26/08/2023 – REPORT – Kings Park Rangers FC versus FC Clacton Reserves

CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE

KINGS PARK RANGERS FC.     4.                 FC CLACTON RESERVES.         2.

Date:               Saturday 26^th August 2023.              

Venue:             Earls Colne Recreation Club, Earls Colne.

            For some teams this was the third Saturday of the new season, Premier Division teams, might have played five games after today’s fixtures, I chose a Division One match, newly formed Kings Park Rangers FC have joined the ESBFL this season and with a perceived player strength were placed in Division One, last week’s defeat to Wormingford Wanderers FC will have hurt. Today’s opponents on the pitch, used by Earls Colne FC, were FC Clacton Reserves, they would also be a challenge as they had drawn with Wormingford Wanderers and beaten Great Bentley FC, for me, this is a Division that could see the lead change almost weekly, judging by early results!

            With a chance of rain, the pitch looked in good condition, slightly undulating but nicely appointed, a breeze was blowing but conditions were bright for this match which would have Mark Davey officiating, assisted by two excellent Club Assistants, their words, but I have to agree.

            FC Clacton Reserves kicked-off playing up the slight slope towards the Clubhouse, Kings Park Rangers gained early possession and the young visitors ran into more experienced defenders, on four minutes a long clearance from keeper, Matthews (B), saw Cocklin give chase, but Richardson had read the danger and defended well, keeping Cocklin outside the penalty area, however a change of footing allowed Cocklin to turn and shoot over the cross-bar. This started a period of heavy home pressure, Dobkin, found Matthews (C), who passed inside to Cocklin, who shot wide, however, the first goal was not long in coming, Pollard (J), stationed wide on the right side, played in a low cross which TOM COCKLIN despatched in the net. Hanna (J) was spoken too for a robust attempt at a challenge against Pollard (J) but the visitors had settled into mainly defensive formations as the home side drove forward on both sides of the pitch.

            Whearty, one of a number of sixteen year, olds was quickly into a challenge on Horlock, who was not amused, Whearty ran on passing to Russell who fouled Pollard after over-running the ball but a decent attack going forward by the young team. Kings Park Rangers increased their lead, Pollard again was the provider of a fine cross, headed clear by Hanna (F) under pressure from Hampson, but only to BAILEY LAST who rifled a fine volley into the far top corner, keeper Miller had little chance to save, a fine strike, hopefully caught on camera! Russell was caught off-side from a pass by Walsh, Russell was spoken too for having too much to say, Hanna (F) fouled Hampson on the edge of the penalty area the free-kick taken by Pollard (J) hit the defensive wall and bobbled away for a corner on the left side. Southwell took the corner, flighting the ball inside the six-yard box, Pollard (J) rose to head against the cross-bar and before you could catch breath, ADAM HAMPSON does what he does best, scoring from close range. Cocklin was adjudged to have pumped at Hanna (F) to concede a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, but the running and guile of the experienced Cocklin and Hampson was causing problems, the latter player dragging an effort wide after dispossessing Ikwuegbu, and with play still at the visitor’s end, Cocklin fouled Richardson.

            On thirty minutes Hampson was shown a yellow card, presumably for dissent towards the Club Assistant, and ordered to the “sin bin” for a ten-minute break, FC Clacton Reserves pushed forward, Walsh, Hanna (J) and Gibbs were involved until Horlock intervened to clear. FC Clacton Reserves keeper, Miller made a fine save from Pollard and reacted quickly to dive on the loose ball just as Cocklin arrived, Pollard then made a fine tackle on Harvey when he ran down the left side, a corner was awarded though, taken by Russell, confusion inside the penalty area followed and a fine shot from Walsh was turned aside by keeper, Matthews (B). FC Clacton Reserves, despite being three goals behind had not given up this fight and were rewarded when GEORGE RUSSELL scored when the ball reached the unmarked player, this buoyed the visitors whose next attack involved Whearty, Walsh and Gibbs who fired over. Gibbs should have tested, keeper, Matthews (B) but fired over from the edge of the penalty area and Hampson was allowed back onto the pitch after his enforced break. With minutes of the half remaining, Harvey set up Gibbs who lobbed keeper, Matthews (B) but the ball drifted wide, certainly clear intent that the visitors were still in this game. A clash of heads between Tracey (L) and Simon led to a break in play with both players receiving treatment, the unfortunate Simon had to be substituted with blood streaming down his face, Seward was his replacement and half-time was reached.

HALF-TIME:    3 – 1.

            Kings Park Rangers were to kick-off the second half, would they continue to push for goals or would the young FC Clacton Reserves raise their game, certainly there were players with promise, perhaps a bit naive, but that’s youth for you in an adult game! Hampson continued to be a menace around the penalty area and drew a foul from Richardson, Southwell took the free-kick with Hanna (J) heading clear. Possession had not been retained by the visitors during the first half, substitute, Seward set Harvey away, got the return pass to Hanna (J) whose cross was met at the far post by Russell and Harvey who probably got in each other’s way, and this chance went begging. Pollard sent a long ball forward, keeper, Miller, another sixteen, year old, was quickly out to gather and he was in action again as Southwell gave chase to a similar forward pass. Keeper, Miller was kept very busy in these opening minutes, clutching a high cross from Cocklin then when Cocklin evaded two tackles before shooting to the keeper. Hampson went down on the edge of the penalty area as Hanna (F) closed up behind him, no foul was given by the unimpressed referee, and Hampson ruefully got up and ran back on-side as play had progressed to the other end. On fifty-three minutes Kings Park Rangers replaced goal-scorer Last with Jones (J), for FC Clacton Reserves, Gibbs showed some good footwork through midfield but ran out of space as the home defence, marshalled by Dobkin, gathered. Hampson held the ball up before being fouled, the nature of his play attracts those, the free-kick was defended well then Cocklin ran through forcing keeper, Miller to save low down, with the ball running loose another shot came in but there was Miller once again thwarting Cocklin from just six yards out.

