This top of the table clash took on added significance with Byron Red Star having lost to Hutton the day before making this a battle for the title, with Hill needing to win this and the subsequent two games to clinch the Premier [...]]]> Ridgeway Rovers Lions U11 2 v Buckhurst Hill White U11 0

This top of the table clash took on added significance with Byron Red Star having lost to Hutton the day before making this a battle for the title, with Hill needing to win this and the subsequent two games to clinch the Premier league title. After the caretaker manger’s appearance last week, Russell was back at the helm and the boys started brightly having been fired up by the prematch talk. Ridgeway started with some crisp passing straight from the kick off but once Hill won the ball they started to show the determination and work rate that has been evident in their best performances this year and started to dominate the early passages of play pinning Ridgeway in their own half. On 9 minutes some sharp interplay between G JOHNSON, ISBEL and REDHEAD saw BROOKES given the opportunity to shoot and his looping effort saw the Ridgeway keeper make a great save pushing the ball wide. HILL continued to dominate the play pressing in midfield with SIMBA and G Johnson having a fabulous game in midfield and their emerging partnership looking more effective with every game. Our back four held a high line with STRANGE and EVE disciplined in the middle of defence allowing FITCH and H BARRETT to push up squeezing the game and penning Ridgeway in their own half. Ridgeway only needed a draw and they sat deep watching for the opportunity to break. HILL kept battering the ROVERS defensive barricade and with 10 minutes gone ROVERS had hardly stepped in the Buckhurst Hill half. But like all good side ROVERS took their opportunity when it came and on 11 minutes their first attack of the game saw ROVERS break with speed down the middle S BARRET came out to clear the ball off his legs but it broke to ROVERS and they took the opportunity to move into the lead 1-0. Despite going behind HILL continued to play with believe commitment and spirit and the game fell back into the same scenario as before the goal with HILL winning the battles all over the pitch and dominating for large passages of play with 70 – 80% of the play being in Rovers half. On 21 minutes HILL won a free kick on the right halfway inside the Rovers half. G Johnson played the ball into the box which fell to BROOKES who volleyed the ball just wide. Two minutes latter HILL’s relentless pressure saw the ball fall to BROOKES in the box but under a strong challenge he was unable to get enough power on his shot and it was saved by the keeper. On 25 minutes SIMBA picked up the ball and went on a powerful run from midfield sliding a pass out to REDHEAD on the right wing who played a great cross to the far post but the HILL forwards where unable to get on the end of it.
 
On 27 minutes ROVERS broke down the right S Barret was unable to hold the forwards shot which fell to Ridgeway forward who finished to make it 2-0
 
Half time came shortly afterwards and with 30 minutes of football the Sky Sports half time stats would have shown the territory and possession dominated by Hill but good teams can win ugly and take their chances when they come and Rover certainly did that in the first halve.
 
The second half started with HILL keeping their commitment and pressing game up and continuing to dominate possession and on 33 minutes BROOKES whipped a ball into the middle of the area which was controlled well by FOSTER in a crowd of defenders who found READHEAD who tried a clever flick but the keeper was alive to it and made a good save.
 
Rovers started to get in the game a little and some tight passing showed why they have been battling for the title all season, but although they started to show some quality HILL’s commitment and togetherness continued to dominate the game, with Hill continuing to hold a high line, on 35 minutes the ball fell to STRANGE stepping forward out of the defensive line whose long range shot was held by the keeper. On 38 minutes Hill won a free kick on the left he whipped in a ball with pace and accuracy that the ROVERS impressive defence headed clear, it fell to BROOKES on the edge of the area but his volley went over the bar.
 
A minute latter a HILL ball into the ROVERS box was handled and the Referee pointed to the spot. READHEAD who has been impressive and dependable all season stepped up to the plate, his well struck shot beat the keeper but hit the bottom of the post and agonisingly ricocheted to safety.
 
On 42 minutes the ball fell to the ROVERS forward who broke into the area one on one with the keeper but S BARRET made a good save to keep Hill’s hopes alive.  Two minutes latter READHEAD burst down the middle of the pitch beating several players and releasing BROOKES inside the area whose shot was well saved by the keeper. On 39 minutes Rovers broke down the right but STRANGE tracked back superbly keeping on his feet and with the assistance of H BARRET the ball was cleared for a corner. On 54 minutes ROVERS delivered a free kick which was cleared by SIMBA who together with G JOHNSON and assisted by ISBEL had given a central midfield display to remember.  With only one sub H JOHNSON who was carrying an injury the manager was unable to throw fresh legs on and with four minutes to go ROVERS fired a shot over the bar. 
 
