Non-League and Academy football writer

I returned to Wadham Lodge on Tuesday evening, to watch a second round cup tie of The Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, between the home side West Essex, and Hullbridge Sports. In the Essex Senior League West Essex sit in tenth place, with the visiting team on Tuesday night (Hullbridge Sports), currently sitting in eighth place in the league. This was a competitive cup tie, which was won 1-0 by the away side, Hullbridge Sports. Not very long after Theo Jones had a low effort from distance saved by Lamar Joseph-Johnson in the Hullbridge Sports goal, the away side were awarded a penalty-kick, early on in the match, following a handball inside the West Essex penalty area, from a corner-kick. Adam Topley stepped-up, to powerfully find the back of the net from the penalty spot. The match had been played at a good pace during the opening stages, but it was Hullbridge Sports who in my opinion were creating the better chances of the two sides. And after Moyo Ajibade had an effort from the edge of the Hullbridge Sports penalty area saved by Lamar Joseph-Johnson, Adam Topley delivered a good and accurate free-kick into the West Essex box. Oscar Onuorah met the ball in the air, but his powerful headed effort came off the West Essex crossbar.

The last real effort of note in the first half, was once again from Oscar Onuorah, who had a deflected effort from the edge of the West Essex penalty area, saved by goalkeeper Michael Corderoy. During the early stages of the second half, Hullbridge Sports created a decent goalscoring chance. With Osaretin Otote receiving the ball in space, inside the West Essex penalty area. However, his resulting low effort went wide of the goal. Leo Wood then hit an effort wide of the West Essex goal, on the bounce, from the edge of their penalty area, before West Essex substitute Denzel Effah hit an effort wide at the opposite end of the pitch. Hullbridge Sports continued to create the better chances, as the second half progressed. James King saw his low effort from inside the West Essex box, go just wide of the goal. And then shortly after that chance, a good Hullbridge Sports move ended with Jon Evans receiving the ball on the left side of the home team’s box, with his powerful resulting effort being saved and then gathered by goalkeeper Michael Corderoy. Mekhi Clarke then had an effort saved by the West Essex goalkeeper, and with just minutes remaining of the match, Darnell Bromfield hit an effort over the Hullbridge Sports goal, from the edge of their box.

Hullbridge Sports were the deserving winners of this contest, and they were impressive defensively, and strong in the air. However, their pressing game as well as their desire to win back possession of the ball, made it difficult for West Essex to create any real chances of note.