Saturday 22nd November, 2025 | Basildon United 1-3 Buckhurst Hill | Essex Senior Premier League | Attendance : 59
By Harry Biggs
Buckhurst Hill FC made it five consecutive victories in all competitions after they came away with a 3-1 on the road against Basildon United in league action.
Manager Mark Williams made just one change to the side that stunned Saffron Walden Town with a 5-0 victory last time out, with the goal-injured Callum Maltese unable to partake in the game, which left a spot open for Jack Johnson, who partnered up with Harvey Brown at the back, with Ollie Fernandez pushing further forward into the midfield. Club captain Ollie Williams returned to the squad but was only fit to make the bench alongside Max Nicholson, Yannis Mengou, Archie Hammond, who also returned and Youcef Tacine, back from injury.
Onto the action now, and The Stags took an early lead inside just four minutes when Ollie Fernandez netted his first goal in senior football. The young midfielder sprang alive when the ball was delivered into the box from a corner and he met the ball with his head after his bullet header struck the back of the net to send the away bench into early jubilation.
Basildon weren’t backing down after the early goal, and a few minutes after the restart, George Edwards was forced into clearing an effort off the line after a shot was bound for goal from the hosts.
Buckhurst Hill still kept up the early pressure after a header from Ollie Fernandez was saved before Harry Lusher put his headed effort just over the bar from a corner as The Stags looked to add to their goal tally.
The hosts were very quick to have a response to the latest phase of Buckhurst Hill chances, and they would’ve been level if it was for a block by Harvey Brown after the defender put his body on the line and blocked the ball with a tremendous slide tackle to deny ‘The Bee’s’ of a leveller.
Josh Banfield was the last player to produce a chance for both sides in the first half. His delivery into the box from a corner found the heads of both Johnson and Lusher at the far post, but neither of them could direct the ball goalwards at point-blank range, with The Stags going into the break with just a 1-0 lead.
Onto the second half now, and inside just three minutes of the restart, Buckhurst Hill had another chance to double their lead. It was Tyler Dolan this time who was on the end of the chance after he was played through on goal and was left with a one-on-one in which he decided to dink the keeper, but his effort was inches wide of the post!
A few minutes later, Christian North was called into action to deny Basildon yet again after he held onto an effort well to save The Stags from going level.
That save came in handy as just three minutes after that save, Buckhurst Hill doubled their lead after Arthur Massingham netted his fourth senior goal for The Stags. Tyler Dolan was able to drive down the right-hand side and play the ball across goal towards Massingham, who smashed the ball into an open net from point-blank range to make the score 2-0 at The Hive.
It should’ve been 3-0 just seconds after the restart! Arthur Massingham’s persistence nearly paid off after he won the ball direct from kick off and drove through the Basildon defence, and then fired a shot towards goal, which was saved by the hosts keeper but spilled and then struck the post at the expense of Lusher, who couldn’t finish the chance off after it was blocked and then cleared by the Basildon defence!
From the clearance, Basildon started a quick counterattack and with their striker released on goal, they were bound to score, but North came to the rescue, racing off his line to close down the attacker and save the chance with his body before it could reach goal!
The first substitution for The Stags came directly on the hour mark when Youcef Tacine was welcomed back after a lengthy spell out with injury. The attacker came on to replace Dimitri Nicolaou for the final thirty minutes of the game.
Just four minutes after the latest change, Buckhurst Hill’s lead was extended even further after Tyler Dolan found the back of the net in what was a brilliant team goal from back to front. The move started with a save from Christian North, who was able to palm the effort out towards Harvey Brown with the defender clearing the ball as far as Ollie Fernandez, who played Arthur Massingham through on the counter and with Dolan to his left, he laid the ball off to his fellow winger and all Dolan had to do was go round the keeper and place the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0 to Buckhurst Hill as the rain started to come down in Basildon.
Another change was made for The Stags as they looked to see the game out with George Edwards replaced by Archie Hammond, who would see out the final twenty-three minutes of the game.
Basildon were quick to make a response and netted their first, and only goal of the afternoon in the seventh minute. Christian North did very well to save the initial effort from the hosts, but the rebound was placed at the feet of Jack Wilson, who put the ball into an empty net to give Basildon a consolation goal in the contest.
Mark Williams turned to the bench to make his third and what went on to be his final substitution of the night, with club captain Ollie Williams on for the final twenty minutes of the game after he came on to replace Harry Lusher.
Archie Hammond was the only player who was booked on Saturday afternoon after he picked up a booking for simulation with six minutes left on the clock.
The last chance of the game fell to Tyler Dolan, but the final score stayed at 3-1 after the winger skewed his effort in front of goal.
The final whistle sounded at The Hive a few minutes after and The Stags would return to Buckhurst Hill with another three points to make it five consecutive victories in all competitions and make those play-off dreams even closer!
TEAM :
North 🧤, Foster, Edwards, Fernandez ⚽️, Johnson, Brown, Massingham ⚽️, Banfield ©, Lusher, Nicolaou, Dolan ⚽️
SUBS :
Williams (70’ – Lusher), Hammond 🟨 (67’ – Edwards), Mengou, Nicholson, Tacine (60’ – Nicolaou)