Mann's treble top as Brantham win ten goal thriller!!

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION - SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26th
BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 6 HISTON RESERVES 4
"Mann's treble top as Brantham win ten goal thriller" (headline borrowed from Ipswich Evening Star).
We picked up a hard worked for 6-4 win after having been behind 3-1 at one stage in this game. But the win was at a cost, with the popular Jono Crouch suffering a bad leg injury towards the latter part of the game.It was confirmed later that Jono had broke the fibula in the lower part of his leg and I am sure that we all here at Brantham wish him a safe and speedy recovery, and no doubt he will be missed.
The game was played in almost monsoon conditions and all credit to groundsman Alan Clarke and his band of helpers, who for the second week, spent a lot of time getting the pitch in a playable condition, well done and thanks gents.
0-1. Histon took the lead after 3 minutes when Tidswell was put clean through and he hit home from inside the box. We pushed forward and a shot on the run from Ollie Mann saw the Histon keeper go full stretch to hit it away as Lee Grimwood closed in to hit the ball home. Lee then saw a good shot on the run well taken by the Histon keeper while at the other end Unwin put his shot over the Brantham bar.
1-1. We drew level with a well worked goal. The ball was played into the path of Lee Grimwood who jinked past one man before sending a superb shot into the far corner of the goal. Minutes later the ball was laid back for a Histon man to hurry his shot and put it wide. Lee Grimwood then sent a scorching 25 yard shot which the Histon keeper did well to tip over the bar. New signing Lewis Blanchett was causing Histon problems with his direct running down the flank and was unlucky when a great shot on the run looked a goal until, somehow, the Histon keeper managed to tip that over the bar as well!!
1-2.Histon regained the lead when Tidswell played the ball into the path of Asensi who hit it home at the near post. We then lost midfield man David Grimwood with injury as Asensi saw a fierce drive clip the Brantham post while at the other end Lee Grimwood saw a good free kick bundled away for a corner.
1-3. Histon increased their lead when Tidswell and Asensi combined for Asensi to get the final touch and hit home past the oncoming Ryan Bedingfield. Our Andy French was then hurt in a tumble with Ryan Bedingfield with Andy having to be replaced by brother Chris French.
2-3. We pulled a second goal back almost on half time when our "dynamic duo" of Lee Grimwood and Ollie Man went forward as one. Lee played the perfect through ball for Ollie Mann to run onto a through ball and hit home at the far post.
With the rain still pelting down we started the second half looking to get back onto even terms and started with a good shot from Lee Grimwood beating the keeper at his near post only to finish up on top of the net.
2-4. Histon hit back almost straight away and a good three man move ended with Andy Tidswell being given time and space to pick his spot and beating Ryan Bedingfield at his near post. Lee Grimwood then set up Sean Gunn who hit a hard shot that was only inches over the bar.
3-4. We pulled a third goal back when Lee Grimwood left two defenders in knots with his twisting and turning in the area only to be brought down from behind and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. With David Grimwood off the pitch up stepped Ollie Mann to hammer it home low and hard. This seemed to knock Histon a bit and we looked much quicker to the ball going forward.
4-4. We were level when a good move down the wing saw Ollie Mann latch onto the ball and beat his man before sending a ball deep across the goal area and Adam Bloss who was in the right place at the right time powered a bullet of a header into the roof of the net.
5-4. We took the lead for the first time in the game when a good move through midfield saw the ball played into the Histon area and the livewire Lee Grimwood made no mistake from close range. There was then a long delay after Histon's Verrall and our Jono Crouch collided and straight away you could see that both players had problems. The Histon lad was helped off the pitch while Jono was taken off on a stretcher. We learnt later that Jono had suffered a break to the bottom part of his fibula and will be out for a while.
6-4. We finished the match on a high and with a sort of goal that you see on television when things don't got to plan. The Histon keeper had made his way upfield only for the ball to be cleared into the Histon area. Shaun Webb, who was behind the ball when it was played,so could not be offside, set off on a run (remember he was a cross country champion and had represented Gt Britain) and he beat everybody to the ball and with the goalkeeper starting to run back Shaun hit it at goal only to see it get as far as the goal line and then stop dead in the mud. Shaun started to run again but Ollie Mann had also seen what had happened and also started to run and he reached the ball just before Shaun and Ollie hammered it home,almost breaking the back of the net with his shot.
Thanks to the hardy 76 souls who came along to watch the game in terrible conditions and also to the players and three match officials who allowed the game ( and the rain at times!!) to flow.
Brantham - 1.Ryan Bedingfield. 2. Jono Crouch. 3. Andy French. 4. Jack Sibbonbs. 5.Adam Bloss. 6.Kieran Lawler. 7. Simon Mann. 8. David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10.Lewe Grimwood.11. Lewis Blanchett. subs used - Sean Gunn, Chris French and Shaun Webb. subs not used - Danny Garrad and Nathan Munson.
---barry felgate--

