30/04/2016 – Gas Recreation FC versus Holland FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE                  PREMIER DIVISION

 

GAS RECREATION FC:    2                  HOLLAND FC:        6.

 

Date:   Saturday 30^th April 2016.                              Venue: Bromley Road, Colchester

 

After having no game to report on last weekend and I did turn up for a game, I had less of a choice for Saturday but with a mouth-watering Premier Division fixture at Bromley Road, Colchester I headed there as did quite a few others and I’ll say no more at this stage of my report, suffice to say that the pitch looked in excellent condition and with a fine afternoon and the rain having blown away we were set to start. With Gas missing the services of regular players Wheeler and Craig, Holland on paper looked to be at full strength.

 

The referee for this top of the table encounter, well top versus third, was David Feline who would be assisted by Chris Williams and Joe Buda and let me start by saying they had their work cut out as after the “Respect” handshake these two competitive sides went for the jugular from the first minute.

 

Holland kicked off losing the ball immediately, which allowed Gas to get forward when Dillon strode past three players from the half-way line, before setting the ball up for Ayling who managed to scoop the ball over the cross-bar whilst at the other end Thorne set his sights with an off-target volley from thirty yards out. Gas scored the first goal after only four minute’s, a poor attempted back-pass from Goldsworthy to Wass left the keeper almost one-on-one with Taylor on the edge of the penalty area and by missing his clearance TODD AYLING had the simple job of passing the ball into the unguarded net. When play resumed Taylor was adjudged to have fouled Poole, almost in front of the home dug-out, whilst it looked fairly innocuous from where I was standing, others told me later that the tackle did deserve the caution administered after the referee consulted his Assistant. A long ball forward from Wass found Thorne who was fouled by Murray, Thorne took the free-kick finding Eaton who chested the ball down before striking goalwards where West (D) blocked the effort at the expense of a corner. Thorne took the corner, hitting the ball long to the far post where BLAKE PANRUCKER rose to head firmly home despite a decent attempt to save the ball by Caley, so all square after ten minutes. Thorne appeared to have been fouled by Murray but play continued before Taylor fouled Martin but the free-kick from Goldsworthy was hit far too long to cause any problems but after fifteen minutes the game was definitely end-to-end despite a mounting number of free-kicks.

Another long clearance from Wass saw Martin and Dillon clash inside the centre-circle but once again a long free-kick from Thorne failed to trouble the Gas defence. From the restart the ball from Caley to Dale then forward to Firkins led to a foul by Minter, who despite protesting his innocence had clearly fouled Firkins, had not played the ball and by prolonging the debate received a caution for dissent. From the resulting free-kick taken by Dadds, Wass had to watch carefully as the high ball drifted towards his goal with the keeper being forced to tip the ball over the cross-bar. Just before the thirty minute mark Poole dispossessed West (D) who had tried to dribble out of a tight defensive position, but his final ball forward towards Thorne was fractionally too long and Gas countered when Dillon charged forward only to be blocked off by a combination of Pittaway and Chapman with the visiting captain receiving a caution and being required to change a torn shirt. During this stoppage, players from both sides got involved in another melee which forced the referee to call together Marangou and Pittaway although from where I stood these were both innocent parties whereas two others got away without punishment, at least this time! Taylor looked to take the centrally placed free-kick but up strode Dillon to fire hard and low past the defensive wall only for Wass to make a fine save parrying the ball wide at full stretch allowing Minter to clear.

When another free-kick was awarded to Gas, a foul by Martin on Dillon, before the kick could be taken, Dillon was cautioned for deliberately standing on the foot of Pittaway as the defence retreated and Holland cleared downfield. Holland struck again on thirty-seven minutes, Thorne and Poole linked up down the right side and when the eventual cross was headed down by Eaton there stood DAVID CHAPMAN ten yards out to score over the head of the keeper. Holland pushed forward again when a throw-in from Minter found Chapman and then Martin spread the ball wide to Panrucker whose cross was fielded by Caley. Martin fouled Dillon, again, this time wide down the left side and Holland defended the free-kick well but Gas resumed their attacking approach when Dale fed Firkins whose cross was met by Dadds but he unfortunately, had strayed off-side. As the half petered out to half-time Poole was cautioned for a foul on Murray and the half will be remembered more for the numerous free-kicks, plenty of dissent and Holland leading not only by the goal tally but also the caution count by three to two!

