Essex 4-2 Bedfordshire (21/11/09): Essex went into this game full of confidence following a good 4-2 win two weeks previously. The boys started to find their rhythm by the end of that game and it seemed they started this one as they finished the last.
The Essex team experimented with a new formation, ditching the traditional 4-4-2 and opting to go a little bit European with a 4-2-3-1 formation. The boys started fantastically well, with the midfield interchanging and creating a lot of chances. Forday Sidibeh played the lone role up-front and showed some excellent play, holding the ball and feeding runners left and right. This formation allowed a lot of movement and Bedfordshire found it difficult to know who to mark.
Connor Hubble and Sam Omujule had time in the middle to pick their passes at will, one of them releasing Jacob Dingli down the left, and the defender managed to get a touch in and force a corner. From that flag-kick, Essex attacked the ball well and, in a goalmouth scramble, Beds cleared off the line three times before it fell to Harry Mathews, who lashed home the opener after 12 minutes.
Essex then settled into this game and other chances arrived for Abdallah M Jeylaani and Forday Sidibeh, although they didn’t find the back of the net. The hosts then had a bit of defending to do and, all of a sudden, Beds were back in the game with a quick free-kick scored via a cheeky near-post strike. This didn’t stun Essex but spurred them into an extra gear and, with Elliot Browne playing exceptionally well on the left, they released Jacob Dingli who took on the centre back and coolly slipped the ball through the keeper’s legs for a 2-1 lead. They then kept the pressure up and Sidibeh played well, being released to chase a ball and smash it into the back of the net for a 3-1 advantage at half-time.
Essex made changes during the interval and the introduction of Israel Akinfenwa and Jermaine Bell brought even more pace into the side. With a two-goal lead, they decided to keep the ball and dominated possession, knocking it around and finding their two wingers regularly. Bell cut the ball back a number of times for the usually deadly Million Chala and Connor Hubble, yet unfortunately they couldn’t find the target.
However, Beds pushed forward and made a rare foray into the Essex half, the ball dropping at the edge of the area to an attacker who looped it over keeper ‘keeper Zeki Alaoui. Essex didn’t panic, though, and kept playing the right football and creating chances. Akinfenwa worked hard up-front and ran at the defence only for the ‘keeper to foul him and concede a penalty. Hubble stepped up and rifled into the top corner to ensure the points were safe. The next game will see the team on their travels for the first time away in Norwich against Norfolk on Saturday 19th December.
Essex 4-2 Hertfordshire (7/11/09): Defending their championship from last year, Essex took to the field in positive spirits, with many new faces in the squad and some of the players from last season making an appearance on the sidelines to offer their support.
As a result, it took a little while for the lads to get settled. Herts started extremely well and applied good pressure early on to make it hard for Essex to get any rhythm going. This paid off for the battling Herts side as a mistake at the back allowed their attacker to ghost in and chip goalkeeper Denzel Gerrar from 20 yards.
This seemed to spark Essex into life and, with Jermaine Bell and Kevin Mbeleck playing well on the wings and maintaining the team’s width, the home players started to exploit this. Chances came and Bell set-up an opportunity for Israel Akinfenwa only to see his snap-shot fly just wide of the post. But this didn’t deter the lads and they kept pushing right up to half-time when Mbeleck released Jacob Dingli down the left to beat two players before slotting under the ‘keeper to level the scores before half-time.
It was clear Essex had started to settle in the second half and they looked a lot more confident in possession, with chances arriving but each time the final shot seemed to be hit straight at the ‘keeper or fall just the wrong side of the post. A change in the strike force was then implemented in a hope a change of luck would benefit Essex and the introduction of Forday Sidibeh and Abdallah M Jeylaani freshened the attack. With his first touch of the ball, Sidibeh turned his defender and lashed home a 20-yard effort.
Sidibeh was causing all sorts of problems and later went through on goal to win a penalty. Captain Ousmane Kone stepped-up but hit the ball straight at the goalkeeper who saved and the Essex management were thinking maybe this was a sign that Herts would force their way back into the game. For the last 20 minutes they made a change to shore-up the midfield, with Sam Omujule coming on. This seemed to change the flow of the match once again to Essex’s favour and his defensive qualities allowed others in the team push forward and play more expansive football.
Kone broke into the box and scored a goal to make up for his earlier penalty miss and Million Chala continued his amazing feat of scoring in every County game he has been involved in by picking the ball up in his own half and dribbling the length of the pitch before coolly passing into the net. Yet Herts didn’t stop battling and kept Essex honest with some good runs into the defending half and scored after a free-kick seemed to miss everyone on its way into the area before nestling into the bottom corner.
Managers: Dan Rose, Garry Sapsford, Matt Double and Jimmy Ainscough.
Squad: Zeki Alaoui (Eastbury), Harry Mathews (Brittons), Elliot Browne (Caterham), Ousmane Kone (Brampton Manor), Richard Hall (Billericay School), Hafizullah Kadamzadeh (Rushcroft), Million Chala (Eastbury), Connor Hubble (Boswells), Israel Akinfenwa (Eastbrook), Alex McQueen (Gaynes), Kevin Mbeleck (Kingsford), Emmanuel N’Daw (Caterham), Denzel Gerrar (Trinity), Shain Forde (Kingsford), Abdallah M Jeylaani (Caterham), Foday Sidibeh (Forest Gate), Jacob Dingli (Marshalls Park), Jermaine Bell (Caterham).