Ollie The Mann as Brantham fightback against leaders!!!

Brantham's two goal man,Ollie Mann (left), seen receiving an award from ex England international and Ipswich Town legend Kevin Beattie at the start of this season.

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION- SATURDAY FEBRUARY 19th
BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 3 LEISTON 3
Headline from EADT/Ipswich Evening Star" - "Ollie The Mann as Brantham fightback against leaders!.
We were at home to current league leaders Leiston last Saturday on a cold and wet afternoon. The main reason the game was played was that pitch supremo Alan Clarke spent a lot of the morning and a lot of time during the afternoon ensuring the playing surface was passed by the referee for the game to go ahead, which it did!. We had our biggest gate of the season when 155 hardy souls turned out to watch and they were treated to a very good game and six goals. We went on the attack from the first whistle and went 1-0 up within a few minutes. The ball was played into the Leiston area and Ollie Mann latched onto the ball, turned, and put it home away in style inside the area. We might have added a second when Ollie Mann was again put through and sent in a fierce shot which Stannard in the Leiston goal did well to parry round for a corner. Leiston quickly got into the game and a good move saw Ottley-Gooch run at our goal only for Adam Bloss, making a welcome return from illness, to make a superbly timed tackle to stop him. Leiston's Gareth Heath was then put through but shot straight at keeper Bedingfield. Leiston upped their work rate and drew level with a very good goal, with two former Brantham players being involved.Patrick Brothers played a good ball through to Michael Brothers, who sidestepped a tackle., and from well outside the area sent a great shot into the top corner of the net,leaving Brantham keeper No chance at all. Lee Grimwood then saw a good shot on the run well stopped by Jamie Stannard while at the other end Heath saw an acrobatic overhead kick go just wide of the upright. We lost influential midfield man Marc Lowe just after the restart and he was replaced by Simon Mann, making a welcome return from a long injury problem. Leiston pushed forward and after a good move Danny Cunningham broke through and sent in hard shot on the run that clipped the Brantham bar. He made up for that minutes later when he was in the right place at the right time to hit a great volley into the far corner. Minutes later it was 3-1 to Leiston. A ball was played across the Brantham area and it travelled to the far post where Gareth Heath finished with a superb and clinicial finish. Leiston had further chances but were not able to make them count. We pulled a second goal back when a free kick from Lee Grimwood was played towards goal and Leiston keeper Stannard and Head got in each other's way and it ended up in the net. If Head had got a touch,it must have been the feintest of touches, and talking to people behind that goal a lot thought that he did not get a touch on the ball and it was going in anway, so you can bet Lee Grimwood is claiming that one. Leiston again created chances but these were being snatched at. Our new signing, Lewis Blanchett from Wivenhoe, came on for us and soon got involved in the action and he linked up well with Ollie Mann. With just minutes left we grabbed the equaliser with a goal that would have graced the Premiership. We had a free kick about 25 yards out and at an awkward angle from the goal. Our Ollie Mann took his time, sized things up and then sent in a blistering shot into the top corner of the net, what a goal and what a cheer that went up from the home supporters!. Once the Brantham team had all gotten up after jumping on Olle the game carried on for a couple of minutes before the referee blew his whistle.

