County Cups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE FansFocus.Com SENIOR CUP
 
 

BURNHAM RAMBLERS   2 - 1   WALTHAM ABBEY   
 
Essex Senior League club Burnham Ramblers pipped Waltham Abbey 2-1 after extra time in an entertaining fixture at Leslie Field, Lloyd Wilson steering home the winner deep into the night.

Abbey, of Ryman League Division One North, were delayed in traffic on the M25, leaving the encounter to kick-off a quarter-of-an-hour late but, once underway, the game proceeded at breakneck speed with chances throughout at either end.

Jack Callow, the hosts' flankster, sent the first effort of the match fizzing over the crossbar within sixty seconds and Dean Perry replied shortly afterwards with a wayward shot flying across the face of goal.

Ramblers shot-stopper Dave McCartney generally countered anything his higher-ranking opponents could throw at him, though when he flapped at a lofty cross, captain Michael Barrows was well-placed to block James Elmes' shot, with the custodian recovering to push away Denny Webb's follow-up.

Counterpart John Hickman athletically tipped Jerry Lyons' fierce attempt over the crossbar on the half-hour, although Burnham did finally break through four minutes before the break. Having just seen a glancing header slide past the left upright, Danny Jones connected perfectly with Callow's cross to find the goal via the underside of the crossbar.

Jones could have doubled his tally after half-time, but slashed wide having held-off Matthew Attard before strike partner Ross Wall scared the Abbotts backline, nodding Nick Muir's header over.

Slowly the visitors started to impose themselves on the fixture and Perry blasted over from an acute angle with team-mates in a superior position, whilst Elmes also missed the target after slipping. The incessant pressure finally told on 74 minutes, Perry meeting Mark Sontag's cross with a powerful diving header at the far post.

The two goalscorers traded poorly-hit shots as both clubs attempted to complete a win inside regulation time before testing the respective goalkeepers; Jones forcing Hickman into a brilliant save at point-blank range, whilst Perry was denied by McCartney's diving stop.

The early stages of extra time saw Burnham pepper the Abbotts' goal, with Jones, on two occasions, and substitutes Chris Lockwood and Chris Day all missing the target. At the other end, McCartney did well to save low at his near post from Albert Bostock on one of the rare junctures that Barrows was beaten at centre-half.

With Lockwood's deflected effort tipped round the post by Hickman, the warning signs remained in place for Abbey, and so the decisive goal followed in the 109th minute. A sweeping move from left to right finished with Chris Baker releasing Wilson, who sprung the offside trap to slam a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

Waltham Abbey desperately tried to level for a second time, but McCartney touched Charlie Mangion's chip onto the crossbar and Sontag could not directed his late header goalwards, leaving Ramblers to celebrate their place in the draw for the Fourth Round.

Burnham Ramblers: Dave McCartney, Simon King, Matt Hambleton, Bradley Woodards, Michael Barrows, Chris Baker, Jack Callow, Nicholas Muir (Chris Day, 61), Danny Jones, Ross Wall (Lloyd Wilson, 83), Jerry Lyons (Chris Lockwood, 70). Unused Substitutes: Ross Adams and Javan Clark.

Waltham Abbey: John Hickman, Barrington Brotherton, Danny Page, David Ayres, Matthew Attard, Albert Bostock (Charlie Mangion, 115), James Elmes, Mark Sontag, Dean Perry (Richard Veares, 114), Louis Collins, Denny Webb.

Bookings: Burnham Ramblers: Barrows (63, unsporting behaviour), Day (73, unsporting behaviour), Callow (79, unsporting behaviour).

Referee: Simon Essex (Brightlingsea).

Assistant Referees: Andrew Langsdon (Colchester) and Neil Morrison (Wivenhoe).

Attendance: 42.

Man of the Match: Michael Barrows (Burnham Ramblers) - The bulky central defender had a solid game, repelling Waltham Abbey attacks and showing composure on the ball.