23/04/2022 – REPORT – Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves versus Stanway Rovers FC U23’s

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE

STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES:                               1.       (HT: 0)

STANWAY ROVERS, COMMUNITY FC U23’s:                  6.       (HT: 4)

Date:   Saturday 23^rd April 2022.                               Venue:             Stanway School, Colchester.

            At the start of play Stanway Rovers Community FC Reserves sat proudly top of Division One, the only Division where Champions and Runners-Up have yet to be decided, a victory today would cement their top position with one match to play although there is another unresolved issue about an earlier postponed match. The visitors, who saw three players taken by the First Team, playing at Essex Senior League Champions, Walthamstow FC, boast the prolific goalscoring threat of Thomas (39 goals from 25 games) and Lewis (27 goals from 23 matches) and those tallies were added too today. The home team, Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves, had a poor start to the season, picked up some new players and now sat tenth of fourteen teams in a Division where aspiring Teams, can gain promotion to the competitive Premier Division, a National Feeder League competition.

            On a bright, windy, but cold afternoon, today’s match official was Matthew Jarvis, no cautions, no dissent, and some good advantages allowed by the on-the-spot match official, who was assisted by volunteer Club Assistants.

            “Rovers” kicked-off and their passing game became very evident early on with Donnellan tackling through the back of Gray, from the free-kick they worked the ball forward where Lewis was caught off-side, then, for the home team, Booth sent a long cross-field ball to the other side where Savage was patrolling the bye-line but despite good early control his shot was way off target, for a goal-kick. Both teams were working the ball out of defence, no long balls forward, yet, but the visitors looked more confident on the ball, a cross from Lewis almost fell to Thomas but Gray was back defending and starting the next move forward. A poor back pass by Walker, almost put keeper Sadler in trouble, with a corner awarded and from there another corner was gained when Mouat quickly gained possession of a loose pass out of defence. Lewis fouled Donnellan, the free-kick was worked forward to Grant who sent a long cross to Shaikly, who then made an error in defence, another poor back-pass, with keeper, Sadler, having to save at the feet of Lewis for a corner, the pressure was mounting! Gray took the corner, keeper, Sadler palmed the ball away then dived on the ball amongst a flurry of boots aiming at the loose ball then Mardell set up Lewis whose shot on the turn was caught by keeper, Sadler.

            On fifteen minutes Booth ran forward, cut inside, beating two defenders but his long-range lobbed effort was way over the cross-bar but good thinking given that visiting keeper, Loftus, tends to play high up in the penalty area. It took only seventeen minutes for the opening goal to be scored and on the balance of play it was “Rovers” who would score first, MAX GRAY ran on and through a retreating defence to score with ease. The “Pegasus” response was through Collier, sadly caught off-side and “Rovers” worked the ball forward, Gray played in Lewis who was up-ended by keeper, Sadler with THOMAS LEWIS ramming home the spot-kick. The home team, two goals down inside seventeen minutes and were facing a confident young “Rovers” team urged on by some excellent encouragement from Manager, Partner. Lewis was giving Donnellan a hard time, who had no time to dwell on the ball at the back when trying to get forward as “Rovers” pressed in all positions. Hearn was forced to chase back when Lewis threatened again, but another goal followed on twenty-five minutes, when HARRY THOMAS ran onto a through ball from Stoneley with keeper, Sadler given no chance to save. Hearn fouled Gray, Mardell took the free-kick, and Lewis fired over the cross-bar from close range, and the same player was stopped in his tracks when Walker got stuck into a challenge. Stoneley fell under a heavy challenge, didn’t fancy the sponge treatment and got up almost immediately and the visitors keeper, Loftus was still a virtual spectator after half-an-hour’s play.

            The “Rovers” defence always looked confident moving the ball out of defence, triangular balls, a bit of movement, another pass and ground was steadily made, no rush now as they were three goals to the good against a “Pegasus” team that lacked any sort of cohesion! However, a run by Shaikly almost paid dividends with keeper, Loftus, parrying the shot but Booth was unable to control the ball with his back to goal and the ball fell on top of the goal-netting, really their best chance of this match so far. Shaikly tried again, getting the ball into Caulfield and onto Collier whose control let him down, but the ball fell to Hynes who was quickly tackled. “Rovers” were not finished for this half, Lewis and Mardell linked up with the latter deemed to be off-side, the referee tried to keep the game going and on numerous occasions brought play back when an advantage was lost and from one such incident Gray sent the ball, low, into the penalty area where NATHANIAL MARDELL scored the fourth from close range, now that is game over, and its only half-time.

