitzpatrick was there to cover and shield the ball out for a goal-kick. Sanger (F) was adjudged to have fouled Watts, looked a bit soft though but Sanger (F) defended the free-kick well and Wardley sent Bull away down the right side, once again some tenacious defending from Fitzpatrick helped out the home team, this defending was frustrating the visitors who had created chances but not made best use of or converted them! A curling free-kick, taken by Angel saw keeper, Sanger (H) take-off and finger-tip the ball over the cross-bar for a corner, taken by Whittaker but headed clear by Harvey, Allum re-joined the match after his “sin-bin” and the first half finished soon after.

HALF-TIME:    1 – 1

            Wormingford re-started this evenly matched contest, Moss sent a long ball forward, too far forward, in fact and keeper, Sanger (H) collected, clearing to Howe who played the ball wide to Bull who gained a corner off Fitzpatrick, taken by Bull but cleared by Fowler (J). The home team took the lead again on forty-nine minutes, a close passing move from outside the penalty area moved inside and in a tight position ELLIOT LAMB steered the ball home, the visitors thought there should have been an off-side decision, the flag was raised, albeit late but the referee had rightly, in my opinion, made up his mind that the goal should stand with Fowler (B) cautioned in the aftermath of the goal. Once again Flitch took up the challenge, Gale used his pace down the left side playing the ball across to Howe who shot narrowly wide. Angell and Watts were now causing problems for the visiting defence and from one move Fowler (B) just missed the target, this game had opened up, the home team were ahead and looking for more goals but the visitors to their credit kept going, defending well, then playing the ball around with confidence, whilst not finishing their good approach work.

            On sixty-three minutes Wormingford replaced Watts with Armitage, one to watch apparently, although his first action was to concede a free-kick when fouling Cannon, Harvey found Gale whose cross was too long, and a goal-kick followed. With twenty minutes remaining Flitch stuck to their pass and move ethic, working the ball forward out of defence to mid-field and beyond, they deserved another goal for their efforts alone. On seventy-two minutes that third home goal arrived, a run forward by Moss who found Whittaker, who returned the ball into the path of SAM MOSS who ran on to slide the ball past the advancing keeper, Sanger (H).

            A minute later and it was game-over, last defender Sanger (F) dithered on the ball, then mis-controlled it, mid-way inside his own half and this allowed KIERAN WHITTAKER to run on and score, that’s it, game over! Flitch replaced Wiles with Davis, the injured player being physically carried off the pitch, and Wormingford replaced Fitzpatrick with Kent, more substitutions followed, Cannon was replaced by O’Sullivan with Fowler (B) being replaced by Fairless with ten minutes remaining. Gale for Flitch had not stopped running despite now carrying an injury and from his pass Harvey had a shot which cannoned off Fowler (J) for a corner. With the half coming to a close, the visitors appeared to be tiring and as they say “chasing shadows”, whilst for the home team it was job done and on chances alone they were the better team in the second half.

FULL TIME:     4 – 1.

            Despite their below mid-table position I thought Flitch United FC acquitted themselves well against the undefeated Division leaders, who move even further ahead, with three games in hand, as the three teams below them could only draw, so this is another tight division. Flitch will rue the good approach play, despite only having a few chances that they maybe should have taken, the home team shaded the second half, if only for the fact they took their chances, and the visitors did not.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           For my weekly “Star Player”, for Flitch United FC, most of these players were new to me, excepting the afore-mentioned Spencer, they are a young side who should take a leaf out of his book, for fitness and effort and making the game look simple, nothing flash, just good old effort. I could mention each player by name but collectively they worked hard but were beaten by a team who scored more goals. For Wormingford, from the keeper, through the solid defence it is an experienced unit does what good a good collective team do well, the midfield works tirelessly, and in their forwards, you can see why they are currently top of the league. Despite his “sin-bin” the player I’ve picked this week is Joshua Allum, a towering player in defence, he rarely missed a header, his tackling was well timed and his encouragement and effort was spot on.

Teams:

WORMINGFORD WANDERERS FC:  

Colours:            Blue & White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue & white Hooped Socks.

