23/08/2025 – REPORT – Hatfield Peverel FC versus Gas Recreation FC
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
HATFIELD PEVEREL FC 3. GAS RECREATION FC. 1.
Date: Saturday 23rd August 2025.
Venue: The Keith Bigden Memorial Ground, Hatfield Peverel.
At the start of play Hatfield Peverel FC sat sixth in the table and promoted Gas Recreation FC were eleventh, the hosts had won two and drawn two to the one win and two defeats for the visitors, for me both teams had new players in their respective squads.
On a decidedly cold afternoon for an August Bank Holiday Saturday, the match official was Aaron Mills, who was assisted by Neil Strachan and Colin Frost, the latter another new official to the ESBFL, the home Club have clearly invested in their facilities, a metal perimeter fence and even an open stand to sit in, it wasn’t quite rocking on Saturday, but high hopes for the future.
Gas Recreation kicked off with Assistant Manager, Jamie Wilson doing the team admin in place of the delayed Richard Elms, the ball was quickly lost and Harland had to make a sharp tackle on Williams who took the throw-in himself, finding Pretty whose cross found Sargent who watched as keeper, Boden made a fine save from his header, a corner followed, taken by Pretty and headed away by Venner. Play quickly moved to the other end and home keeper, Robinson was quickly running outside his penalty area as Hewes broke forward. Keeper, Robinson was then called upon to collect a high cross from Harland on his goal-line. A free kick taken by Bethell hit the defensive wall and bounced away for a corner, Bethell took the corner which was comfortably dealt with by Ball under pressure from Venner, another corner quickly followed, taken by Bethell but Harland was adjudged to have fouled Onwumere. Gas Recreation had taken the early initiative and Hewes, running at a retreating defence forced another corner off Walsh, Bethell swung a curling ball into the six-yard box where keeper, Robinson, rose to clutch the ball with Onwumere and Venner challenging. For the first ten minutes, play had been fairly even, both teams trying to force the pace and create chances, Hewes for Gas Recreation made a strong run towards goal and tried a shot from outside the penalty area, keeper, Robinson parried the first effort and clutched the loose ball as Mitchell approached.
When Cranfield found some space down the right side, he cut inside to launch a left-footed effort that kept rising as it flew over the goal and the visitors had acquitted themselves well. Sargent, for Hatfield Peverel made a strong and determined run from midfield and down the left side, he has good pace, this time his cross was cleared by Hynes, Mickell set up Arnold whose shot took a deflection for a corner, taken short by Pretty to Arnold who sent a right-footed curling effort just wide of the far post. Sargent took on three players dribbling down the left side, from his low driven cross, keeper, Boden, stuck out a foot, the ball rose up and Arnold headed the ball back towards goal where defender Venner blocked the ball on the goal-line. Hatfield Peverel, set up another fine move, Jones and Sargent worked the ball forward to Arnold, but his shot was weak and keeper, Boden had a simple task to gather the ball. The opening goal came just before the half-hour mark, keeper Boden, in rushing his clearance, sent the ball straight towards JOE JONES who looked up and sent the ball over the defensive line and into the back of the unguarded net from twenty-five yards.
Arnold had seen a lot of the ball and once again in space strode forward until McArthur stepped across to block his progress, no foul was given but Arnold wasn’t happy, but McArthur was spoken too for his reaction! Bethell tripped Onwumere, Walsh fouled Hewes, Hewes took the free kick, floating the ball towards Mitchell, Onwumere totally misread the flight of the ball and Mitchell shot wide at the far post. Venner, a no holds barred defender, clattered into Arnold, the free kick was cleared, but Pretty, got down the right side to send Arnold away but his shot was blocked for a corner. Arnold was seeing a lot of the ball, hardly surprising after his hat-trick in mid-week, he was stopped once again inside the penalty area, this time by Allison who was then treated for a head injury and a drop ball followed. Another Arnold effort took what looked like a deflection for a corner off Allison, now recovered, a goal kick was awarded though! With five minutes until half-time, Cranfield limped off for Gas Recreation to be replaced by McDonnell, Hatfield Peverel finished the half the stronger team, McKell had a run and shot from twenty-five yards, Arnold won a throw-in off Allison and Sargent found Arnold through in space but with only the keeper to beat, the keeper made a fine save with his feet.
HALF-TIME: 1 – 0.
Hatfield Peverel restarted this match, to be honest there was not much between the two teams, it’s about taking chances, and the home team had created more so far, could this change during the second half! Goal scorer Jones fouled Allison, the driven free kick taken by Sargent was cleared, McArthur fouled Sargent, a tricky player with quick feet and pace, Pretty fouled Allison, then a pass from Arnold set up Pretty who moved the ball from his left foot to his right before firing goalwards and keeper, Boden saved at the second attempt. Walsh got the ball forward to McKell, but he was caught offside then followed a fine advantage by the match official when MacArthur attempted to impede Sargent who ran on, and on, before running out of space before he could get in his cross. Another flowing move from the home team ended with Jones firing goalwards but keeper, Boden saved, conceding a corner taken by Pretty but cleared by Hynes. A number of petty fouls were seen, firstly Jones on Hynes, then Pretty was adjudged to have handled the ball whilst protecting his face, Hewes took the free kick, left footed from wide on the right side and there was captain, CALLUM HYNES running in unmarked to score with a fine header to bring the scores level.