HALF-TIME:    0 – 4.

            “Pegasus” replaced Grant with Elliott before the re-start, and Booth tried a shot at goal with a long- range effort that curled well wide and having conceded possession they had to track back to regain the ball, this could be a frustrating half for the home team. Lewis worked hard to gain possession off Walker pulling the ball back for Mardell whose shot flew wide. Walker snapped at the heels of Gray to concede a free-kick with Mouat rolling the ball into the path of THOMAS LEWIS who easily scored his second goal, this game could easily fall away for the home team and some urgent attention was required to the team ethic, or lack of! “Pegasus” keeper, Sadler palmed away a shot from Mardell and surprisingly Lewis dragged his shot wide. “Pegasus” did pull a goal back just before the hour mark, Booth found Shaikly who challenged keeper, Loftus and when the ball fell loose there was AARON COLLIER to score from close range. Hughes fouled Donnellan who limped away but home keeper, Sadler, saved again from Lewis.

            On sixty minutes “Pegasus” replaced Donnellan with Wright, but his team could not get out of their own half and any long ball forward was fodder for the visitors, eager defence, and on the rare occasion they did Booth tumbled inside the penalty area, no chance of a penalty there though! With twenty minutes remaining, at a free-kick, a flurry of substitutions, for “Pegasus” off went Hynes with Balaam entering play and “Rovers” made three changes, off went, Mouat, Mardell and Stoneley with Byron, Partner and Atmadjov taking their places, the eventual free-kick taken by Elliott cannoned off the defensive wall. The final goal was scored by HARRY THOMAS running onto a pass from midfield and the league’s leading scorer was not going to miss this time. Collier had the ball in the “Rovers” net, but he was correctly adjudged to have been off-side, Thomas burst through again but keeper, Sadler saved low down, but the ball rolled loose to Lewis who hit the left hand upright of the unguarded goal and Walker cleared. A shot on the turn by Lewis was saved by keeper, Sadler, definitely the busier of the two custodians, and he was on hand to tip over a header from Hynes from a corner taken by Byron, game over.

FULL TIME:     1 – 6.

            Given the relative positions of the two teams before kick-off, this game did go the way I would have expected, and I have to say that “Rovers” played some quality football against a somewhat demoralised “Pegasus” team. This win keeps “Rovers” top of the table but there are sure to be a few more twists as the curtain falls on a long and intriguing season.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player, for “Pegasus” never quite at the races, as they say, but Hearn and Shaikly tried hard with Collier trying to use his pace up top. Turning to “Rovers” a youthful team as one would expect, full of running and always listening to the sound advice from the side lines, defensively, they were rarely troubled, the midfield had an early stranglehold which allowed forwards Thomas and Lewis to cause problems and they did with two goals apiece and for me, Lewis just shaded Thomas, his overall work rate gaving him the edge this week, either way a fine performance from a young team.

Teams:

STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES: 

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

Team:

Sam Sadler., Sam Walker (C)., Max Caulfield., Jake Hearn., Ciaran Donnellan., Kieron Hynes., Adam Shaikly., Joe Griffin., Scott Grant., Aaron Collier., Ollie Booth.

Manager:                      Craig Isom.

Assistant:                      Darren Macrae.

Used Substitutes:           Ben Wright., Kane Elliott., Jack Balaam.

Unused Substitutes:       Darren Macrae

STANWAY ROVERS COMMUNITY FC U23’s:            

Colours:            Blue Shirts, Navy Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Team:

Ben Loftus., Tyler Mouat., Harry Savage., Lewis Theobald., Dylan Hughes., Billy Window (C)., Max Gray., Charlie Stoneley., Thomas Lewis., Harry Thomas., Nathanial Mardell.

Manager:                      Andrew Partner.

Assistant:                      John Moody.

Used Substitutes:           George Byron., Alfie Partner., Antoine Atmadjov.

Unused Substitutes:       Connor Seymour.,

Referee:                        Matthew Jarvis.

Star Players:              Thomas LEWIS            (STANWAY ROVERS FC COMMINITY U23’s)

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

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.