Southend Mens 1s 2 - 4 Old Southendians 1s
Southend Mens 1st team started their season with a game against local rivals Old Southendians this weekend. Captain Neil Utton included promising youngsters Stuart Jones and Luke Danbrook in the lineup for their debuts in a new squad for the 2004/5 season. Southend pout in a creditable performance against local rivals Old Southendians eventually going down by 4 goals to 2. Old Boys scored first when a defnesive mistake lead to the ball not being cleared and another error from keeper Mark Harvey led to a 2 - 0 scoreline. Southend fought back well with a goal from ace sniffer Phil Leggatt and went into the break 2 - 1 down. Southend then made changes for the 2nd half and looked the better team for much of it scoring through Chris Crowhurst. In the end though superior fitness told and the old boys scored two late goals to win the game
Scorers - Leggatt, Crowhurst
Team - Harvey M, Harvey P, Arnold, Styles Snr, Hayman, Utton, Robeson, Reynolds, Crowhurst, Crompton, Danbrook, Jones & Leggatt
Southend Mens 2s 4 - 2 Old Southendians 2s
Southend's 2nd team fared much better against opposition 2 leagues above them and showed the 1st team how to do it with a fine victory against the Old Boys 2nd team.
Southend went one down after a few minutes to a sloppy goal but soon replied with a well worked short corner from returning striker Christian Jenkins. Veteran Barry Puncher, trying to prove that the 1st team were wrong to drop him, and Jamie Mcphee both scored from short corners when they swept the keepers pads after the goal keeper had made the initial save. Southend went in at half time 3-1 up and and were put under alot of pressure in the second half from the Old Boys which was to be expected as they are two divisions higher. Old Boys then pulled 1 goal back to make it 3 - 2 but soon let Southend put the game out of reach after James Morgan (is he really taking flicks!) converted the penalty flick in some style.
Scorers - Jenkins, McPhee, Puncher, Morgan
Southend Mens 3s 4 - 1 Old Southendians 5s
Southends 3's continued their positive div 8 preseason build up with a convincing win over div 9 hopefuls old Southendian 5's. It took 20 minutes for Southends new and old heads to settle down and start looking like a side on Saturday but when they did they looked dominant.
Mick Walsh cooly scored his first and second of the season, complimented by a cracking strike from up and coming 14 year old Jak Taylor and a scorcher from an incredible angle from ever improving Daniel Varrow. Old Boys earned a well taken consolation in the last 5 minutes but Southend ran out worthy 4-1 winners and now look forward to a challenging season in div 8 starting next week at Brentwood.
Southend and Benfleet Ladies 1s 2 - 3 Basildon 2s
So the second and last of the friendlies before starting our league fixtures. We had a strong team with us, 15 in total, enough for all to get a run out and have a good time without too much pressure.
We started very strong with a goal from Naomi Barker in the opening minutes, rebound off the keeper and back in for a direct hit. Then Basildon came back strong and scored from a break in their mid-field 20 minutes in. Another powerful attack came from Basildon, a direct ball straight onto the back board (no hope at defending it, it must have been travelling at about 100mph). Naomi also managed another goal, but it was unfortunately disallowed. We finished the half a few minutes later trailing 2 - 1.
The second half got off with another striking hit on goal from Basildon about 15 minutes in leaving us a fight to catch up, 3 - 1. With the wind on our side this half we fought back hard to give Naomi Barker another goal from a reverse stick strike, 3 - 2. Claire Powell had also had a few shots on goal, but was unable to put one away due to quick saves from the keeper.
With time running out we had some excellent passes from our mid-fielders; Nicola Bryant, Laura Shirley, Lora Sharples and Kendal Colman, passing across the middle and down our lines, Naomi Managed to hit a flyer in the dying minutes of the game that came across from the right and unfortunately hit the post. The whistle went a few minutes later and we had been defeated. Final score 3 - 2.
Another excellent performance by the Ladies 1st XI, a true example of 100% effort and determination. Good luck for the league.
Team: N Standage, S Watkinson, S Revell, R Goddard, A Johnson, G Swain, K Colman, L Sharples, N Bryant, C Rose, H Middleton, N Barker, C Powell, S Carr, L Shirley.
Goal Scorers: N Barker, 2 |