            Just on the hour mark, Kings Park Rangers replaced Tracey (L) with Cannell and FC Clacton Reserves made a change themselves with Hillier replacing Harvey, who was immediately fouled by Cocklin. From this free-kick FLETCHER HANNA scored for FC Clacton Reserves, the ball was driven low through the three-man defensive wall who jumped and turned in unison, so where was the draught excluder, (that’s the player who lays flat on the ground behind the wall), home keeper, Matthews (B) would not have seen the well struck effort until it flew past him at the near post. When Seward fouled Pollard, he was spoken to by the referee, this had been a competitive game so far, plenty of tackles and numerous free-kicks but nothing malicious or dangerous with a referee prepared to let the game flow but bring the ball back if no advantage was gained. Richardson brought the ball out of defence for FC Clacton Reserves and passed to Hillier who cheekily tried his aim from almost forty yards, but the effort was way off target. On seventy-three minutes FC Clacton Reserves replaced Gibbs, who had pulled up earlier, with Box, unfortunately the visitors conceded another goal. Cannell started the move down the left side with Horlock, on two occasions the visitors defence blocked shots on goal but BEN CANNELL eventually rifled the loose ball home from fifteen yards out.

            Cocklin was adjudged to have fouled Hanna (F) and proceeded to kick the ball away, he was cautioned for the foul though, from the excellent free-kick taken by Hanna (F), Ikwuegbu rose with the keeper, the loose ball dropped onto the leg of Ikwuegbu and rolled into the empty net, however Ikwuegbu was deemed to have impeded the keeper as he jumped for the ball, let’s just say we often see them given! Horlock was cautioned, for delaying the re-start of the match, Wheatland, wearing some of the brightest orange boots ever seen, replaced Walsh for the visitors, and Russell saw yellow, and a “sin-bin” for persistent dissent having been warned in the first half, with less than ten minutes to go, that was his game over. Seward showed that FC Clacton Reserves still had a fighting spirit with some tigerish tackling through midfield, Hanna (J) had a shot from twenty-five yards and Tracey (C) joined the list of players with yellow cards, this for persistent infringements. With the game won and with less than five minutes to play, Cocklin launched himself into a challenge, a high boot, although making no contact on any player was deemed a cautionable offence, which led to a red card for his second caution, so that both teams would end up with ten players.

FULL TIME:     4 – 2.

            I thought this was a decent game of football, the supposed new contenders against the youth of today, both teams had a go, those first two goals for Kings Park Rangers FC probably knocked FC Clacton Reserves but they knuckled down and, on another day would have been happy with and probably deserved a point. It’s a learning curve for every player in this Division, already a number of teams have nailed their credentials to the mast, so there are going to be few changes once the League Fixture programme gets fully under way on Saturday 2^nd September 2023, that’s after another week of mid-week matches for the Premier Division teams.

            Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, I had not seen Kings Park Rangers before as a Club, but several players have played in this league before, for FC Clacton Reserves, names are familiar, I probably know their fathers, uncles and even a grandfather, but Captain, and Club stalwart, Richardson has played for a number of years and is now guiding some promising youngsters. For the visitors, I was impressed with keeper, Miller, he might be small but is fearless, a good shot stopper who has good and considered distribution. Hanna (F) scored a fine goal and did well to suppress the challenges posed by Cocklin and especially Hampson, essentially, they played as a team and will get better with experience. For Kings Park Rangers FC, a number of players have played at a higher level, and this shone through on certain occasions, the two forwards will cause problems every week, but it was through midfield where they won this match, for me Joshua Pollard was instigator, at least two assists and a certain amount of defending and was generally the outlet as his team pushed forward from defence.

Teams:

KINGS PARK RANGERS FC:  

Colours:                        Blue & White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks

Team:

Ben Matthews., Callum Tracey., Keegan Horlock., Joshua Pollard., Tom Cocklin., Cameron Matthews., Lewis Tracey., Bailey Last., Adam Hampson., Mathew Southwell., Jamie Dobkin (C).

Manager:                      John Pollard.

Used Substitutes:           Ben Cannell., Joshua Jones.

Unused Substitutes:       Evan Pollard., Regan Jones., Joseph Holder.

FC CLACTON RESERVES:

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

Team:

Joss-Paul Miller., Curtis Whearty., Anthony Simon., Michael Walsh., Fletcher Hanna., Jake Richardson (C)., Jayden Hanna., Emmanuel Ikwuegbu., Charlie Gibbs., George Russell., Charlie Harvey.

Manager:                      Dan Miller

Used Substitutes:           Joshua Wheatland., Harvey Box., Joshua Hillier., Josh Seward.

Referee:                        Mark Davey

Star Player:                   Joshua POLLARD                 (KINGS PARK RANGERS FC)