Sports Pay Penalty On Opening Day - Hullbridge Sports vs. Takeley

The Hullbridge winger takes on the fullback 

Even though I'd seen some entertaining pre season games it was great to get back to competitive action this weekend. With the FA Cup starting on the first weekend of August some league starts were pushed to the final weekend of July. One of those leagues was the Essex Senior League and the only new ground in the opening weekend of fixtures was Hullbridge Sports who were hosting Takeley. The only other Essex Senior League game I'd been to in the last couple of years was Basildon against Eton Manor at the end of last season and this was the first time I'd seen either club play. Today's hosts had finished in mid table while Takeley had finished fourth from bottom last season and so were both looking for an improvement in fortunes this time around. Both meetings last season had ended in draws.

Kick off of the 2016-17 Essex Senior League Season

Hullbridge almost have the perfect start when the attacker powers into the Takeley area but his run is halted by a crunching tackle. It is then Takeley's turn to have an early attack and the shot goes well over the bar. Then a Takeley cross into the box is flicked on by a Hullbridge defender but the goalie makes a good save to save his team mate's blushes. Takeley continue to look dangerous and when the attacker is chopped down in the box the referee awards the visitors a penalty which is slotted into the bottom corner to put Takeley one nil up. The last real chance of a fairly timid first half comes as Hullbridge get in on goal on the left hand side but the eventual shot is blocked.

The Hullbridge keeper claims a second half cross under threatening skies

Takeley think they have an early goal in the second half when the forward flicks the ball past the keeper but it is ruled out for offside. They come close again as a shot following a break is deflected onto the post. The away side continue to create chances as the man is found at the back post forcing a brilliant save from the keeper before the second effort is lashed high and wide. Hullbridge's first chance of the second period is from a corner when the goalie misses a corner kick but when the ball is put back into the area, no one can get the final touch. Then when a Hullbridge move breaks down, the Takeley player is unfortunate to see his long range effort come back off the bar. Takeley get the second killer goal when the attacker is played in after a break away and he is fouled by the keeper to win a second penalty. The kick is put to the right of the keeper to seal a 2-0 away win.

The Takeley keeper acrobatically clears the ball

Even though there is no train station in Hullbridge, it is fairly easy to reach from London. Firstly you need to catch a train to Rayleigh from Liverpool Street which takes forty five minutes. Then from just outside the station you can catch the number 20 bus and this takes just under ten minutes. If you have time you can the bus the all the way to the waterfront, if not get off just before the bus turns off Lower Road and the ground is five minutes up the hill. By the waterfront is The Smuggler's Den and The Anchor both of which have a good choice of beers and offer river side views. The Smuggler's Den also has Sky Sports for the early kick off. The ground is then twenty minutes walk away. The clubhouse has the usual selection of beers as well as Sky Sports. The bar and the club in general were very welcoming and I fully recommend a visit.

Another view of the covered accommodation and the clubhouse