Report
Leyton Pennant extended their unbeaten run to ten games with this excellent 2-0 win over Great Wakering Rovers. This win, not only means that the Lilywhites are up to 17th place in the division, their highest position since early in the season, it was also the fifth time in three weeks that they’d taken the points from teams in the promotion race. If Tommy Lee does not get the “Manager of the Month” there’s no justice. The three points were sealed with a brilliant first half display from Jermaine Hughes, whose two goals today brought his tally to 3 in two games.
Lilywhites started in what has become accepted and effective fashion, they allowed Rovers to play the football in their won half of the field. Once they managed to get into the Leyton Pennant half, the defensive game played by every man jack of the team foiled everything that Rovers could do. Rovers could have taken the lead on 18 minutes when Twidell found himself with space six metres out from goal. He snatched at his shot and scuffed the ball wide.
Spencer Fletcher and Jim Peters on either flank began to probe the Rovers’ defence and found it to be quite shaky. They began to take control of the midfield with Snowsill and Notley keeping the ball flowing to home side players. The Lilywhites’ defence also played their game well: dangerous balls were quickly put out of play whilst, if there was time they played the ball out to create a break. It was on one such occasion that Hughes got his first goal.
26 minutes had passed and Notley picked up the ball on the edge of his own area. His long ball found Hughes just on the outside left edge of the Rovers penalty area. The away defence was caught napping so ‘keeper Hudson was forced out to shut Hughes down. Hughes thought quickly and shot for the right hand corner of the net before Hudson could do anything. The ball rolled tantalisingly into the net with defenders racing vainly to get to it.
Rovers tried to counter attack but the Lilywhites were not about to fall to any sucker punch: they broke down every Rovers’ play just as they forced into the Lilywhites’ half. Just as the first half was coming to an end, on 44 minutes, Jermaine Hughes popped up again to score and effectively end the game for Rovers. A long kick from defence found Hughes being marked by two defenders twice his height. As the ball came down, they stayed down as if turned to blocks of salt. Too late they tried to put Hughes off his jump but he was already there, above them looking down as his headed ball found the net.
The arguments started in the Rovers defence and they had lost all impetus. The second half saw the Lilywhites’ defence soak up a great deal of attacking play. Once again, the immaculate defending kept Rovers shooting mainly from long range. High balls were dealt with brilliantly by Morgan and Tickner. Corners were always dealt with impeccably by Morgan. Anything on the ground just did not get through. In the fourth minute of time added on Rovers’ Scopes could have got a consolation goal but he shot high and wide with only ‘keeper Morgan to beat.