The news had echoed round the ground that Byron had lost again today and when the referee who was excellent all game blew the final whistle ROVERS new they had won the league and their celebrations started.
 
Although it was a two nil defeat the Buckhurst Hill boys can feel rightly proud the score was not a reflection of a game which HILL dominated for large periods, it was a hard fought battle with lots of commitment and quality all over the pitch, but points count and good sides win when even when they don’t have the best of the play and that’s certainly what happened today. We still have second in the Premier league to play for and today’s display will give the manager a lot of hope for next season we were definitely the better side today but didn’t do enough to show we were the best side this season and we pass our congratulations onto Ridgeway Rovers who have been great advisories all season and played and important part in a great game of football.

Draw u16 EJA

Well done everyone.

Arguably the easiest of these 4 games Hill were [...]]]> With the manager serving an enforced touchline ban in Hawaii, post the battle of Hutton Mount, and Jose Mourinho on duty with Real Madrid, Davey Watford was drafted in to take the boys in the first of a 4 game winner takes all run in.

Arguably the easiest of these 4 games Hill were facing a Billericay side devoid of goals, points and confidence after a tough indoctrination to the Echo Prem. However, they showed very little of a side lacking in determination and made Hill go all out to win the game. In the shrewd words of one observer Hill first had to win the battle before they earned the right to win the game. Although in the end the scoreline made it look like a case of smooth sailing.

The first half was an uncomfortably tight one for the Hill fans with good possession and some decent chances but it looked like being a “one of those days” kind of days as chances went wide and the fans were nervous that the title challenge would run aground at the first passage.

On 3 minutes, good interplay down the right between Dackombe and G. Johnson created a chance in the box which fell to Joel and Redhead, but some strong defending forced the ball for hill first corner.

Then on 5 minutes Dackombe played a good cross in to Redhead whose well struck shot was saved. 3 Minutes later and Hill were creating again after some good work on the right by Dackombe, having his best game for a few weeks, who delivered a good cross flicked on to the far pios by Joel and Will finished neatly to put the visitors in front. 1-0.

O the 15 minute mark a sublime piece of play by Simba in the middle who turned two bus skilfully and played a classy reverse ball to Joel who took the shot on early with his left foot but it flashed by the post. The rest of the half continued in this pattern, with Hill dominating obsession and creating more chances but being frustrated. The nearest they came to adding to the slender lead followed a lovely piece of interplay between King, Dackombe and Redhead which created a chance for Joel whose flick bounced of the angle of bar and post. Half time came, Hill in a tight 1-0 advantage and the ship on the right tack, but sailing into a headwind.

The half time break saw a concerned call from the manager, who was clearly still up pacing the deck whilst downing the Pina Collada’s somewhere in the Pacific. He could have slept soundly in his bunk however as Davey Watford gave some clear and game changing instructions for the second half. We made the pitch much smaller, closed down a lot tighter in midfield and as soon as the second half started to dominate even more. The first chance coming 2 minutes after the restart when Redhead was put through, stretched to reach the chance and pushed the shot narrowly wide. Then after 6 minutes of the half Redhead was finally rewarded for his determination. The ball was lobbed into the box and he kept going, the ball eluding the keeper and he finished well to make it 2-0. The white horses gave way to a smooth milk pond after that, the engines went to full steam ahead and the manager eased the deckchair back a notch deep in the south pacific.

5 minutes later and it was 3-0. Simba won a god header in the middle, played in Redhead down the left whose angled run into the box payed off with a well struck shot into the far corner. Aya Aye captain.

Then 15 minutes into the second half it was 4-0 and Redhead had his hat trick. Simba, who along with G. Johnson were now running midfield after the coaches half time talk, won the ball in the middle and played a neat bal through to Redhead who finished calmly.

5-0 quickly followed as the home team heads were dropping fast. G. Johnson won the ball in the middle well and played in Dackombe down the right whose early ball int the box found Simba who smashed a good shot in at the near pos from 15 yards.

Dackombe was rewarded for a fabulous run from box to box 5 minutes from the end as the breakaway following the Billericay attack found Redhead down the left, he carried the ball well toward the opposing box and layer a lovely cross ball which Dackombe finished neatly after sprinting 70 yards to make it 6-0.

Then with 2 minutes t go Zak played a great clearance forward which fond redhead clear and calmly lobbed the keeper. 7-0. The scoreline was complete wit the last kick of the game after a well worked move down the right and some god passing between Dackombe and redhead played in Cam who finished very coolly to make it 8-0.

So 1 down 3 to go and Hills destiny still lies in their own hands. After setting off smoothly in August, meeting a patch of rough water mid crossing the ship is righted once again, and the stage is set for 180 minutes of cup final football to finish the season in glory. Pipe that one aboard Mr Christian.

