Leigh Ramblers vs Bishop's Stortford Swifts - 01/10/22

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Welcome

Welcome back to Belfairs Park where the 1st Team play for the second week running. We extend a warm welcome to all who have traveled from Bishop's Stortford Swifts for today's game whilst, our Reserves make the trip in the opposite direction to Silver Leys.

A special welcome also to Chris Chapman from our official Coworking Space Partner, space282, who will be meeting the squad ahead of today's game The support of our sponsors is vital for the continued growth of our Club and we ' re extremely grateful for space282's support

For last week's draw with Toby FC, we were delighted to welcome our Platinum Partner Corin, alongside James Keenan and his family. Ahead of his 16th birthday this week, James was presented with a No. 16 Rams shirt and led both sides out before the fixture. We're incredibly proud to be supporting the #IFightForJames campaign and would like to encourage all those involved with the Club to donate you can find more information at leighramblers com/ifightforjames

Today's Opposition

BISHOP'S STORTFORD SWIFTS

Bishop’s Stortford Swifts F.C. were formed in 1953 by a group of 13 year old lads, including current Vice Chairman Peter Hunt, Derek Smith, Eddie Miller, Mick Thurley, and John Sewell with Ron Nott joining a few years later. Due to their age, they were only able to play friendlies until joining the Bishop’s Stortford & District League in 1956 The club moved to their current ground at Silver Leys in 1964 and were founding members of the Essex Olympian League in 1966,

Home Away

Chairman: Martin Nash

Secretary: Stephen Aparicio

Manager: Neil Bell

Silver Leys, Hadham Road, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2QE

winning the Senior Cup in their first season. A Reserve side was introduced in 1970 this side went on to win the Herts Junior cup in 1970/71. After playing in Division One since 1966 the 1st Team found themselves dropped to the second tier in 1981, when restructuring of the league saw 4 teams relegated. After 3 seasons in Division 2, Swifts bounced back to Division 1 in 1984, finishing runners up in their first season back in the top flight

By 1996 Swifts 1st Team had dropped down to Division 3, the appointment of Pete Isherwood was made and Swifts went on to enjoy their most successful period in the Essex Olympian League 1996 saw them bounce back to Division 2 and then to Division 1 the following year where they finished up as Champions 3 times in 4 seasons With former Bishop’s Stortford players, Pat Jackman, Ian Hollamby & Steve Luxford amongst others, now playing for Swifts, the team went on to reach the Herts Intermediate County Cup final 9 times, winning on 6 occasions, the last in 2008 9 under current manager Mickey Nunn. Swifts Reserve side were also successful during this period, winning Reserve Division One twice.

Several Bishop’s Stortford Swifts players have also graced the professional ranks, ex Q.P.R and Rushden & Diamonds player Stuart Wardley, former England U 20 international and Manchester Utd trainee Kalam Mooniaruck.

In 2008 Swifts also re introduced a Sunday side when AFC Hatfields moved to Silver Leys and took up the Swifts name The club have in recent years won the N W Essex League Premier Division & Senior Cup and 2 seasons ago won all 4 trophies up for grabs in the NWESL Last season Swifts won the Senior Cup and Premier Cup

Bishop’s Stortford Swifts also run 6 Youth sides, two at U 18, U 12, U 13 & U 14 in the Royston Crow League

LEADING GOALSCORER 2022/23

5 Players Goals: 1

Ramblers 3

BSS

League Tables

ProKit Essex Olympian League Premier Division

ProKit Essex Olympian League - Division 4

Southend Borough & District Football Combination - Division One

Essex Veterans League Division Four East

Southend & Basildon Sunday League Premier Division

Sceptre Sunday League Division Two

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EOFL Premier

Report by Paul Cannon

Rams finally had their first home game of the season after four games in a row away from home. This was a special day for the Rams in this, their 125th season as the Rams were able to welcome the Keenan family as guests to the club, as well as many Life members, Vice Presidents and sponsors

Ramblers are very proud to support the #IFightForJames campaign and it was great to meet James and his lovely family who had travelled all the way from Torquay. James has a progressive muscle wasting condition which is life limiting and currently incurable and sadly James’s twin brothers Joshua and Myles have also received the same diagnosis. However, as James approached his 16th birthday the players were able to present him with a club shirt with the number 16 on the back and then after the game presented him with a matchball, which all of the players had signed so that he could remember his day.

Rams had to make some enforced changes as they were without their normal custodian in goal Dylan Skinner as well as the suspended S Keys, so they lined up as follows:

J Gibson, P Cannon, T Franks, J Skinner, R Lowe, S Clarke, J Gardner, M Allum, G Moxon, A Webster, O.Hunter

Subs S Nagle, C Morris, J Lang

In front of a good home crowd on a lovely sunny September day the Rams kicked off and after some early exchanges Pat Cannon & Jack Gardner combined in a neat one two before delivering the ball to Olly Hunter who flicked the ball over his opponents head before dragging his shot from 20 yards wide of the Toby goal.

The first 10 minutes were largely a scrappy affair as ball retention from both sides was poor, but Toby then had their first chance of the game, Rams could only partially clear and the ball fell to a Toby player

25 yards out who hit a good volley which to the relief of Gibson went just wide of the upright

Rams quickly responded in kind when Matt Allum intercepted the ball as the visitors tried to play out from the back, Allum quickly made ground before fizzing a 20 yard effort just over the bar.

