Hendon 1-1 East Thurrock United
Ryman League Premier Division
Tuesday 13th September 2011
Vale Farm
Shortly before half time last night I had written one 3 letter word to sum up the opening period of ‘action’. ‘Nil’. Nil shots on target, nil shots on goal, nil cohesion, nil passes finding their intended target. I could go on, but we haven’t the time, and quite honestly, I haven’t the inclination. There was some good news just over the horizon in the shape of an improved 2nd half performance, sadly the worst was still to come. First though, let me track back and talk about the team selection.
With Ryan Wharton and Casey Maclaren the latest to join the hordes of walking wounded on the sidelines, Gary Mac was forced into two changes. Kevin Maclaren replaced his brother in midfield and Bradley Fraser came in for his first start of the season alongside Michael Peacock. There was a change up front as well as Isaiah Rankin was handed his first start in place of the rested Greg Ngoyi who dropped to the bench. There were also places amongst the substitutes for James Parker, Byron Bubb, Daryl Atkins and Junior Lewis – appearances by any of whom would have been their first this season. The visitors made 2 changes from the side that beat Horsham at the weekend with Reiss Gilbey returning from suspension and Petric Elbi coming in for Neil Richmond and Tom Stephen. Sam Collins was a familiar face in the East Thurrock side, wearing the number 3 shirt and playing at left back having signed from Concord Rangers last week.
I cannot emphasize enough just how poor things were in the first half. We were leggy, sluggish, and really played into the visitors hands by playing too long. Isaiah Rankin, when he wasn’t being caught offside, was having to work extremely hard to get the ball under control and then wait for any kind of support. The Rocks were a well organised outfit and looked very comfortable dealing with the limited threat Hendon posed. The first highlight came just before the hour mark when Michael Peacock did a fair impression of Phil Tufnell circa 1995 on the boundary ropes, although with hands involved, and ended up in the book.
According to the report on the Hendon website, East Thurrock took the lead just after the half hour mark, it felt nearer the hour mark to me but time keeping has never been a strong point of mine. Not for the first time, the Greens gave possession away cheaply just inside the East Thurrock half and Kyel Ruel picked up the loose ball inside the centre circle. He ran directly at the heart of the Hendon defence, skipping past a half hearted challenge from Peacock and then the sprawling Fraser before finding himself clear on goal. Laurencin came out to narrow the angle, almost to the edge of his box, so exposed had he been left, and as he spread himself at the feet of Ruel, the striker calmly lifted the ball over him and into the corner of the net. It was a wonderfully taken goal, but there were serious questions about the quality of the defensive work in the lead up to it.
Anyone who may have been expecting the goal to spark the Greens into action were sorely disappointed. Attacks continued to flounder, possession to be squandered and Rankin to be flagged offside. A frustrating evening for the former Arsenal and Brentford man was curtailed early 7 minutes before the break as he limped off with a knock and was replaced by Greg Ngoyi, earlier one suspects than Gary Mac would have liked.
The game very nearly added an extra mark to the entertainment value in the last 45 seconds before the break as first Reiss Gilbey wriggled past James Archer and fed the ball for Petric Elbi who was through on goal. As the East Thurrock number 9 tried to take the ball around the grounded Laurencin and stroke the ball into a gaping net, from somewhere the Hendon keeper reached out a claw and grabbed the ball off the striker’s foot. It was a brilliant piece of goalkeeping; brave, alert, commanding and definitely kept the Greens in the game. Play immediately switched to the other end and good work from Ngoyi down the right saw his cross find Busby. Finding himself almost underneath the ball, the midfielder did superbly to adjust himself and send a scissors volley in mid air narrowly over the far angle of post and bar from about 15 yards out with Wray completely rooted to the spot. As flashes of quality go, that volley was right out of the top draw. Right up there with Freddie Hyatt’s debut goal against Basingstoke and Bontcho Guentchev’s effort at Blackpool that narrowly gave us the lead in the FA Cup.
Had the ball dropped under the bar, it would have been a thoroughly undeserved equaliser. Hopes were high for a better 2nd half and after a slow start, a little piece of fortune and defensive error saw the sides level. Elliot Godfrey swung in a free kick after McCluskey had been fouled on the Hendon right and Ben Wood, the East Thurrock number 6, got his head to the ball. Unfortunately for him, his goalkeeper had come off his line and was aghast to see Wood’s flicked header loop over him. Greg Ngoyi launched himself at the ball inside the 6 yard box and directed his header into the roof of the net beyond the covering defenders. The substitute ran off in celebration of his 3rd goal of the season as the inquest amongst the Rocks defence began. The goal sparked Hendon’s best period of the match.