After a disappointing performance against Westward Boys saw Hill loose their first league game of the season, a couple of weeks rest saw them facing Dagenham Utd  at home with nothing less than a win needed if they were to keep their title chances alive. The manager was [...]]]> BHFC White U11 V Dagenham Utd

After a disappointing performance against Westward Boys saw Hill loose their first league game of the season, a couple of weeks rest saw them facing Dagenham Utd  at home with nothing less than a win needed if they were to keep their title chances alive. The manager was calling for a win but also wanted the boys to show him the kind of high quality football that he knows they are capable of.  

A glorious spring day saw the Hill start brightly with the manager changing the system from the last few games switching to 4-4-2 with the two big men SWANN and FOSTER up front and pace down both wings. Buckurst Hill started brightly competing for the ball and showing some crisp passing. On 5 minutes REDHEAD played the ball past the fullback but his touch looked too heavy to catch to all but the player himself who used his blistering pace to great effect not only getting to the ball but delivering a quality cross which found FOSTER free on the penalty spot but his first time shot was cleared by the defender.

A minute later KING played a great ball down the line and REDHEAD delivered a fabulous cross, SWANN made a great run to the near post pulling the defender with him, and leaving FOSTER free this time he made no mistake to volley home 1-0 after 6 minutes.

Hill started to play some nice football and were dominating the game but on 9 minutes DAGENHAM broke with speed down the right hand side but were met by the solid defensive wall with EVE and STRANGE cleaning up nicely, together with FITCH and KING the back four looked very strong throughout the first period.

On 12 minutes BROOKES used his pace to terrify the Dagenham back division streaking into the area only to be thwarted by a very well timed challenge from the Dagenham defender. Four minutes later Dagenham delivered a dangerous bouncing ball into the area which S BARRETT held well. On 18 minutes REDHEAD outstripped the defender for pace and delivered a great deep cross to the far post, Brookes picked the ball up and rode a strong challenge but was then felled by the defender, there was no doubt it was a foul and the referee pointed to the spot.

REDHEAD stepped up an smashed th ball into the bottom corner giving the keeper no chance 2-0.

On 21 minutes Hill won a corner which was delivered with pace and accuracy by BROOKES, FOSTER made a run to the near post and got the faintest of touches with his head, which hit the DAGENHAM defender and went in. FOSTER claimed it, and Hill moved into a 3-0 lead.

Hill were showing good movement and some crisp passing with G Johnson showing good vision in the middle of the park and H Barrett breaking up the play alongside him.

Hill won a free kick on the edge of their own area which was accurately played forward to FOSTER who controlled the ball with his chest and flicked a lovely pass into the path of REDHEAD. REDHEAD again showed impressive athletic ability to lose the ful back and burst into the DAGENHAM area from the byline to bury the ball past the keeper, 23 minutes saw Hill leading 4-0.

The end of the1ist half saw a dominant performance by Hill who won their personal battles all over the pitch and passed the ball well with accuracy and intelligence.

The second half saw some changes and a chance for a debut by new signing SIMBA who took up a role iin the middle of the park and showed some good movement and passing, playing with his head up and playing some intelligent balls with Dackombe sitting alongside. Two minutes into to the second half saw a ball delivered into the box, finding BROOKES free whose left footed volley sailed over the bar. A bit of alchemy by the manager saw Hill getting players to take up some unfamiliar positions, this gave Dagenham the chance to get back in the game, but some resolute defending by the back four which now included the industrious ISBEL kept them at bay.

On 15 minutes Dagenham played a ball down the right for the attacker to chase, EVE was aware of the danger came across and thunderously cleared the ball which connected with the linesman BROOKES Snr who was unable to avoid it, nearly knocking him off his feet and showing that his sons swift footwork comes from his Swedish genes.  

On 16 minutes FITCH broke from defence into the middle of the park and again showed that there is more to his game than defending, playing a fabulous through ball to  find REDHEAD who played a great early pass across to STRANGE, now at centre forward, whose shot was well saved by the Dagenham keeper.

Dagenham continued to fight hard and with two minutes to go they broke down the left and delivered a good cross which the attacker met with a header but S BARRETT showed good hands to hold it.

After the strong opening half of fantastic football the second period proved a little disappointing, with substitutions on and off like a revolving door in the second period and the diminutive winger BROOKES ending the game at centre back it was no surprise when the manager laid the blame at his own door for” too many changes in the second half” resulting in our foot coming off the gas. Still the very strong first half performance and a great debut from ort new signing give us a lot to be optimistic about in the run in to the end of the season.