Essex & Suffolk Border League

Premier Division

Saturday 10th October 2020

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Hatfield Peverel 2 Great Bentley 5, attendance 56

29’ 1-0

31’ 1-1

48’ 2-1

51’ 2-2 (pen)

66’ 2-3

84’ 2-4

90’+ 6, 2-5

@ Keith Bigden Memorial Ground

Wickham Bishops Road

Hatfield Peverel

CM3 2JL

No Admission or Programme.

The later than hoped for finish at Tiptree Heath meant it was a mad dash across nine miles of twisting back lanes, but by 14.56 we were parked up in the car park at the very smart home of Hatfield Peverel. As with the earlier game, it was another club who I had visited before on a former ground, in this case at Maldon Road, where on 4th May 2011 I saw a 0-0 draw versus West Bergholt in an Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division match. In 2013/14 season they swapped their town centre ground, which is still there, for the edge of town Keith Bigden Memorial Ground.

Today’s match was 10th versus 5th in the league table. Both sides went close a number of times before Hatfield Peverel broke the deadlock with a shot on the turn from close range, but Great Bentley levelled through a header just two minutes later. In the opening minutes of the second half Hatfield Peverel went back in front, but again the visitors levelled quickly, this time from the penalty spot. A left footed shot was curled into the bottom corner of the net to put the visitors ahead midway through the half, before they killed the game off going 2-4 up with six minutes left. There was some confusion when a Great Bentley player was sent off with a couple of minutes left, having received a second yellow card following a foul. It was claimed by the recipient that the Referee had booked the wrong player, which was also my reading of the incident. Despite being a man short they added a fifth goal deep into stoppage time to give them a resounding 2-5 win.

So, the intended double worked out perfectly after all, in a league that rarely disappoints.