30/12/2023 – REPORT – Earls Colne FC versus Tiptree Heath FC
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
EARLS COLNE FC. 0. TIPTREE HEATH FC. 1.
Date: Saturday 30th December 2023. Venue: Green Farm Meadow, Earls Colne.
There were only four Premier Division teams that I had not watched so far this season, it was coincidence that two of them met on Saturday, so a trip to Green Farm Meadow, Earls Colne to watch the twelfth placed home team play sixth placed, Tiptree Heath FC, who finished as last season’s runners-up, so more of the same has been expected of them this season!
Earls Colne are under new management this season, Ross Debrick has stepped up to be player-manager and numerous new players were in their squad for this match, Tiptree Heath, on the other hand have numerous familiar names on their books but several were missing for this match and by not having a consistent team, has probably been, judging by results to date, their downfall this season.
On a cold and overcast afternoon, when the pitch looked heavy, the appointed Match Official was Graham Moore who would be assisted by Adrian Arnot and Lewis Earl.
Earls Colne kicked-off kicking right to left, as I stood in the stand, Brown fouled Knill-Jones, Chesney took this free-kick, but O’Keefe cleared the ball away, a cross from Chesney from the left side had Brown scrambling the ball away. Tiptree Heath pushed forward again, Hart and Allen thought they had put Kensdale through, a shimmy one way then the other ended whilst surrounded by home defenders, with Kensdale on the ground, a penalty shout went up, as you would expect, the ball had been cleared for a corner, the referee decided the action of going to ground was “simulation” with Kensdale cautioned. The corner taken by Knill-Jones went behind before entering play, in fact it should have been an indirect free-kick to Earls Colne! This game was a slow starter, few chances of note with the respective midfield players doing the hard work. A fine ball forward from Willsher landed with Raven, he passed the ball on to Ladlow, sadly he was flagged off-side, but he had already shown his willingness to run into spaces, then a cross from Harris was headed out for a corner by the covering Kensdale.
By the fifteenth minute, Earls Colne had settled, pushing forward to threaten the Tiptree Heath defence where captain, Tollhurst dominated anything in the air and keeping close tabs on leading scorer Ladlow. A fine passing move from out of defence involving Walker, Andress, Ladlow and Palmer might have proved useful excepting the final shot from Harris, was weak and keeper, Aldridge gathered under no pressure. Knill-Jones tried one of his trade-mark dribbles and managed to get the ball into Thompson who played the ball wide to Chesney, his shot was saved at the near post by home keeper, Stigant, the ball was retrieved by Chesney whose low cross flashed across the busy goalmouth, but there was nobody there to put the ball into the net, best chance of the game so far. Chesney, as is usual, covers a lot of the pitch, when covering his defence, he fouled McNicholas, the ball had run-on to Ladlow who was again off-side, the game restarting from the foul. The game was more end-to-end now, a fine run down the right by Raven saw his cross reach Ladlow, but after beating two defenders he struck his shot wide of the goal. A free kick taken by O’Keefe fell to Harris, his control was good, but his left footed effort flashed just wide with keeper, Attridge scrambling across his goal.
Leavett, running through a mid-half position was bundled over by O’Keefe, Chesney took the free kick with the ball only partially cleared, Stoneham’s effort grazed the outside of the right hand upright, Chesney, running down the left side beat Willsher on the outside before crossing only for keeper, Stigant to claim the ball high in the air, there was no challenge from any visitor player either! Willsher showed good vision when playing the long ball forward to Ladlow, running through the middle, keeper, Attridge was quickly out to smother the danger. At times the pitch had a perfect bounce, at other times the ball plopped on the ground and stayed there meaning good ball control needed to be at a premium, the heavy conditions could tell as the match moved on. Allen played another decent pass out to Chesney, again his cross was good, but the home defence helped by Andress, cleared the ball. Kensdale won a corner off Walker, Allen took this corner, Chesney attacked the ball, his shot was blocked by Willsher, the follow up from Tollhurst was blocked acrobatically by O’Keefe. Andress had put in a big shift for Earls Colne, covering a lot of the pitch when he defended and being creative, however, the first time he had time to play the perfect pass into Ladlow, the pass lacked power and Stoneham brought the ball away. Ladlow had a shot blocked by Hunt, Harris, on the follow up saw his effort deflected for a corner, taken by Harris but cleared by Hunt. When Raven was clear of the Tiptree Heath defence, keeper, Attridge was outside his penalty area when he kicked the ball poorly up-field, the ball landed with Ladlow, twenty-five yards out, his attempt to volley the ball back goalwards towards an empty net was poor as he totally missed the ball, he could blame the pitch, I suppose! Andress tanked into a couple more tackles before Hunt made ground down the left side to find Chesney, he in turn found Thompson whose return pass to Chesney was met with a shot that keeper, Stigant blocked on his goal-line.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 0.
