Southend 1st XI 3 - 0 Crostyx 2nd XI
"Hayman steps up as top defender"
Yet again more changes in personnel as this week Puppy and Philthy are unavailable and another new formation. In come the youngsters again with Danbrook and Jones making appearances. Crowhurst plays left half (!) and Steve Hayman steps up to centre back in a three man back line confirming his status as a top notch defender.
For the second week running we dominated possession and gave the opposition no chance at all. After all if you don't have the ball there is nothing you can do.
We won 3 - 0 and all the goals were of the highest quality. The first came from a great team move when Keith Arnold showed great reactions to finish after Strawbs crossed the ball (really hard!). The second came from a sweeping team move which left Strawbs at the top of the D to hit the ball really hard into the net and the last came from a long corner where we finally passed the ball round the back to leave Rob Styles at the top of the D to flick the ball into the top corner.
Team - Scott, Hayman, Mellish, Reynolds, Danbrook, Jones, Styles Jnr, Styles Snr, Robeson, Crowhurst, Utton, Leggett, Arnold.
Goals - Arnold, Utton, Styles Snr
Southend 2nd XI 4 - 3 Chelmsford 4th XI
Goals - Jenkins 2, Cheesman, Crompton
Southend 3rd XI 1 - 3 Ipswich & East Suffolk 3rd XI
Southends 3rd XI couldn't keep up the pressure on Division 8SE's top flight going down 3-1 to Ipswich & East Suffolk 3's. Southend played well throughout and probably had 70% of possession but couldn't transfer
this into goals, or a consistent goal threat.
From the off Southend looked the livelier side, knocked the ball around well, were firm in their tackles and were getting the ball up to the forwards down the centre channel quickly. Here however the experienced
IES defence parked the bus on their 25 yard line and were first to every ball. Mickey Walsh playing with his back to goal found himself pushed further and further back so when a break through came there was still
enough work left to do to get a shot off that the defence were able to regroup and push the forwards away again. This went on for a full 30 minutes until, in probably their first break of the game, a slip in outhends back 4 saw IES slip through a gap and give the keeper no chance.
Southend equalized bizarrely only seconds from the restart, Daniel Varrow making a mazy run into the 'D' and half crossing, half shooting the ball which flipped up off a defenders stick, onto a second players knee still travelling goalwards, the keeper flailed a leg but only
managed to divert the ball into the top of his own net 1-1.
At this point it felt as if the floodgates would open for Southend but it wasn't to be. Despite a lot of effort by forwards Taylor and Walsh the goals wouldn't come and it was harsh that Southend got punished twice more before the end.
In all it was a decent performance from the blues, but one that teaches a hard lesson .. If you don't score, you wont win!
In a sad note this was the final game for Bernard Leach whose been a mainstay of the 3's defence for the last four years. Bernard departs this week for his adopted home of Los Angeles and the team, and the club
wish him well. Stay in touch Bernard, its been a pleasure :o)
Southend 4s 5 - 2 Thurrock 3s
A thrilling return-to-form for the 4s
After a well-spirited clash in the first half of the season that led to a three goal draw, the return match with Thurrock was eagerly anticipated by both sides. The game started brightly – a theme which was to run throughout the match – but it was Southend who quickly established a pattern of play and, a few minutes into the game, were rewarded with a short corner which was superbly converted by captain Cliff Lockwood. Shortly afterwards another penalty corner was buried into the top of the net with a superb Mike Tetley strike (rumours are that Mike forfeited a big jug of beer to the team for this effort). Later in the first half a three goal margin was opened up by an excellent finish from midfielder James Byford. Thurrock were not daunted, however, and continued their persistent running at Southend’s defence, and capitalised with a goal shortly before the break.
In the second half there was no room for complacency and Southend quickly reestablished control over the game, attempting to avoid a repeat of the last match in which Thurrock reduced Southend’s three goal lead to the aforementioned draw. A lengthy period of back-and-forth play was finally broken by a cross that was finished by Tyron Barrett and a fifth and final goal being put away by Mitchell Jones. Thurrock were awarded a late consolation goal demonstrating that they could still capitalise upon weaknesses and Southend did well to avoid this throughout.
Another good-natured game with an excellent result and return-to-form for the 4th XI, a game which saw some first-class performances all-round. Noteworthy players included Lee Ranson who handled his first forward position with competence, and unlikely goalkeeper Barry Puncher who stepped in to full the position at the last minute despite having to play another game straight afterwards!
Southend and Benfleet Ladies 1st XI 3 - 2 Havering 2nd XI
As all the players and spectators will agree I’m sure, it truly was the best game of the season and to beat a team like Havering…..Well there aren’t any excuses for the rest of the season.
We had a full team of 13 players, desperate to put out our strongest against a team that is surely the fittest in the league and against a team that beat us 3-0 earlier on. We were determined to put up a good fight.
We started a little intimidated, lost our shape and gave away a penalty flick in the first 10 minutes. A harsh realisation that we might actually get stuffed again!!!
BUT……20 minutes into the half we scored three goals in five minutes - unbelievable!!!!
The first was by Naomi Barker who got a clean break from mid-field and went it alone against the keeper. The keeper came out and deflected the first shot by Naomi was too quick and buried it in from the top of the circle.
The second came minutes later by Claire Powell who with a fantastic reverse stick sweep pulled it around the keeper to score on the open side.
And finally the third goal came from Kendal Colman who ran all the way down the pitch passing through the mid-field and the forwards to get a direct shot and take a blinder of a goal (her celebration was more of a fairy dance but we let her off for that!!!). An excellent 5 minutes of superb hockey and a complete stuffing in one fail swoop!!!!
Havering were clearly unhappy with that and were not going to give up easily. We held off for the remainder of the half leading 3-1.
We knew that the second half was not going to be easy and that Havering from previous performances certainly had the fitness to come back and kill us. However, they could not catch our lead (even if they did have an umpire blowing every advantage possible for them…..and some that weren’t!!) they only managed to get another goal from a short corner 10 minutes before the end-shame!!!
So with the game over and the umpire still squabbling over paperwork discrepancies we did a lap of honour and rub their noses in it!!!!
A truly fantastic performance by all the ladies and I still have an element of disbelief as I write this but it’s fair to say that everyone played their absolute best, we had nothing left to give and we got a well earned result. WELL DONE !!!!!
Team: L,Ballard. S,Watkinson. S,Revell. R,Goddard. G,Swain. A,Johnson. K,Colman. L,Sharples. N,Bryant. C,Rose. H,Middleton. C,Powell. N,Barker.
Goal Scorers: C,Powell. 1 N,Barker. 1 K,Colman. 1
Southend and Benfleet Ladies 2nd XI 2 - 0 Witham Ladies 2nd XI
Goals - Byford, Gibbs |
