On a fresh but pleasant morning on Maldon prom, Boreham looked to take maximum points from Heybridge Athletic who finished as last seasons league runners up a point ahead of Dales men. The clems fielded the same back five as the previous week with Jon Wright looking to convince the manager that he has the minerals to take the gloves on a permanant basis after last weeks horror show. His defenders were Chittock, Tom Wright, Stammers and Coleman. Ince and Ansell were joined by the gaffa in midfield with Jay Dale and last weeks debutant Gothard supporting the talented Walker up front. Pacey foward Jay Parks has returned following the demise of Waltham and takes his place on the bench alongside Raven and Joughin.
The game started with Heybridge on top as Boreham struggled to get into their stride early on. Boreham were defending deep and soaked up the early pressure well, and just inside quater of an hour managed to break with Jay Dale scoring with another trademark pile driver from 20 yards giving the keeper no time to react and it was 0-1 slightly against the run of play. The home side reacted well, however and as the Clems midfield stood off the Heybridge foward, he had time to steady himself before hitting a screamer into the top corner from 30 yards past Wright who never smelt it. A short time later Boreham were behind as an inswinging corner was palmed straight in to his own net by Wright who was doing nothing to enhance his reputation as a full time number 1.
Boreham were doing ok at this point but Heybride were playing confidently, although they never really created another clearcut chance in the first half. Walker thought he had equalised with a fine header after a good cross from Gothard, but the goal was dubiously ruled offside by the flag happy linesman. Boreham's persistance did pay off on the stroke of half time as two efforts were brilliantly saved by the oppo stopper before Ad Dale finally burried the ball in the onion bag for a Desmond at the break.
Dale and his troops looked somewhat relieved at surviving a difficult first period and were happy to be level pegging, but if recent second half performances were anything to go by, there was a lot of work to do to keep the title challenge on track. These concerns were soon forgotten however because the mighty clems flew out of the blocks and took just three minutes to retake the lead after a dangerous ball across the box from Walker, Gothard just about got the last touch ahead of the defender to claim his first goal in a clematine shirt.
Boreham never looked back from then on, and the next 40 minutes was probably as well as they had played so far this season. Captain Ryan Ince followed last weeks pearler with an absolute screamer in a game full of good goals. Ince found the top bin from 30 yards and the visiters led 4-2. Front man Walker was really growing into the game now, and got on the scoresheet as he gambled on the ball evading the defender to leave him clean though with the keeper to beat. Many players might have found themselves with too much time to think, but Walker is a class act and showed great composure picking spot before a confident finish for 5-2 and Boreham were now in full flow.
It was now just a case of how many as Heybridge just couldn't live with the onslaught of pressure being applied and a great team goal followed leaving even the home support applauding what was pure class all round. The ball was fizzed around in midfield before a nicely weighted pass out to Coleman wide on the right. The in form MOM supplied one hell of a cross with pace and curl to the far post where Gothard gave it the treatment it rightly deserved, converting a clinical volley with the instep from 10 yards, finding the top corner once again.
Substitutes Parks and Raven were looking to get in on the act in the last twenty minutes, with Raven looking especially tricky and direct giving the managment team something to think about next week. The second half was rounded off nicely when Walker struck his second from the edge of the box with around 10 minutes remaining, and it finished a healthy looking scoreline of seven goals to two.
Next week its a return to County Trophey action as the Clems welcome Romford outfit Elm Park Eagles to the Recreation ground. With plenty of players finding form and competition for places as strong as ever things are shaping up nicely for Dale who was clearly very pleased with his sides performance, but he will be keen to keep his feet firmly on the floor as his boys look to keep the good form going into the new year and beyond.