On the hour mark, Ball fouled Hewes, looked a bit soft to me, Bethell took the free kick but the home team cleared up field, keeper, Boden collected and sent the ball long to the left side, Hewes challenged unfairly for the ball with Walsh and received a caution. On sixty-five minutes, Gas Recreation replaced Hewes with Albadai, and a cheer went home from the visitor’s contingent as Manager, Elms arrived, to much derision! McKell was cautioned for a rash tackle on Bethell, Allison fouled Pretty, who took the corner kick, low and hard but cleared by Harland, Hatfield Peverel pushed forward again, Jones found Sargent who gained a corner. Hatfield Peverel replaced Ricketts with Hussein on seventy-one minutes, Pretty, fouled Bethell and he saw a yellow card brandished, maybe not before time and with the game stopped Puttock replaced Sargent for Hatfield Peverel, and Yamans entered play in place of Allison for the visitors. Puttock had not even touched the ball before he received a caution for fouling McArthur who was cautioned but Puttock was perhaps fortunate it was not a red card and there were fifteen minutes of regulation play remaining. Minutes later, on seventy-seven minutes Hatfield Peverel were awarded a penalty, Venner was adjudged, correctly, in my view, to have felled Onwumere, up stepped KIERAN WILLIAMS to blast the ball past keeper, Boden, who was doing his best impression of legendary keeper, Bruce Grobbelaar!
Gas Recreation were undeterred and a fine cross field ball from Hynes was just slightly ahead of McDonnell racing down the left side. Bethell tried his luck from thirty yards, the ball bounced just in front of keeper, Robinson, who parried the rising ball and snatched the loose ball three yards further out. When Hynes scythed down Arnold, he was duly cautioned, Walsh departed to be replaced by Buckle on eighty-three minutes, and a minute later Hatfield Peverel scored their third goal, Arnold played a short free kick to Williams whose low driven shot was parried by keeper, Boden, LUCAS BALL reacted quickest and planted the loose ball into the back of the net. With five minutes remaining the home team made their last two changes, off went Pretty and Jones and on went Rawlinson and Sampaney, sadly, a bit of needle had crept in over these last minutes of play, both teams were culpable though. Arnold got the better of Venner on a free run at goal but he totally missed the target with only the keeper to beat so another chance goes begging, great approach, poor finish, it was not to be Arnold’s day because in time added on, again in a one-on-one situation, he beat the keeper but the ball cannoned back off the post. In time added on, McKell shot at goal, Venner blocked the attempt at the far post, was it his body or his arm, a corner was awarded but Rawlinson, over reacted to not getting another penalty and was duly set to the “sin-bin” for showing dissent, not sure if he had even touched the ball having just entered play as a substitute!
FULL TIME: 3 – 1.
Not a classic match between two teams who had basically cancelled each other out until late in the game, when a penalty was awarded, the hosts added a third before the end, three cautions to each team and a late sin-bin with just minutes remaining for a substitute who had only been on the field for five minutes and the match had got a bit tetchy!
Turning to my choice of Star player, for Gas Recreation, defender, Venner put in a big shift alongside captain, Hynes who scored with a fine header, for Hatfield Peverel, again it was central defenders who stood out, Ball scored and Onwumere, who read the game well and was well placed throughout, even for the penalty award which proved a turning point late in the match.
Teams:
HATFIELD PEVEREL FC:
Colours: Blue & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.
Team:
Brodie Robinson., Tye Walsh., Ben Ricketts., Edson Onwumere., Lucas Ball., Harry Arnold., Kieran Williams., George Pretty (C)., Joe Jones., Louis McKell., Justin Sargent.
Manager: Steve Pretty.
Assistant Manager: Owen Dawson.
Used Substitutes: Jaydon Puttock., Sam Rawlinson., Kieran Sampaney., Jacob Hussein., Billy Buckle.
GAS RECREATION FC.
Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Red Socks.
Team:
Stanley Boden., Jay Cranfield., Jack Harland., Callum Hynes (C)., Rooney Venner., Harry Allison., Freddy Bethell., Harry MacArthur., Jake Mitchell, Jack Elvestad., Harry Hewes.
Manager: Richard Elms.
Assistant Manager: Jamie Wilson.
Used Substitutes: Owen McDonnell., Yafet Yamane., Arafat Albadai.
Unused Substitute: Ryan McDowell.
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Aaron Mills.
Assistant Referees: Neil Strachan.
and Colin Frost.
STAR PLAYERS: Edson ONWUMERE (HATFIELD PEVEREL FC)
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