In what were initial end to end exchanges Toby then played a deep cross to the Rams far post where the ball finally fell between the challenge of rams defender Tom Franks and his opponent, Rams were quicker to react and cleared the ball for a corner.

On 18 minutes the context of the game was to change significantly, Toby played out of defence then hooked the ball forward from midfield, whilst video evidence later showed that the Toby striker was in an offside position the officials waved play on and as the Rams goalkeeping understudy raced from his line to meet the danger he was 5 yards outside of the box when he raised his hands to stop the shot With the earlier infringement missed the referee was then left with no alternative but to dismiss the rams keeper for handling outside the box. A real shame for the Rams debutant This led to a rams re shuffle, centre forward Andrew Webster donned the gloves and George Moxon took on the lone strikers role Rams first task was to defend the free kick that was just outside the box, however this was sent high and wide by the visitors

Rams took a few moments to adjust to the numerical disadvantage but realising the necessity to better retain possession now they started to play the ball around the pitch more confidently

When Goalkeeping replacement Webster came and confidently claimed a corner moments later, he then swiftly despatched the ball downfield where Moxon closed down the Toby full back, Pat Cannon joined in the press and won the ball before exchanging passes with Moxon before slipping the ball into the path of Scott Clarke who saw his shot deflected into the bottom corner of the visitors net

Moxon was doing a superb job up top, managing to occupy the Toby defence with a combination of willing running as well as a very good aerial presence and his superb hold up play bought the rams time to join in With the rams central defenders Lowe and Skinner commanding in the air the visitors were limited to a few shots from range and these were comfortably dealt with by Webster

Ramblers were growing in stature, boosted by the goal and almost added to their tally before the end of the half, Webster threw the ball out wide to Cannon who played the ball inside to the Rams skipper, he won the ball and then Moxon played the ball back out wide to Cannon, who then played a one two with Clarke before giving the ball back to Moxon who then cut inside Moxon picked out Gardner who made good ground before hitting a very good effort from 25 yards out just wide of the Toby upright

Rams made a change when Matt Allum had to leave the field with a recurrence of a groin strain and he was replaced in a like for like move with Callum Morris

Cannon then had an opportunity himself after exchanging passes with first Moxon and then Hunter but his decision to hit his shot with the outside of his right foot which resulted in a tame effort would probably have been better suited to a left foot swinger

Still the Rams had ended the half strongly and went into the break by far the happier of the two sides

This was confirmed by the respective team talks. Rams manager Hunter was full of praise for the rams, urged more of the same in terms of commitment and reinforced the need to remain focussed. In contrast the barrage of disparaging comments from the opponents dressing room could be heard clearly as the management deemed their performance to be unacceptable. Rams began the second half in the same vein as the end of the first and had their first chance when Moxon again got on the end of a great long ball from Webster, he found Scott Clarke, but the rams scorer was unable to get his shot away this time before being closed down

Websters handling remained superb, dealing with any ball that came into the area that had not already been won by the Rams central defenders and the visitors frustrations were becoming more apparent Skinners extra pace was an insurance policy for the Rams and when the visitors did try to catch the rams with a ball over the top it was the rams central defender that quickly cancelled out any threat.

They did create a chance when the Toby winger got the better of rams defender Franks before slipping a ball through for the Toby Centre Forward, however his effort went fractionally wide of the rams goal, much to the home sides relief. Then came another end to end period where Ramblers clearly possessed the greater goal threat, Hunter clipped the ball into Moxon who continued to dominate the visitors defenders but his chipped effort finished on the roof of the visitors net

The same two players combined moments later when Hunter again found Moxon, this time more centrally and Moxon forced a great full length save from the visitors keeper.

Rams then came closer still, Moxon won a free kick 35 yards out, Gardner curled in a superb free kick which was met with a thumping header from Callum Morris, this crashed back off the underside of the bar and over Franks before he could force the ball home Small margins and that would almost certainly have sealed the points However, as rams started to tire, the game became scrappy once again. Rams made a change bringing on Nagle who went into right back with Cannon pushing further up the right flank into Clarke’s role.

With 15 minutes to go Nagle lost possession in a rare foray into the final third of the pitch, Toby broke quickly and switched the ball across the field over to the rams left flank where the Toby winger slipped a through ball between the heart of the rams defence and their striker was able to clip the ball over Webster for the equaliser Rams made further changes, Hunter for Lang and then Clarke returning for Cannon

Lang then had a half chance after being set free down the Rams left but it unfortunately came to nothing Soon after Lang crossed into the middle where he picked out the run of Clarke, unfortunately although it was met well the effort went straight at the visitors Keeper

Hunter returned at left back after a quick rest for the tiring Franks as Rams looked to consolidate going into the final minutes. The Rams still had one last chance to seal all three points however when Gardner broke from midfield, he found Moxon who played the ball into Clarke who then returned the ball to Moxon who from 8 yards out then shot wide of the left upright

The game finished with the points shared but the rams deserve an awful lot of credit for this performance in light of its events

Man of the match: George Moxon who worked incredibly hard to negate the effect of the numerical disadvantage.

Highly commended: Andrew Webster & Ryan Lowe although every player needs to be recognised today as they all stood up and counted

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