Brantham - 1.Ryan Bedingfield. 2.Jono Crouch. 3.Andy French. 4. Jack Sibbons. 5.Adam Bloss. 6.Kieran Lawler. 7.Marc Lowe. 8. David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10.Lee Grimwood. 11,Sean Gunn. subs used -Simon Mann and Lewis Blanchett. subs not used - Shaun Webb, Chris French and Kieron Smith-Edwards.

--barry felgate--

Brantham go down 5-1 away to Norwich United

Photo - skipper Simon Mann who made a welcome return to the team after almost 7 weeks out with injury. Simon was the recipient of an over the top tackle at Wivenhoe and despite their people saying it wasn't that bad Simon suffered a hair-line fracture of the ankle and ligament damages! Simon came on during the second half and looked glad just to be back playing football.

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION - SATURDAY FEBRUARY 12th

NORWICH UNITED 5 BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 1

The previous week we had notched up 3 league wins and we travelled to Norwich United looking to build on those results. However, that was not to be, as once the euphoria of those three matches had died down we were hit by a fast running Norwich team, and with some of our players not playing to the capabilities we know they are more than capable of ,it was always going to be a struggle. To be honest if it had not been for goalkeeper Ryan Bedingfield making some great saves we well could have gone down by 9 or 10-1! The only positive was Simon Mann back in the squad after being out injured for almost seven weeks. Manager Tony Hall had to make one change with Adam Bloss falling ill and he was replaced in the back four by Andy French. We started with the first real chance after 5 minutes when a cross from Jono Crouch went just over the bar. Norwich hit back in numbers and took the lead three minutes later. The ball was played high into the Brantham area and defender Andy French, trying to clear the ball, could only help it on the way into the top corner of the goal. Norwich were dictating the pace of the game and they added a second when King was given space to run through and beat Ryan Bedingfield at his near post. Ryan then made two great saves, one almost at point blank range, to deny Claydon and Foster but even he could not do anything when Fox was allowed to run through the middle and beat his marker before hitting home from inside the area. David Grimwood made a good run through on goal only to see his shot deflected for a corner. Norwich made it 4-0 at the restart when King ran through,brushed aside two challenges before hitting home from close range. We started to get back into the game and a sharp shot from Kieran Lawler was not that far wide of the mark. We finally found the back of the net when a good move down the middle saw Ollie Mann play the ball into the area.The ball was then cleared to the edge of the area where Lee Grimwood latched onto it,made up a bit of ground and lined his shot up and put it away in style. Norwich then had Clarke sent off after he had brought Ollie Mann down on the edge of the area, denying Ollie a goalscoring opportunity. From the resultant free kick Ollie saw his effort saved at the second attempt by the keeper.This seemed to pick us up a bit and we started to knock the ball about and play the football we know we are capable of. The ball was played over the top and Ollie Mann latched onto it and sent a shot in towards the top far corner of the goal only to see it hit the top of the stanchion before being cleared, and that just about summed our day up. Just as we were starting to play some good,passing football a Brantham defender played the ball into the path of Cory, who must have thought Christmas had come early. He didn't even have to break stride before bearing down on our goal and despite Ryan coming out to try and narrow the angle the Norwich man hit it home into the near corner. Our thanks again to the few hardy souls who made the journey to watch the game.

Brantham - 1. Ryan Bedingfield. 2.Jono Crouch. 3.Chris French. 4.Jack Sibbons.5.Andy French. 6. Kieran Lawler. 7.Marc Lowe. 8. David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10. Lee Grimwood. 11.Sean Gunn. subs (all used) Simon Mann, Keiron Smith Edwards and Shaun Webb.

-----barry felgate----

Reserves lose away to Braintree- but what about Nathan's goal!!!!

Photo - reserve team assistant manager Nathan Burrell who sent in another great report, not mincing his words after the 4-1 defeat at the hands of Braintree. Nathan also mentioned,probably, the best goal seen at the club when he ( Nathan that is!!) scored a belter of a goal for the Brantham Vets in their 2-0 win against Chilton Vets. He also makes the point if people don't believe how good a goal it was then to have a word with Alan Clarke and Joe Riley who were both chain smoking at the time and when they saw the goal they nearly swallowed their ciggies due to the quick feet and quality of the strike from Nathan!! ( modesty personified- that is our Nathan !! -as long as we know!!)

