Post by jonw on Mar 24, 2020 21:59:33 GMT
From the Braintree Town v Billericay Town programme this season....
Cup ties with more than one replay are now a thing of the past. Some competitions, including the Essex Senior Cup, now dispense with the need for even one replay and go straight to 90 minutes if the scores are level after extra time.
Over the years the first team have been involved in a number of memorable cup ties that have gone to a third game, but nothing can compare with the tragic, epic and marathon series of Essex Junior Cup ties that our reserves battled through with Halstead Town Reserves in the 1958-59 season.
Drawn to play away at Rosemary Lane, the first attempt to play the game on 27th December was postponed at Halstead’s request. The tie got underway seven days later but the home team's captain and centre half Bruce Steward (age 24) collapsed in the goalmouth just before half time. He had landed heavily after clearing an Iron corner kick and this resulted in him choking. He was taken off unconscious on a stretcher and died in the dressing room. The game was abandoned after 55 minutes when the players and referee became aware of the sad turn of events. He has a remembrance plaque on the wall in the clubhouse at Rosemary Lane.
The game was rescheduled for the following weekend but abandoned 14 minutes into extra-time due to the dangerously icy pitch. The score at the time was 0-0, as it had been in the first game.
The tie then moved to Braintree a week later but was postponed due to the poor weather. On 24th January the game was completed at Cressing Road – finishing 1-1 after extra time. Ray Hart scored our goal, one of 27 in only 18 games. He also scored 9 in 9 games for the first team.
It was back to Halstead for the second replay a week later, with both sides sharing six goals to force a third replay at Braintree on 7th February. After five games and two postponements Iron finally won the tie 4-2. Our goals came from Gordon Underwood, Peter Tyrell, Ron Farthing and an own goal. The tie had lasted for eight hours and nine minutes, the club’s longest cup tie ever. The reserves were knocked out at home to British Mathews in the Divisional Final a week later but enjoyed a reasonable season in the Chelmsford & Mid Essex League, finishing fourth. They should have also played Halstead Town Reserves in the Coggeshall Brotherhood Cup, but pulled out of the competition.
The first team also had a very Halstead orientated fixture list, meeting our near neighbours four times!
Cup ties with more than one replay are now a thing of the past. Some competitions, including the Essex Senior Cup, now dispense with the need for even one replay and go straight to 90 minutes if the scores are level after extra time.
Over the years the first team have been involved in a number of memorable cup ties that have gone to a third game, but nothing can compare with the tragic, epic and marathon series of Essex Junior Cup ties that our reserves battled through with Halstead Town Reserves in the 1958-59 season.
Drawn to play away at Rosemary Lane, the first attempt to play the game on 27th December was postponed at Halstead’s request. The tie got underway seven days later but the home team's captain and centre half Bruce Steward (age 24) collapsed in the goalmouth just before half time. He had landed heavily after clearing an Iron corner kick and this resulted in him choking. He was taken off unconscious on a stretcher and died in the dressing room. The game was abandoned after 55 minutes when the players and referee became aware of the sad turn of events. He has a remembrance plaque on the wall in the clubhouse at Rosemary Lane.
The game was rescheduled for the following weekend but abandoned 14 minutes into extra-time due to the dangerously icy pitch. The score at the time was 0-0, as it had been in the first game.
The tie then moved to Braintree a week later but was postponed due to the poor weather. On 24th January the game was completed at Cressing Road – finishing 1-1 after extra time. Ray Hart scored our goal, one of 27 in only 18 games. He also scored 9 in 9 games for the first team.
It was back to Halstead for the second replay a week later, with both sides sharing six goals to force a third replay at Braintree on 7th February. After five games and two postponements Iron finally won the tie 4-2. Our goals came from Gordon Underwood, Peter Tyrell, Ron Farthing and an own goal. The tie had lasted for eight hours and nine minutes, the club’s longest cup tie ever. The reserves were knocked out at home to British Mathews in the Divisional Final a week later but enjoyed a reasonable season in the Chelmsford & Mid Essex League, finishing fourth. They should have also played Halstead Town Reserves in the Coggeshall Brotherhood Cup, but pulled out of the competition.
The first team also had a very Halstead orientated fixture list, meeting our near neighbours four times!
