Essex Olympian League
Denny King Memorial Cup Semi-Final
Saturday 10th May 2025
Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02
Beacon Hill Rovers 2 Canning Town 2 (4-3 pens), attendance 22
8’ 0-1
17’ 1-1
19’ 1-2
79’ 2-2
@ Wickham Bishops Sports Fields
Great Totham Road
Wickham Bishops
CM8 3NP
No Admission or Programme.
We’re at that stage of the season where games are being called off at the drop of a hat, so I was looking for a match with something on it and a cup semi-final fitted the bill perfectly. These two are both in division 1 of the league, with this being 11th (out of 12) versus 6th as far as their league positions go. Even though it was a semi-final, BHR started the game with just the bare eleven players in attendance, although they did have one substitute by halftime.
Canning Town were ahead after just eight minutes, when a cross from the left saw a striker nipping in front of the ‘keeper at the near post and flick the ball into the net. A long ball over the top from the ‘keeper saw BHR draw level after seventeen minutes as the ball was helped on and finished from the edge of the box. Within two minutes Canning Town were back in front, when a cross from the left wasn’t cleared from the box and was finished with a side footed shot low into the corner of the net. Just before the hour mark BHR hit the post and as Canning Town sat back on their lead, they were finally caught out with eleven minutes left, when a defender tried to head the ball back to his ‘keeper, but it was well short and a BHR player reached it first, lobbing the ball in from the edge of the box. Minutes later, the hosts lost their ‘keeper to injury, replaced by an outfield player. They survived the final eight minutes, as well as a ridiculous fifteen minutes of added time, with the Referee finally blowing the final whistle right on an hours play since we’d started the half.
It was straight to penalties, which would have come as a relief to the player’s, as it was a really hot day. The hosts went first. Their first two kicks were both missed. High over the crossbar and saved by the ‘keeper. Canning Town had also seen their first kick saved as well. BHR scored their next four, but with Canning Town having their fifth kick saved, they then hit the post with their last one to send BHR into the final.
BHR play at the recreation ground in the village of Bishops Wickham, just east of Witham. There’s plenty of parking and a brick built clubhouse/changing room building, whilst the pitch is roped on three sides and has a pair of dugouts on the far side. Today’s visit now sees the top two divisions of this league complete and unbelievably, a trouble free journey in both directions. Not too many times that happens via Dartford Crossing!
