Match Report: Round 05 vs Hamilton Wanderers
Northern League Round 05 Match Report: East Coast Bays vs Hamilton Wanderers, Bay City Park, Saturday 13th April 2024.
Bays battle to first point of the season, in the 98th minute, thanks to an unlikely source
East Coast Bays were at home again, in a run of 3 games in a row, at Bay City Park. James returned to the starting line up with his trusty cast in place, Billy Jones made his first start in the starting line up after coming off the bench for his debut last week and it was a long overdue welcome back to Jack Caunter from his long-term injury from midway through last season, as he started on the bench. Moses was suspended for 1 match after his red card last week and Bailey was unfortunately injured. This match also marked the 100th appearance for the Bays 1st team for Liam Andersen so congratulations on that milestone Junior before you head away overseas for a few months.
To say Bays made a terrible start to the game was the understatement of the season, so far. After only 54 seconds a scramble in the Bays box saw Nathan bring down Derek Tieku and a penalty was awarded to Wanderers. Tieku dusted himself off and placed the ball to Louie’s right to give Wanderers the lead in only the second minute of the game. Tieku then made a break down the right but his cross into the box was easily dealt with by Louie. Bays gradually got into the game and Ryusei played in Hwi and his cross was blocked. Bays were careless in defence a few times but luckily Tieku blazed his shot high & wide of Louie’s goal.
Ryusei played Hwi through again into the left-hand side of the box, but he lost the ball before it was put out for a corner. Down the other end, Hamamatsu drilled in a free kick that Louie collected before the offside flag was raised. A Wanderers corner was headed away from goal by Billy which led to Hamamatsu’s volley going way over the goal. Possession was given away cheaply again but a shot low down was comfortably collected by Louie. After half an hour Nathan was shown a yellow card for a foul on Jones. Hamilton moved the ball down the right with Tieku feeding Khatkar. His left footed long-range shot was also comfortably saved by Louie.
Liam turned and ran at the Hamilton defence before being crowded out in the box. Bays didn’t have a proper chance on goal until the 44th minute of the game. Liam beat his man and crossed from the left-hand side. Hwi mistimed his jump and the ball went sideways off his head. Not sure if Thomson thought the ball would get to him but it somehow did at the back post, and he put a header the wrong side of the post. Overall, a bad miss by Bays. There was just enough time for Wanderers to make a fast break on the Bays goal with Brooke-Smith putting a shot just wide of the frame of the goal. Hamilton then had a corner that Louie dropped but the next shot went over.
The referees whistle went for half time and the score was East Coast Bays 0 Hamilton Wanderers 1. Bays were guilty in the first half of giving possession away far too often and too many passes went astray in not finding teammates.
Bays almost started the second half as badly as they had the first half. Logan was robbed of the ball by Brooke-Smith and his cross into the box was headed behind by Billy for a corner. Bays almost levelled shortly after with Ryusei playing in Nick. He shot over the keeper, but the shot cannoned off the crossbar and out to safety. Bays then played a short corner from Callum to Liam. He turned and his cross was blocked for another corner. Liam then turned his defender yet again and was fouled by Sas about 25 yards out from goal. Mr Reliable, Callum, stepped up and hit a perfect free kick over the wall and into the top corner for a fantastic equaliser. EC Bays 1 Hamilton 1.
Nathan travelled down the left flank before finding Ryusei. He passed to Liam who shot across goal & wide of the target. Brown then had a shot that Louie did well to save before being cleared by James. From a Hamilton corner the ball found Liam and he set Hwi off down the inside left channel. Liam then had a low shot that went straight to the Hamilton keeper. Hamilton almost increased their lead when Ganas sent a cross right across the face of the Bays goal. Louie didn’t collect and the ball was put for a corner by Nathan. Referee Nick Waldron then made a clear error when he gave Hamilton a free kick thirty-five yards away from goal when it was clear that Brooke-Smith had tripped himself up. The ball was hoofed into the Bays box and headed out to the edge of the area. Unfortunately, nobody picked up Sas on the edge of the box and he hit a terrific volley powerfully past Louie to make the score EC Bays 1 Hamilton Wanderers 2.
This goal came completely against the run of play. Bays reacted to the shock of conceding this goal by making a triple change with Caleb, Jack & Mikey K replacing Nathan, Logan & Hwi in the 66th minute. Hamilton reacted by replacing Mitchell with Thompson. Bays were all out attack now, but the equaliser was still a while away. In the 77th minute Orlando came on for Ryusei. A Bays fast break saw Caleb burst away but his cross held up in the very strong cross wind. Jack then played in Nick who did well to turn and get a shot away that was blocked.
Hamilton made a triple change of their own with Boss, Boso & Campbell replacing Brooke-Smith, Jones & Ganas in the 85th minute. Bays were almost caught on the break with Tieku through, but he shot wide of Louie & the goal. A cross from Thomson down the right side found Jack at the back post but his ambitious shot went well over. Bays made their last change with Oscar replacing James in the 90th minute. Bays then had a corner that was flapped at by the Hamilton keeper but was headed over by the Bays attack.
Just when we thought the game was slipping away there was one last hope when Oscar had his cross blocked for a corner. Callum’s corner reached the back post and after a series of headers back & forth the ball finally hit the deck. And who was there to tuck the shot into the bottom corner. None other than Bays keeper Louie who had gone up & stayed up for the last-minute corner. He tucked the ball away like a top striker to make the score East Coast Bays 2 Hamilton Wanderers 2. Scenes of delirium then set in as Louie ran off with his teammates in hot pursuit to celebrate the precious goal. Shortly afterwards, the final whistle went and Bays had battled hard to secure their 1st point of the new season.
A great fightback and good to see the joys of celebration that this result gave the team. Man of the Match would have to have been Louie for his effect on the game at both ends of the field. Next up is an away game at Shepherds Park, against Birkenhead, on Friday night with a 7pm kick off. See you all there.
Final Score: East Coast Bays 2 v Hamilton Wanderers 2
EC Bays: L Caunter, N Maisey (J Caunter 66), J Edgeler (O Garcia 90), R Ishibashi (O Thorpe 77), C Simmonds, N Gaze, T Nkoy, H Seong Chang (C Noel 66), L Andersen (M Kolston 66), L Archer, B Jones
Hamilton Wanderers: C Spillane, M Sas, R Hamamatsu, J Khatkar, J Clout, L Mitchell (K Thompson 73), M Jones (O Campbell 85), M Brown, A Ganas (M Boso 85), L Brooke-Smith (J Boss85), D Tieku
Goals: East Coast Bays: C Simmonds 53, L Caunter 98
Hamilton W: D Tieku 1 pen, M Sas 64
Unofficial Attendance: 78,012 plus 1 goalie out of his box
Photo credit: Simon Harmer