RIDGEONS RESERVES SOUTH - SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5th
BRAINTREE RESERVES 4 BRANTHAM RESERVES 1
We travelled over to Braintree for the return leg of our encounters with Braintree Town,looking to build on the great win the previous week. We started with the same team with the exception of James Turner coming in for Lee Willcox and Danny Garrad coming in for Alex Stocker, who started on the bench. As expected Braintree were well up for the game and from the off were faster to the ball and showed a greater hunger to win second balls and it took us a good ten minutes to settle down. Braintree were having more of the possession and were looking dangerous down the flanks and we just couldn't seem to get to grips with their attacking formation. We did, however, have the first real chance of the match when Ben Green broke down the right and fired in a great shot which was headed off the line. Braintree tested Ross Welton a couple of times which Ross did well to gather and on 15 minutes we had another glorious chance, against the run of play it must be said, when Alex Street sent in a fantastic free kick which James Turner headed just inches wide. That was as good as it got in the first half with Braintree scoring 3 times. The first two goals were simple,we gave the ball away and lost all of our shape and Braintree used speed down the flanks to cause us problems. This allowed them to break at us and that gave their forwards the chance to finish easily, the 3rd goal right on half time and I have to say it was a superb finish from their number 10 who lobbed Ross Welton from all of 25 yards!
Half time and a few words were said in the dressing room and it was stressed our work rate and passing had to improve. To be honest the second half was slighlty better but that was also down to Braintree taking their foot off the gas. Five minutes into the second half Braintree added their fourth when some slack defending gave their forward a sight of goal and he finished it off with the help of a big Ben Spencer deflection. We huffed and puffed for the rest of the half without putting more than 4 passes together but we did add a consolation goal from young Ross Cooper. Alex Stocker did well and robbed the Braintree keeper but his shot came off the post and Ross was on hand to hit it home.
So our second defeat of the season, but no need to panic, we lost to a very good side, but we need to show the determination and work rate which we have shown in previous weeks, hopefully this will happen when we entertain Witham Reserves on Tuesday evening at Brantham.
Brantham - 1.Ross Welton. 2.Ben Spencer. 3.Alex Drouet. 4.James Long. 5.Kevin Mann. 6.James Turner. 7.Ben Green. 8.Alex Street. 9.Ben Sparrow. 10.Adam Thomposon. 11. Danny Garrad.
subs. 12. Ross Cooper (1 goal). 14. Alex Stocker. 15.Allan Merchant.
---barry felgate---

Brantham hit five against Wroxham

Photo- central defender Jack Sibbons who had a good match at the back for us against a fast running Wroxham team

