31/10/2015 – Colchester Athletic FC versus Great Bentley FC

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE – DIVISION TWO

 

COLCHESTER ATHLETIC FC:  4.                                 GREAT BENTLEY FC:   1.

 

Date:   Saturday 31^st October 2015.             Venue: Mile End Playing Fields, Colchester.

 

To finish off October’s match reporting I decided to take in the Division Two match between Colchester Athletic FC, a new team to the ESBFL this season and Great Bentley FC with the match being played at Mile End Playing Fields. After being elected to the ESBFL, the home team have worked their way up to second place in the Division averaging three goals a game. Today, I found that their Manager was on holiday and despite naming two substitutes neither appeared, and the visitors kindly ran the line for them. Great Bentley FC on the other hand have been members of the ESBFL for many years however after withdrawing their First Team last season they have had to go back to basics in order to keep going, good to see club stalwarts, Clive French, Tim Tricker and Andy Walker still continuing to be involved and travelling to every match.

 

The Match Official for this game was the jovial Adrian Arnott who kept a tight rein on proceedings, cautioning three with another two perhaps lucky to escape any punishment!

 

Great Bentley FC kicked off and with just a few seconds gone, with the ball was played quickly back to defender Fowler, Sheriff ran across to challenge and clattered heavily into the unfortunate Fowler. Newcombe won the ball for the visitors and sent a long through ball forward where Southee gave chase from an on-side position whilst the guest linesman flagged for an off-side against Buda, the referee allowed play to continue as Buda was not interfering, but the goal-bound shot from Southee was blocked by Perryman. Numerous free-kicks littered the opening exchanges mainly from poor challenges and errors when controlling the ball. Hurd (P) worked a great through ball for Hurd (J) to chase but he only succeeded in blasting the ball wide whilst at the other end keeper, Croby, made a great save with his feet after Munson latched onto a through ball from Moore with the ball ricocheting off Munson for a goal-kick. His opposite number Chitty then saved a free-kick taken by Newcombe with Todd clearing with an overhead kick from near the goal-line but the visitors need to capitalise on these chances.

On fifteen minutes Buda won a corner taken by Newcombe to Kirk whose shot was blocked before drifting wide, the game was opening up but despite the ball moving from end to end play was somewhat disjointed, Newcombe shot wide from another effort before Moore set Maddock away and his flick on to Munson saw his deep cross met by Sheriff but the snatched effort was high and wide. The home team were improving their approach play and Great Bentley had to defend with Everett back-heading the ball towards the penalty spot only to be cleared by Bell. A cross from Southee was headed clear by Everett and from the corner taken by Hurd (J), Kirk got in a decent header only for Smith to head clear.

At thirty minutes another Great Bentley attack trough Bell, Hurd (J) and Buda led to Southee having a shot, albeit weak but also blocked then Fowler, Kirk and English, found the ball played out wide to Buda but his cross was too strong and too high for Southee to reach. More playing errors followed, Great Bentley did look more dangerous going forward but were snatching at the minimal chances they created, fortunately Colchester Athletic were doing likewise. A long throw-in to Buda created a half-chance but only the side-netting was troubled on the far-side and as we approached half-time Great Bentley produced the best attacking move of the game so far. Newcombe started the move finding Hurd (J) and from his cross Buda got his head to the ball only for keeper, Chitty, to excel saving the downward header with his feet from close range. Cooper played in Hurd (J) and when the corner was cleared it was left to keeper, Croby to excel with a great save to deny Maddock, this from a right wing cross from Warren.

 

HALF-TIME:       0 – 0

 

As the second half started Hurd (P) was replaced by Bird for Great Bentley, who continued to run both lines for the referee. A low cross from Sheriff saw Kirk and Fowler hack the ball away from the feet of Eason and Great Bentley should have scored when an under-hit back-pass from Everett fell at the feet of Southee who tried to go round the keeper who saved with his feet. A corner from Munson was cleared by Kirk into the bushes behind the goal but as play continued the players complained about the ball which had gone decidedly flat (or doughy, the referee will get the meaning of that!) and had to be replaced. Colchester Athletic opened the scoring seven minutes into the second half, Maddock forced a point blank save from Croby but when Kirk helped the ball out of defence RYAN MUNSON latched onto the ball to score from ten yards out. Five minutes later and the lead was doubled, a long throw-in from Maddock on the right side, saw MARC EASON glance the ball wide of the keeper with his head whilst his defence stood and watched the flight of the ball, rather than attack it and clear.

On the hour mark the result was never in doubt, Fowler missed his attempt to clear a cross from Warren allowing ZAC MADDOCK to sweep home unchallenged inside the six yard box. Great Bentley replaced English with new signing De-Loop whose first action saw him foul Everett who had plenty to say about the unfair tackle, but Colchester Athletic scored again on sixty-seven minutes when JOSHUA SHERIFF nudged the ball home in a goal-mouth scramble after another save by Croby whose defence was still missing! Sheriff was again late to arrive in a challenge on Bell who had remained calm despite being at the centre of his defence to quell the home attacks. Great Bentley got a chance for a consolation goal when Moore scythed down De-Loop inside the penalty area allowing JOE HURD to hammer home the resulting penalty to the right of the keeper, too little too late perhaps!

Eason fouled Hurd (J) and when Warren needlessly joined the debate he received a caution, from the free-kick, Hurd (J) cured the ball over the defensive wall but also the corner of the post and cross-bar. Kirk completed a fine overhead kick to clear a goal-bound effort from Munson from right on the goal-line as the visitors defence were tiring and the back header from Bird was not strong enough to reach Croby. At this late stage of the game both teams were trying to attack, too late for the visitors perhaps but pride was still at stake. Maddock put in a robust challenge on Bell, Everett went close with a shot after receiving the ball from Perryman, and Croby also saved well from Everett. Maddock received a caution for not retreating ten yards to a Bell free-kick and Everett also was cautioned for a late challenge on De-Loop who had set off on a dribble through several defenders, however, the free kick taken by Southee drifted wide.

 

FULL TIME:        4 – 1

 

Definitely not a classic game of football, both teams struggled to get any momentum going, too many mistakes and lack of leadership on the field was evident as well. For the home team that is seven league games without defeat and for Great Bentley its back to the proverbial drawing board.

 

My Man-of-the-Match player is Jake Bell, captain of Great Bentley, he may have been on the losing team but without his defensive actions the score-line would no doubt have been greater.

 

Teams:

 

COLCHESTER ATHLETIC FC:                               Colours: Black & Red Shirts, Black Shorts and Black Socks..

Dean Chitty., Benjamin Perryman., Craig Warren., Carl Smith (C)., James Todd., Daniel Moore., Joshua Sheriff., Wayne Everett., Zac Maddock., Marc Eason., Ryan Munson.

 

Acting Manager:              Carl Smith / Zac Maddock.

Unused Substitutes:         Carl Ellis., Elliot Aves.

 

GREAT BENTLEY FC:                                          Colours: White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.

Dale Croby., Trevor Kirk., Jake Bell (C)., Matthew Fowler., Arthur English., Ben Cooper., Gavin Newcombe., Mick Southee., Julian Buda., Joe Hurd., Peter Hurd.

 

Manager:                        Julian Buda.

Used Substitutes:             John De-Loop., Matthew Bird.

 

Referee:                        Adrian Arnott                  (Colchester)

 

Man of the Match:          Jake BELL                                        (GREAT BENTLEY FC)