Braintree Town Vs Concord Rangers Match report 29-4-14 Essex Senior cup final

Essex Senior cup final

Though the scene was set for Braintree to add some silverware to a successful season, the opportunity passed Iron by when they went down by two goals to one in the Essex Senior cup final. An impressive team goal finished by Sam Collins was capped off with a cool strike from James White for Concord Rangers, sending Braintree back up the A12 empty handed in their last competitive game of the campaign, with James Mulley adding a consolation in injury time.

Braintree showed their intent from kick off, striking the woodwork in the opening minutes with some nice play down the left hand side. Marks and Holman linked up well, switching the play to James Mulley in an advanced position just outside the box. It was an opportunity possibly too early for James Mulley, who scuffed his shot across goal and onto the opposing post. Down the other end, Gary Ogilvie picked up the ball from a throw on the left wing for Concord Rangers, running at Ryan Peters and cutting in at the by-line. Penalty appeals on mass from the men in blue with Ogilvie going to ground in the area were waved away and the ball collected by Hamann.

However, Concord made the next chance count and opened the scoring through Sam Collins on 17 minutes. Gary Ogilvie was to thank for a fantastic ball across field from the Rangers left hand side, floating into space for Collins to attack. Latching onto the cross and in plenty of space, Collins struck across goal, finishing well past Nick Hamann to put the Conference South side ahead at Victoria road.

Jamie Butler did well on the stroke of half time to retain the hard fought lead, reacting well with a double save to force Devonshire’s men to face a tough team talk as Barry Holderness blew the whistle.

Ten minutes after the break, the Beach boys were screaming for a penalty again when Matt Paine stuck out a leg on the edge of the area. But with the referee ignoring the calls for the second time, Braintree broke down the left, providing Jordan Cox with possession inside the opposition box. Cox looped a ball into the middle of the box, which was met by James Mulley who nodded over.

Davis went into the book on the 65^th minute for a stamp on the grounded Toby Stokes, leading to a dangerous looking free kick from 25 yards out. It was Collins who struck, demanding the most from the outstretched Nick Hamann who prevented a wonder goal from the scorer of the first. However, Hamann could parry only as far as James White, who put the ball in the back of the net to double the lead for Concord Rangers.

With fifteen minutes to go, Bradley Quinton delivered from a corner into a mass of shirts, who watched helplessly as the ball trickled past the post for another corner which was put clear. Iron could not create in the game as they had all season in the league, but added a consolation through James Mulley moments before the referee’s whistle. A corner in by Bradley Quinton fell to Mulley, who this time headed home, but it was far too late for a comeback with the referee blowing the signalling an end to the tie from the restart.

Braintree Town: Hamann, Peters, Habergham, Isaac, Paine (Daley), Davis, Marks (Cox), Holman, Sparkes (Quinton), Massey, Mulley

Unused Subs: McDonald, Wells

Concord Rangers: Butler, Gordon, Glozier, Cawley (Lampe), King, Goodacre, Cawley, White, Ogilvie (Easterford), Collins, Stokes

Unused Subs: Alzapiedi,Taaffe, Amole

 
Referee: Barry Holderness
Assistants: Wade Norcott and Thomas Ramsey
Fourth Official: Stuart Cheek

Attendance: 448