Clacton 2 Waltham Forest 2

Division 4 South East

Clacton 2 Waltham Forest 2

CLACTON dropped their first points of the season against a well drilled and well motivated Waltham Forest. With other results going Clacton's way though they increased their lead at the top of the table to four points. The Seasiders started brightly putting the visitors under early pressure creating short corners and asking questions of the visiting keeper. Rik Coleman and Sam Hodge also found the post four times between them.

Clacton went behind for the first time this season following a Clacton like counter attacking move to punish the Seasider's missed opportunities. The Seasider's battled away across the pitch with both teams playing solid hockey. Jamie Roberts had his usual consistent performance with Dean Monk and James Mead supporting well.

Denzil Donovan and Paul Thorpe worked the width well with Coleman and Hodge continuous threats. At the back Steven Key had his busiest game in goal making some good saves from the flowing visitors. Adam Smith, Casper Khan, Ryan Nippress, Colin Hook, and John Hambrook showed good metal to keep the visitors away from the Clacton circle. The Seasider's equalised when Coleman found man-of-the-match Hodge running at goal to neatly deflect the ball beyond the keeper for 1-1.

The second half was a re-run of the first with the visitors determined to get something from the day and taking the lead with another record, as that is the first time Clacton have conceded two in game this season. The Seasider's kept battling away in this very evenly matched game. It needed a bit of trickery from Monk to earn a short corner before Coleman smashed it home for 2-2. The Seasider's were finishing the stronger, but ran out of time to continue the perfect record, and the visitors deserved to take a point from the game in the best game of the season so far.

Next week Clacton take on Maldon and Little Baddow at Clacton Leisure Centre (2pm) who smashed six passed second placed Romford last week.