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The Manor welcome
Stansted to Tilbury today. The last time these Clubs
met was on 20th September 2005 in the League Cup Group
(B) with the Manor taking all 3 points in a 4-0 thriller,
when Peter Kana Manor Striker scoring his first hatrick
for the Club, Kana will be looking to repeat that performance
today.
Stansted kick
off, but it doesn't take long for the Braves to gain
control, Tony Marsh using pure determination to brake
down a Stansted attack, Clearing the Danger. Two minutes
into the game and a great ball over the top of the retreating
Stansted defence sees Ricky Defreitas latch on to the
ball and caress's it in to the net, past The Stansted
keeper to make it 1-0 to the Manor.
The game getting
bogged down in midfield as both teams try and hold on
to the ball, the Manor slow to react and often second
to the ball! Peter Kana using his speed to open up Stansted's
left hand-side, but no one charging forward to get on
the end of the returned cross.
Kana upended
20 yards from goal, "Jamie Wallace" steps
up to shoot, cleared by a resilient Stansted defence.
Patrick Thompson,
working hard down the right, causing Stansted some concerns
as he weaves past the defence with ease, again the Manor
midfield far to slow in supporting attacks down the
flanks causing frustration to wide men Kana and Thompson
as the ball goes out of play!
20 minutes gone
and the Manor looking more composed, as they try and
impose their dominance on the game, Stansted quick to
counter and force the Braves back into their own half,
a great ball down the right set-up a rare chance for
Stansted, but the Manor's Keeper Carl Prince back to
his best to prevent further danger as he palms away
for a Stansted Corner.
Lee Smith back
into the Manor side after a lengthy break looks back
to his best as he sprays the ball wide to the flank
men, sends Terry Hunt on a surging run down the left,
Hunt cuts in and crosses into the path of Defreitas
who slices the ball wide.
Another Manor
free kick, this time 30 yards from goal, Wallace sends
a great ball to the far post, Chris Barratt rises high
but heads out of play. The Manor unlucky not to be two
or three goals up, get caught on the back foot after
a defensive blunder, allow Stansted back into the game
as the "Airportmen" level the score in the
35th minute of the game when Ex Tottenham Hotspur Youth
player Sean Thomas nips in to score past Carl Prince
from an acute angle.
Stansted now
full of confidence pressurise the Manor, Tony Marsh
& Alan Griffiths giving a gritty performance and
both men remain a brick wall to the Stansted strikers.
The Airportmen
finish the half the more lively of the two sides, Stansted
quicker to react and support their strikers and first
to any loose balls.
2nd Half and
the Manor caught napping as Stansted take the lead a
few minutes into the restart, that man Sean Thomas again,
this time from a well worked build up from the left
saw Michael Marin send a quality cross to front man
Thomas, who scored from a diving header, making it 2-1
to Stansted.
The Manor now
disjointed as they turn on themselves, heads dropping
all over the park as the Manor appeal to the officials
for absolutely everything! causing much frustration
for everyone watching, the Manor must take responsibility
for their own performance and stop blaming others for
when things go wrong, luckily the Manor have a few strong
characters within the team that seem to straighten things
out again, Carl Prince, can be heard organising his
team mates, along with Alan Griffiths, Jamie Wallace
and Skipper Reading, who simply just want to get on
with the game!
Patrick Thompson
on another of his surging runs, Thompson has real flow
to his game, with the ball at his feet he twists and
turns the Stansted defence raggless, as he sets himself
up for a shot just to see it blast over the bar. The
Manor now back in control as Kana sets off on another
probing run, gets himself into the penalty area and
is upended "PENALTY" Skipper
Reading steps up " Stansted Keeper "Steve
Wright" guess's correctly and makes a good save,
the ball scrambled to safety.
Jamie Wallace
on the end of a fabulous ball from Danny Mercer on for
the injured Terry Hunt, but Wallace sends it just wide
of the post.
Manor now back
to their best, a great move from the Braves nearly paying
dividends, Kana once again down the left hand-side,
just before the by-line sends a great ball across goal
on to the waiting head of Griffiths who nods down into
the path of Wallace, who half volley's the ball just
over the bar.
The Manor taking
control of the game once more as Peter Kana again charges
towards goal, 10 yards from goal shoots just over the
bar.
Stansted not
allowing Manor to have it their own way force Prince
to come to the rescue from a one on one situation Prince
standing his ground as he punches the ball our for a
corner.
Ricky Defreitas
comes close to getting his second of the game, use's
great skill to find some space, shrugs off two challenges
and with just the keeper to beat from 15 yards blasts
the ball over the crossbar.
Lee Smith getting
his second yellow of the game and takes an early shower.
The Manor now with 10 men have it all to do!
Chris Hammond
Manor striker on for the hard working Peter Kana, Hammond
impacts immediately as he collects a goal kick from
the near half way line, lofts the ball high and chase's
the ball, with the Stansted defence in toe, brilliantly
controls the ball to his feet and slots past the outstretched
hands of Steve Wright the Stansted keeper 2-2.
As the minutes
tick by Stansted press the Manor and look the more dangerous.
The final score 2-2 and the Manor can count themselves
lucky to have retrieved a point from the game. Stansted
worked hard for one another and well deserved their
point.
The Manor players
should wake up Sunday morning and reflect on themselves
and their own contribution. There is no doubt that this
Manor side is potentially the best team in years "But"
every player MUST take ownership of their own performance!
The Manor players must learn to encourage and support
one another, rather than just criticise.
MOM goes
to Tony Mash, who quietly goes about his business and
plays his football with efficiency, and gives no less
than 100% commitment.
Manor
Man of the Match
Tony
Marsh
Manor Team:
Prince, Barratt, Reading Capt, Marsh, Hunt, Griffiths,
Wallace, Smith, Kana, Thompson, Defreitas. Subs: Hammand,
Richards, Mercer, Chester, Jenkins,
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