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION -= SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5th BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 5 WROXHAM 2
What a week this match ended off for Brantham - 3 wins- 13 goals scored and only 4 against in 270 minutes of football and two of those wins against teams at the very top end of the table, and let's hope this good run carries on for a long time! Both teams went forward from the start with both Ollie Mann and Lee Grimwood looking dangerous when they had the ball while for Wroxham Danny Bloomfield looked good going forward but neither team was able to make anything count until the 12th minute when we took the lead. Ollie Mann chased the ball down the left flank and took the ball almost to the flag and the by-line before hitting a superb shot from next door to the flag and the ball went along the by-line and past the startled keeper and finished up in the back of the net. We had our tails up now and a good run by Ollie Mann ended with the ball put over for Lee Grimwood to run onto but Lee hurried his shot and the ball went wide of the post. Wroxham were still looking dangerous going forward but despite having chances they just could not find the back of the net with a hard working Branthamn back four keeping them at bay with some telling and timely tackles. We made it 2-0 when Ollie Mann went forward and sent in a fierce shot that the keeper could not hold and as the ball came back out off the keeper it was Lee Grimwood who was in the right place at the right time to hit the ball home into the back of the net. There was a delay while midfielder David Grimwood received some treatment after he had been bundled over and despite David being the innocent party the referee seemed to spend a lot of time talking to him rather than the original offender! The second half started with us adding a third goal. Sean Gunn made ground down the wing and played the ball across for Kieran Lawler to latch onto and Kieran in turn teed up the ball for Marc Lowe to hit on the run leaving the Wroxham keeper clutching at fresh air. Wroxham were still creating chances but things would just not run their way. We added a fourth goal when David Grimwood did the hard work before making ground towards the Wroxham area. He dinked the ball into the area and Lee Grimwood latched onto the loose ball and hit it home in style. We seemed to stand back a bit after this and credit to Wroxham who pulled a well worked goal back when the ball was played into our area and Gavin Lemmon turned his man and hit home from close range for a well taken goal. Unluckiest player in the game had to be one of our subs, Keiron Smith-Edwards, who despite not getting on during the game was cautioned for kicking the ball away on the touch line- how unlucky can you get!!. We started to pick the pace of the game up again and a good pass from Ollie Mann saw Kieran Lawler running in but a defender saw what was going on and cleared the ball in the nick of time. Andy French came on to help out in midfield,replacing the livewire Lee Grimwood who had run himself to a standstill and Andy was soon involved in the action and playing some top class through balls for his fellow attackers. Wroxham added a second goal when Gavin Lemmon was given time and space to turn his marker and send in a great strike into the top corner of the goal, leaving Ryan Bedingfield no chance at all. This seemed to wake us up and we made it a nap hand of goals when a great through ball was played into the Wroxham area. Both the keeper and a defender tried to clear it,but seemed to get in each others way and Ollie Mann soon latched onto the loose ball and thump it home. Towards the end Ollie Mann broke through and let fly with a superb shot which was matched by a superb save from Scott Howie in the Wroxham goal.
Brantham - 1.Ryan Bedingfield. 2.Jono Crouch. 3. Chris French. 4. Jack Sibbons. 5.Adam Bloss. 6.Kieran Lawler. 7. Marc Lowe. 8. David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10. Lee Grimwood. 11.Sean Gunn. sub used - Andy French. subs not used- Lee Willcox, Keiron Smith-Edwards and Nathan Munson.
---barry felgate---

Shaun Webb goes nap in Under 18's match!!!!

Photo -left- Shaun Webb is the runner on the left hand side of the photo when running in a competition. Photo ( above right) - action from the game against Felixstowe & Walton with Shaun Webb heading his first goal of thge evening.

RIDGEONS UNDER 18's= WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2nd

FELIXTOWE & WALTON under 18's 0 BRANTHAM under 18's 5

Brantham under 18's picked up a very good result away to Felixstowe & Walton under 18's last Wednesday evening. The big difference in the match was that Shaun Webb got all 5 of the Brantham goals, not a bad achievement. No doubt Shaun will say that it is a team game and without other players he would not have scored, and below are some of the details of Shaun's five goal nap hand. Shaun was very modest about his five goal tally, and it does not matter what level you play at to still get five goals is not a bad achievement.

Goal 1- A corner put over by the livewire Danny Garrad and Shaun was in the right place at the right time to head it home.

Goal 2- A very good run from Alex Stocker and a shot on the run that hit a defender and the ball bounced out to Shaun on the edge of the area and Shaun hit it first time into the bottom corner of the net.

Goal 3- this goal came from a cross by Stevie. Shaun chested the cross into the air and on the volley hit the ball home into the top corner.

Goal 4- a through ball from Danny Garrad and Shaun chipped the keeper inb a one-on-one situation.

Goal 5- a great shot on the turn by Danny Garrad beat the keeper but hit the post and bounced out to Shaun and from a few yards from goal Shaun tucks it away.

In the photos above you can see Shaun running and I am sure that some of you know that Shaun was a very successful runner and represented his country three times, once in the Czech Republic. Shaun travelled all over the country to compete with dad Rod and mum Janet keeping an eye on things. Shaun picked up some impressive wins and titles and is still involved in running.

Thanks to Shaun's family for the photos.

---barry felgate----

Brantham grab second win on the trot!!!

