26/09/2020 – REPORT – Parkeston Welfare Care Park FC versus FC Wethersfield

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION FOUR.

PARKESTON WELFARE CARE PARK FC: 1. WETHERSFIELD FC: 3.

Date: Saturday 26^th September 2020. Venue: Parkeston Welfare Park, Parkston.

A couple of firsts on Saturday, Parkeston Welfare Park was a new venue for me to visit, second, the home team have stepped up from the CEEFL as a new Club to the ESBFL and third, the visitors, Wethersfield FC are a newly reformed Club who were a very late entry to the ESBFL, we welcome them both and hope they enjoy their football in Division Four, a new Division his season. This compact ground has a marked slope towards the centre field on one side, the home team should be used to this feature and the visitors probably felt at home as their own ground also has defined slope to one corner, equal to both sides therefore as was the weather, as after months of hot and warm weather, on Saturday the heavens kept the pitch wet as misty drizzle blew across the pitch throughout.

Match Referee for this match was Colin Lamb assisted by two Club volunteers and with only one late caution he tried to keep the game flowing between two honest and hard-working teams.

Wethersfield kicked off, Parkeston picked up a loose ball but lost possession allowing Dixon to launch a long ball forward to Willis who gave chase only to be foiled by home keeper, Thatcher, Gillie fouled Cleveland on the half-way line, Smith took the free-kick, which was cleared back upfield where Smith fouled Clements. Willis for the visitors was finding plenty of space for the visitors, he just needed a decent pass to capitalise, when that did materialise, keeper, Thatcher was once again out to block. Another Smith free-kick was headed clear by Addington and the visitors broke forward in numbers only for keeper, Thatcher to clear the ball from mid-way inside his own half! Several free-kicks littered the first fifteen minutes of play, not a classic game but hardly likely to be so given the conditions, windy, wet, bumpy pitch and two new teams finding their feet. Another free-kick from Smith inside his own half drifted high and wide then Copeland fouled Aird just inside his own penalty area, a cross from Gillie found the head of Willis but defender Taylor guided the goal-bound effort out for a corner. Keeper, Thatcher was injured in a clash with Harrison and own defender Smith, the bouncing ball was heading for the keepers arms before standing up deceiving all players, the keeper who could only parry the ball away with Smith covering but forced to leave the field for a blood injury.

Fifteen minutes had elapsed and no goals, Wethersfield had been the more direct team but had been unable to create any clear cut chances, Harrison did have the ball in the Parkeston net but was correctly flagged as being off-side, the referee having clarified the decision with his Club Assistant. Thatcher launched a long ball down-field, Aird blatantly shoved Good off the ball to concede a free-kick just on the corner of the penalty area, Good took the free-kick but the ball hit Gillie standing in the defensive wall. Keeper, Thatcher made another fine save to deny Harrison who had rounded Smith, and once again the match centred around the mid-field areas, often scrappy and ineffective, with the visitors still on top possession wise. Williams for Parkeston won their first corner on twenty-five minutes when he forced Nichols to concede on the far-left side.

Parkeston were constantly on the back foot, Gillie sent a long pass forward, Willis held off Taylor and Smith with keeper, Thatcher holding on to the ball under pressure from Harrison under his cross-bar, both teams had put in a lot of effort without reward so far. Aird for Wethersfield looking accomplished in defence being in the right place almost every time and when he broke forward, he found Willis who chested the ball down to Addington who dragged his shot wide. On forty minutes Willis was clear but contrived to miss the target for a goal-kick and Parkeston broke forward down the left side, a long throw-in from Smith caused confusion as the ball bounced around and against everyone’s expectations Parkeston took a half-time lead when JUSTIN CLEAVLAND tip-toed round a defender to slot home from close range.

HALF-TIME: 1 – 0

Parkeston re-started this match but had clearly not tuned into how play progressed as within a minute Wethersfield had equalised through TEDDY HARRISON who was allowed too much space and despite an attempt to save by keeper, Thatcher the ball ended up in the back of the net. A second goal quickly followed, Wethersfield played the ball out of defence and when a defence spitting pass was made STEVE WILLIS ran through to slot the ball under the advancing keeper. Visiting defender Aird made a fine run out of his own defence to the edge of the home penalty area before Chatterton stepped into tackle. On fifty-three minutes Dixon was replaced by six-foot seven, Archer, for Wethersfield and immediately he took up a position in attack. May conceded a corner to stop a three pronged attack involving Aird, Willis and Harrison, the ball was cleared but a free-kick was conceded, taken, up and under style, by Clements and keeper, Thatcher was forced to palm the ball over he cross-bar at the far post, good goal-keeping. Unfortunately, from the resulting corner, taken by Nichols, the unmarked LUKE GREEN stole in to shoot home through a crowd of players.

After the hour mark the game continued in midfield neither keeper was involved, in fact Shreeve, in goal for Wethersfield had had no real shots to save yet had conceded one goal, as his defence stood firm. On seventy minutes a glaring miss, Willis was set through one-on-one with keeper, Thatcher who made a fine block, but Willis was clearly embarrassed as it was a good chance he should have taken. A minute later and Parkeston replaced Muhummad with Vilka, when play resumed Stant was heavy into a challenge on Willis and in his frustration kicked the ball away for the only caution of the match, rules are rules! Home keeper, Thatcher made two more excellent saves, first to deny Gillie, in a one-on-one situation, then he clutched a well-placed free-kick from Harrison, just under the cross-bar.

