La Chiesa are within touching distance
of an appearance in the prestigious Arthur Atkinson Cup Final
thanks to a victory carved out of pure resilience at Coopers this Sunday. Despite being down to ten men for three quarters
of the game, the boys from the Church of the Horn kept May & Bakers at bay to secure a semi final draw against Stonewood.
It would have been easier to get in touch with Osama Bin Laden than a May & Bakers representative
during the week, and this lack of communication proved costly as the Dagenham outfit arrived in a red kit that clashed
with the famous red and black stripes of Chiesa. The home team are obliged to change in such circumstances, and so Gaffer
Samuel Knowles hopped in John Rileys cab and returned with the blue away kit, freshly unwashed from last week's victory
at Maze. Just one change for Chiesa this week, Riley back in the team at the expense of Cy Taylor, Iain Gay reverting
to his regular midfield position after covering at full back for the last two matches.
Before the match got underway, the teams paid tribute to the late Len Jolley. Len, who lost his
battle with cancer last month, was manager of EMH for almost two decades, and was responsible for giving Chiesa's
Adam Jeffers, Samuel Knowles, Benny Gillham, Warren & Danny Hardwick, and Danny Button their first taste of competitive
football in the early eighties. Len was chuffed to hear of his boys football renaissance with the LC/DC last
season, and an impeccably observed minute's silence was the very least we could do for him. Cheers Len!
The constant rain of the last three days had taken it's toll on the Coopers playing surface,
the drainage in the lower field is still not all it should be, and Chiesa were going to have to roll up their sleeves
and battle against such commited opposition. Throw in the swirling wind and this was never going to be one for the purists,
but Chiesa were a more organised outfit than usual, as they had Director of Football
Dave Knowles barking his orders from the touchline for the first time this season. It was under his orders that Terry Soteriou
found Danny Trew with a throw in on the left, and Trew held the ball up before laying off to Sam Knowles just inside his own
half. Knowles clipped a ball into M&B territory for Adam Jeffers to chase, and if the Baker Boys at the back didn't realise
why Jeffers is known as 'The String' round these parts, they do now, as he caused mayhem in the box with his determination,
before prodding the ball past the keeper, and watching as it was diveted into the net by May & Bakers John Battram. Jeffers
is claiming the goal however, and it has been credited to him for the time being, until the dubious goals panel reconvene
in January.
Chiesa have a terrific record against M&B, winning all three previous matches against
them. But the visitors were not second in the league for nothing, and Chiesa's job was about to get more difficult
when they were reduced to ten men. A long ball over the top seemed to catch Chiesa's defence flat footed, and M&B were
in on goal until an intervention from the arm of John Riley. No matter how you dress it up, it was the denial of a clear goalscoring
opportunity, and the rock at the heart of the Chiesa defence was off.
Back to right back for Iain Gay then, as skipper Darren Hodsell took over at Centre Half, but
more adjustment was required before the match was half an hour old. First Jeffers found himself on the receiving end of a
horrible tackle, and was replaced by Matt Gillham, then Warren Hardwick was injured in a challenge, and Cy Taylor
entered proceedings. Amid all the reshuffling, Chiesa had keeper Mark Harris to thank for keeping them in the tie somehow
tipping a long range shot onto the bar and over, the saving superbly with his legs after a Bakers forward had danced round
the whole LC/DC rearguard. When Danny Hardwick left the club earlier in the season, the media had Chiesa linked with
every keeper in East London and Essex, but Harris has proved beyond doubt that he is No1 now, in the last few weeks
he has made some seriously important saves.
Cy Taylor had a great opportunity to put Chiesa two in front when he showed great control to
take a Williams cross in his stride, before shooting just over from the edge of the area, but the Hornchurch Rossonieri
were more than happy to take a one goal lead into the break.
As the Knowles Snr gave his second half instructions, there were none of
the usual interjections from the team, but a respectful silence and nodding of heads. You could almost hear the Chiesa
ears straining to listen to the Knowles pearls of wisdom - something that has definitely never happened before in an
LC/DC half time talk!
The second half was always going to be a monumental battle. The pitch was beginning to resemble
the ground at Aintree following the Grand National, and Jordan and Knowles in the heart of the midfield had no chance of playing
the kind of football that they normally aspire to. But this wasn't a day for pretty football, it was a time to stand up and
be counted, and Danny Trew, playing in a lone role up front, was showing exactly the spirit Chiesa must employ to succeed
- Jeffers-like energy combined with excellent hold up play and simple passing - DT was doing the job of two men and doing
it well. Part time full backs Williams and Gay were curbing their attacking instincts and not allowing their wingers any room
to manouvre - helped out by the willing Taylor and Gillham in front of them, while Hodsell and Soteriou were employing
the offside trap to great effect time after time, leaving Harris to sweep up anything that did get by them.
Jordan and a Bakers midfielder were both cautioned in an incident that threatened to boil over
into fisticuffs, and soon after, it was ten a side when Battram was shown a second yellow for a crunching tackle on Knowles.
Colin Williams had a chance to increase the lead, but sent a trademark freekick just over, while Trew saw a header fly
just wide. Bakers were huffing and puffing without really creating a clear cut chance for an equaliser, and as ther seconds
ticked away, grew more and more frustrated, both with the Linesman and each other. With just injury time remaining, Knowles
and Gay decided to see out the rest of the match by the corner flag, forcing a free kick, corner then a throw after a crazed
lunge from Bakers keeper Leatherbarrow, complete with a battle cry which will not be repeated on this page! From the throw
(and now minutes into added time on top of added time) Gay was felled in the area and Knowles had the chance to put the
icing on the cake from the penalty spot. It was not to be though as, despite the keeper showing him the entire left side
of the goal, he sidefooted to the right - the one part of the goal where his shot could be saved - to record the
first penalty miss of his career.
In the end it mattered not, as referee Marsh blew for time seconds later. Chiesa had a fourth succes
over May & Bakers under their belt, and were through to the semi finals of the cup for the first time in their history.
A fantastic effort in treacherous conditions, especially considering they were a man down for so long, thanks in
no small part to the organisation installed by the Director of Football.
LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; Hodsell, Riley, W Hardwick (Taylor),
Soteriou; Gay, Knowles, Jordan, Williams; Trew, Jeffers (M Gillham)
Gol - Jeffers
Tarjeta Amarilla - Jordan
Tarjeta Rojo - Riley
Arbitro - F Marsh
