Kelvedon Hatch welcomed Rayleigh Town (unbeaten in the league) to School Road on a bright and blustery Saturday afternoon for this important league encounter.

It was the Hatch on the attack in the opening seconds when Greig Taylor was fouled and the free kick was headed goalwards by Chris Neville only to be given offside. On 6 mins Town handled the ball just outside the box, Dan Demetriou hit the free kick straight at the wall. Just seconds later Garry Smith took a corner to the far post where Duncan Sinnott had his shot smothered by their keeper. Hatch were pressurising the Town defence and this was rewarded on 12 mins when Demetriou robbed their defender in his penalty box and slotted home past their advancing keeper, 1-0, great opportunist goal. On 17 mins Darren Brown put Taylor through down the wing, his pin point cross found Demetriou in space who slotted it past their stranded keeper, 2-0. Hatch then had several free kicks but were unable to convert them into goals. On 25 mins Town had a corner that found their forward in space but he shot wide. On 32 mins Sinnott drifted down the wing put in a perfect cross, no one was following up. On 35 mins a great passing move between Sinnott and Taylor ended with Demetriou shooting inches wide. From the goal kick Town attacked and their forward slotted home past the Hatch keepers, Danny Fenn, left hand , 1-2. Town continued to push forward and on 40 mins a great chance was well blocked by the Hatch defence. Seconds later Fenn saved well from a shot within the six yard box after a cross from the left. 2-1 the score at the half time whistle.

In the first minute Hatch had a free kick for hand ball but the free kick was wasted. On 48 mins Sinnott pushed their forward in the penalty box, penalty awarded. Their forward put the ball on the spot, shot but Fenn saved well to keep the Hatch in front. On 53 mins Demetriou chased a ball down and passed to Taylor who returned the favour, who miscued his shot wide. On 55 mins a corner from Smith was headed wide by Sinnott. Honours were now even as both sides battled to control the midfield. On 63 mins Demetriou was through on goal but brought down from behind, penalty warded after consultation with the referee’s assistant. Up stepped Demetriou placed the ball on the spot and slammed the ball down the middle to score, 3-1, and his hatrick. On 64 mins Craig Gillam replaced Sam Raven. On 67 mins James Burt intercepted a pass, just in the Town half, and went on one of his runs only to shoot just wide. On 74 mins Town attacked down the left passed to their winger out wide, who cut in and shot, Fenn's one handed save fell into space but another Town forward reacted the quickest and was able to bundle the ball over the line, 3-2. On 76 mins Demetriou chased a back header down and chipped the ball back into their 6 yard box but none was following up. On 79 mins Taylor found space down the left crossed the ball to Sinnott who had his shot well saved by their keeper. On 80 mins Gillam went at pace past defenders down the left and past to Taylor who shot went just past the far post. On 80 minutes Taylor and Gillam combined well and Taylor put a cross in to the danger area and Burt had his shot saved well by their keeper. On 83 mins Peter Williams (making his senior debut) replaced Dan Demetriou and was soon in the action causing problems to the Town defence. On 90 mins Town broke away and it was not to be their day as their forward’s shot beat the Hatch keeper but hit the inside of the far post and rebounded into his arms. In added time the Hatch played keep ball until the final whistle to secure a 3-2 victory.

The Hatch supporters had seen their side win without playing their normal flowing football but they had beaten unbeaten Rayleigh Town and 3 points is 3 points no matter how you win.

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