26/04/2022 – REPORT – Brightlingsea Town FC versus Great Bentley FC
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION TWO
BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC: 3. (HT: 2-0) GREAT BENTLEY FC: 0.
Date: Saturday 26th April 2022. Venue: The Austin Arena, Clacton.
The Austin Arena, Clacton was the venue for the Division Two top of the table clash between “Champions”, Brightlingsea Town FC and “Runners-Up” Great Bentley FC for whom this was both their last league game of a challenging season. Much had been said and written about the local rivalry between these two teams, Champions, Brightlingsea Town FC went into this match on the back of having played twenty-three matches, winning them all, scoring one hundred and twenty-three goals against only eleven, a fine statistic. Great Bentley FC started the season in disarray, losing two early league matches, thereafter they remained undefeated until this final league match, incidentally their Reserves have won Division Four, a credit to the Club, its committee, and players for their perseverance, in difficult times.
On a cold evening, under the floodlights, with local pride hanging on this match, there were three match officials appointed, Referee, Richard Oakes who was assisted by Simon Lyons and Tony Vaughan, overall, in a fiercely contested match they worked well as a team.
Brightlingsea kicked off but Great Bentley took possession, got forward with Baker (C) forced to head clear for a throw-in taken by Dorling and headed away for a corner by the same defender with Grimshaw taking the kick and Baker (K) heading clear, the ball falling to Vaughan whose powerful shot was turned away for another corner by Baker (K). Jones ruffled a few early feathers with a robust challenge on Stallan, just in front of the dug-outs, Burnett (P) took the free-kick finding Morley who crossed to Baker (K) whose effort was cleared for a corner. On five minutes a fine left-footed corner taken by Burnett (P) found the head of Sauka whose header crashed against the cross-bar with ASHLEY SAUKA quickest to react and thump the loose ball into the net, what a start! A couple more, hefty challenges, some a bit silly, came and were dealt with, with Great Bentley, perhaps, needing to calm down and play the football that has seen them finish second. Vaughan played a high ball into the penalty area, Hurd chased forward but keeper, Burnett (S) was quickly out to catch the ball near the penalty spot, Morley fouled Jones and was spoken too but the free-kick taken by Jones was too easy for keeper, Burnett (S). Once again, Vaughan sent in a ball for Hurd to chase, for a change the Brightlingsea defence was caught too far forward, Hurd ran on and attempted a lobbed effort from wide on the right side, fortunately, keeper, Burnett (S) having advanced to cover the break, was able to back-track and catch the ball over his shoulder near the goal-line. Pringle was adjudged to have gone over the shoulders of Baker (K), to concede a free-kick twenty-two yards out with Baker (C) hitting the defensive wall with his free-kick.
Stoneman was spoken too for two fouls on Jones and from the free-kick there was some ping-pong heading before the ball was cleared by Burnett (P) who was becoming a key player for Brightlingsea as another cross found Simmons whose pass fell to Sauka, with keeper, Allwood saving on his goal-line. Bell for Great Bentley, good to see him playing his first game of the season after a lengthy injury lay-off, defending well when Morley threatened, then Wallis with a heavy challenge on Vaughan was also spoken too. Even at this early stage, the Brightlingsea defence looked assured, getting the ball forward as quickly as possible, the height of Baker (K) and the pace of Griggs and Sauka a constant threat, the latter gaining a corner off Bell. Again, the left-foot of Burnett, sent the ball high into the six-yard box where Baker (K) headed just wide, but on twenty-five minutes, Vaughan gave chase, controlled the ball, passing inside to Brittan who was just a fraction late and fouled Morley, then Darbon fouled opposite number Wallis, this from behind, with the free-kick taken by Burnett (P) flying straight to keeper, Allwood.
Despite only being one goal adrift, Great Bentley stuck to their task, defending deep and well against the three-pronged attack of Brightlingsea, Griggs had been kept quite so, Sauka, had scored but otherwise shackled and Baker was kept relatively quiet, by Pringle and Darbon. Wallis found Baker (K) whose lay-off to Simmons saw the player shank the ball well-wide from a promising position, a poor pass out by keeper, Burnett (S) to Burnett (P) nearly cost their team as the back-pass was pounced on by Hurd who lobbed over the empty net. With Brightlingsea being a relatively tall team, Great Bentley tried to play the ball out of defence, Pringle, Bell and Darbon worked the ball well to find Vaughan who was tackled by Burnett (P) whose pass forward sent Griggs away with Pringle getting across to put the ball out of play. On thirty-five minutes the second goal arrived, ASHLEY SAUKA burst through onto another pass from Burnett (P) and gave the advancing keeper, Allwood, little chance to save, is that the vital goal that nullifies the Great Bentley aspirations! Griggs gave chase to a pass from Wallis, Bell stood his ground to clear, Simmons chested the ball down to Burnett (P) whose effort went right across the penalty area. Morley and Griggs worked another attack forward, Pringle was again there to clear, Brightlingsea were now in the ascendency, pushing forward, almost at will, Sauka and Baker (K) found space, McMahon blocked that move though, Burnett (P) forced a corner off Hurd, back defending, Griggs took this corner, high to the far post but even too high for Baker (K)! The Great Bentley front two, Hurd and Vaughan, had little to work with now and when they did have the ball Stallan cleared and Brightlingsea kept the ball with Baker (K) heading on and giving chase only to fire wide of the goal, the half finishing with a foul by McMahon on Wallis.
