Round-up: Bostik Division North (Sat 19 Jan) [BLN 20.1.19]

Written by Scott W (Twitter: @ScottMHC14)

Hello & welcome to another round of the Bostik North round-up, here on the blog. This article looks at the action on Saturday 19th January. How did your side do?
Saturday 19th January 2019

AFC Sudbury  4 – 3  Tilbury     | King’s Marsh (3G) | Att: 230

The Suds had to really work to see off resurgent Tilbury at King’s Marsh. The Dockers took a shock lead after two minutes through talisman Lewis Smith. Joe Whight restored parity on 22 minutes for the home side though the visitors had the better of the first half as Smith completed his hat-trick with goals on 37 minutes and a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time. The home side roared back though with two goals in six minutes from Reece Harris on 69 minutes and Tom Dettmar five minutes afterward. Billy Holland completed a superb comeback with the winner with nine minutes left. Their 5th win in their last seven stay 6th, five points off Coggeshall in the last play-off spot. Tilbury’s five-match unbeaten stretch ended here as they dropped to tenth.

Barking  1 – 3  Canvey Island | Mayesbrook Park  | Att: 84

Canvey maintained their recent unbeaten run with a good win at Mayesbrook Park. Mark Bentley’s team were two ahead by the half-hour, thanks to Adam Vyse’s opener [22′] and Frankie Merrifield’s effort seven minutes later. Martin Tuohy got in on the goal action midway through the second-half to seal the points for the Islanders. Tobi Joseph’s late goal was scant consolation for a Barking side who drop to 13th. Canvey rise to 8th spot.

Basildon Utd  2 – 1  Brentwood Town  | Gardiners Close  | Att: 128

The relief was palpable as the Bees finally got a home win after a long wait. Two goals in the first 20 minutes from ex-ESL pair Jeffrey Cobblah [9′] and Mattheus Santos [18′] put Neil Blackburn’s side ahead, before Tony Stokes halved the deficit eight minutes after the break. The Bees held off the challenge of the visitors to end their recent 12-match run without a win. Basildon rise above Town to 11th.

Bowers & Pitsea  3 – 2  Coggeshall Town  | Len Salmon Stadium (3G) | Att:

Bowers edged a real top-five battle at the Len Salmon. Callum Leahy’s header put Rob Small’s side ahead on eight minutes. That slender lead persisted at the break. Six minutes into the second half, Nnamdi Nwachuku levelled the match for Cogg. Lewis Manor restored Bowers lead [65′] though Nwachuku pegged the hosts back with his second of the afternoon seven minutes later. Manor hit back though as he got the crucial goal & his brace on 77 minutes to give the hosts their 7th win in their last eight as they lead by six points at the top. Cogg drop to fifth after their third loss in five.

Bury Town  2 – 0  Felizstowe & Walton Utd | Ram Meadow  | Att: 425

A quick-fire double saw Bury Town to a solid success over Felixstowe. Ryley Scott gave the hosts the lead on 24 minutes, before Jake Chambers-Shaw doubled that lead a mere three minutes later. The visitors could find no answer though and succumbed to their 5th loss in their last eight games as they reside in 14th. Bury rise to 7th, six points off the play-offs.

Dereham Town  1  – 1  Aveley   | Aldiss Park | Att: 224

Aldiss Park saw Dereham hold high-flying Aveley. The Millers took the lead on 41 minutes through the prolific Andy Freeman four minutes before the break. Matthew Castellan levelled things on 72 minutes to end a three-match losing run to inch closer to the sides above them. Aveley’s recent run of one loss in seven sees them in 4th, though they do have two games in hand on the top three sides.

 

Grays Athletic  0 – 1  Witham Town  | Parkside (3G) | Att: 235

Witham narrowly won this one, thanks to a Kevin Coyle goal on 66 minutes to give Town their sixth win in their last seven matches to send Mark Ashford’s side seven points clear of the bottom two. Grays are in the middle of a blip at present with one win in their last six, they drop to 9th.

Great Wakering Rovers  2 – 1 Romford  | Burroughs Park  | Att: 126

I attended this match: here’s my report from a tense scrap at Burroughs Park: https://survivor16b.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/match-report-great-wakering-2-1-romford-sat-19-jan-bln-20-1-19/

Maldon & Tiptree  5 – 1  Mildenhall Town | Park Drive  | Att: 130

Maldon got a resounding win over lowly Mildenhall at Park Drive. Wayne Brown’s team were three goals ahead at half-time as Jerome Slew’s 21st-minute opener was added to by a brace by Kojo Awotwi [30′ & 42′]. Michael Brothers made it four on 73 minutes and although Jarid Robson’s goal for the visitors two minutes from time was a rare chink of hope in this game for the Hall, Slew struck again on the 90 to complete the win. The Jammers rise to 2nd spot after this win while the Hall remain third-bottom.