HALF-TIME:       1 – 2

 

Gas kicked-off the second half but it was Holland who threatened first before Ayling headed wide from a decent cross from Dale who was found running down the right hand side but when Holland attacked again Thorne dribbled one way then the other only to be brought down by the non-complaining Dale allowing NEIL GOLDSWORTHY to step forward and drill the penalty kick to the right of the keeper who had dived to his left whilst West (D) received a caution for dissent about the award of the obvious penalty kick. Further free-kicks followed against both teams but when proper attacking football was played Thorne crossed towards Eaton whose presence forced a scramble inside the six-yard box before Eaton lofted the ball over the cross-bar. A deep cross from Minter fell to Poole whose shot only found Caley whose long clearance sailed to Taylor whose quick turn and lobbed effort seemed to catch the advancing Wass in the face, however the alert Assistant Referee flagged and a free-kick for handball outside his penalty area was awarded with the fortunate keeper receiving only a caution! Before the free-kick could be taken Thorne talked his way into the referee’s note-book, either for dissent or kicking the ball away and after that prolonged delay Dillon fired his direct shot straight into the defensive wall.

On the hour mark Gas replaced Marangou with Braddon, Martin was rightly cautioned for a late challenge on Dillon and five minutes later Gas reduced the deficit when Taylor found TODD AYLING who volleyed home off the diving body of keeper, Wass. Almost immediately Holland restored their two goal advantage, Poole for Holland was denied by the post and Eaton was denied three times by a combination of teh keeper or blocking challenges and when the ball ran loose Thorne waltzed around a couple of static defenders until Braddon brought him down when wrapping his legs around the Holland player to concede a second penalty. West (D) clearly said something to the referee who promptly dismissed the Gas player and when things calmed down NEIL GOLDSWORTHY stepped up once more to place the ball to the keeper’s right side, the keeper guessed correctly but could not stop the ball entering the net.

With twenty minutes to go Holland made a big break forward, Goldsworthy found Panrucker running wide down the right side and from his cross STEVEN EATON drilled the ball home for number five. Holland replaced Poole with Sorrell with fifteen minutes remaining but another searching ball forward from Minter found STEVEN EATON who tucked the ball away for number six. Further substitutions followed with Nunn replacing Dadds for Gas whilst Palmer and Cowler replaced Oldhampstead and Chapman for Holland. When Thorne picked up the ball wide on the right side his teasing cross rebounded off the cross-bar and safety with Ayling testing Wass at the other end forcing the keeper to save low to his left side. Dale headed a goal-bound effort from Martin away for a corner and Nunn who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes increased the caution count when disputing a twice taken corner decision and minutes later Dillon was dismissed for his second cautionable offence, again dissent. Ayling joined the tally of players cautioned for a foul on Martin who soon afterwards got the ball to Eaton whose attempt at an overhead kick flew wide and in the last minute Thorne hit the base of the post.

 

FULL TIME:        2 – 6

 

This was not a game for the faint hearted, I normally report on the football action and the goals scored, today there were eight goals but it could have been more, I always mention cautions and dismissals, unfortunately they are part of the modern game but many are avoidable, especially the majority which are for dissent so with six cautions apiece and two dismissals for Gas, the referee had a busy afternoon and clearly needed his two Assistant Referees to bring incidents both on and off the ball to his attention.

 

When I last watched Holland, back in early April, they held all the aces in attack and midfield but this season’s first team squad play very closely as a team, sometimes appearing to be aggressive, but no more than their defeated opponents in this match. Once again if one player epitomised the spirit and drive of his team then Holland captain, David Chapman, led by example, never shirking a challenge or being in the thick of the action, even scored a goal, so once again he is my Man-of-the-Match.

 

Teams:

 

GAS RECREATION FC:                            Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Ryan Caley., Ryan Dale., Jack Murray., Reife Marangou., Jack Webb., Dean West., Asten Firkins., Luke Taylor., Josh Dillon., Liam Dadds., Todd Ayling.

 

Manager:                        Jay West.

Assistant Manager:           Simon Herbert.

Used Substitutes:             Lee Braddon., Sam Nunn.

Unused Substitutes:         John Bulmer, Jay West.

 

HOLLAND FC                                         Colours: Orange Shirts, Orange Shorts and Orange Socks.

Scott Wass., Blake Panrucker., Craig Minter., David Chapman (C)., Steven Oldhampstead., Neil Goldsworthy (C)., Bruce Poole., Scott Pittaway., Joe Martin., Robert Thorne., Steven Eaton.

 

Manager:                        Rob Batten.

Assistant Manager:           Glen Cowan

Used Substitutes:             Keelan Sorrell., Harvey Cowler., Nicky Palmer.

Unused Substitute:           Alistair McInnes.

 

 

 

Referee:                        David Feline                    (Colchester).

Assistant Referees:          Christopher Williams         (Witham)

And       Joe Buda                        (Clacton-on-sea)

 

Man of the Match:          David CHAPMAN                            (HOLLAND FC)