'What a load of Cobblahs': Maldon & Tiptree FC suffers 3-0 defeat against Witham
By Lee Witney
11th Sep 2023 | Football
Maldon & Tiptree exited a second Cup competition in a week as two goals from Jeffrey Cobblah bookended a Ronnie Bates goal to give Witham Town a 3-0 FA Trophy win on a scorching hot afternoon.
Manager Liam Bailey made three changes to the line-up from last week's game, with Myles Baiden, Harry Phillips and new signing Shane Temple coming in for Billy Willis, Alex Clark and Sam Ayoola respectively.
The Jammers started well and after 10 minutes, some good down the Maldon right between Egbri and El-Neyah produced the first real chance of the game, with Egbri latching on to Yassine's through ball. Unfortunately for Terrell, he sliced his shot. The loose ball fell to new man Temple, but he was dispossessed before he brought the ball under his control.
In spite of the punishing heat which even saw me get a round of drinks in at one stage, Maldon pressed on and created probably the most clear cut chance of the first half with 25 minutes on the clock.
A long clearance up field from Middlehurst found Egbri and after more good interplay between him and Yassine, the ball was moved infield to Temple who had angled his run into the Witham box. He dragged his shot just past the post via a deflection for a corner.
Maldon were awarded a freekick just outside the box on the half hour mark when Andre Hassanally was crudely pulled down by Oliver Bell who somehow escaped without a caution. It was Andre himself who took the freekick and his fierce effort bounced in front of goalkeeper Amarildo Cekrezi, who shovelled it back out into danger. The Witham stopper had luck on his side though, and Temple's rebounded effort landed back into his hands.
With half time and the promise of some much needed shade approaching, the home side had loud appeals for a penalty waved away by the referee, up the other end- more good one touch play from Maldon, this time from Hassanally and El-Neyah allowed the former the chance to cross, but it was over hit and the chance was gone.
Half time arrived with the Jammers having the better of the play, but unable to make it count as the crowd and players alike made their way to apply lashings of sun cream.
Within five minutes of the restart, Maldon were made to pay for not taking their chances in the first half when Jeffrey Cobblah struck to give Witham the lead, latching onto a long ball through the middle to lift his effort over an onrushing Middlehurst.
With their place in the Trophy in peril, the Jammers set about finding an equaliser and nearly got it in spectacular fashion when Hassanally thundered a pile driver off the Witham cross bar from all of 30 yards on the hour.
After clearing their lines, Witham nearly made it two when Guy Norton cleared a goal bound effort off the line, and a minute later the hosts did get a second. Cobblah saw a great effort matched by the save from Middlehurst, but ex-Jammer Ronnie Bates reacted quickest to tap home the rebound after 65 minutes to leave Maldon in all sorts of bother.
Barring more good goalkeeping from Middlehurst, it would've been three, tipping a whipped, low effort around his near post for a corner and then again to paw away a long range effort from the resulting TV corner.
Alex Clark, on as a sub, nearly reduced the arrears with 15 left to play, driving a low shot towards goal that was well saved by the feet of Cekrezi, with the ball spinning over his own bar for a corner.
Witham were denied a third after 80 minutes, after Munashe Mharapara left fly with drive across the body of Middlehurst into his far corner. The ball cracked the inside of the post and rebounded out and in spite of furious appeals from everyone in a Witham shirt, the referee and his assistant waved play on. After the game, VAR (James Beardwell's camera footage) showed the ball was well over the line and Mharapara had every right to feel aggrieved.
They needn't have worried, with five minutes to go, a penalty for handball by a Maldon player gave Cobblah the chance to grab his second of the day, which he did, sending Middlehurst the wrong way.
With the game - and the chance of a Cup run gone - Maldon created a couple of late half chances which didn't amount to anything. The referee, who had somehow made it through the whole afternoon wearing a long sleeve back shirt without collapsing, called time on the game and the Jammers' interest in this year's FA Trophy.
Next up, it's another cup competition - this time away to Bowers & Pitsea on Tuesday night in the Velocity League Cup.
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