Saturday 11th October, 2025 | White Ensign 1-2 Buckhurst Hill | Essex Senior Premier League | Attendance : 81
By Harry Biggs
Buckhurst Hill FC returned to winning ways and broke their apparent ‘curse’ at Burroughs Park, a ground they have never won at in senior football on Saturday afternoon when they beat White Ensign 2-1, with all three goals coming late on in another thrilling league game which had us on the edges of our seats.
Manager Mark Williams made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 to Little Oakley at home last time out. Christian North was available to start between the sticks after playing for his parent club when we took on Little Oakley, with North coming in for Andrew Zambrano in goal. Captain Ollie Williams returned to the side and went straight into the starting eleven after missing the last game, Dimitri Nicolaou would drop to the bench to make the palace vacant for Williams. Reece Lee Simpson was another player to drop to the bench and so was Arthur Massingham, who was replaced by Callum Maltese, back in the side and Harry Lusher started up top over Lee Simpson with Tyler Dolan keeping his place on the wing. Two changes were made to the bench, one of which being Jake Brocklebank being another midfielder back in the squad as we start to return to full strength. New loanee signing Ollie Fernandez joins us from Step 4 side Waltham Abbey and was named on the bench for the trip to Ensign in the other change made to the substitutes selection.
Onto the action now with the first half being a very even first 45 minutes with both teams having chances to take the lead. Within the first three minutes The Stags had an early chance with Dolan and Maltese linking up to create an effort at goal but the chance began to fade and Ensign were lucky to go away unscathed from the early chance. The hosts had their first chance of the game just a minute later when a counter attack evolved from the unexecuted chance from Buckhurst Hill and all of a sudden, Ensign had the ball right in front of goal but luckily for us Preston Knight was there to block a shot before the ball could enter the net.
Joshua Colyer was the next man to have an attempt at goal for Ensign with the former Stags man missing an effort at point blank range. A great chance came for Buckhurst Hill as we approached the end of the first quarter of the half. Tyler Dolan was able to fire an effort goalwards from the edge of the box and as the ball zoomed towards goal, a header from Harry Lusher took the ball off target with the shot definitely originally beating the Ensign keeper !
Another chance came for The Stags a few minutes later with Tyler Dolan and Harry Lusher linking up again but this time to perform something much better. Dolan was able to flick the ball over the Ensign defence and play it to Lusher, who’s header was inches wide of the post. A minute later, Maltese was on the end of an effort with his shot from inside the area being saved, as Ensign’s legs started to get a bit shaky.
Tyler Dolan was on the end of a wild effort just after the twentieth minute mark when his long range shot had the hosts keeper slightly stunned but Ensign’s keeper Williams was able to hang onto the shot. The Stags were piling on the pressure and had many more chances before the end of the first half. Another chance came when Josh Banfield was able to cross the ball from a corner, towards Mlatese on the edge of the box, who struck the ball goalwards, going straight into the hands of the Ensign keeper.
Domination continued with no reply and The Stags pushed for a goal before the interval. A huge chance came just after the hour mark when Ted Buchanan was able to deliver the ball to the back post and find Harry Lusher, who somehow was able to put the ball over the bar at point blank range.
Ensign did make a reply as we approached the break with a half chance entering their vicinity. A cross was sent to the back post and with it being very similar to the last chance from Lusher, Jack Stone for the hosts put the ball past the goal and out for a goal kick. The last chance of the half fell for Buckhurst Hill with Josh Banfield nearly scoring a corner with his cross tipping the top of the crossbar and out for a goal kick as we reached the break at Burroughs Park with the score still level.
Onto the second half now and the first chance of the half was earned by Archie Hammond, who had his shot saved from inside the area. Ensign had the ball in the net just before the hour mark but the referee disallowed the goal and awarded a free kick to The Stags after Christian North was fouled in the build up. Ollie Williams would go into the book with a yellow card by his name four minutes before he was substituted alongside Archie Hammond, with the pair replaced by Arthur Massingham and Jake Brocklebank.
Inside a minute after the substitution, Buckhurst Hill were ahead with a goal from Callum Maltese on his return to the side. Maltese received the ball on the edge of the box and dribbled through the Ensign defence before wrapping his foot and the ball and past the keeper to give The Stags the lead in the sixty sixth minute of play.
The Stags wanted a penalty and they had a point just two minutes after the goal with things starting to get a bit lively. Substitute Arthur Massingham looked as if he was tripped inside the penalty area but the referee decided to wave away the claims despite most people in the ground convinced it was a foul !
Mark turned to the bench and made another change with twenty minutes to go, seeing new loanee Ollie Fernadez replace Ted Buchanan at left back.
A massive chance arose with just over ten minutes to play after Arthur Massingham nearly grabbed his first goal for our first team. Callum Maltese was able to cut across the box again and play the ball to Dolan, who flicked it to Massingham in a brilliant position but unfortunately Arthur’s shot was brilliantly saved by Williams for Ensign.
Missing that chance looked to have been a huge regret after Jack Stone equalised the game for Ensign with ten minutes to play. The goal was gifted to the hosts after North pushed a cross out to the feet of the Ensign striker, who finished the ball into the open net and now an interesting last ten minutes at Burroughs Park.
Christian North was called into action for one of the first times in the second half a few minutes after the Ensign goal. North was able to save an effort from Ensign to keep the score level as we entered the final few minutes.
With four minutes to play, both teams were looking for a goal to win the game and there was only one man who could do it for The Stags. Inside the same minute as the last Ensign chance, Buckhurst Hill ploughed forward with all men behind the ball for the hosts. Youngster Arthur Massingham was played the ball on the edge of the box and was able to hit it towards goal, sending the ball past the Ensign keeper from the edge of the box and giving The Stags a one goal lead with just six minutes left to play. Arthur, who is one of our own, has made his dream and scored for our first team ! We are all proud of you Arthur !
After the goal a change was made for The Stags with Dimitri Nicolaou replacing Callum Maltese, who had put in a brilliant shift on his return. There was a bit of handbags in the dying moments of the game with Ensign not happy about the restart of the game. After a bit of pushing and shoving, the referee awarded two yellow cards, one to each team with Jack Stone booked for Ensign and Jake Brocklebank booked for The Stags.
The final chance of the game fell to Ensign and it looked like they could steal a point in the dying moments. Josh Banfield gave away a free kick on the edge of the area and with everyone up for the hosts, it looked as if Ensign might score. The ball was sent into the box and Christian North was there to jump up and command his area and hang onto the ball and win the game to break the Burroughs Park ‘curse’ !
TEAM :
North 🧤, Foster, Buchanan, Foster, Knight, Brown, Banfield, Lusher, Maltese ⚽, Dolan, Williams © 🟨
SUBS NOT USED :
Massingham âš½ (63’ – Hammond), Nicolaou (86’ – Maltese), Lee Simpson, Brocklebank 🟨 (63’ – Williams), Fernandez (69’ – Buchanan)
NEXT UP
Saturday 18th October, 2025 – AFC Welwyn (A) – Isuzu FA Vase First Round Proper
