Hadley 0 Saffron Walden Town 0

Premier Division

Saturday 4^th January

Saffron Walden Town started the day leading the ESL table but were unable to beat a solid Hadley outfit who have yet to taste defeat against any of the top three so far this campaign. The result means that the Bloods ended the day in 2^nd on goal difference. Hadley have kept themselves within touching distance of the leading pack and may even feel that it was points dropped as they had the lions share of the possession through long periods of the game.

The opening quarter of an hour saw both teams cancel each other out, but the first opportunity of the game fell to the hosts as Sam Edwards drilled a shot over. The hosts won a corner soon afterwards which saw Luke Alfano dink a shot narrowly over. At the midway point of the half it was Hadley who were pressing and Nicholas Eyre had to cut out an Alfano shoot, the Bloods keeper getting down low and using his legs to knock the ball away from his goal. And as Hadley found ways to get behind enemy lines meant that they were starting to eke out opportunities. Ibrahim suddenly burst down the right wing, centred to Solomon Ofori whose shot was blocked; Alfie Bartram had a go on the rebound and his shot whistled inches wide of Eyre’s left-hand post.

Crosses and corners continued to pepper Saffron’s box, with Edwards even trying his luck with an acrobatic volley which Jack Noble blocked. Then ten minutes before the break Ofori had a low shot tipped away by Eyre.

The Bloods were able to prevent Hadley having any more chances for the rest of the half, then launched an attack themselves in the final minute. Gavin Cockman and Nathan Scarborough teased out an opportunity that fell to Julian Simon-Parsons, but Luke Ward made his first save of the afternoon. Having had their first sniff, the visitors then promptly had another go. Nathan Scarborough picked up a ball just inside the Hadley half, then went on a run that saw him take on the Hadley defence before drilling a shot wide.

Saffron Walden started the second half having more possession and getting balls into the Hadley box. But while the hosts were now on the back foot, their defence dealt with most off the balls coming their way, meaning that the only chance of note came when Scarborough managed to get a header off from a cross, which lacked direction and was aimed straight at the Hadley keeper.

The Bloods best chance of the game came in the 65^th minute when a Cockman free kick needed a full-stretch save from Ward to keep out. But Hadley returned fire a minute later, although Ofori could only direct his shot straight at the Saffon stopper. But the hosts now started to have more of the ball, and that meant they were at times able to find a way into the Saffron Walden box. Good link up play between Ofori and Camara almost bore fruit; the final ball was played into the path of Edwards but his powerful grasscutter was tipped away by Eyre.

Camara tried his luck with a curling shot that only just missed the mark, and the Saffron defence was kept busy for the final 15 minutes as the hosts deleivered crosses and corners into the dangerzone. However Saffron Walden’s defence soaked it up, then had their job made a little easier when Paul Wright received his marching orders for a second yellow card after hauling down Ollie Fortune.

In the end both teams have to share a point, which may not be as bad for Hadley as first appears, as they still have those three games in hand which can see them to the top if they win them all. For now though they remain 4^th. Saffron Walden Town slip down to 2^nd, knocked off the top on goal difference after Walthamstow won their game against Clapton.

Hadley: Luke Ward, Bradley Marriott, Alfie Bartram, Paul Wright (Capt), Nnamdi Harold-Egole, Tom Milton, Solomon Ofori, Cameron Ferguson (Emmanuel Hammond 66′), Luke Alfano, Sam Edwards, Ibrahim Camara (Luke Jupp 80′).

Saffron Walden Town: Nicholas Eyre, Spike Bell, Greg Strong, Ross Adams, Scott Pethers (Capt), Jack Isherwood, Tyler Smalls, Jack Noble, Gavin Cockman, Nathan Scarborough (Ollie Fortune 78′), Julian Simon-Parsons (Connor Scully 70′).