ESL Reserve Division Two

Written by Scott W [Twitter: @ScottMHC14] – Non-League & ESL Writer

Hello & welcome to the latest of my occasional series, looking at the three Essex Senior League matches that took place on the weekend of Saturday 12 November. We saw nine goals in the top-tier, while we also have sections on the FA Vase Round Two, the one Reserve D2 match & the Len Cordell Trophy action, with the latter featuring the Reserve sides.

Essex Senior Lge – Saturday 12 November

The weekend’s action behigs with Ilford returning to winning ways with a 4 – 2 victory at White Ensign. Ilford were indebted to Joshua Boxall who grabbed a fine treble to give the Foxes a big advantage. Joe Lilly got the other goal for Richard Ponsford’s team. Ensign replied through goals from skipper Mitchell Stuart-Evans and new recruit Kian Bradshaw. The win takes Ilford above their opppnents here & into 13th spot. West Essex had to battle for a 1 – 0 success over Clapton at Wadham Lodge. Oliseh Okuguni was again the hero for Kwame Kwateng’s side with the winning goal midway through the second half, after good initial work by substitute David Bell. The Stags have gone four points clear in fifth.

Lastly, Halstead Town got a hugely important triumph as they won 2 – 0 at Southchurch Park. Tom White and Joel Older got the goals for Mark McLean’s side. This win takes them above Sawbridgeworth into fourth-bottom on goal difference. The majority of sides didn’t play this weekend because of the FA Vase action this weekend, but at present Enfield sit top, two points clear of FC Clacton in second, with Redbridge in third and Little Oakley in fourth spot.

Meanwhile, in the FA Vase Round Two, Athletic Newham booked their spot in Round Three with a 4 – 0 success at home to Kennington. Daniel Izekor added to his growing reputation with a fine treble here for Chris Davis’ team. Richard Kone added the other goal early in the second half as Newham took their place in the Last 64. Romford put a difficult week behind them and also progressed with a 2 – 0 triumph over divisional rivals Little Oakley, with Camilo Restrepo scoring a brace for Steve Butterworth’s side. In other results, Dunstable Town edged Enfield 1 – 0 at Creasey Park on Friday night. Lakenheath responded superbly after an early setback to defeat Buckhurst Hilll 3 – 2. Sam Hawley, a penalty from Luke Young and Thomas Thulborn’s late goal sealed te Eastern Counties Premier side’s progression. Suleyman Zuhdu had given Buckhurst the lead after 13 minutes and Nathan Sollosi added a late consolation.

Elsewhere, Norwich Utd scored two late goals to defeat Stansted 2 – 0 at Plantation Park. Haydn Davis & Thomas Hunter got those goals to break the Airportmen’s hearts. Leighton Town won 2 – 0 at Saffron Walden Town as the Bloods played their first match after the departure of long-serving boss Jason Maher this week. Finally in the Vase, Woodford Town exited on the lottery of penalties after a 2 – 2 draw with Fakenham Town at Ashton’s. Alejandro Machado got both goals for Shane Baptiste’s team but a double from Jack Robinson for the Ghosts forced a shoot-out, with Fakenham won 4 – 3.

In the the Len Cordell Trophy, Barking U23 grabbed a fine 4 – 0 triumph at Frenford Res, with Argest Nela scoring twice, with Abdul Charfi & George Fairhead also scoring. Billericay Town Ressies also won away from home, coming away with a 4 – 2 win at May & Baker Res. Joshua Brown led the way with a double, added to by strikes from Rhian Fowler and substitute Jes Oshitola. Other results in the Cordell Cup were Barkingside Res’ 2 – 2 draw with Grays Athletic Res on Friday night and Romford’s second side drawing 3 – 3 with Redridge Res at Westlands on Saturday.

We close this article with the one Reserve Division Two match that took place on Friday night, which saw Takeley Res win 2 – 1 at Southend Manor U23. Bryn Thorpe notching both goals there for Takeley’s second side, which took them level on points with leaders Barking U23.

Essex Senior League – Len Cordell Plate Final

Venue: Burroughs Park

Attendance: 122

2021-22 Season: Match 79

Monday 2nd May 2022 – 11am KO

Hashtag: Blue & Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts, Yellow Socks

Ensign: White Shirts, Navy Blue Shorts, Blue Socks

The glassware… The Cordell Plate (Image by Scott W)

Hashtag Reserves battle hard to overcome resilient Ensign Res in LCP Final

Hashtag Utd Res 2 – 1 White Ensign Res (AET)

Short Match Report by Scott W [Twitter: @ScottMHC14]

with Photos by Scott W & Katie Dorling (on behalf of ESL)

The first match of ‘ESL Finals Day’ saw an early kick-off for the Len Cordell Plate Final between Hashtag Utd Res and White Ensign Res. Both sides have good campaigns in their respective Reserve Divisions (One and Two) for different reasons, and the Tags side was looking to end the campaign on a high after losing out of the League title to Billericay Town U23 recently.

