ESBFL – 11/08/2023 – REPORT – Sudbury Sports FC versus Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
SUDBURY SPORTS FC. 0. STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES. 2.
Date: Friday 11th August 2023. Venue: Mel Group Stadium, Brundon Lane, Sudbury.
The new season kicked off with a Friday night match at the exceptionally well-appointed Mel Group Stadium, home of AFC Sudbury, their academy team, Sudbury Sports FC, were to play newly elevated Stanway Pegasus FC Reserves who have stepped up from Division One and who on the night were supported by some of their First Team who, last season, their first had reached the “play-off’s”, in the Thurlow Nunn Division One South. This academy team are comprised of youth players mainly aged between sixteen and eighteen, their fitness would be key, and their well drilled pedigree is usually evident, their visitors had some new faces in their line-up having strengthened up for the demands of the ESBFL Premier Division.
As is usual for the ESBFL, Step 7, Premier Division there were three appointed officials, newly promoted Joseph Greenleaf was in the middle assisted by Tony Vaughan and Ben Martin, with no cautions, it describes this game as competitive and with little signs of any frustrations or dissent, which once again this season will be clamped down upon.
The evening was calm after a decent day, a number of junior training matches were taking place on the 3G pitch when I arrived and a decent crowd for a Friday night assembled as the game started. Stanway Pegasus kicked-off and defender Chambers sent over a left-footed cross, this from a free-kick, with home keeper, Clark, punching clear, the ball falling to Raven whose pace was matched by Anumba and the home break was quickly nullified. The visitors were pushing the ball around nicely on this flat expansive pitch and the home team were clearly going to have to match this early pace and pressure. King was fouled by Wordley, and when play broke forward for the home team, Yule latched onto a loose ball and saw his rising shot crash against the cross-bar, to be cleared, with Griffiths breaking away down the right side and from his deep cross, keeper, Clark palmed the ball behind for a corner kick. A poor pass out of defence by Richards almost set up Raven but again there was good defensive work from the visitors, then Anumba tried his luck from twenty-five yards, but his right-footed effort flew harmlessly wide of the goal. Chambers tackled Moore, mid-half and Chubb ran on between Sabini and King but was stopped by a comfortable catch by keeper, Kendle. A free-kick taken by Booth from the right side was kept out at full stretch by the diving keeper, Lacey, then when play broke to the other end a cross from Yule was headed out by Richards, a first corner for Sudbury Sports, a poor one to be fair and Stanway Pegasus cleared up-field.
The early momentum had been with Stanway Pegasus Reserves, but Sudbury Sports had clawed their way back in the game was looked more positive going forward, defences were on high alert, but the real battle was through mid-field. When Okeh committed a foul just outside the penalty area, Chambers hit the ball hard and low into the defensive wall and Sudbury came away with the ball through Baker who passed to Chubb who broke through a gap but struck his right-footed shot just wide with Kendle scrambling across his goal. The game was littered by numerous fouls, but the match official was, in my opinion, consistent in his approach and application of the laws of the game, you can’t argue with that. Booth for Stanway Pegasus was playing a high attacking line, keeping the Sudbury Sports defence on their toes, Moore crashed into the back of Chambers to concede a free-kick on the far-side, Griffiths clattered Raven and was spoken too, then Wordley broke through a gap and Sabini conceded a corner, taken by Moore, headed clear by Richards but only to Yule who hit a rising shot over the cross-bar.
Thirty minutes of play had elapsed, plenty of action but no clear-cut chances as these were two evenly matched teams, Booth almost capitalised at the near post but keeper, Lacey reacted quickly to smother the ball with his body with team-mate Jackson thumping the ball away, then Booth scuffed a decent chance wide when well placed after a defensive error. Chubb for Sudbury Sports drove forward with the ball only to be stopped by a timely tackle from King, who intercepted the ball before his keeper, Kendle, could reach it outside the penalty area. Raven embarked on a great run forward from the half-way line before sending in a fine cross which was met by Yule who could not make a decent connection and King cleared again in front of his keeper. Jackson fouled Anumba wide on the far side, Payne took the free-kick, but Jackson defended well under pressure from Booth at the far post, gaining a goal-kick. Chubb showed great footwork in a tight situation against Slater but was unable to get a shot away at goal but gained a corner kick instead, taken by Wordley towards Yule who was not tall enough. Sabini cleared the ball forward to Griffiths who passed the ball on to Booth, but his shot on the turn was straight at keeper, Lacey. Right on the stroke of half-time, Stanway Pegasus Reserves took the lead, Payne worked the ball into space finding Booth whose clinical lay off was guided home past keeper, Lacey by KESTER ANUMBA from six yards out.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 1.
