MATCH REPORT: WEST ESSEX RES 0-4 SPORTING HACKNEY VETS
13/10/18
Two goals apiece for Jeff Badu and Matty Harris and a man-of-the-match performance from Pat Greene brought the three points home from West Essex for Sporting Hackney Vets.
Enigmatic player-manager Jamie Duff, always good for a post-match comment or two was pleased with the points without the team really getting out of first gear in this week's league game against West Essex Res. When asked for his perspective Jamie said, "I’m sure I heard someone say shepherd's pie in the oppo changing room, but I've heard all this before. Just have to wait and see what the gods have in store I suppose”. He then added, “I said to the lads before kick-off, in this game there's beauty to be found in composure but we lacked composure for long periods of the game. I kept saying, composure lads, composure, and then I heard other people all over the pitch saying composure, composure, composure. I was furious and I said I don't just want to hear you saying composure lads, I want you to be actually showing composure. I can’t fault the lads though, I just need to stick to my philosophy as it’ll be a wonderful thing when we get it".
Jamie went on, “I got the subs just right this week especially when I came off. First time we've had subs this season so I wasn’t sure who to pull off first. In the end I pulled off Page who had a hip problem early-doors, then I pulled off McQuade (achilles) and to be fair they were pleased getting pulled off after being injured and that. When you're pulling someone off because they're injured what a difference it makes to have someone else to come on. On balance I could have pulled off anybody today the way I was feeling at times but pulling myself off in the second half was a master-stroke”.
On a rock-hard pitch and with a strong breeze the game started in typical scrappy fashion with the ball acting more like a wonder-ball and spending a lot of time in the air. In spite of this, the Parrots took the initiative and came close early on with several half-chances.
The deadlock was broken at the midway point. Harris floated a long free-kick over the defence to the back post and it was Danny Lonergan who was furthest forward. He met it with a perfectly cushioned layoff for Badu who finished with ease after losing his marker.
The Parrots were two-up within five minutes. A fine run from Alan McQuade on the edge of the box invited a foul and he was cynically scythed down just outside the box. Harris stepped up and lashed a goal-bound effort which took a slight deflection on its way into the back of the net.
This was a period of domination for Hackney and with Pat Greene on the rampage breaking up West Essex play in the middle and the commanding presence of Steve A GK in goal confidence was growing. The Parrots were three goals to the good moments later. Some good attacking play resulted in a corner. The delivery from Ben Watson was inch-perfect for Badu to rise above his marker and nod in from five yards.
The second half started slowly with neither team showing any composure in the final third nor creating any chances. It was the Parrots, however, who scored to make it 4-0. A corner from Harris was swung in and with enough bend to beat the Keeper all the defender on the back post could do was glance the ball into the roof of the net.
There were chances to extend the lead further. A Tim Colvin bullet from twenty-yards was tipped over by the Keeper; a goal-bound Jamie Duff curler was blocked by a defender; and a Messi-esque dribble past three defenders by Watson opened up the defence but unfortunately the trigger seemed to jam and the shot went past the post.
Two goals apiece for Jeff Badu and Matty Harris and a man-of-the-match performance from Pat Greene brought the three points home from West Essex for Sporting Hackney Vets.
Enigmatic player-manager Jamie Duff, always good for a post-match comment or two was pleased with the points without the team really getting out of first gear in this week's league game against West Essex Res. When asked for his perspective Jamie said, "I’m sure I heard someone say shepherd's pie in the oppo changing room, but I've heard all this before. Just have to wait and see what the gods have in store I suppose”. He then added, “I said to the lads before kick-off, in this game there's beauty to be found in composure but we lacked composure for long periods of the game. I kept saying, composure lads, composure, and then I heard other people all over the pitch saying composure, composure, composure. I was furious and I said I don't just want to hear you saying composure lads, I want you to be actually showing composure. I can’t fault the lads though, I just need to stick to my philosophy as it’ll be a wonderful thing when we get it".
Jamie went on, “I got the subs just right this week especially when I came off. First time we've had subs this season so I wasn’t sure who to pull off first. In the end I pulled off Page who had a hip problem early-doors, then I pulled off McQuade (achilles) and to be fair they were pleased getting pulled off after being injured and that. When you're pulling someone off because they're injured what a difference it makes to have someone else to come on. On balance I could have pulled off anybody today the way I was feeling at times but pulling myself off in the second half was a master-stroke”.
On a rock-hard pitch and with a strong breeze the game started in typical scrappy fashion with the ball acting more like a wonder-ball and spending a lot of time in the air. In spite of this, the Parrots took the initiative and came close early on with several half-chances.
The deadlock was broken at the midway point. Harris floated a long free-kick over the defence to the back post and it was Danny Lonergan who was furthest forward. He met it with a perfectly cushioned layoff for Badu who finished with ease after losing his marker.
The Parrots were two-up within five minutes. A fine run from Alan McQuade on the edge of the box invited a foul and he was cynically scythed down just outside the box. Harris stepped up and lashed a goal-bound effort which took a slight deflection on its way into the back of the net.
This was a period of domination for Hackney and with Pat Greene on the rampage breaking up West Essex play in the middle and the commanding presence of Steve A GK in goal confidence was growing. The Parrots were three goals to the good moments later. Some good attacking play resulted in a corner. The delivery from Ben Watson was inch-perfect for Badu to rise above his marker and nod in from five yards.
The second half started slowly with neither team showing any composure in the final third nor creating any chances. It was the Parrots, however, who scored to make it 4-0. A corner from Harris was swung in and with enough bend to beat the Keeper all the defender on the back post could do was glance the ball into the roof of the net.
There were chances to extend the lead further. A Tim Colvin bullet from twenty-yards was tipped over by the Keeper; a goal-bound Jamie Duff curler was blocked by a defender; and a Messi-esque dribble past three defenders by Watson opened up the defence but unfortunately the trigger seemed to jam and the shot went past the post.