23/10/2021 – REPORT – Hatfield Peverel FC versus Earls Colne FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION.

HATFIELD PEVEREL FC:           2.                 EARLS COLNE FC:           4.

Date:               Saturday 23^rd October 2021. 

Venue:             Keith Bigden Ground, Hatfield Peverel

            At least it wasn’t raining as I drove down the near normal A12, to Hatfield Peverel on Saturday, I must admit that upon arrival my first glance at the pitch led me to remark how good it looks these days. Home, Club Secretary Jim Isaac’s confirmed that the Club had invested heavily in the various pitches on the site, this was aided by Grants from one of many Football Association development schemes, speculate to accumulate you might say but well done to the Club for using their initiative to improve their facilities. After indifferent starts the home team sat in sixteenth place in what is a competitive division whilst Earls Colne sat twelfth, today’s league positions would not change much as the First Round of the Knock-Out Cup was being played.

            On a dull afternoon that had little breeze but where the temperature would drop as the game progressed, the referee for this match was Mariusz Burchan who was ably assisted by Club Assistants.

            Earls Colne FC kicked off and pushed forward, Fitzsimmons threaded the ball forward to Welton and his pass inside bobbled off the knee of Couzens to keeper, Hicks, and the visitors kept up their momentum pushing the home side back so such an extent that on four minutes they scored. Leeder conceded a throw-in under pressure from Welton, Fitzsimmons launched a long and low throw-in finding the head of Saunders who headed on and into the path of TAYLOR NICHOLSON who glanced the ball into the net with his head. Clearly, to concede such an early goal could potentially mean a long afternoon for Hatfield Peverel FC, if they kept losing possession and territory too easily as they had done in these opening minutes. Earls Colne FC driven on by their vociferous manager and coaching staff from the side-lines, looked a decent side going forward, passing, and moving across all areas, a long ball our from Saunders found Charnock who turned and volleyed goal-wards, destination top corner, only for home keeper, Hicks to make a fine one handed save at the expense of a corner. Keeper, Hicks was first to the ball from the resulting corner clutching the ball high in a crowded penalty area, but he was helpless when Couzens sent in a fine thirty-yard volley that crashed back off the cross-bar, great effort though! Fitzsimmons again pushed the ball wide to Welton who out-ran Leeder and with only the advancing keeper to beat he managed to do so but the ball rolled agonisingly wide of the far post, the home midfield and defence were definitely having trouble containing the eager running of their opponents.

            Earls Colne FC thought they had scored a second goal on fifteen minutes, a long ball forward from Hudson (Ja) saw Charnock on-side and in space, a look up and he sent a fine lobbed ball over the advancing keepers head, one bounce and the ball hit the under-side of the cross-bar, bounced down to be gathered by the home keeper. A series of fouls followed, Leeder on Welton then Nicholson on Harrington to even things up, Irvine played the free-kick forward to Rotaru who sent a left footed shot just wide of the visitor’s goal which had been largely redundant so far! Charnock and Irvine were spoken too for an off the ball spat as the ball rolled out of play for a goal-kick, a case of handbags from what I could see and as play resumed Rotaru drifted inside then outside of Randall using Lodge in the process, but the Earls Colne defence was well organised, and the danger passed. On twenty-four minutes a second goal for the visitors, JACK CHARNOCK ran into space and fairly rifled a shot goal-wards, keeper, Hicks, even at full stretch could only get his fingers on the ball that flew into the net off the right hand upright, looks like he has his sights set on goal now though! Another free-kick taken from the half-way line by Irvine fell to Rotaru who fouled Randall on the edge of the penalty area and when the ball ran out of play from the free-kick clearance Leeder disagreed with a decision and was cautioned for kicking the ball away. Randall took that free-kick with keeper, Hicks confidently plucking the ball out of the air, once again, in a crowded penalty area.

            With half an hour gone, Earls Colne FC keeper, Hudson (Jo) had seen little of the ball, no saves made as his defence kept the home side at bay further up the pitch, Harrington clipped Nicholson inside the centre-circle and from the free-kick the visitors pushed down the left side with Welton forcing a throw-in. Having conceded from the long throw-in threat the home team doubled up as Nicholson sent a howitzer of a throw deep towards the near post, once again Saunders looked to head on, but Dawson was behind him to head clear with Ashdown completing the clearance. Hatfield Peverel FC resorted to a man-for-man marking regime, and with five minutes of the half remaining forced keeper, Hudson (Jo) to save a shot from Clark who was set up by Rotaru and Earls Colne FC replaced Nicholson with Harris on forty-two minutes. With time running out Welton robbed Leeder on the half-way line but the defender did manage to get back to cover conceding a throw-in right in front of the dug-out area, Fitzsimmons was cautioned for time wasting whilst taking that throw-in, the referee having advised him at least twice previously to speed up taking throw-ins.

HALF-TIME:    0 – 2.

