Sunday 22nd November 2009, Letchworth County Ground, Kick-Off 2:00pm, East Anglian Counties Under 16s Championship.
Neighbours Hertfordshire and Essex drew a blank in their East Anglian Counties Under 16s Championship opener on a wet and blustery afternoon at the Letchworth County Ground in a match visiting boss Dave Agass MBE later dubbed: “Very much a game of two halves.”
The clash was a competitive one, but the strong wind hampered both sides and unfortunately the 80 minutes failed to produce a shot on target for either ‘keeper to worry about. Agass continued: “We couldn’t really have complained had Herts been ahead at half-time as they dominated much of the first period but couldn’t capitalise. We came out strongly in the second half then got on top of the game ourselves, but there were difficult conditions today and neither side were able to break each other down.”
Hertfordshire enjoyed much of the first half possession but had to wait until the 18th minute for the first opening, with Essex ‘keeper Joe Fowler quickly racing off his line to smother the ball at the feet of forward Luke Straughan who had latched onto a neat through pass. Minutes later, Fowler pounced at the feet Straughan once again, with the ball falling loose this time to Marino Hadji Sana who fired over the top from 20 yards.
The last chance of the first period then saw Straughan flick a neat ball into the path of Joe Doyle who fired wide from distance. Essex came out a more confident side after the re-start but it was Hertfordshire who created the early second-half opportunities, Straughan sliding an angled effort just wide two minutes after the break before defender Joseph Webb shot high from 20 yards.
The visitors’ first opening of the afternoon arrived nine minutes from time, Nivi Mahendran seeing his close-range effort deflected just wide of the upright before James Jaconelli then watching his 25-yard drive fly wide. It was also Agass’ side who forged the last attack of the game, culminating in Curtley Yates shooting wide with three minutes to play. Essex’s boss then confirmed: “Undoubtedly a draw was the correct result.”
Essex: Joe Fowler (Maldon Town), Andre Gumbs (Waltham Abbey), Robbie Rees (Brentwood Town), Ose Alli (Unattached), Geantan Bimangu (Unattached), Nivi Mahendran (Manford Way), James Jaconelli (Waltham Abbey), Curtley Yates (AFC Hornchurch), Moses Kamonda (Waltham Abbey), Jack Browne-Sykes (Dartford), Ellis Sands (Redbridge). Substitutes (repeated): Ben Sartain (Grays Athletic), Lewis Wright (Chelmsford City), Matt Allen (Heybridge Swifts), Joe Bilton (AFC Hornchurch), Daniel Galley (Cambridge United).
Hertfordshire: Michael Johnson (Hitchin Town), Jonathan McNamara (Hitchin Town), Joseph Webb (Hitchin Town), Michael King (Stotfold), Joe Luca (Hitchin Town), Jamie Denyer (Boreham Wood), George Hunter (Boreham Wood), Joe Doyle (Wormley), Craig Swaby (Wormley), Luke Straughan (Wormley), Steve O’Connor (Boreham Wood). Substitutes (repeated): Dan Dixon (Cheshunt), Jake Kisby, Marino Hadji Sana (Boreham Wood), Josh O’Brien, Billy Baird (Hitchin Town).
Bookings: None.
Referee: John Burlison (Stevenage).