Posted: 12th ~ May ~ 2009

Wood come back to scare the Whites out of Ensign

Date : Tuesday May 12th 2009
Fixture : League Game - Home
Result : Harold Wood 2 - 1 White Ensign

Harold Wood welcomed Ensign to the Recreation ground knowing with 2 games left, 2 wins would secure the title. Wood lined up with a side similar to the victory at Shell. The only changes were Gibson coming back for Todd and Tungate replacing Rafis in the middle. A quick start by both sides saw the home side denied what should have been an instant penalty. Fletcher supplied Zoom down the left who bravely outjumped the full back who clattered him just inside the box.
As the Ref waved play on, the ball looked to be heading into the top corner before an Ensign centre half punched it over the cross bar. As the huge appeal went in from the players, and capacity crowd the Ref could only concede he didn't see it as he was concerned about the flat out Zoom lying motionless on the floor. Club physio, caretaker, ex-player, veteran, window cleaner, firefighter, East, quickly took charge patching up Zoom and checking his milk teeth were still in place.
From the awarded corner Ensign broke quickly down the right and as the wingers cross was only half cleared it fell to a midfielder who fired an unstoppable effort beyond the unsighted Wordsell and into the top corner. As Ensign celebrated and Wordsell complained, the Ref consulted the linesman who had spotted the Ensign player through a crowd of players unsighting Wordsell. Rightly the Ref gave Wood the free kick and ruled out the goal. Wood had no doubt they were in a game and upped their endeavour, although Ensign remained dangerous on the break.
Wettner struck an upright and had two great chances from headers but could not break the deadlock. Level at the interval Hammond rallied his men encouraging them, telling them to believe, telling Wettner to keep creating the chances as it would come.
The restart began at the same frantic pace with Harold Wood now having the slope advantage enabling them to play a higher line compacting any space Ensign saw in the first half. Wood were now on top and attacked constantly down the right side through Stamp, wizard Tungate and the tireless Huckstepp. Wettner again saw chances go begging before Ensign took the lead against the run of play. Good work down the left fed the forward who set his attacking midfielder who unleashed from 25 beyond the reach of Wordsell. Wood were shell shocked and with 25 to go this would be a test of character. The home side continued to press and Wettner again should have done better from 6 yards with only the keeper to beat. Head coach Robinson, becoming more animated, demanded action from Hammond who, with frowned brow, calmly thought out his next tactical move. Off the bench came Miller and Holliday with the hosts sacrificing Gibson and Manzi.
A long ball into the box from Tungate looked to favour the Ensign keeper but Huckstepp bravely out jumped the No.1 and as he turned to shoot, was hauled down leaving the Ref no option. Miller stepped up confidently but his first kick of the game hit the outside of the upright to the dismay of the aghast fans. Nail biting stuff now with 15 to go but still Wood pressed. Wettner, refusing to let his head go down, was desperately unlucky as his lob hit the underside of the bar and bounced on the line for the grateful goalkeeper. Some great work from Tungate and Wettner forced a shot and the half cleared ball found Miller 8 yards out at an acute angle. Miller dispatched a rasping half volley into the far corner 1-1. The title chase was back on.

Wood, tails up, gave the visitors no respite. Again Tungate supplied Holliday whose shot was saved but Wettner got to the rebound first and squeezed the ball in for the second in 5 minutes sparking scenes of jubilation from all corners of the ground. Ensign looked shell shocked and made changes pushing men up looking for the equaliser. Wood defended with their lives making tackle after tackle but a blocked tackle found an Ensign midfielder who let fly from 25. As the ball took flight and with Wordsell stranded, the ball crashed against the Woodwork to keep the dream alive. Sheer delight at the final whistle from all involved in one of the best games of the season. One more win needed against local rivals Mountnessing on Saturday would hand Wood the title. Phoenix from the flames stuff in Havering, with Hammond's in form men winning 8 and drawing 1 of the last 9 games setting up the most exciting finish for years in the reserve division.

Team Lineup : Wordsell, Stamp, Fletcher, Duckworth, Gibson (Holliday), Sewell, Huckstepp, Tungate, Manzi (Miller), Wettner, Zoom

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