Non-League and Academy football writer

Clapton Community’s competitive season started on Tuesday evening, when they faced Basildon Town at the Old Spotted Dog Ground, in east London, in a Thurlow Nunn League First Division South fixture. Basildon Town had lost their opening league fixture of this season 4-1 away to Burnham Ramblers, on Saturday of last week. However, It was the visiting side, Basildon Town, who won this match 2-1. 

I thought that Clapton Community started the game the better of the two sides. Shortly after Fred Taylor had headed an effort wide from inside of the Basildon Town box, from Andre Odeku’s cross, Taylor would get to a flick on in behind the away team’s defence. Through on goal and inside of the Basildon penalty area, Taylor’s resulting powerful effort on goal was pushed behind by Basildon Town’s goalkeeper, Matt Knight. 

After that initial good start for Geoff Ocran’s Clapton Community side, Basildon Town would start to grow in to the game more, especially going forward. A couple of minutes after Anthony Cooke had hit a powerful low effort wide of the home team’s goal, from distance, Clapton Community goalkeeper and captain Jack Francis would gather Luke Winter’s effort on his goal, from 25 yards out. Then in the 27th minute of the match Clapton Community would take the lead in this contest. Andre Odeku would get to the ball, after a Basildon defender had just missed it inside his own half, whilst attempting to control it, and then unfortunately slipping. Showing some good pace with the ball to go forward with it unopposed, Andre Odeku was through on goal and one v one with the goalkeeper, when he slotted the ball past Matt Knight, from inside of the Basildon box, 1-0.

After a long throw-in in to the Basildon penalty area had eventually fell to Andre Odeku, his resulting effort on goal was bravely blocked by Anthony Cooke. Soon after that chance for Clapton Community, and Basildon Town would find themselves level, through a goal from Dylan Jones. A lofted free-kick delivery some six minutes after the opening goal of the game, from Jack Hurley, from deep, would eventually fall for Jones, who was a couple of yards out, inside of the home side’s box. And Jones was alert under pressure, as he quickly finished powerfully beyond Francis from close range, 1-1. 

A nicely worked move which saw Andre Odeku pass the ball to Fred Taylor on the right-hand side of the Basildon box, would result in Taylor passing the ball back to Andre Odeku, who had made a run in to the centre of the box. However, his first time effort was gathered by Matt Knight. On the stroke of half-time Fred Taylor would pick the ball up before driving forward with it for a while at pace, eventually going down the left-hand side of the Basildon box. However, the ball appeared to bobble up just as he was about to hit it, and his effort went just over the goal.

During the early stages of the second half Julian Austin would curl an effort wide of the Basildon goalkeeper’s left-hand post, after receiving a square pass inside the centre of the penalty area. In the 54th minute of the game Basildon Town would take the lead. A well delivered Basildon corner-kick towards the back post of the home team’s goal, was volleyed back towards Luke Winter, by the outstretched Josh Davenport. And Winter’s deft resulting finish on the half-volley, would find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 1-2.

Luke Winter had been impressing for Basildon Town, and an excellent curling effort with pace, from their number 10, from distance, would almost result in them making it 3-1. The ball would hit the inside of Jack Francis’ left-hand post, before the ball was then cleared away. Basildon Town would defend their goal really well during the latter stages of this match, and Alec Simm’s side would show real character as a team. Clapton Community substitute Jake Wintour would meet a long throw-in to the Basildon Town box, on the volley. However, his low effort was gathered by Matt Knight.

Late on in the match, and Fred Taylor would get to a flick on following substitute James Briggs’ lofted free-kick in to the Basildon box. On the bounce however, Taylor’s effort would go narrowly over the goal. I thought that Basildon Town, as I mentioned previously, showed real character and team spirit. Not just in regards to how they battled back in to the game from 1-0 down, but also in how they protected their 2-1 lead, and in how they managed the game, in what was a very competitive game of football.

Basildon Town’s number 10 – Luke Winter, was my overall player of the match tonight. It was a fine performance from Winter, who scored one goal, but who was also so unfortunate not to have scored a spectacular second goal on the night. Dylan Jones and Josh Davenport also impressed me for Basildon Town, with their captain Louis Brown leading and organising their defence well. Fred Taylor was my player of the match for Clapton Community.