THE GREAT Notley Rams had their first taste of 9-a-side football when they took on the Maldon & Tiptree Panthers on the main pitch at the Wallace Binder Stadium in Maldon on Saturday.
The friendly fixture had been arranged between the two teams to give them both a taste of 9-a-side football, and took place ahead of the Ryman League Division One North match between Maldon & Tiptree and Enfield Town.
And it was the Rams who emerged victorious thanks to a fine headed goal from Matthew Littlejohn and a brace from James O'Reilly.
The Rams lined up with Tom McInerney in goal, a back three from Tom Hunt, Emma Root, Joel Griffiths and Jamie McNeilly, a midfield trio from Jonathan Stoneman, O'Reilly, Littlejohn, Olivia Hales and Matthew Norris, while Sam Donnelly, Ben Rodley, George Morris and Harvey Ricci all took turns playing as a striking pair.
And in the opening exchanges it was clear that the Rams were more than an equal match for the Panthers who play in the division above them in the Blackwater & Dengie League, and they took the lead when Stoneman flighted a deep corner to the back post, where Littlejohn was on hand to head home.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Hunt made a fantastic saving tackle when a Panthers breakaway looked like it was going to end in a shot on goal, the Rams defender running from the halfway line to make the sliding stop.
The Rams continued to have chances with all four strikers going close, or pushing the Panthers keeper to make good saves, before a scramble in the six yard box was hammered home by O'Reilly just before the break.
In the second half the Rams started to knock the ball around well, utilising both the surface and the space to their best advantage, and it was from one of those neat moves that O'Reilly got his second. He was freed by a pass from Morris and then picked his spot in the corner of the Panthers net.
Shortly before the final whistle the Panthers pulled one back, after their left winger was allowed time on the ball, but it was to prove a consolation goal.
After the match, both teams provided a guard of honour for the subsequent Ryman League fixture and then had their photo taken with the home team.
Rams boss John Stoneman said: "I'd like to thank the Maldon management for providing us with this fantastic opportunity to play on their main pitch. It was a fabulous experience for the team. We thoroughly enjoyed our day and it was great fun playing with new formations at 9-a-side.
"The hospitality we were shown by Maldon was amazing."
The friendly fixture had been arranged between the two teams to give them both a taste of 9-a-side football, and took place ahead of the Ryman League Division One North match between Maldon & Tiptree and Enfield Town.
And it was the Rams who emerged victorious thanks to a fine headed goal from Matthew Littlejohn and a brace from James O'Reilly.
The Rams lined up with Tom McInerney in goal, a back three from Tom Hunt, Emma Root, Joel Griffiths and Jamie McNeilly, a midfield trio from Jonathan Stoneman, O'Reilly, Littlejohn, Olivia Hales and Matthew Norris, while Sam Donnelly, Ben Rodley, George Morris and Harvey Ricci all took turns playing as a striking pair.
And in the opening exchanges it was clear that the Rams were more than an equal match for the Panthers who play in the division above them in the Blackwater & Dengie League, and they took the lead when Stoneman flighted a deep corner to the back post, where Littlejohn was on hand to head home.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Hunt made a fantastic saving tackle when a Panthers breakaway looked like it was going to end in a shot on goal, the Rams defender running from the halfway line to make the sliding stop.
The Rams continued to have chances with all four strikers going close, or pushing the Panthers keeper to make good saves, before a scramble in the six yard box was hammered home by O'Reilly just before the break.
In the second half the Rams started to knock the ball around well, utilising both the surface and the space to their best advantage, and it was from one of those neat moves that O'Reilly got his second. He was freed by a pass from Morris and then picked his spot in the corner of the Panthers net.
Shortly before the final whistle the Panthers pulled one back, after their left winger was allowed time on the ball, but it was to prove a consolation goal.
After the match, both teams provided a guard of honour for the subsequent Ryman League fixture and then had their photo taken with the home team.
Rams boss John Stoneman said: "I'd like to thank the Maldon management for providing us with this fantastic opportunity to play on their main pitch. It was a fabulous experience for the team. We thoroughly enjoyed our day and it was great fun playing with new formations at 9-a-side.
"The hospitality we were shown by Maldon was amazing."
