Essex Senior League – Premier Division
Venue: The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 59
2021-22 Season: Match 42
Tuesday 16th November 2021 – 7.45pm KO
St Mags: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts, Black & Red Socks
Takeley: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts, Blue Socks
St Margaretsbury club logo 
Takeley emblem
Takeley claim scrappy win over St Mags
St Margaretsbury 0 – 1 Takeley
Match Report & Photos by Scott W [Twitter: @ScottMHC14]
The midweek match this week was a trip to the Recreation Ground to see another interesting match in the Essex Senior which saw St Margaretsbury face visitors Takeley. The hosts are in the midst of another rebuilding phase under recently-appointed boss Paul Holding and fielded Matthew Botlan in goal, with a central defence of Andy Greenslade, captain Aiden Read and Jake Hayden-Eley and Conor Tyrrell led the forward line with support from Rodney Clements & Stefanos Georgiou. Takeley were looking to get back into the top ten with a victory and had Sam Soutar between the posts, with a forward line of Kieran Southgate, Jordan Westcott and George Frodsham with support from Theo Campbell.
As the match got underway, the feeling came to mind that the hosts were in growing need of the points to avoid getting drawn into the bottom four. Unfortunately for St Mags, Takeley did open the scoring after five minutes. A decent move ended with a well-directed header from Theo Campbell found the right corner from about six yards, evading the grasp of home custodian Matthew Boylan. The home dugout was audibly keen on saying it was off-side but the goal stood. In all respect to St Mags, they reacted well after conceding that early goal, having a good amount of possession and midway through the half, a good one-two started with St Mags winger Marcus Poncho sprinting down the left-wing and found forward Conor Tyrrell who in turn laid the ball back to Poncho whose strike was angled narrowly over the right corner of the goal.
Takeley did look more assured in their passing at this point and slightly more solid in defence, with the hosts not able to retain the ball in the opposition half as well as they wanted. Even so, Marc Das’ side were a little fortunate to stay ahead as further strikes for St Mags by Poncho and Rodney Clements came back off the woodwork. Tyrrell also had a goal chalked off for an off-side. Takeley had a good spell shortly before the interval though, with Campbell having another effort which struck the goal frame. All in all though, the visitors needed to have more impetus to make the the points secure here after the break.
Half-Time: St Margaretsbury 0 – 1 Takeley
In the second half, the pace of the game did not liven up hugely it has to be said though St Margaretsbury did keep a good amount of possession and before we reached the hour mark, midfielder Sami Moutawafiq and the lively winger Stefanos Georgiou had half-chances to level up proceedings here, although visiting stopper Sam Soutar was looking comfortable. Takeley were holding firm defensively though but their ball rentention wasn’t at their characteristic best.
St Mags kept going as the minutes ebbed away and they did give Takeley a few nervy moments. With three minutes left until added time, a super run down the middle by Georgiou started with a fine turn before evading two defenders and then narrowly firing over Soutar’s woodwork. It would’ve been a fine goal and given the balance of play, St Mags would’ve earned a draw. However, the last few moments were getting increasingly tetchy and the hosts had skipper Aiden Read dismissed in added time for a poor tackle near the half-way line.
Full-Time: St Margaretsbury 0 – 1 Takeley
To sum up this really gritty encounter, Takeley will be happy enough with the three points and they did enough to deny the hosts’ forward moves. St Mags had several chances to at least get a leveller. There is an argument the visitors didn’t retain possession as often as usual but St Mags were simply unable to make the most of the chances they created, in a match which got increasingly bad-tempered in the latter stages. St Mags will need to be more clinical with their finishing going forward though the positive they have to take from this match is they kept the ball quite well at times.
The stand-out performances from this game start with Takeley. Theo Campbell had a really good game. Besides his goal, he made several good runs from deep in support of his team’s forwards. Jordan Westcott also made good runs down the channels and linked-up well with strike partner Kieran Southgate. Skipper George Powell also did a good job as ever of marshalling his tram and his defence. For St Mags, Stefanos Georgiou had a good game as well, making several good runs and was unlucky not to score, as was forward Rodney Clements who played his part aa well, displaying good movement. Winger Marcus Poncho was also a good outlet for Paul Holding’s side down the flanks as his side did threaten to break past the visiting defence on a few occasions.
I’d just like to wish both sides a good remainder of the campaign.
Teams
St Margaretsbury | Manager: Paul Holding | Assistant: Dan Evans
Starting XI (Subs): 1 Matthew Boylan (GK), 3 Andrew Greenslade, 6 Aiden Read (Capt), 5 Jake Hayden-Eley (15 Joe Evans 68′), 2 Evan Hove (12 Casey Nolan-Samuels 75′), 11 Marcus Pancho, 4 Charlie Hill, 8 Sami Moutawafiq, 10 Rodney Clements, 9 Conor Tyrrell (17 Jack Mongey 68′), 7 Stefanos Georgiou
Booked: Hayden-Eley, Hill | Sent Off: Read [90’+5] | Subs Not Used: Mutsviaro, Rodriguez
Takeley | Manager: Marc Das | Assistant: Kevin Riley
Starting XI (Subs): 1 Sam Soutar (GK), 2 Mike La Ronde, 3 Alfie Anderson, 4 George Powell (Capt), 6 Freddie Burrell (12 Lewis Powell 66′), 5 Charlie Dobinson, 7 Charlie Allum, 8 Theo Campbell (14 Carmac Clarke 74′), 9 Kieran Southgate, 10 Jordan Westcott, 11 George Frodsham (17 Charlie Gilbert 82′)
Goal-scorer: Theo Campbell [5′]
Booked: Anderson, Burrell, Southgate | Subs Not Used: Wilson, Jelliman
Referee: Leigh Ballinger
Assistants: Darrell Evans & Andy Wheaton
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