Team:

Ben Lloyd (C)., Rob Fitzpatrick., Sam Moss., Joe Fowler., Ben Fowler., Josh Allum.,

Kieran Whittaker., Elliot Lamb., Dan Watts., Brett Angell., Will Foley.

Manager:                      Liam Meadows.

Used Substitutes:           Luke Kent., Jay Armitage., Sam Fairless.

Unused Substitute:         Mark Norman.

FLITCH UNITED FC:              

Colours:            White & Grey Shirts, Red Shorts and Navy-Blue Socks.

Team:

Harrison Sanger., Freddie Sanger., Alex Cannon., Lewis Wiles., Kevin Spencer., Scott Harvey., Alfie Lane., Liam Howe., Will Gale., Jamie Wardley., Thomas Bull.

Manager:                      Justin Winter.

Assistant Manager:        Arash Konkabzadeh

Used Substitutes:           Scott Davis., Arrie O’Sullivan.

Unused Substitutes:       Arash Konkabzadeh.

Referee:                        Ralph Spooner.

Star Player:                Joshua ALLUM                        (WORMINGFORD WANDERERS FC)

REMINDERS:

MATCH NOTIFICATIONS

Fixture Secretaries of Clubs are required to notify all match details, date, venue, kick-off time, colours etc, to their opposition and any appointed official/s, at least FIVE days before the match.

KICK-OFF TIMES

November, December & January:                                   14:00pm

February:                                                                      14:30pm

March, to end of season:                                               15:00pm

ESBFL CUP TIES:                                                           30 minutes earlier, if necessary.

ECFA CUP TIES:                                                            Kick-Off as advertised

CUP TIES

There will be NO requirement for “Extra-Time” to be played in Cup Matches, if scores are level at the end of “normal time” the match will proceed directly to penalty kicks.

SUBSTITUTES

The ESBFL continues to allow FIVE SUBSTITUTES to be named before kick-off but only “THREE SUBSTITUTES” may be allowed to participate.

Note:

In Essex County Cups (Premier & Junior) the Rule allows FIVE SUBSTITUTES to be named and those FIVE SUBSTITUTUES may be used on a “Roll-On / Roll-Off” basis.

TEAM SHEETS

Team Sheets should be shown or sent to the Referee and the Opposition team either by text, email etc

The BLUE “League Copy” of the Team Sheet should be sent by First Class Post to reach Mick Willmore by the Thursday after a Saturday match, this is the ONLY item of correspondence that is required by post.

RESULTS REPORTING

Rule 21(B)

BOTH Clubs shall notify/SMS the result of each Competition Match to the Competition within 30 minutes of the finish of the match. This will include Football Association and County Football Association matches. The results of all League and Cup matches in the Competition should be reported by the FA Full-Time “SMS” (text) System. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.

FA FULL-TIME

The Referees marks, team, players, substitutes, goal scorers, red / yellow cards, and sin-bin, etc MUST be entered to FA Full-Time by the end of the Tuesday following a Saturday match (ie 48 hours after any match). Failure to complete FAFT correctly and on time WILL incur a League Fine/s.

DISCIPLINE

Since the start of the season there have been 45+ players dismissed and over 600 cautions, there have also been several incidences of misconduct towards players, Match officials, members of the public and county officials. These are situations the ESBFL Management feel very strongly about, and the statistics make poor reading, the ECFA will deal with all these cases as deemed appropriate but bear in mind these actions can be very costly both for players and your, Clubs.

WHOLE GAME SYSTEM (“WGS”)

All Club Secretaries should check “WGS” on a regular basis, if you don’t, the ECFA levy a fine (25%) for late acknowledgements and payments of fines and the Club could be put into a “SINE-DIE” situation meaning they cannot play until those debts are cleared.

Club Secretaries are also responsible for adding the matches missed by players who have been suspended.

Whilst the ESBFL regularly reviews the whole Club contents on “WGS” it is not their responsibility to monitor failures by Member Clubs to follow basic procedure/s.

REFRESHMENTS

Rule 20A

Refreshments for BOTH teams and Match Officials MUST be provided by the home Club at half time unless these are declined before the game. Clubs in default shall be fined.