Leigh Ramblers v Toby FC - 24/09/2022

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Welcome back to Belfairs Park for this, our 125th Anniversary Season. We extend a warm welcome to Toby, who pay their first visit to Belfairs since 2016 and their first ever as Premier Division opponents. After a tough start to life in the Premier Division, with defeats on the road to Catholic United and Rayleigh Town, our visitors come to us after back to back victories at home and will be brimming with confidence ahead of today's game

Today, we are delighted to once again welcome our Life Members, Vice Presidents and sponsors to commemorate this special occasion with another "Life Members & Vice President's Day". Our rich history is part of what makes this fantastic Club so special, but it's much more than just the number of years we have been in existence, it is all the incredible people that have ensured this is the case. We look forward to seeing many of these people here today.

It is also thanks to the contributions from our Vice Presidents and other sponsors that we are able to document this 125th Anniversary Season on video with the Veo Cam 2, whilst also live streaming all our home games this year. If ever you can't make it down to Belfairs Park, ensure you follow us on the Veo Live App to get a notification each time a game starts.

Finally please also give a huge welcome to our guests of honour, the Keenan Family We are delighted to receive them at Belfairs Park for the first time and are incredibly proud to be supporting their I Fight For James campaign, alongside our platinum sponsors, Corin Underwriting.

Today's Opposition

TOBY FC

Toby FC were founded in 1932 by a group of workers at Charrington's Brewery in the East End of London. The team were named after the Toby Bitter that was brewed and distributed from their premises in Silvertown and Mile End. Their club budge is based on the Toby Bitter Logo, which is a traditional Toby jug

Toby played in the Essex Business Houses League until they

Home Away

Chairman & Secretary: Ben Morgan

Treasurer: Ryan Morgan

Manager: Mark Jones

Nursery Sports Ground, Downham Road, Ramsden Heath, CM11 1PU

joined the Essex Olympian League in 2011 and this is their first season in the Premier Division, having been promoted from Division 1 in first place last season. The last meeting between the two sides took place in March 2016 when Rams ran out 9 1 victors. With the away side already relegated, the win saw Rams secure promotion to the Premier Division. Four of the goals on that day were scored by currently injured Assistant Manager, Nathan Dewberry.

HEAD TO HHEAD EAD TO HHEAD EAD TO HEAD W 2 D 0 L 0

Rams have only played Toby twice previously, victorious twice in 2015/16 when we gained promotion to the Premier Division

Jake

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 Two East

Southend & Basildon Sunday League Premier Division

Essex Veterans League - Division Four East

Sceptre Sunday League Division Two rethink the way you work. increase productivity. embrace mondays.

Last time out...

EOFL Premier Division

Report by Paul Cannon

Ramblers travelled to Rayleigh Town's new home this season on Canvey Island to play at the fantastic facility of Concord Rangers An absolutely superb playing surface greeted the players which deserved to host a great game of football. It has to be said that is exactly what we got

Rams had to make a last minute change to the line up following the illness to Jamie Skinner who had spent some time in hospital this week following salmonella food poisoning and therefore it was deemed that he would start on the bench and only participate if totally necessary With Matt Brinklow also unavailable due to his forthcoming participation in the London Marathon, the Rams lined up as follows:

D Skinner, P Cannon, T Franks, G Moxon, R Lowe, S Clark, S Keys, C Morris, O Hunter, A Webster, J.Gardner

Subs: M Allum, B Waiwaiku, J Skinner

Rayleigh started well and in the first minute played a good diagonal ball over the head of Tom Franks to their winger who then cut inside before hitting a decent shot, which was comfortably saved by Rams goalkeeper Skinner

The Rams stopper then had to be alert just 3 minutes later when he raced from his goal to clear a ball over the top upfield, marginally before the arrival of the Rayleigh striker. At this point Rayleigh were clearly in the ascendancy and in the 10th minute they beat the Rams offside trap with the striker bearing down on the Rams goal in a 1 on 1 duel with the Rams keeper, Skinner made an outstanding save before Cannon headed the rebound clear

However, Rams who had defended doggedly then surged forward in their first attack A ball forward saw Rams striker Andrew Webster in a battle against two home defenders, however the striker’s physical

presence caused them a real problem and after he managed to emerge with the ball he then got his shot off which was only partially saved by the on rushing keeper and to Rams delight the ball nestled in the far corner of the net Rams 1 0 It was against the run of play but you could immediately see the lift that if gave the Rams. On 15 mins the home side saw a snap shot go wide of the Rams goal Rams then gave away a free kick where Scott Keys was adjudged to have had a high foot in a challenge with his Rayleigh counterpart who himself was stooping to head the ball Keys was booked and only a brilliant clearance from Tom Franks saw Rams maintain their lead after a good free kick routine straight from the training ground caused panic in the visitors defence. As Rayleigh continued to try and get immediately back into the game they came even closer when only a block on the Rams line by one of Rayleigh’s own players prevented the home side from drawing level

Having ridden their luck a little the Rams then began a purple patch themselves Callum Morris won a free kick after a surging run forward and from the resulting free kick Webster rose to meet the ball but saw his header go high over the bar On 25 minutes Webster got his second goal of the game to extend the Rams' lead after he got on the end of a good cross from Scott Clark and finished in some style

Just a minute later and the Rams should have had a third. Morris played a good through ball which saw Clark race clear, as the keeper rushed out to narrow the angle Clark lifted the ball over him but to his disappointment he also lifted it wide of the far post.

