Havering v Upminster

Havering hosted local rivals Upminster at Campion in the first game of 2024 with the away side containing four former Havering players in the form of Alex Mitchell, Harry Jenkins, Josh Cipa and Ollie Cipa. Havering were without Kyle Orton, Luke Joslin and with the injured Paul Dover being limited to a ten minute cameo in the second half a reshuffle was needed with Captain Liam Appleyard moving back into midfield and Hayden Joslin further back into the backline.
The first meaningful chance of the game fell to Harry Andrews who flicked wide from a Penalty Corner and not long after Ollie Cipa also fired wide at the other end from an Upminster Penalty Corner. With neither side having much in the way of chances it looked as if the half would end goalless but in the final minute a hit into the D wasn’t dealt with by the Havering defence and the ball deflected to Mitchell on the back post for an easy tap in to give Upminster the lead.
Neither side tested the goalkeeper in the second half with the game largely being played in between the two 25’s but it was Upminster who had the best chance to double their lead, but the Upminster forward shot over the bar rather than passing to an unmarked teammate at the far post. Havering pushed forward in the last ten minutes in search of an equaliser and dominated the ball with the away side reduced to ten and then nine players. A patient passage of passing resulted in Appleyard receiving the ball on to the right of the penalty spot but as he was lining up to shoot a somewhat dubious obstruction call from the umpire called an end to any hope for Havering with Upminster seeing out the final minutes.
Havering travel to Old Loughts 3’s next week and will look to return to winning ways against a team they defeated 2-0 in the reverse fixture.