Soham Town Rangers  3 – 1  Heybridge Swifts  | Julius Martin Lane  | Att: 142

Soham got arguably the ‘result of the day’ with a fine victory over Heybridge. Sam Mulready struck on 14 minutes though Swifts powered level nine minutes later thanks to Kreshnic Krasniqi. Callum Russell’s brace was the difference though on 54 & 63 minutes to give Robbie Mason’s side a third win in their last four and pull four points clear of the bottom two. Swifts’ eight-match unbeaten run ended here and drop to 3rd on goal difference.

That’s all for this round-up, thanks for reading.

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Grassroots Football Show specials (GFS 9.5.18)

Hello all, i felt moved to share two special episodes of the Grassroots Football Show (which as most of you will know, I do a bit for.)

These shows are the “Mental Health in Non-League” special (which looks at the deep subject of MH, in the Non-League arena and the GFS “Extra” podcast – Essex Senior League “Squads of the Season where Pete D & myself take up the challenge of choosing an 18-man squad each.

For the “Mental Health in Non-League” special, click here or add the URL: https://m.mixcloud.com/EastLondonRadio/grassroots-football-show-mental-health-in-non-league-football-special/

 

For the GFS Extra – Essex Senior Lge “Squads of the Season” podcast, click here or add the URL: https://m.mixcloud.com/EastLondonRadio/gfs-extra-esl-squads-of-2017-18-season-with-pete-d-scott-w/

 

Hope both are a good listen. Best, Scott

MH & GFS: ‘A Call to Contribute’ (11.3.18)

Hello all,

Here’s a advertorial notice of sorts to mention that later in the season, the Grassroots Football Show (GFS) is looking to do a special on “Mental Health (MH) in Non-League Football” in May (most likely) 2018.

This brings together two topics that are very important to me, as well as many other people – of that I have no doubt whatsoever.

There have been many brave footballers who have spoken up about their own battles in recent times, the likes of Billy Kee, Liam Hughes and Neil Lennon are among them. I believe that more discussion on the wide-ranging subject that MH is will help others in many ways.

So, if anyone within the local Non-League community (be it a supporter, player, manager, club official etc) would possibly like to talk about the topic as a whole (irrespective of whether they have their own battles with MH) in a positive and constructive manned and contribute to this special or want to come forward to talk about their own experiences with MH (entirely your choice by the way) as well then please send me a DM on Twitter: @ScottMHC14 or do the same to the Grassroots Football Show Twitter feed: @ELRFootball

Thank you.

Best wishes, Scott

 

 

 

TOL: CB, MH & desolate thoughts….

Hello and welcome to a rare blog re: Mental Health (MH). I, like a heck of a lot of other souls yesterday (and today) are mourning the loss of Linkin Park singer-songwriter Chester Bennington. The following I write while remembering him, but it is mainly for all the people affected by suicide, the many brave warriors embattled with MH challenges and those who assist, support or care for those said battlers. The following may also shock you so therefore I must add a distinctive trigger warning as well as there are some dark things mentioned.

I don’t often write blogs on MH, my brain jumbles the words up that I half feel like saying in blogs a lot of the time and I consequently get fed up. ‘Oh, keep it simple’, some disinterested wotsits might say in response. It just isn’t that simple, period. Much like the unsympathetic fools that say in response to suicide – ‘Oh, that person is a coward’ for doing what they’ve done. Now, this is my view and I own it, though that viewpoint just mentioned is categorically wrong. There are a lot more things that are cowardly. Giving sheepish PR-like (or false) answers to proper, straight questions for example, and in general that is too prevalent today. And no, for once I’m not going to rant about politicians either etc.

Change may be coming, in a good way. Though as I suspect many reading this will note, it takes a sodding ‘age’ to come. New-fangled ideas get stifled, bottled or just flatly ignored. Or even if they are taken on-board, the likelihood is that they’ll ‘sit on them’ for six months while the bureaucrats figure out what to do. Yep, I dislike PR-style answers, sometimes with a passion. Why? Because it simply doesn’t actually say anything of much note or interest. You might as well stick your hand up to indicate you’re not listening as it amounts to the same. That sort of crap among others will have to change if we are going to see a sea change in how the many Experts by Experience (EBEs) and the like are really going to feel like they can contribute, rather than being told ‘you must do this or that’ or be under threat of something or other. It’s wrong and that must stop.

Looking through a glass darkly, I know my time will come as well. Without being disrespectful to anyone, I’m not sure anyone knows ‘when’. I suppose if you believe in ‘pre-destined’ ideology then that may be different, and that’s fair enough. I have no idea about the pain or anguish that Chester himself may have felt yesterday, what I do know is that there is a long, long road to go before MH is thought of the same as cancer or tonsillitis for example.

Yours bluntly,

Scott

Follow me on Twitter at @ScottMHC14