After yesterday’s defeat our MOTM award goes to Jonah. A brilliant performance after a late call up to the team 🔵⚫️
10th August 2024 | ESL Premier League | Attendance: 93
Buckhurst Hill FC 0-3 Great Wakering Rovers
By Anthony Mercer.
FA Vase finalists Great Wakering Rovers saw off Buckhurst Hill, seeing the Stags have a slow start to the season.
Jonah Gregory joined the squad for the first time this season and also took the captain’s armband.
The visitors started well with Alfie Whiteaker hitting his corner directly off the crossbar. A minute later Jack Dickinson thought he had scored when his header was well saved by Toby Smith.
Great Wakering took the lead on 25 when Harry Talbot saw his effort saved by Smith, before striking the post from the follow up with a header, only to see the ball come off Archie Hammond and into his own net.
Buckhurst HIll finished the half well, with Youcef Tacine seeing his rasping effort blocked for a corner, before the best chance of the game for Buckhurst Hill fell to Hammond who put his effort wide of the right hand post with only the keeper to be beaten.
Within 3 minutes of the resumption, Wakering made it 2 when Harry Talbot ran through unchallenged to hit low into the right hand corner of the goal. Talbot saw his effort on 57 blazed over. A small period in the second half saw Buckhurst Hill look for a goal with George Thompson having 2 efforts. On 66 he headed just over, before the same player went close 10 minutes later with another header.
The game was confirmed on 86 when substitute Raheem Gray burst into the box, before being uphended and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot.
Talbot calmly stepped up and hit home.
After the game Manager Mark Williams commented on the game “Losing Alfie Harris in the warm up was a big blow and the intention was to bring back Jonah slowly after his injury. We were forced to start him and he was one of the only bright spots of the game.
1st half was fairly even and yet again we should have been 1 up after a few minutes with Tyreece dragging his shot wide.
We then had 2 more great chances but at this level you need to take them or you get punished .
A corner and the unmarked 6 had two bites of the cherry unopposed, eventually off the post hit Archie and an Own goal. We then missed a sitter just before the break.
Goals change games and if that goes in it’s a different game. The second half we fell well short of what’s required at this level.
We need to work hard as a group to get ourselves back on track”
TEAM :
Smith, Clark, Carolan (Buchanan 54), Okuguni, Gregory, Mendoza (Ogunsanya 69), Hammond, Tacine (Lamb 69), Thompson, Wray (Campbell 54) and Robertson
SUBS :not used Warner
Next up for The Stags :
Sat 17th August – Sawbridgeworth (A)