With fifteen minutes remaining Parkeston replaced the injured Elliot with Kidd whose first action was to head clear a shot from Dyer from six-yards out with keeper Thatcher still getting back having lost possession to Archer wide on the right side. A great cross to the far post should have seen Archer score but with the goal gaping he failed to connect, and a goal-kick followed. Another searching ball from Clements by-passed Archer and when Harrison picked up the loose ball he was tackled by May and the danger passed by. Archer was denied by keeper, Thatcher, in a one-on-one situation then at the other end a shot from Vilka was spilled by keeper, Shreeve, not sure if he is a regular keeper as his demeanour and clearance almost put his team in trouble. Keeper Shreeve was then replaced by outfield player Addington whose first action was to punch clear a cross from Stant with defender Taylor shooting over for the last action of the game.

FULL TIME: 1 – 3.

So, was I expecting a classic match, no I was not, I’d not been to this ground before nor seen either team play, Parkeston in their short history have been the “whipping boys” but they are an honest hard-working team that may get the breaks they deserve going forward, the ESBFL, any division in fact will be competitive, its what we strive for and we hope Clubs / Teams enjoy their matches whatever the results. Wethersfield, until early July did not exist as a Club, having folded many years ago, they have reformed and by getting several new players week-on-week should continue to improve, this being their first win at the fourth attempt.

Now let’s turn to my Star Player, let’s keep it brief, defender Elliot did his best, keeper Thatcher for Parkeston kept the score down with some fine saves as his team-mates before him were under the cosh for much of the game, then for Wethersfield I’ve chosen central defender, Aird, commanding in the air, good feet and strong into any challenge and he was prepared to start and move forward with the ball whenever he was allowed.

Teams:

PARKESTON WELFARE PARK FC: Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks.

Michael Thatcher., Josh Taylor., Elliot Smith., Kieran Stant., Charlie May., Mitchell Good., William Copeland., Paul Chatterton (C)., Khafra Muhummad., Adam Williams., Justin Cleavland.

Manager: John Stant.

Used Substitutes: Paul Kidd., Michael Vilka

Unused Substitutes: Mitchell Haynes., Benjamin Ewing., Dan O’Donnell.

WETHERSFIELD FC: Colours: Navy Shirts, Royal Blue Shorts and White Socks.

David Shreeve., Travis Nichols., Ben Dixon., Dexter Allington., Nathan Gillie., Jordan Aird., Lewis Dyer., Luke Green., Steven Willis., Teddy Harrison (C)., Isaac Clements

Manager: Mark Harrison.

Used Substitutes: Charlie Archer

Unused Substitutes: Billy Bloomfield

Referee: Colin Lamb.

Star Player: Jordan AIRD (WETHERSFIELD FC)

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“COVID-19” “CORONAVIRUS”

THE “ESBFL” IS MINDFUL OF THE CONTINUING SERIOUSNESS OF THIS INFECTION, MATCHES CURRENTLY BEING PLAYED WERE ALLOWED TO PROCEED UNDER THE GUIDANCE GIVEN BY THE “FA”.

THIS SITUATION IS BEING CONSTANTLY MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE “FA” WHO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES DIRECTLY TO CLUBS AND THE LEAGUE. PLEASE ENSURE THESE ARE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND ADHERED TOO.

IT IS INCUMBENT ON ALL MEMBER CLUBS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF VISITORS, THE FA HAS ISSUED NUMEROUS DIRECTIVES THEREFORE THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE OF THESE GUIDELINES etc

ALL MEMBER CLUBS, ITS OFFICIALS, PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS “MUST” ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES OTHERWISE THIS SEASON MAY ALSO BE CURTAILED EARLY.

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Additional Reporting:

YOU TUBE., FACEBOOK (x2) & TWITTER

Once again, this season the ESBFL is widening its match-day reporting coverage, in addition to a full report written by Brian Reed, our other roving reporter, Spencer Hume, has once again made himself known during the friendlies season and he will also attend games reporting via You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to communicate up-to-date information and replicate other match reports. In addition, John Campany, Vice Chairman will continue to provide a weekly summary, published in The Gazette.

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Reminder to Club Secretaries / Fixture Secretaries

Once again this season the fixtures, results, referees and “kick-off” times will be shown automatically on “The FA Full-Time / The Whole Game System” ( http://full-time.thefa.com ) but would all Club / Fixture Secretaries please advise any agreed changes, as required, to either Mick Willmore (mjw1947@sky.com)

or M/s Alison Stanford (esblsec@icloud.com) especially for evening games and for those matches being played under floodlights etc.

KO is 3:00pm from: September to October

KO is 2:00pm from: November, December & January

KO is 2:30pm during: February

KO is 3:00pm from: March to end of season

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Kick-Off times for ESBFL cup matches, are generally 30 minutes earlier than those shown above but check competition rules beforehand.

Kick-Off times for Essex County Football Association cup matches are published on the ECFA web-site.

( www.essexfa.com/competitions/county-cups )

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