This match got underway with both sides looking to gain an early advantage but also content to keep things tight and give their opponents an edge. Central defender Joe Burgess had a header gathered by Tags stopper Jack Gannon and layer-boss Kiernan Hughes-Mason’s free-kick also came off the woodwork but there were relatively few chances. That was until the deadlock was broken on 25 minutes as forward Emmanuel Abudiore stole in ahead of his marker from yard out to head home past Gannon and give the Ensign team the lead.

Hashtag did respond well to that setback and importantly, they levelled before the break. Hughes-Mason was again involved as his set-piece was powerfully headed in by Brandon Chapman, who did have a strong all-round performance here. Ensign custodian Archie Matthews could do nothing to prevent that fine header. The tension was exacerbated just before the interval as Jonny Vandyck was given a straight red card for kicking out at an Ensign defender, after the Tags player had won a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area. Even so, we went into the break all-square and that feeling continued into the second half though Hashtag were having more ball time, with winger Ed Cooper having a few good darting runs down the flank, assisting creative forward Tommy Sykes, who was also posing problems.

The match itself was getting gritty with chances not overly apparent, although substitute Kieran Wilson-Fowler was giving Ensign an important outlet down the flanks to keep the Tags defence alert. They were well marshalled by Tags stalwart Marcus Stamp. Ensign nearly won it in added-time as Abudiore was in on goal with only Gannon to beat but the Tags stopper did well to gather the forward’s strike.

Full-Time (90 mins): Hashtag 1 – 1 Ensign

So Extra Time was required and seven minutes in, Hashtag replacement Brad Bunker did well to guide a header from another good Hughes-Mason centre on target, but Matthews did well to judge the trajectory of the ball and gather. As it turned out, that was a let off for the robust but tiring Ensign backline and four minutes into the second part of Extra Time, another Hughes-Mason free-kick was angled into the back post and Bunker was there to pounce with a firm header past Matthews.

The last chance of note for the Division Two side came seven minutes from time as a set-piece by Ensign skipper Zach Somerset-Butler was on target but lacking the power to bypass Gannon. The Final whistle blew and Hashtag could at last celebrate a victory in a match that will many watching may mention as gritty. Ensign have every reason to be proud of their efforts though some would debate that they needed to create more to test a good Hashtag backline here.

Full-Time (AET): Hashtag Res 2 – 1 Ensign Res

Congratulations to Hashtag Utd Res on their Plate victory and best wishes to White Ensign Res who made the Tags work hard for the win, despite them being a division below their opposition in the Reserve divisions.

You have to give the Tags’side credit though for pushing on well in extra time and they were the more attacking side in the latter stages of the contest, despite playing more than 75 minutes with ten men. Good performances in this match for Hashtag were led by captain Tommy Sykes who really looked to instigate forward moves by way of good passing & had several decent efforts on goal. Winger Ed Cooper and player-boss Kiernan Hughes-Mason also played their part in a good team performance, as did Brandon Chapman, who got awarded man of the match.

The young Ensign side also put in a good display and kept things tight for long periods with a hard-working display. Forward Emmanuel Abudiore took his goal well and put a good shift in, while defender Owen Dixie also did well to make it difficult at times for the opposition forwards and made some good passes. Finally, Josh Reilly also made a difference when he came on or the last hour or so of the game and gave his team some more impetus with some timely tackles.

Teams

Hashtag Utd Res | Player-Manager: Kiernan Hughes-Mason | Assistant: Paul Prosser

Starting XI (Subs): 1 Jack Gannon (GK), 2 Nathan Wilson, 3 Matas Skarna (14 Ali Alanezi 84′), 5 Marcus Stamp (16 Joel Bevan 105′), 6 Brandon Chapman, 7 Ed Cooper (9 Brad Bunker 69′), 8 Jonny Vandyck, 4 Iyiola Adebayo, 12 Tommy Sykes (Capt), 10 Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 11 Rujorn Tuitt (15 Tommy Kilcast 116′)

Goal-scorers: Brandon Chapman [39′], Brad Bunker [109′]

Booked: Skarna, Stamp, Sykes | Sent Off: Vandyck [43′] | Subs Not Used: None

White Ensign Res | Manager: Liam Phillips | Assistant: Joe Phillips

Starting XI (Subs): 1 Archie Matthews (GK), 18 Owen Dixie, 16 Joe Burgess, 5 Joshua Hayward, 10 Joss Pountney (3 Josh Reilly 59′), 2 Yaw Danso, 7 Zach Somerset-Butler (Capt), 8 Daniel Wringe (15 Emmanuel Grey-Coker 98′), 13 Emmanuel Abudiore, 17 Lewis Brown (11 Kieran Wilson-Fowler 72′), 9 Shemarie Perkins-Palmer

Goal-scorer: Emmanuel Abudiore [25′]

Booked: Hayward, Dixie, Reilly, Grey-Coker | Subs Not Used: Curtis

Referee: Dwayne Uylett

Assistants: Andy Wheaton & Darrell Adams
Fourth Official: Joe Lannon

Tag: ESL Reserve Division Two

S22-23 Round-ups: Essex Senior Lge (Sat 12 Nov) [ESL 13.11.22]

S21-22 Match Report: Hashtag Utd Res 2 – 1 White Ensign Res [AET] (Mon 2 May) [LCP 3.2.22)