Photo -left- defender Jono Crouch who had a solid match at the back. Photo ( top -right )- Sean Gunn who set us on our way with a hard shot from a good 25 yards out that went into the goal low and hard,with Sean's shot leaving the keeper no chance.

RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION - WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2nd
WALSHAM LE WILLOWS 1 BRANTHAM 3

There was a minutes silence and a presentation in memory of the four men from the area who had died in a recent accident. I am sure that everybody within Brantham Athletic and football in general pass our condolences onto the families.
Brantham picked up their second league win in five days with a hard worked for 3-1 win away to Walsham le Willows. The ground was looked at by the match referee a couple of times but in the end he gave the nod for the game to go ahead. We started off quickly and had the first real chance when the ball was played through to Ollie Mann and Ollie had to go wide to collect the ball and his effort from an awkward angle went over the bar. Both teams were coming to terms with the heavy pitch but it was us who broke the deadlock. A good move saw the ball played into the Walsham area and during the melee the ball was cleared out of the area. It fell straight into the path of Sean Gunn, who from a good 25 yards out, drilled the ball home low and hard into the far corner,leaving the keeper no chance. We then had the shouts from the Brantham supporters - "Gun(n) rifles home straight and true" or from Graham Mower " Gun(n) hits the target with a well placed shot"!!.0-1. This seemed to knock our opponents back a bit and a good move forward saw Ollie Mann lay the ball back for Chris French, moving up from the back, to latch onto but a Walsham saw what was going on and just beat Chris to the ball. Walsham started to come forward in numbers and from a corner the ball was played away from the goal and Soanes hit a good shot at goal that was stopped on our goal line. Moments later Walsham pushed forward and a hard shot looked like it might go in but Jono Crouch managed to get a foot to it and deflect the ball out for a corner. The Brantham goal was living a bit dangerously at times and keeper Ryan Bedingfield was called on to go this way and then that way to keep the ball from crossing the line a couple of times. Walsham drew level with a well worked goal with the ball ending with McLaughlin who shot home through a crowded area. 1-1. Walsham felt they should have had a penalty after a player was brought down, but the referee who was right up with play, waved play on, much to their disbelief as you can imagine! After the break we started to hit the ball about well with both Ollie Mann and Lee Grimwood getting through a lot of work. Kieran Lawler was put through but from a distance he put his shot wide of the target. A Sean Gunn corner was put just wide by an onrushing Adam Bloss while at the other end of the field Walsham's McLaughlin put a header wide of the post. Minutes later Soanes broke through and with Ryan Bedingfield playing his own personal game of keep-up with the ball, somehow Soanes could not force the ball over the line. Bedingfield was called into action again minutes later with a great stop almost on the line from a close range effort by Johnson. Walsham then had Musgrave sent off for a second cautionable offence after he had brought a Brantham man down from behind. From the resultant free kick Ollie Mann lined the ball up and his shot beat the keeper only to hit the woodwork . We regained the lead when Lee Grimwood put a corner deep towards the far end of the Walsham goal and Adam Bloss ran in and headed a superb goal into the opposite far top corner of the goal. You could sense that this knocked Walsham back yet again and we started to hit the ball about well. It was 3-1 in our favour with a goal from midfield maestro David Grimwood. David broke down field and from outside the area he switched from one foot to the other and with the keeper seeming to keep an eye for one side of the goal David dinked a shot into the far top corner, finishing with his trademark smile to let us all he had scored. David did say after the game that he had intended to put the ball exactly where it finished up in the back of the goal ,but was not sure if it would make it, but much to his and our relief it did in style!!
Our thanks to all at Walsham for their hospitality and we know that our next match will be a hard match at home to Wroxham and we are all keeping everything we have crossed that it is going to be a third win on the bounce- I am sure it will not be for the lack of trying by the team!
Brantham - 1.Ryan Bedingfield. 2.Jono Crouch. 3.Chris French. 4.Jack Sibbons. 5.Adam Bloss. 6.Kieran Lawler. 7.Marc Lowe. 8.David Grimwood. 9.Ollie Mann. 10. Lee Grimwood. 11. Sean Gunn. subs - Keiron Smith-Edwards, Andy French and Lee Willcox.
-----barry felgate----

Reserves cement place at top of the table!!

