I like Buckhurst Hill away. For some reason, visits to Myrak Park are enjoyable days out, although I’ve only been twice and we’ve not won either game. It’s quite a pleasant drive if your Sat Nav sends you through the Essex countryside and it’s a decent little ground, despite the openness that might not be so much fun on a wet and windy day!

On Saturday, it was even better than usual thanks to the fantastic efforts of the Essex Senior League, which embraced Non-League Day and put on a great show, with the Premier League Trophy on display and Stuart Pearce in attendance, and players wearing the number 45 shirt in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. With the staggered kick-offs, allowing Groundhoppers to get to four games if they so wished and all the stuff going on in aid of Prostate Cancer, applause was definitely in order for the ESL and they were rewarded with some excellent attendance figures.

As for the game in question, Buckhurst Hill v The Bridge, it may not have been the best game of football I’ve ever seen but it was a decent contest with, I thought, a fair result in the end, although The Stags would probably have been disappointed that they could only convert one of their 19 chances. One of the main reasons that they only scored the one goal was due to a massive performance from The Bridge back four (five with Dom) who defended brilliantly throughout the game and, therefore, the Hullbridge defences were Pearced (!) only once.

The Bridge put in a decent first-half performance but the home side still had most of the chances and Dom Alexandru was alert to save at the feet of Khris Oti early on. Alfie Harris, wearing the number 45 shirt for the day, had a shot saved by Alexandru, as did Oti, whilst at the other end Darnell Williams attempt was deflected wide. The Stags were still pressing and The Bridge defence holding firm as Alex Georgiou’s shot went over the bar and a free-kick sent into the box by Archie Hammond was headed wide by Ethan Daniels.

Khris Oti, looking lively, sent a cross flashing across goal and was soon in action again as he sprinted through and his shot was saved by the new Bridge keeper before it came back to Oti and Alexandru saved again. The rebound went to Jack Ferris and we all thought that Dom had made another fantastic save from Ferris’ shot but it was actually Oscar Joenes who brilliantly saved the ball on the line with his chest to stop the Stags from going ahead (thanks AJH Vision for the video clarification!).

Most of The Bridge offensive had been instigated by Piers Hatcliff and he was soon causing problems for The Stags with a run that ended with a foul on the edge of the box and a possible free-kick or even a penalty but all Piers got was a yellow card for diving! Fired up by this, Piers did it again soon after and played a ball into Kayne Roberts, who held it up and then played Piers in and he finished low into the bottom corner. From the celebration, you could tell that Piers was quite pleased with all that!

As half-time approached, the impressive Alex Georgiou had a shot go wide and Piers was causing trouble again as his cross found Jack Hauser in the box and somehow The Stags blocked his attempt from close range. There was just time for Jack Nolde to fire in a free-kick that missed everyone as it went wide and the 45 were up.

The home side stepped it up even more in the second 45 and Jack Ferris was on target but The Bridge number 45 for the day, Dom Alexandru tipped it over. The corner was headed clear by Callum Knowlden who headed everything clear all day as did centre-back partner Jack Wilson. It was a bit like attack v defence now with the odd foray upfield by The Bridge and Archie Hammond and Alfie Harris shots went fizzing over the bar and Darnell Williams and Kayne Roberts had chances go wide of the Stags goal.

Alex Georgiou charged down a Jack Wilson clearance and the ball fell to Khris Oti but the advancing Dom Alexandru won the one-on-one and then the linesman's flag went up for offside anyway. Finally, though, The Bridge defences were Pearced, when a Jude Carolan throw-in was allowed to bounce in the box and, as the ball fell to Archie Hammond, he finished low into the corner and finally, Dom was beaten. Piers Hatcliff was still causing problems at the other end of the pitch and after a run, he had a shot blocked and, shortly after, his cross flashed by everyone and couldn't get the touch it needed.

As The Stags' substitutions began to have an effect, there were shots by Hammond and Alfie Paddington that missed the target and Estaban Oya’s shot went over the bar and the clubhouse bar as well! Keeper Alexandru made a couple of decent catches under pressure and Levi Burgin just failed to get on the end of Padington’s cross (that’s Alfie, not the bear. Not even the ESL could get Paddington Bear to put in an appearance!).

There were a couple more chances missed at both ends before the game finished 1-1. A decent point for The Bridge that keeps us moving slowly in the right direction and with a massive game against Sawbridgeworth coming up soon. A good day out and a hats-off to the ESL and as always…



A good performance from the Hullbridge backline and Dom was behind it all making some first-class saves, in particular, the double save from Khris Oti. Top goalkeeping from our number 45!