HALF-TIME: 2 – 0.
Before Great Bentley kick started the second-half they replaced both Dorling and Brittan with Firkins and Kedar-Keogh and their first attack led to Hurd gaining a corner off Baker (C), that corner was cleared with Firkins immediately fouling Morley. As usual, Burnett (P) took the free-lick with Bell heading clear at the far post, Grimshaw got stuck into a big tackle then Bell received a caution for a foul on Morley and to even things up Simmons was cautioned for a heavy challenge on Grimshaw who could not continue and was replaced by Herbert. The fouls kept coming, Darbon on Baker (K) to receive a talking too, Vaughan gave chase to a through ball but ran out of pitch, from the goal-kick taken by Burnett, Baker (K) and Pringle tussled for the ball which was played wide to Sauka who ran but fired wide of the target with his left foot. A long ball forward by Burnett (P) found Sauka who was rightly flagged for off-side, marginal but the correct call.
Just before the hour mark, Brightlingsea made this game safe with another goal, a throw-in taken by Stoneman was knocked down by Baker (K) and with the Great Bentley defence caught flat-footed PHILLIP BURNETT rifled home from the edge of the penalty area, a fine left-footed strike. Before the restart, Brightlingsea replaced Simmons with Hatch, an error by McMahon led to a Hatch striding forward but he lobbed the ball wide. Darbon was pulled up for a high foot against Wallis, the free-kick taken by Wallis himself, was punched clear by keeper, Allwood, Hatch tried a long-range effort with Pringle heading out for a corner. Wallis fouled Kedar-Keogh, Brightlingsea cleared up field to gain a corner, taken by Burnett (P) and headed over the cross-bar by Baker (K) who was replaced by Hill and Brightlingsea placed the ball out of defence finding Griggs whose cross-field ball fell to Hatch who shot just over the cross-bar.
A feature of the Brightlingsea play was their continual harassing of players on the ball, giving them little chance to do anything constructive going forward with the ball invariably played backwards or sideways, good pressure throughout. A Burnett (P) corner was headed wide at the far post by Stallan and Brightlingsea made their last change replacing Sauka with Drysdale (L), Great Bentley were still defending deep, unable to get into the opposition half with their keeper, Burnett (S) a virtual spectator, that said, his opposite number, Allwood had been forced to make saves. As the game reached the closing stages, Hatch set up Drysdale (L) who missed a “sitter” at the far post and Griggs struck a shot directly to keeper, Allwood, game over.
FULL TIME: 3 – 0.
As expected, from the top two teams, there was plenty of effort throughout, the three-goal score-line probably was, a reflection of the overall possession and balance of play, Brightlingsea Town FC must be commended for going through the whole season, undefeated in their division and will gain promotion. Great Bentley FC can take heart from a solid performance against a well-drilled team, finishing second and is another achievement given their poor start to a season, they too should gain promotion to Division One.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player, lots of effort from a number of players but with two assists and a goal himself, then Phillip Burnett is my choice.
After the game finished, I had the pleasure of awarding Brightlingsea Town FC the Division Two, Champions Cup and quickly dived for cover as the players celebrated in style. These two teams meet again in the final of the Tommy Thompson Cup, on Friday 6th May 2022, a game to be played at Little Oakley FC, kick-off is 19:45pm.
Teams:
BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN FC:
Colours: Blue & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Steven Burnett., Jack Stoneman., Phillip Burnett., Darryl Wallis., Conrad Baker., Scott Stallan (C)., Rhys Morley., Kieron Baker., Ashley Sauka., Ricky Griggs., Matt Simmons.
Manager: Ricky Griggs.
Used Substitutes: Luke Drysdale., Matt Hill., Byron Hatch.
Unused Substitute: Sam Askew., Adam Drysdale.
GREAT BENTLEY FC
Colours: White Shirts., Blue Shorts and Blue Socks
Team:
Jake Allwood., Charlie Dorling., Jake Bell., David Darbon., Jamie Pringle (C)., Ryan McMahon., Pacey Grimshaw., Toby Brittain., Joe Hurd., Jake Vaughan., Connor Jones
Management: Jack Murray., Greg Taylor and Lee Barratt
Used Substitutes: Kurt Firkins., Archie Herbert., Blake Keogh-Kedar
Unused Substitutes: Aaron Clifton., Ryan Grace
Referee: Richard Oakes
Assistant Referees: Simon Lyons & Tony Vaughan.
Star Players: Phillip BURNETT (BRIGHTLINGSEA TOWN 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
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.
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