Photo opposite - The "Dynamic Duo" in charge of the reserve team.Left of photo is Allan Merchant who has just celebrated a birthday while on the right is the man who covers all the reports for the reserve team matches , assistant manager Nathan Burrell and what a great team these two make,well done gentlemen.
RIDGEONS RESERVES LEAGUE SOUTH- SATURDAY JANUARY 28th
BRANTHAM RESERVES 1 BRAINTREE RESERVES 0
I will start this report off by apologising to Nathan Burrell, who I mistakenly called Nathan Munson in the last report (which has now been rectified-) so here we go again with another great report from Nathan Burrell. After seeing off Sudbury in mid-week we welcomed the only other team that could match our points tally if they won their three games in hand, Braintree, and with the Gaffers son Arron Hall returning in goal for Braintree it made for an interesting afternoon. We started the game on the front foot taking the game to Braintree and the pace and movement of Ben Sparrow and Adam Thompson early on did cause the Braintree people a few problems.We had a superb chance in the first five minutes when Lee Willcox played a lovely ball over the top to Ben Sparrow who got between the two Braintre centre backs only to be hauled back which resulted in him fluffing his shot, a definate penalty, but somehow the referee thought otherwise. Our next attack and Adam Thompson was found in the box from a long Ben Spencer throw-in and Adam was bundled to the ground.I personally thought this was not as clear cut as the first appeal but the referee, this time, pointed to the spot. Up stepped Ben Green who sent the ball into the corner giving Arron Hall no chance at all. Braintree then started to get into the game and got down our right hand side and their forward sent in a great shot only for Alex Drouet to brilliantly clear off the line. Play was mainly in midfield with both teams failing to take a grip on the game and we also seemed to take our foot off the gas after the opening 20 minutes of the half and this allowed Braintree more possession. They should have levelled when they broke down the left flank and Brantham skipper James Long tugged their striker back about 10 yards outside the box only for the forward to keep on running and then falling over 10 yards inside the box. With the referee blowing his whistle we all thought he was going to caution their striker for simulation, but he amazingly pointed to the spot.Luckily the penalty was sent the wrong side of the post and we remained in the lead. With 5 minutes of the half remaining Ben Spencer curled a great cross and Kev Mann got in front of his marker to power a header against the bar.
So half time and we held a narrow advantage but we knew the second half would be a tight affair, so we asked the boys to put in another huge half to give us the vital 3 points. We had the two wise men in at half time, and Robbie and Skinz made some great points which the boys took on board. The second half was a half of very few chances,and in fact as I write this and look at my note pad ,there was only one of any great note when Ben Spencer headed a corner just wide.As you would expect Braintree had more of the possession but really failed to create any real chances with the back four of Spencer,Long,Mann and Drouet all superb.Special mention to the player that is Kev Mann who at one point, single handed I might add, stopped a Braintree break with 3 attackers against him,and which he came out on top twice. So a huge 3 points which leaves us 12 points clear at the top of the table and on Saturday we again face Braintree for the last of the big double headers. Special mention Aaron Hall, who held his head high and was gracious in defeat and he also had a decent game.
Lastly I would like to wish my old mate and gaffer, Allan Merchant, a happy 39th birthday, ONLY JOKING, the old fella with the beard is 35,so I am looking forward to lining up with him for the Vets on a Sunday.
Brantham team - 1.Ross Welton. 2.Ben Spencer. 3.Alex Drouet. 4.James Long. 5.Kevin Mann. 6.Alex Street. 7.Ben Green (1 goal). 8.Lee Willcox. 9.Ben Sparrow. 10.Adam Thompson. 11-Alex Stocker. subs - James Turner, Ross Cooper and Allan Merchant.
Thanks to Nathan Burrell for the report and at the top end of the report there is a photo of Nathan (just in case I get him mixed up with the other one again!!)and birthday lad Allan----barry felgate--