There were no player changes after half-time, this match was finely poised, no goals yet, but I was not expecting many on the showing so far, Tiptree Heath kicked-off, Chesney led the charge, Thompson was in support with Hart and Knill-Jones with the ball down by the corner flag, when the ball came in Leavett sent a dipping shot just over the cross-bar. Hart started the next move, he found Chesney whose shot was saved at full stretch by keeper, Stigant, who punched the ball clear, at the other end Raven found Andress whose return pass to Raven saw the player get round Hunt before shooting wide. When Chesney waltzed around two defenders, keeper, Stigant was quickly down at his feet, shouts for a penalty were once again heard and rightly ignored by the referee. Keeper, Stigant made a great save from Thompson who latched onto a cross from Allen and on fifty-five minutes Earls Colne replaced Harris with Dunn, Leavett was fouled by McNicholas to earn a caution.
A shot from Palmer was turned away for a corner by Tollhurst, this was easily cleared and Knill-Jones cut inside to beat two defenders before being floored, the ball ran on to Chesney who suffered a similar challenge, and an injury, the ball had run out of play with a goal-kick signalled. Once the two players had got back to their feet, the referee asked his Assistant Referee for his view, from my viewpoint I thought it was a penalty, the Referee pointed to the spot and JAMIE CHESNEY duly despatched the ball into the net sending keeper, Stigant the wrong way. Two minutes later and Tiptree Heath made a player change, Leavett being replaced by Michaels, Ladlow, again a willing runner had found space and played the ball wide to Raven whose cross-cum-shot was expertly tipped over the crossbar, by the back-pedalling keeper, Attridge. Raven had the next chance but once again the keeper, stood firm, then his opposite number, Stigant denied Chesney with a good save, the player running through from the right side. On seventy-three minutes Lodge replaced Thompson for Tiptree Heath.
Tollhurst played a fine ball down the left side finding Knill-Jones, he passed inside to Chesney who gained a corner off Willsher, Knill-Jones then forced keeper, Stigant to save then a poor pass out of defence by Stigant fell to Chesney who drove forward but Brown intercepted the ball. On seventy-eight minutes the visitors substituted Hart for Abrehart-Briggs and an effort crashed onto the crossbar with keeper, Stigant well beaten. More substitutions followed, all for Earls Colne, with ten minutes remaining, off went McNicholas and Ladlow with Debrick and Hardie entering the match, a long throw-out by keeper, Attridge, set the visitors away, Knill-Jones gave chase, he moved inside to find Michaels who sent a dipping effort just over the crossbar. Right on normal time, in the gathering gloom, Earls Colne made two more substitutions sending on Fox and Shields for Andress and Raven, the action had not gone away from the home penalty area and when a corner was awarded, rather than the expected goal-kick, O’Keefe spoke out of turn and was sent to the “sin-bin”.
FULL TIME: 0 – 1.
Not a classic match, the relative form of both teams seems to have been sporadic and inconsistent which might explain their relative positions in the Premier Division that has a three-way split about it, a strong top third, an average middle and a poor bottom third, however, we are only half way through the season, it remains to be seen if the current status-quo gets shifted.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, for Earls Colne, I was impressed with keeper, Stigant, defender, Willsher, midfielder, Andress worked his socks off throughout, but Ladlow showed that he is predatory, he just needs the service of being given the ball in front of goal. For Tiptree Heath, again, keeper, Attridge looked solid, Tollhurst is always a solid defender, Chesney dictates everywhere in midfield and was at the heart of most visitor attacks going forward however, this week I’ve opted for defender Kensdale, setting aside an early, needless caution, hardly mentioned in this report but he played a good game thereafter, breaking up numerous attacks, no nonsense defending, and getting forward to support his team in many positions.
Teams:
EARLS COLNE FC:
Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Calin Stigant., William Willsher., James Walker (C)., Ben Brown., Thomas O’Keefe., Ryan McNicholas.,
Braenan Andress., William Harris., Harry Ladlow., Jordan Palmer., Devon Raven.
Management: Ross Debrick.
Used Substitutes: Thomas Fox., Alfie Shields., Ross Debrick., Connor Hardie., Markus Dunn
TIPTREE HEATH FC:
Colours: Green & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Green Socks.
Team:
Harry Aldridge., Ben Kensdale., Harry Stoneham., Jack Tollhurst (C)., Callum Hunt., Joe Hart., Jamie Chesney., Rory Allen., Charlie Thompson., Ryan Knill-Jones., William Leavett.
Manager: Danny Hunt.
Used Substitutes: Kieran Michaels., Charlie Abrehart-Briggs., Ben Lodge.
Unused Substitutes: Cameron Pennick.
Referee: Graham Moore.
Assistant Referees: Adrian Arnot & Lewis Earl.
Star Player: Ben KENSDALE (TIPTREE HEATH FC)
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