Non-League and Academy football writer

Woodford Town started Wednesday’s Essex Senior League home fixture (at Ashton Playing Fields) against FC Clacton, in second place in the league table. However, Shane Baptiste’s side started this game with two games in hand over the league leaders, Stanway Rovers. They knew that a win against 20th placed FC Clacton, would lift them up to the top of the league table. However, this step 5 match would finish in a 2-2 draw. Woodford Town started the game well. After Marko Protic had had won the ball on the edge of the Clacton penalty area, the Woodford centre-forward would skilfully progress the ball into the box, before having a low effort on goal which was saved by Josh Fowler. A couple of minutes later a well worked move from the home side resulted in Nathan Sollosi seeing his effort (from the right-hand side of the Clacton box) deflected behind, off the goalkeeper’s near post.

Shortly after (in the 22nd minute of the game) Georges Kebi had an effort on the turn (from the edge of the Clacton box) which was saved by Fowler, the same Woodford Town player would give the home team the lead in the game. With Georges Kebi meeting a fine cross from the right flank (by Josh Banfield), at the back post of the Clacton goal, from where he powerfully headed the ball into the goal, 1-0. Woodford were now pushing for an important second goal, with Clacton being limited mainly to chances from set-pieces. Somehow both Josh Fowler and a Clacton defender managed to stop Woodford scoring from a corner-kick, before Woodford Town captain James Jewers headed over a chance from a corner-kick. However, against the run of play (in the 46th minute of the first half) Clacton would score an equalising goal. 

Clacton’s centre-forward Ben Sargeant would pick the ball up over 20 yards out from the Woodford goal, before hitting a powerful low effort on goal, which the Woodford Town goalkeeper (Eddie Allan) was unable to stop from going into the goal, 1-1. And just before the referee had sounded his whistle for half-time, Nathan Sollosi managed to skilfully turn his way past a Clacton defender, before passing the ball to Georges Kebi, on the edge of the Clacton box. However, Kebi’s first time effort went over the goal. The second half of this game got off to a great start for Woodford, as in the 47th minute Marcus Painter received a pass out on the left flank, before going forward with the ball and then crossing the ball to Nathan Sollosi, who headed home at the back post, 2-1.

Following Ben Sargeant’s low effort on the Woodford goal (from distance), which was saved by Eddie Allan, at the opposite end of the pitch another well worked move from the home side, resulted in them creating another good chance. As Marcus Painter had an effort well saved and closed down from close range, by Josh Fowler. Following on from Eddie Allan making a comfortable save from a header, following a Clacton corner-kick into his penalty area, around a couple of minutes later Clacton were awarded a penalty, as the result of a foul inside of the Woodford Town penalty area. Ben Sargeant would confidently stand up to take it, and clinically find the bottom left-hand corner of the Woodford goal, 2-2.

Woodford tried to regain the lead in the game. After meeting Sam Owusu’s throw-in into the Clacton penalty area the ball came to Marcus Painter, whose resulting effort went over the goal. Again, Woodford were creating the goalscoring chances as the game went on, but Clacton were defending well, I thought, and they were keeping a good defensive shape. After Josh Banfield had hit an effort over the Clacton goal from the edge of their penalty area, a corner-kick from the home side almost resulted in them making it 3-2. However, substitute David Gokou-Siakouri would see his poweful low effort on goal from the centre of the penalty area, be excellently kept out by the legs of Josh Fowler, who was continuing to have a fine game in the Clacton goal.

Woodford Town player Michael Agboola was sent to the sin-bin just before the 90th minute of the game, in which made the task of Woodford getting a late winner even more difficult. They did however, manage two more goal attempts, with substitute Jaydon Charles’ fine cross picking out Nathan Sollosi, inside of the Clacton box. However, it wasn’t an easy chance, and in the end Sollosi’s volleyed effort went wide of the goal. And finally, Woodford Town were awarded a very late free-kick, right on the edge of the Clacton penalty area. However, the referee would sound his final whistle soon after Jaydon Charles’ effort had hit the wall. 

Obviously for the home side (Woodford Town) this would’ve been a frustrating result, especially with the chances that they created throughout the game. However, FC Clacton did well to get an important point, and I thought that the player of the match was their centre-forward, Ben Sargeant. He got both of their goals, playing a very big role in them getting a point, and his leading of the line was impressive on Wednesday.