Kelvedon Hatch Reserves travelled to Frenford for their second league fixture of the season on a clear and bright Saturday afternoon.

It was Hatch who started the better of the two teams with some good early pressure on the Frenford goal. On 8 mins Matt Hunt showed good skill on the right and hit a well struck first time shot which went just wide of the left hand upright. On 14 mins Charlie Ryan created an opening for himself some 20 yards out with his shot going just wide. On 18 mins Hatch took the lead when a well delivered pass, into the opposing area, by Evan Jelliss left the defender stretching to cut out the pass and he directed the ball into the top right hand corner of his own goal, 0-1. This early goal sparked Frenford to life and they started to get a grip in the midfield and string passes together. On 28 mins they moved the ball quickly down the right and delivered a pin point cross to their forward who found himself unmarked in the 6 yard box leaving an easy finish, 1-1. Hatch responded well and had soon restored their lead when an early pass found Matt Hunt, he cut inside the full back and just managed to get his shot off before the oncoming defender beating the goalkeeper low to his right, 1-2. Frenford once again took control of the game and had a spell of possession without penetrating the Hatch defence. On 32 mins their possession was rewarded when confusion in the Hatch defence between their keeper and a defender allowed a Frenford forward an easy tap in, 2-2. Frenford again applied the pressure and added to their tally on 37 mins when the Hatch defence failed to clear the ball on a number of occasions, resulting in a simple square pass to the unmarked Frenford forward leaving him an easy finish, 3-2, and the score at half time.

With some reshuffling at half time and the introduction of Peter Williams for Terry Wright, Hatch started the second half a different team to the one that had finished the first. They dominated the early stages with some fierce tackling and early passing. This pressure was rewarded on 54 mins, when Dean Walker collected the ball up on the left and easily beat the full back delivering a pin point cross to Matt Hunt at the far post who kept his nerve and headed into the top right hand corner, 3-3. Hatch continued to dominate the half and had a spell of 20 minutes when the Frenford keeper was very busy. Efforts from Charlie Ryan and Matt Hunt produced some outstanding goal keeping including one effort from Matt Hunt that was just tipped round the post. Duncan Sinnot replaced Kevin Morrison on 70 minutes. Hatch were now applying pressure, Frenford still looked dangerous on the break yet but the Hatch defence held firm. As the game drew to a close both teams were now looking tired and the pace had slowed. In the 93rd min there was confusion in the Hatch defence again resulting in a Frenford corner. Hatch defended poorly from the corner leaving an unmarked Frenford player to head the ball into the bottom corner, 4-3 and the final whistle.

A cruel blow had been dealt and Hatch had been punished for a lapse in concentration in the final minute.

Tom