31st July 2024 | ESL Premier League | Attendance: 130
Buckhurst Hill FC 0-2 Saffron Walden
By Harry Biggs.
Another Stags game and Buckhurst Hill looked to pick up their first 3 points of the season against one of the league’s favourites to clinch the title, Saffron Walden Town on a hot Wednesday evening.
Mark named a side with only three changes to Saturday’s ESL season opener with Ollie Williams being unavailable for selection, another player of The Stag’s strong squad hit by injury. Jonathan Ogunsanya was also unavailable so up stepped Gabriel Mendoza to take his place, who played a convincing 45 minutes against Little Oakley to earn himself a place in Mark’s XI. The final change to Saturday’s points-shared game was Stags legend Suley Zuhdu was not in the matchday squad, he was replaced by new signing Archie Hammond who filled the number 9 spot.
Onto the action then as the visitors Saffron Walden took the lead inside 1 minute as a dangerous set piece was swung into The Stags’ box and an unmarked Darren Phillips made Buckhurst Hill pay as his power header smashed against the bar and bounced in. After the goal, the visitors controlled most of the possession for the next 15 minutes although The Stags did see some spells on the ball with some brilliant build-up play.
Near the 20-minute mark, the visitors had another chance as Nalbant was released through on goal but sweeper keeper Smith, who had a brilliant performance in goal in his second game in the ESL, cleared the danger away.
The Stags then went on to make a few attacking moves of their own as a Buchanan corner was punched away by the visitors’ keeper Anderson, resulting in another Stags chance not put away. The next Stags chance was controversial as Clark tiptoed through the Walden defence and was taken down inside the box, the screams from The Stags dugout & the Buckhurst Hill support clearly showed it was surely a penalty, but the referee and linesman thought otherwise.
The Stags did have the ball in the net as a cross was fired in and Jones converted but the linesman had his flag up and the goal was chalked off. The last Stags chance of the half was deflected wide for a corner as Robertson’s stylish effort skimmed a visitors defender. Just before the break, Smith pulled off an incredible triple save to deny the visitors a second as Nalbant was looking to score against his former side Buckhurst Hill.
Right away after the break, The Stags started well and the visitor’s keeper Anderson saved a powerful shot. The first chance came for the visitors of the second half as another headed effort was just over the bar. Walden had another chance 2 minutes later as Nalbant was released through on goal yet again but his shot was strongly saved again by Smith, standing strong in The Stags goal. The visitors then went onto double their lead just after the hour mark as former Tilbury striker Roman Campbell made it two and made a Stags comeback seem even more impossible.
The Stags looked to bounce back right after the second deficit as Clark’s set piece effort was just over the Walden net. Buchanan then went onto create The Stags’ next chance of the game as a corner was brilliantly delivered into the visitors’ box and a scramble to put the ball in the net was created with Walden players violently trying to clear the ball, all claims were again waved away by the referee for a second Stags possible penalty.
It ended as a 2-0 defeat for The Stags, their first defeat of the season. A game of ups and downs for The Stags and there were definitely some positives to take from the game.
I finally spoke to manager Mark Williams who said
“The early goal was poorly defended. We didn’t have the big CB marked and I blame myself for that. It didn’t faze us though and we played some very good football but didn’t penetrate enough. The space was on the flanks and we didn’t recognise or hit those areas quickly enough.”
He continued
“Should have had a stone wall penalty but the ref saw differently. When he looks back on it I’m sure he’d agree. The foul was clearly inside the box but we didn’t get it. 2nd half Walden went to a 4-3-3 and we struggled to break them down. Credit to them they took control of the game and should have scored more than the 1 goal. Toby in goal made some great saves and is coming on considering he’s only played 5 levels under last year. We have to learn from this and as a team coaches and players work hard in training to rectify. Saturday we look forward to an FA Cup game away at Tilbury. Another tough one on paper but great to be involved.”
TEAM :
Smith (GK), Clark, Buchanan, Okuguni, Harris (C), Mendoza, Warner, Racine, Jones, Hammond, Robertson.
SUBS :
Campbell (60’ – Jones), Wray (60’ – Robertson), Markatis (75’ – Warner), Willison (87’ – Tacine), Carolan (88’ – Buchanan).
Next up for The Stags :
Sat 3rd August – FA Cup – Tilbury (A)
Next Home Game :
Sat 10th August – ESL – Great Wakering Rovers (H)
