East Anglian Counties U16 League Match
Played at Stanway Rovers FC
On Thursday 20th December
The Suffolk team took the field for their third fixture of the season, showing a number of changes from the previous match – a defeat at the hands of Cambridgeshire. Essex had won their only match so far, against Beds. This match exploded into life straight from the kick-off and home keeper, Byrne, made 2 splendid saves to keep out eager Suffolk forwards in the first 2 minutes. Suffolk continued to dominate possession in midfield for the first 10 minutes, but without being able to get behind the home defence again – their only direct shot being from Clark, which drew another fine save from Byrne. Suffolk maintained a slick passing game, but failed to penetrate a by now well organised Essex defence. So, it was against the run of play that Essex took the lead after 15 minutes. A low diagonal shot looked like going wide, until Valentine diverted it past a static defence.
Confidence grew in the Essex players as a result and they rested control of midfield from the Suffolk players, who seemed to have lost all sense of purpose. Bragg did well in the 23rd minute to carry the ball past the visiting defence, down the left and his low drive across the goal was well saved by Welton at full stretch. The Suffolk players tried hard to get their passing game back on track, but without success and were thankful to reach half-time only 1 goal behind.
Substitutions for Suffolk in the second-half heralded a new sense of purpose, although they needed a slice of luck, when Welton kicked clear from the edge of the box – straight to full-back, McGregor, whose lobbed shot from 35 yards found the outside of the unguarded net. Mid-way through the second half, the equaliser came for Suffolk, when a wonderful through ball from Minns split the Essex defence and put O’Neill in the clear – he made no mistake, and beat the keeper from 12 yards.
The game was now finely balanced, with chances being created at both ends. A free-kick from Kelly was headed to safety over his own cross bar by Fogg, and from the corner, a shot was blocked on the line. Then Batchford missed an open goal from 5 yards. At the other end, Clark created a chance for Minns, who had no time to control the ball, blazed over the bar. Back at the Suffolk goal, Umokoro tried his luck from 25 yards, but shot wide. Welton then dived at the feet of an opponent on the edge of the box as Suffolk had now adopted a much higher line in the second half, with keeper, Welton, being used as a sweeper.
Nugent then did well in a crowded penalty area to create an opening for himself – on the end of a free-kick – but was quickly closed down by Byrne and his defence. Essex finished the match on top as Umokoro saw a snap-shot from 15 yards turned aside for another corner by Welton, and in the final minute, another fine save from Welton – from a close range effort - kept the scores level.
In the end both teams were satisfied with a point from a game they could both have won.