            A decent crowd had gathered, nice to see in local football and having seen two goals they probably hoped for more, at least from the home team, encouraged forward by the management team who re-started this match. Hatfield Peverel FC had replaced Irvine with Page but defensively almost committed hara-kiri when Dawson was adjudged to have handled the ball right on the corner of the penalty area, as voices were raised Couzens ran onto the dead-ball and placed it high over the home defence and into the back of the net, quick thinking indeed, but the referee brought back play for the kick to be taken properly. The eventual free-kick was taken by Randall who curled the ball around the defensive wall into the arms of keeper, Hicks, diving low to his right side. Ashdown had a shot charged down and then Davis was also pulled up for a handball infringement, Charnock lobbed the ball forward only for the ball to be cleared up-field where Page ran on and tried to lob keeper, Hudson (Jo), only his second save, this produced a corner-kick, taken with the outside of his right foot by Rotaru, the ball bobbled around, Page tried an overhead kick which was cleared off the goal-line then OWEN DAWSON did the same and he found the back of the net, a well-executed piece of improvisation as he had his back to goal, so is the come-back on!

            Welton limped off injured and was replaced by Baker on the hour mark, but that first fifteen minutes saw Hatfield Peverel FC raise their game which sadly only lasted five minutes as Couzens was placed into space down the right side, his low cross was going wide at the far post until defender, JOHN LEEDER got himself in the way and diverted the ball past his own keeper, OWN GOAL. Rotaru for the home team had been their best player, trying his hardest in midfield, his close control in tight situations and his burst of pace often relieving the danger to his defence and most of the home attacks started or were played through him, a weak shot from Lodge was straight at keeper, Hudson (Jo). Seventy minutes were on the clock when Earls Colne FC increased their lead, well it was Hatfield Peverel FC that did that scoring another OWN GOAL, Charnock found the same space on the right side, drilled in a low cross that STEPHEN ASHDOWN stumbled on the ball to divert it into the net. At this point the home side replaced Lodge with Freeman.

            Two more substitutions happened around the seventy-five, minute mark, Newcombe replaced Clark for the home team whilst the visitors replaced Randall with Lindsell and then we had the goal of the game, COSMIN ROTARU stepped forward over the half-way line strode forward and unleashed a fine shot with the outside of his right foot from thirty yards, absolute screamer, pick that one out! A late injury to Fitzsimmons lad to some additional time, substitute Freeman showed some good touches, found space, brought a decent save out of keeper, Hudson (Jo) only to put the loose ball wide with the goal gaping! Rotaru sent another free-kick through the defensive wall only for the ball to clip a home player and divert over the cross-bar, and the home team were still on the attack at the final whistle but too little too late and two own goals would not have helped.

FULL TIME:     2 – 4.

            The score-line rarely lies, and Earls Colne FC were the better team in this Premier Division match played on an excellent surface, they controlled the first half with ease and the two goals was perhaps scant reward for a dominant display. Hatfield Peverel FC did raise their game in the second half and scored twice, one an absolute gem but then they conceded not one but two own goals, that’s life, I suppose!

            For my weekly “Star Player”, the home team were served well by Rotaru, constant tracking back to defend and then run forward to create rare chances, he did score the goal of the game though! For Earls Colne FC they played well and as a cohesive unit, some things did not always go right but their passionate manager kept them on their toes, defensively sound, untroubled in the first half but they had more to do in the second. Up front Couzens, Charnock led the line well and caused all manner of problems, but midfield was where everything starts, Fitzsimmons, Nicholson, Welton and Captain, Hudson (Ja) were in control, the latter seemed to get everywhere, a foot in here, a header there, good distribution and encouragement, he gets my vote this week, but Rotaru pushed him hard for effort and that special goal.

Teams:

HATFIELD PEVEREL FC:        

Colours:            Blue & Black Striped Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Team:

Zak Hicks., John Leeder., James Fitzgerald (C)., James Irvine., Owen Dawson., Sam Harrington., Joshua Lodge., Joseph Davis., Alex Clark., Cosmin Rotaru., Stephen Ashdown.

Manager:                      Steven Pretty.

Assistant Manager:        Terry Hayden

Used Substitutes:           Joe Newcombe., Harry Page., Thomas Freeman

Unused Substitute:         Andrew Chipperfield

EARLS COLNE FC:                  

Colours:            Red Shirts, Red Shorts and Red Socks.

Team:

Jordan Hudson., Archie Driscoll., Harry Salter., Connor Randall.,. Sydney Saunders., Jake Fitzsimmons., Taylor Nicholson., Jamie Hudson (C)., James Couzens., Jack Charnock., Luis Welton.

Manager:                      Chris Hudson.

Used Substitutes:           William Harris., Shane Lindsell., Charlie Baker.

Unused Substitutes:       Lewis Tracey., Wesley Assan.

Referee:                        Mariusz Burchan.

Star Player:                Jamie HUDSON                       (EARLS COLNE 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

August, September & October (to end of BST):               15:00pm

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 30+ players dismissed and over 400 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.