Busby was unlucky to see his left footed drive from what for him, was point blank range yet for someone like Phil Gallagher would have been very long range indeed, cannon off the underside of the bar and rebound just away from McCluskey whilst Godfrey’s first time low drive from 25 plus yards through a forest of legs was superbly clutched at full stretch by the sprawling Wray. To East Thurrock’s credit, they weathered the storm and looked bright on the break, Ruel forced another good save from Laurencin who also made 3 or 4 excellent catches from high hanging crosses under some pressure from lurking attackers.
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| This Phil Gallagher Is From CBeebies Apparently. Probably a better number 9 than his namesake 15 years or so ago. |
Daryl Atkins came off the bench with about 20 minutes remaining for his competitive Hendon debut and it quickly became clear how he’d scored so many goals for Wembley this season. He added pace and livliness to the Greens front line alongside Ngoyi, adding a dimension that missing at times. He sent in a couple of testing low crosses that just eluded his strike partner and with a better first touch could have found himself in on goal on a couple of occasions as well. Definitely one to keep an eye on based on this cameo.
The game ended all square seconds after Ngoyi had flung himself full length to get onto James Archer’s cross, unfortunately his connection wasn’t strong enough to direct the ball inside the far post and it harmlessly bounced quite a way wide. The referee, who erred between being overly fussy and nicely lenient (his decision not to book Dave Diedhiou for kicking the ball away in the first half raised many a quizzical eyebrow) brought things to an end leaving both sides with a point apiece. Probably about right on the balance of play.
With other results going Hendon’s way (Harrow winning at Lowestoft and Canvey losing at home to Bury) there was possibly a feeling that a great chance to go into the FA Cup break with a sizeable gap had been squandered with the listless and disjointed performance. Certainly coming away from the game, although partly relieved to still be top and unbeaten, there was a tinge of regret at not having taken full advantage and extended our lead at the top. Perhaps that is what makes real title contenders, that killer instinct. Time will tell, I’m still enjoying the start to the season massively. Long may it continue.
Player Ratings
1. Berkley Laurencin: I’ve only just worked out that there’s only 2 ‘e’s in his first name and he responded in the right way by putting in one of the most commanding and assured performances I’ve seen from him. Has come such a long way since he first joined the club 3 years ago. 8/10
2. Brad Fraser: I think it’s difficult coming into a settled back four when short of game time and it showed a little. Slipped for the Thurrock goal, but generally did ok. 6
3. Scott Cousins: Quietly competent from the skipper at left back. Didn’t really notice him an awful lot which given some of the defending on the evening, is to his credit. 6
4. Michael Peacock: Looked unusually shaky. Think his first half booking may have played on his mind a little as on at least 2 occasions he made half hearted challenges. Also gave the ball away when Beckenbauer-ing the ball out of defence putting his colleagues under pressure. Sure to bounce back though. 5
5. James Archer: Did well going forward and put a couple of good balls into the box, but was troubled at times defensively, unusually for him. Gives us an extra dimension with his long throw, which is useful. 6
6. Dave Diedhiou: A bit up and down from the big guy, breaking up attacks well, but giving the ball away a bit too much. Lucky to escape a yellow card for a pretty blatant act of dissent in the first half. 6
7. Jamie Busby: In an unfamiliar left sided role, was twice unlucky not to score. The best attacking outlet for the Greens but his energy was maybe missed a little in the heart of midfield. 7
8. Carl McCluskey: Some flashes of brilliance from the big midfielder-cum-striker, but also looked a bit leggy at times, understandably so. Looked more effective when dropping back into midfield. 6
9. Isaiah Rankin: Worked hard but to little avail on what was quite a frustrating evening on his first start for the club. Injury forced him off before half time, he was limping quite heavily when he left the ground. A worry. 5
10. Elliot Godfrey: As always his delivery from dead balls was outstanding and was the cause of our goal. Unlucky to see his low drive from range superbly saved. Tends to go through quiet spells from time to time. 6
11. Kevin Maclaren: Worked hard but was perhaps caught out a couple of times in the first half. Broke things up well and used the ball simply, but effectively. 6
Subs
12. Greg Ngoyi: Replaced Rankin just before half time and looked very bright. Got a well deserved goal and unlucky on a couple of occasions not to connect with balls into the box. 7
13. Daryl Atkins: A lively cameo from the youngster who spent last season with the now defunct Under 21 side. Has scored a hatful for Wembley already this season, looks a good prospect. Encouraging debut. 6
Match Rating: 3/10
Star Man: Berkley Laurencin
Verdict: A point gained or two dropped? That depends very much on whether you’re looking at things from half time or full time. Not a good performance, but plenty of grit shown and once again, the players came back from a goal down to claim a point. East Thurrock were well organised and have added to their squad shrewdly. They’ll be fine. Still top, still unbeaten, still happy.
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