Wednesday 28th October 2009, Len Salmon Stadium, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Essex Senior Cup supported by BBC Essex Third Round.
A freak goal 14 minutes from the end handed Essex Senior League club Bowers & Pitsea a deserved 1-0 triumph over Southend United in the Third Round of the Essex Senior Cup supported by BBC Essex.
Two years ago, the Football League club demolished Bowers 8-1 at the same stage of the competition on the way to ultimate victory in a Roots Hall final. But this time it was the minnows who prevailed. Southend sent a team that included 43-year-old manager Steve Tilson, a veteran of over 250 senior appearances for the Shrimpers and a player with Bowers United during the 1980s, but otherwise the only First Team experience came in the shape of goalkeeper Ian Joyce.
It was the American gloveman who was much the busier during the first period as the hosts enjoyed the majority of the attacking possession. Joyce was off of his goal line as early as the 7th minute to smother Nick Judd’s galloping run whilst Paul Carr narrowly failed to convert from close range from Jamie Salmon’s free-kick.
United youngster John Owinja then had to rescue his team after a quarter of an hour when Judd’s centre prized open the Blues’ back-line. The visitors’ raids forward were limited, with Harry Crawford coming closest to netting when his close-range effort was charged down after Kyle Asante’s intelligent free-kick had been spilled by goalkeeper Paul Horwood.
Craig Gillam was at the heart of Bowers’ impressive display and he was only denied by a magnificent fingertip save from Joyce on the half-hour having launched himself into an acrobatic scissor-kick. Michael Hart planted a header wide of the post and Judd also failed to connect with a Gillam set-piece as the period drew to a misty close.
The second half began with Gillam driving across the face of goal although Southend were only prevented from taking a 53rd minute lead by the width of the crossbar. Marcus Milner and Asante combined over a short corner routine, with the resultant cross hung up for Justin Clayton to nod onto the woodwork.
Joyce was almost caught out by Marcus Allen’s smart chip before leaping to his right to save from Judd as Bowers pressed on whilst Merrick James-Lewis, Southend’s skipper, was well-placed to scramble away after Carr and Judd combined again inside the penalty area.
The pressure finally told in the 76th minute as Carr chased down Gillam’s smart flick over the top of the defence. The forward was accompanied by Clayton, who cushioned a header back to Joyce, only for the goalkeeper to smash his clearance into the on-rushing forward, with the ball looping into an unguarded net.
The Shrimpers introduced first-year scholars Julian Okai and James Stevens in a bid to breathe new life into their performance and both were involved in the dying minutes after Craig Calver had curled over from 25 yards. First Okai’s weaving run finished with the diminutive winger directing a shot past the post with the outside of his foot then Stevens’ swinging stoppage-time free-kick created havoc in the penalty area, Horwood eventually clutching the ball above his head. After a long period of injury time, Bowers held on to spark wild celebrations as they claimed their spot in the last sixteen.
Bowers & Pitsea: Paul Horwood, Neil Marron, Rob Collins, Del Birkett, James Stuart-Evans, Michael Hart (Michael Fenttiman, 64), Nick Judd, Jamie Salmon, Paul Carr (Tom Playle, 83), Craig Gillam, Marcus Allen. Unused Substitutes: George Anderson, Ben Cook, Emanuel Erasmus.
Southend United: Ian Joyce, John Owinja (Duane O’Achie, 84), Adetayo Osifuwa, Merrick James-Lewis, Justin Clayton, Callum Whittaker, Kyle Asante (Julian Okai, 61), Steve Tilson (James Stevens, 80), Craig Calver, Harry Crawford, Marcus Milner. Unused Substitutes: James Dunn, Teddy Nesbitt.
Bookings: Bowers & Pitsea: Gillam (90+3, dissent).
Referee: Peter Wilson (Chelmsford).
Assistant Referee: Nick Pavitt (Southend-on-Sea) and Jonathan Pickford (Leigh-on-Sea).
Attendance: 385.
Man-of-the-Match: Craig Gillam (Bowers & Pitsea): The instigator of many of the hosts’ best moves, Gillam could be found in a number of different positions around the pitch as he attempted to carve out opportunities for his team.