Burroughs Park, Great Wakering
Isthmian League Division One North
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 100 (estimate)
Match Rating: 4
With no work the next morning to worry about this week, I was sufficiently tempted into a relatively long distance trip into south-east Essex, for my first midweek action in almost a month.
Burroughs Park is located just to the north of the village of Great Wakering, or just under three miles north from the nearest train station in Shoeburyness, or about five miles north east of Southend. In all honesty, I was not expecting too much of the ground, which was probably why I was happy to visit at night time. So it came as a very pleasant surprise indeed that I would find a ground that was attractive, very neat and tidy, with some really nice touches to give the place a really care for feel to it. One enters through a turnstile behind one of the goals, with the clubhouse immediately to the right, and refreshments offered from a window to the front. To the left of the turnstile are three steps of uncovered terrace. Beyond the clubhouse, the other side of the corner flag, is an attractive sign welcoming spectators to Burroughs Park placed on the outside wall of the toilets. Further along this length is a really eye catching feature, a cabin decorated in bright, club signage. Just beyond the half way line is an all-seater stand.Straddling the half way line on the other length is a stand covering a few steps of terracing. To one side of the stand there are a couple of tasteful memorials for club stalwarts placed on the perimeter fence. Behind the remaining goal are a few uncovered terrace steps. The perimeter wall is attractive dark brown wood, and trees behind one goal complete a very pleasant, quiet setting. There was also a really friendly and welcoming feel to the place. The 40 page programme was excellent to, in full colour, printed on good quality paper and with a really combination of stats, facts and interesting reading material.
It is looking like a season of midtable obscurity for both clubs. Great Wakering came into this game in 15th place in the 24 team division, with five wins and six draws from their 18 games, although after their previous manager resigned on the back of two successive 1-4 home defeats, the new manager Gary Ansell has steadied the ship with a win and two draws. Aveley were in 11th, with seven wins and three draws from their 16 games. In the reverse fixture last month, the match finished 1-1.
On a dry, mild evening, after a lively opening to the game, Great Wakering took the lead on 9 minutes. After Jake Gordon strode forward unopposed, he passed the ball to Tom Ranger, and he stroked the ball into the net. Their lead lasted less than two minutes though. Joe Pearman sent a lovely free kick to the back post, and Junior Baker headed into the net. The home side looked certain to retake the lead within a minute, but saw a shot well saved and a subsequent shot blocked by a defender, but they did score a minute after that. Jake Gordon took the ball forward, knocked the ball sideways to evade the goalkeeper before firing into the net. After an explosive few minutes, the game settled down, until Great Wakering extended their lead on the stroke of half time. Some good passing into the box ended with the ball being passed across goal and Jay Nash passed the ball into the net.
Great Wakering certainly deserved their two goal lead, who always looked threatening with their lively, inventive attacking play, while Aveley looked a little sloppy in their play. Aveley certainly upped their game in the second half. They forced a terrific point blank reflex save by the keeper from a powerful header on 58 minutes. But they did pull a goal back two minutes later, when Alex Teiniola saw his shot on the turn deflected into the top corner. A flashpoint occurred on 66 minutes when the ball was curled towards the Aveley goalkeeper, inviting the forward Nash to challenge, but his clattering of the goalkeeper, wiping him out, was over the top. He got a yellow card, but bizarrely the Aveley defender Ahmed Deen escaped even a talk to from the referee despite going head to head with Nash and repeatedly screaming vulgar obscenities at him. On 75 minutes, Aveley's Pearman curled a low shot just beyond the far post. But they did not manage to get enough shots on target to threaten an unlikely equaliser as Great Wakering came close on a couple of occasions. But they had still done enough to claim the deserved three points.
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