Before the restart, Sudbury Sports replaced the injured Chubb with Fenton-Jones but Stanway Pegasus Reserves should have increased their slender lead, Griffith made ground down the right side with the home side caught up-field, from the low driven cross Anumba somehow scooped the ball over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box, miss of the season, so far! At the other end Sudbury Sports gained a corner, taken by Moore with Jackson heading wide, and play switched once again, a free-kick to Stanway Pegasus Reserves was swung in by Chambers, keeper, Lacey advanced, called for the ball, but completely missed his attempt to punch the ball clear, but that danger passed. Moore was spoken too when he pulled back Chambers, the free-kick was defended well and the home side pushed forward with Yule winning a corner, the same player took the kick, towards the near post where Fenton-Jones flicked the ball goalwards but straight into the arms of keeper, Kendle. Play continued to be end-to-end, this time Stanway Pegasus Reserves gained a corner, taken, left-footed by Chambers, again the home defence defended well and progressed to the other end, Raven had the ball in the net latching on to a pass from De’ath, unfortunately he was flagged off-side, no arguments, decision accepted. A strong run by Slater for the visitors down the left side saw his deep cross reach the far post where Griffiths headed over the goal. On fifty-five minutes Stanway Pegasus Reserves made a double player change, off went King and Payne with Rutter and Clark taking their places, Jackson made a fine interception as the visitors threatened and they had nullified every home attack with some determined closing down in open play.
On the hour mark, keeper, Lacey, made a fine save from Booth, at the expense of a corner, Chambers swung the ball in once again with tall defender Clark heading wide. On sixty-two minutes it was the turn of Sudbury Sports to make player changes, off went, Jackson and Raven with Parsons an Kabangu entering the fray, Booth volleyed wide from a pass from Anumba who had made a great run down the right side. Booth lobbed well wide when keeper, Lacey was stranded on the edge of his penalty area, Stanway Pegasus Reserves probably held the upper hand when pushing forward, Sudbury Sports were rushing their approach work and to many passes went astray. More substitutions followed on sixty-seven minutes, Yule was replaced by Chessal and Griffiths who had been injured, was replaced by Bray. Baker gave chase down the corner flag trying to gain a corner, but the experienced Sabini defended well and started the next attack which led to another goal, the scorer was again KESTER ANUMBA who ran on to score his second goal of the match.
Buda entered play for Stanway Pegasus Reserves when Booth, who had played well, was replaced, the first action by Buda saw him fouled by Fenton-Jones, Chambers crunched into the back of Okeh to receive a verbal warning, it had not been that sort of match. Chessal fired wide when running forward and cutting in from the left-hand side then Wordley fouled Buda, the visitors also had the next best chance, Slater from fully forty yards launched an audacious lob, one bounce later and the ball struck the cross-bar and went over and behind the goal. Moore struck a fine shot at goal but visiting keeper, Kendle made the save look comfortable, he hadn’t had many though! Kendle was called into action almost immediately, this time from point black range from an effort by Skeet, Chambers was replaced with just a few minutes remaining, Diggens being his replacement. The final action saw a mis-placed pass out from keeper, Lacey, the ball fell to Buda who had what looked like an open goal but Fenton-Jones saved the day by blocking the ball as it travelled goalwards.
FULL TIME: 0 – 2.
For a first match of the season, I thought this was decent entertainment both teams tried hard the young inexperienced, players from Sudbury Sports were not out-played by the slightly more experienced Stanway Pegasus Reserves players but if you score goals and don’t concede then you do not lose.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Player”, plenty of players put in a big shift, as they say but with two goals and an all-round display of inventive and attacking football and being the scorer of two goals then the choice was easy, Kester Anumba.
Teams:
SUDBURY SPORTS FC:
Colours: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Kacey Clark., Ryan Skeet., Jed Jackson., Oliver Okeh., Hayden Baker., Oscar De’ath., Harry Wordley., Harry Moore., Tristan Yule., Devon Raven., Lleyton Chubb
Manager: Scott Egerton.
Assistant Manager: Steve Downey.
Coach: Alfie Davidson.
Used Substitutes: Koby Parsons., Harry Kabangu., Joshua Fenton-Jines., Finlay Chessal.
Unused Substitutes: Hunter Walker.
STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES
Colours: Yellow Shirts, Black Shorts and Yellow Socks.
Team:
Sam Kendle., Gianni Sabini., Harry Chambers., Lewis King., Keiron Hynes., Travis Richards., Jack Slater (C)., Kester Anumba., Luke Payne., Ollie Booth., Joseph Griffiths.
Manager: Craig Isom.
Coach: Ryan Amass.
Coach: Chris Buda.
Used Substitutes: Samuel Buda., Joshua Rutter., William Bray., Samuel Clark., Joshua Diggens.
Referee: Joseph Greenleaf
Assistant Referees: Tony Vaughan and Ben Martin.
Star Player: Kester ANUMBA (STANWAY PEGASUS FC RESERVES)
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