Press Reports Saturday 5th of February
Posted by Nobody on 7 February 2011
Saturday’s fixtures proved a mixed bag for ELHC’s top teams with the Men traveling to Witham looking to avenge their loss from the first half of the season and the Lady’s making the short trip to mid table Old Loughtonians.
East London’s men arrived at Witham with a point to prove having lost 7-4 in their clash at Mile End before christmas. After a subdued start, mostly due to the unusually slow playing surface and very high winds, the Sparrowhawks began to dominate the game, creating numerous chances in the Witham D. By the time East London winger Dan Hyden found himself unmarked at the back post to fire home the first goal the home side’s heads had already begun to drop. At the half time whistle the score remained 1-0 but it seemed inevitable that ELHC would add to their lead in the second period, and so proved to be the case when strikes from Kevin Taylor and a second from Dan Hyden in quick succession took East London’s tally to 3 and effectively knocked any remaining fight out of the home side.
There was a slight wobble from East London when centre back Simon Hughes was given a ten minute suspension for a ‘robust’ challenge and Witham looked to push forward, however this only served to give Steve Canwell the space to stretch his legs on a pitch length break that resulted in the Sparrowhawks fourth. Witham Managed a solitary goal in the closing minutes but will take little consolation from a game in which they were so clearly out played.
On evidence of the league table and recent form, ELHC’s Lady’s would have been expecting a decent result from their game at Old Loughtonians, but found themselves facing far stiffer opposition than they might have anticipated. After seeing an early goal controversially disallowed East London struggled to impose themselves on the game and find the sort of fluid play that has made them so effective throughout this year.
Going into half time 2-1 down is unfamiliar territory for the ladies this season and despite a second half goal from Luisa Muethel they never really settled into the game, conceding again before the close to come away with a disappointing 3-2 loss. This result may well be the final nail in terms of promotion prospects this season with the top spot in the Essex Premier division now a daunting ten points away.
