Essex Senior Cup Final Braintree Town 2 Concord Rangers 0
Mar 21, 2023 23:24:46 GMT
ozbrit likes this
Post by dbbn on Mar 21, 2023 23:24:46 GMT
Braintree won their first ES Cup final for the first time in twenty three years tonight at Colchester's Jobserve Community Stadium. With players injured or ineligible, manager Angelo Harrop only had only twelve first team regulars to pick from and added back up keeper Damien Niemczycki along with three young lads from who knows where with Alfie Matthews on the bench.
Braintree were on the front foot from the off attacking the half of the pitch where their fans were in full voice. Payne and Turner were getting on the ball and dictating play getting the ball out wide when they could. Seven minutes in and Payne pings a long ball into the area for Pavey who wins the ball and lays it off for Rush but his goal bound effort is deflected over the bar. There's a scramble from the corner but it won't drop for a Braintree man and is eventually cleared for another corner. Farrell takes a free kick wide out on the left and swings it in deep where Pavey rises and heads it back across goal but no one in orange is there to apply the finish. Eleven minutes and Braintree take the lead, Concord are pushing up and lose possession in the Braintree half, Turner collects on the inside right and knocks a ball over the top for Rush, he looks yards offside but the linesman is way behind play, he carries the ball towards the area and as the keeper comes to close him down, calmly slots the ball to the keepers right and finds the inside of the side netting. Farrell is delivering some quality balls into the box marauding down the left, one finds it way beyond the far post and as Regis comes in to finish it off, he's blocked well by a Concord defender. Concord are struggling to get out of their half, but when they do they carry little threat and are snuffed out by a solid Iron defence. Another cross for Pavey this time from Rush but it lacks the power and is collected by the keeper, then a minute later Reynolds bursts down the left and into the box, his cut back finds Pavey but he mis-hits it and gets a corner. Another good corner from Farrell and again Pavey wins it 10 yards out it looks like it's going in but the keeper gets his fingertips to it twice, the second time to get it over the crossbar. Another Farrell free kick on the left and there's several bodies trying to score/clear and finally Concord clear. On a rare break, Concord get into the area and the player takes a tumble, but clearly no pen. Farrell provides more ammunition for Pavey this time he crosses and wins a corner, Altintop flicks it on a t he near post and it just evades Rush at the far post. A couple of minutes to go and another sweeping move and some good pass and move link up sees Rush played in behind the backline inside the area, he drills it low to the far post and Pavey slides in to add the finishing touch, but the lino has his flag up, but this one looked onside! 1-0 at half time, should've been more.
Concord are trying to play quicker and be more assertive and early on in the half former Iron front man Mo Bettamer clatters Sims as he challenges for a cross. Ten minutes into the half and more good play down the left sees a good cross find Rush 6 yards out but his first time effort is straight at the keeper as the ball breaks loose, Pavey goes after it and goes down and the ref pointys to the spot. Concord surround the ref but he's not changing his mind. Pavey steps up and fires it low to the keeper's right as he dives the wrong way. Bettamer has an effort from outside the box, but it's wide in a rare Concord foray. on 67 minutes Reynolds makes way for Matthews. Braintree are in full control and ease of the gas as Concord huff and puff their way through the closing stages with no threat to Sims goal. Turner tries a long range volley from 30 yards but it's straight at the keeper and Matthews from slightly closer having been set up by Pavey drives on well over. In added time Rush and Pavey are withdrawn and two of the young lads Thomas Wager and Luke Papple come on.
This was a very comfortable evening for the Iron where they dominated in all areas. Pavey was a handful all night and Farrell provided lots of good deliveries with his free kicks and corners Turner and Payne bossed the midfield. Now for the play-offs!