Less than a minute later and Morris once again set up a gilt edged chance, slipping the ball past the last defender into the path of Ole Hunter who drove his shot wide of the goal from 12 yards out The visitors were now in a rampant mood and Scott Clark then caused panic in the home defence after his driven cross from the bye line was somehow scrambled clear before the Rams could force the ball home

Having weathered that storm Rayleigh then came back into the game Having won a corner they then saw an unchallenged thumping header come back off the crossbar On 37 mins Keys lost a ball in midfield, the home side seized on the opportunity playing the ball into the gap vacated. Rams goalkeeper Dylan Skinner made an outstanding save however Town's Frankie Hession Harris was the first to react and he turned the ball into the Rams' net from a very tight angle. 1 2 and game on. Before the Rams could recover Town had won another corner and this time the unfortunate Keys saw his header glanced into the Rams net for an own goal despite Cannons attempt to keep the ball out Suddenly the scores were level 2 2 A great attempted lob from a Town winger was met with an even better save at the second attempt by the Rams keeper which prevented the home side from snatching the lead moments later

A minute before the break and a brilliant piece of defending by Jack Gardner who dispossessed a Town striker then saw him play the ball out wide to Pat Cannon who in turn then found Webster after a great ball over the top down the channel Webster who had been a major threat all half managed to win a corner for the Rams. From the corner Town thought they had cleared the danger, however last weeks match winner Scott Clark had other ideas, he picked up the ball 35 yards out, moved the ball out of his feet and then hit an unstoppable effort into the far top corner of the net for a truly outstanding goal which restored the Rams 1st half advantage, 3 2 Rams.

A change at half time saw Matt Allum on for Scott Keys and the Rams began brightly, buoyed by their finish to the first half Town weathered the Rams' better start and in the 52nd minute saw another shot well saved by the legs of the Rams goalkeeper. On 60 minutes the Rams were forced to make another change, Pat Cannon had to leave the game after a recurrence of a knee injury and he was replaced with a welcome return of Barv Waiwaiku who had been sidelined for sometime with an ankle injury Hunter was then harshly deemed to have conceded a free kick from which a Town player made a crossfield run before testing the Rams keeper with another shot on target which was again dealt with comfortably by Skinner.

Rayleigh who have been strongly tipped to be one of the key title challengers again this year after narrowly missing out last year upped the tempo. Gardner made an uncharacteristic mistake and this was quickly taken advantage of, a quick ball into the Town forward saw the striker turn the Rams captain, however he then pulled his shot wide

Tom Franks then had to be withdrawn after a calf problem and the Rams were forced to bring on Jamie Skinner in the 72nd minute The Rams defender was immediately called into action, his extra pace was called upon after he had to make up ground before making a superb last ditch tackle deep into his own penalty area just as the home striker was about to pull the trigger Unfortunately the ref then pointed to the spot deeming Skinner's challenge to be a foul, however after the Rams protests he then went to consult the linesman who had been directly in line with the incident After a discussion whereby the linesman said that it had been a perfectly good tackle the referee then changed his mind and rescinded his initial view So refreshing to see a referee willing to change his mind, which resulted in the correct outcome. George Moxon who had enjoyed a very good game in central defence as a result of the last minute pre kick off re shuffle then sent Webster clear with a great through ball, however Webster hit his effort high and wide

Town came forward once again and on 78 mins a good ball down their left hand side saw the winger race clear Again Skinner won the duel with another superb save, however to his dismay the ball rebounded to the striker and he slotted his second effort into the far corner of the net, 3 3

Hunter then set up Allum who forced a good save from the Rayleigh keeper and it was now end to end stuff as both sides searched for a winner. A great break by Town down the right flank was followed with a good cross that was met with a well struck volley, however to Rams relief it went 2 yards wide of the post

On 87 minutes Hunter then hit a great deep cross to the far post which picked out Scott Clark, however the ball got stuck under Clark’s feet and although he was able to drag the ball back across goal, the home side again managed to scramble the ball clear Webster then warmed the keepers palms with a fierce strike which was once again met by an even better save from the home keeper

With minutes to go Rams replaced Gardner with Keys returning to the fray The game looked to be heading towards a draw as both teams gave their all in defiant defence However as Keys chased back to prevent another Town attack his challenge from behind clipped the town player and this earned him a second yellow card which meant the Rams were now reduced to 10 men for the last few minutes of added time

Rayleigh then saw another header crash back off the bar following a Town corner With the game now into the

97th minute Town then played a ball over the top Rams' calls for offside were waved away and the Town striker raced clear before dinking the ball over Skinner for a last ditch winner for the home side

Rams were gutted to have given so much only to emerge with nothing A draw would have been a fair result and the Rams will curse themselves for not putting the game out of sight in the first half when they had their chance However, this was a great game of football especially for the neutral and a real credit to the Essex Olympian League.

There were a lot of very good performances for the Rams, Dylan Skinner in goal, George Moxon, Jack Gardner, Pat Cannon (until he went off) but the Rams man of the match today was Andrew Webster who had his best game of the season so far.

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Rayleigh

Essex