The Clarets survived a late scare to progress to the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.
A dominant performance from the Clarets saw them run out 2-1 winners at the Melbourne Community Stadium. Goals either side of the half from Yila and Yearn were enough to sink Redditch on the day, despite Hudson’s late consolation.
The first chance of the game went to the Clarets after just 3 minutes, a Blackwell corner swung into the 6-yard box. Jackson rose well and met the delivery, crashing his header off the bar, before the visitors were able to clear for a corner. The Clarets couldn’t make anything from the resulting corner.
The visitors were given a chance of their own after just 6 minutes, Yila and Hudson were caught in a footrace as the visitors looked to get in behind the Clarets defence. Hudson got round Yila and drew in the foul on the edge of the area away towards the corner flag.
The Clarets continuing their period of early pressure with another golden chance that Blackwell couldn’t quite take. Vaz was picked out in space wide on the left and drove down the wing, he cut his cross back to Blackwell who got under his shot and didn’t test Boucher in the Reds’ net. The chances would continue for the Clarets, with Jackson failing to capitalise on the opportunity. Totter cut a delightful ball into the feet of Jackson who under pressure turned and fired over the bar.
It took 12 minutes for the Clarets to break the deadlock. After some pinball in the penalty area, the ball came out to Trotter who threaded a pass wide to Barnum-Bobb, he attacked the wing and swung in a deep cross to Blackwell at the back post, he nodded his ball back across towards Jackson and Yila. Yila got on the end of a looping ball and struck home with the help of a Redditch defender.
Straight from kick-off the visitors looked to hit back at the Clarets, Yila committed a foul right on the edge of the penalty area in a poorly timed challenge. Yila picked up a yellow card for his troubles and gave Redditch a chance to test Marsden. Sheaf lined up the freekick and hit his strike up and over the wall. Marsden got across his goal well and made the save tipping the ball out for a corner.
With 19 minutes on the clock Marsden was called into action making a fantastic acrobatic stop to deny King. The visitors came forwards in search of an equaliser and in the rain called on a strike from range to test Marsden, but the Clarets keeper was equal to the strike and tipped the ball over.
On 30 minutes the visitors had their best chance of the game, so far, King ran at Terry and crossed in at the second time of asking. His looping cross went over everyone and bounced off the top of the bar before falling to skipper Byrne at the back post. Byrne headed back across goal and found Mensah who from a matter of yards fired wide
Yearn looked to create another opportunity for the Clarets after picking the ball up on the edge of the Redditch area. He created some space and hit his effort towards goal but couldn’t quite get the direction on his effort as it flew over the bar.
The Clarets looked to run at the Redditch defence again starting from the back. James threaded a ball through to Blackwell who bought the ball over the halfway line. He opened out and found Vaz on the far side who beat his man Wollacott and clipped a ball into the box. Yila rose highest but couldn’t quite get anything on the end of the teasing cross.
Mensah looked to create another chance for the visitors, bringing the Reds’ attack forward. With King in support, Mensah picked out his teammate who created a yard and fired towards goal. His strike bounced just infront of Marsden who got down well to make the save and hold on.
The Clarets looked to create again as the minutes ticked on, Vaz played a ball cutting through the defence to Blackwell. He controlled and drove forward being tracked all the way by C. Flanagan and Ward. Blackwell opened up to shoot, he hit it well, but couldn’t direct his effort on target.
Some fantastic play again from the Clarets. Yila with some strong defensive work just inside the Redditch half, rode the challenges of Hudson and Byrne and found Vaz in the centre of the park. He carried the ball forwards and found Trotter on the overlap who drilled in a low ball across the face of goal just beyond the reach of Blackwell.
The last chance of the first half fell to the Clarets, Jackson broke away down the left in space and made his way towards goal. He tried to lift the ball over the onrushing Boucher but got under the ball and his effort went wide of the mark.
HALF TIME: CHELMSFORD CITY 1-0 REDDITCH UNITED
The Clarets started the second half the stronger doubling their lead just 3 minutes into the second half. Terry found himself in space running down the left and cut a low cross back where Yearn and Jackson were waiting. Yearn let the ball run across him and slotted home low into the bottom right corner. Just 3 minutes later Trotter looked to create another chance for the Clarets. His overlapping run created space and he put a cross in to cause problems for the visitors. His ball couldn’t find a Claret shirt and Redditch were allowed to regroup.
The Clarets game the visitors an opportunity to test Marsden. A freekick routine saw substitute Sellars be played the ball in acres of space on the edge of the area. He swung at the ball and miskicked his strike. Yearn picked up the ball and looked to break on the counter, Sellars did his best to stop Yearn. Yearn offloaded the ball but the Clarets couldn’t make the most of the advantage.
Simpson saw his name taken from the bench on minute 68 after Trotter took a blow to the head. Play continued as the Clarets player clearly in discomfort on the floor. Play eventually stopped and the referee cautioned Simpson for his protests.
As the game ticked into the final 15 minutes, Mensah had another chance to score for the visitors, rising highest from a corner, but he was unable to test Marsden with his header that went just over.
The Clarets would get their next chance after 81 minutes, Blackwell picked the ball up and hit towards goal forcing Boucher into an acrobatic save. The resulting corner saw the linesman’s flag raised for offside against Jackson as the Clarets looked to work the ball into the box.
Redditch substitute Sellars would see two chances fall his way within a minute up the other end. A cross swung into the box was met by the head of Sellers but his effort didn’t cause any trouble but won the visitors a corner. From the corner the Clarets were able to clear to the edge of the box where Sellars struck well at goal and forced Marsden into a diving save out for a corner
Lodovica led the Clarets on the counter in search of a third breaking through the defence and found himself in a footrace with Boucher to get to the ball. Lodovica got there first but couldn’t get enough on the ball to take it round Boucher.
As the game ticked into 5 minutes of added time Sheaf fashioned a chance for the visitors. A cross into the Clarets box found Sheaf in space. He volleyed towards goal, not the cleanest strike, but won his side a corner. The resulting corner found its way to King in the box who couldn’t keep his effort down.
Hudson pulled one back for the visitors in the 93rd minute after a deep freekick hit forward found its way through to Hudson at the back, from close range he smashed his effort into the roof of the net and set up a nervy end for the Clarets.
Lodovica got himself on the end of a Yearn ball forward in the dying seconds of the game and looked to get himself on the scoresheet. He looked to lift the ball over Boucher but didn’t get enough on the strike.
That would be the last chance of the game as the referee drew an end to the game. A solid performance from the Clarets who bounced back from two defeats in their last two with a win. They created plenty of chances and looked strong coming forward. Redditch created chances of their own and their frontline always looked as if it could carry a threat. Marsden made some key saves through the game and the defence held well to null a free scoring Redditch attack.
FULL TIME: CHELMSFORD CITY 2-1 REDDITCH UNITED
Attendance: 435
CCFC: Marsden (GK), James, Barnum-Bobb, Trotter, Yearn, Jackson (C) (Wilkes 89’), Blackwell, Ochieng (Badjana 89’), Vaz, Terry, Yila (Lodovica 76’)
Unused Subs: Ejeheri (GK), Simpson
Cautions: Yila (13’), Terry (64’), Simpson (68’)
Goals: Yila 12’, Yearn 51’
RUFC: Boucher (GK), Ward, Hudson, Byrne (C) (Boothe 71’), C. Flanagan, Wollacott, R. Flanagan (Sellars 52’), King, Sheaf, Bunn
Unused Subs: Rowbottom (GK), Hanson, Culkin
Goals: Hudson (90+3’)
Report by Josh Verroken
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