EASTWAY OLYMPIA 0-2 BOUNDARY ESTATE

This week's match reporting effort comes courtesy of @TobyGrainger

Carlo Ancelotti once said "Football  is the most  important  of the  less important  things in  life" and, on a weekend that will be long remembered for reasons other than football, Boundary Estate travelled to the North Marshes to take on Eastway Olympia, looking to build on last week's resounding 5-1 victory.

Lining up in a rough 4-2-3-1 formation, Captain Jack Pegg emerged victorious from the toss and the Los Colchoneros (look it up) gradually settled in the game playing with the wind in fairly breezy conditions.

After a scrappy opening fifteen minutes Sam Kidby came closest to opening the scoring with a deft flicked header from a lovely Joe Burdon cross, the ball agonisingly kissing the crossbar before landing safely in the keepers arms.

Boundary did eventually get the goal their superiority deserved as defensive midfielder Grainger, on long (or more realistically, medium) throw duty in Stuart Cooper's continued absence, saw one of his chucks headed back to him on the right flank. His left footed cross-cum-shot (shot according to him, cross according to 90% of his teammates) evaded the Eastway keeper whose cry of 'KEEPERS…..oh shit' gave the goal a lovely Sunday league vibe.

The rest of the first 45 saw plenty of Boundary possession but passed mainly without incident; despite some slick interplay between Boundary’s new look attacking quartet of Ben Watson, Burdon, Anthony Bridger and Greg Hall.

Facing the wind in the second half, the Boundary back four knew they would be tested aerially. But, led by the magnificently bearded Pegg and the Mascherano to his Pique, Daniel Bowmar, they coped admirably with the expected aerial onslaught. The versatile Sam Kidby at right back (who may have well have nailed down this position as his own with an assured display) and new signing, Louis Collin, at left back dominated Eastway's wingers.

It gave the Boundary defensive midfield pivot of Double and Grainger the perfect platform to feed the ball to AMC Joe Burdon, Boundary’s chief creator on the day. One surge from Burdon, coupled with a Marseille roulette, drew comparisons with a young Zidane, whilst centre forward Hall was a constant menace, deserving a goal for his powerful all round display.

When Boundary’s second goal did arrive, it came via a sumptuous right footed finish from Substitute Nick Harvey, smashing home Hall’s precise layoff. From a fairly acute angle, Harvey took one touch before lashing the shot across the keeper’s body. It was a finish that will live long in the memory.

By this point Boundary had made all three allotted substitutions, with the aforementioned Harvey, Andrew Knapp and Connor Hardy adding fresh legs and boundless enthusiasm to replace the tireless running of Collin, Bridger and Watson, all of whom had impressed with good shifts.

Knapp and Hardy combined instantly down the left flank, the former bombing forward at every opportunity but a third goal just wouldn’t arrive.

There was still time for a superb tactical foul from Double (for which he somehow evaded a booking) as well as some classic Sunday league handbags after Burdon lashed out slightly at an Eastway defender.

Keeper Tom Bennett was calm throughout, dealing with any danger with his customary coolness, and making one world class save near the end to ensure Bowmar, Pegg, Kidby and co got the clean sheet their defensive performance warranted.

Overall it was an excellent Boundary display, with the two nil scoreline against decent opposition no more than they deserved for a solid and fluid performance. Carlo Ancelotti would have approved.

EAST LONDON 1-5 BOUNDARY ESTATE

Boundary Estate bounced back from their cup disappointment with what turned out to be a comfortable victory against bottom of the table East London in Hackney and Leyton Sunday Football League Division 4.

A mist had descended over Hackney Marshes - surely a hangover from Halloween - as Boundary travelled to the North Marsh for this away league fixture.

The mist brought with it a slippery surface and both sides struggled to win balls in the air due to poor visibility. It took some time for Boundary to settle but, once they acclimatised to the conditions, they showed their superiority.

Greg Double and Joe Burdon were sitting at the base of a midfield five, and East London struggled to cope with their short sharp passing interplay.

It was Ben 'the bullet' Watson who thunderously headed the away side into a deserved lead 15 minutes into the first half. Watto headed majestically past the opposition goalkeeper, after great work from Luke Benjamin and Carl Halewood down the left wing. 

It looked like Estate would take complete control of the game from that point on, but they conceded a free kick in the opposing half on 20 minutes, allowing East London to throw bodies forward.

Their long deep ball got lost in the mist, and somehow skidded off the head of club captain, Jack Pegg, and beyond the stranded 'keeper, Tom Bennett. The usually calm Pegg reacted to an East London player in the aftermath of the goal and his kick out was perhaps lucky to only warrant a yellow card.

Boundary dominated for the rest of the first half but were thwarted by some last ditch defending, and poor finishing, as they have for much of the season so far. The sides went down the tunnel for the half time break with the scores level.

The second half began in much of the same ilk, with Boundary dominating possession but failing to convert that dominance into goals. Benjamin had a decent early chance, but couldn't quite get the ball out of his feet and shot wide.

East London had been time wasting for much of the game since their equaliser and continued to do so throughout the second half. Boundary were committing players forward and, against a better side, may well have been susceptible on the break.

But they needn't have worried as more great work down the right by Benjamin led to a simple tap in from Watson again. East London crumbled thereafter, and shipped another three before the final whistle.

Another ball in from the right caused another bout of confusion in the box. This time the goalkeeper pretty much fell over himself before passing it into the path of Double who cooly slotted home to make it 3-1. Carl Halewood did his best to stop it from going in, but it definitely, definitely didn't hit him. Or his hand.

Boundary's fourth came from more Luke Benjamin inspired trauma down the right hand side. His cross found the 'keeper in no-man's land, and he pulled it back to Double who looked to dink a dangerous ball into the mixer. The definitely on target cross, which had not one jot of backspin on it, looked to be destined for the top corner before their defender slightly deflected it home. A Double for Double for sure.

And Max Benjamin made absolutely sure of the points with minutes to go. Ignoring calls from four separate players screaming at him to pass, he beat two men before sending a rocket of a shot past the keeper.

MOTM: Luke Benjamin - they tried but couldn't even foul the tricky right winger

BOSTON CELTICS 5-1 BOUNDARY ESTATE‏

Like Agincourt exactly 600 years ago to the day, Boundary Estate were a few men down as they made their debut in the Preliminary Round of the Dickie Davies Cup.

Unlike at Agincourt, Boundary Estate couldn't hold on to a 1-0 lead against the Division 3 league leaders, Boston Celtics, eventually losing 5-1.

The cup - described by the Hackney and Leyton Sunday League as their most prestigious cup - is named after the late Dickie Davies, a former registration secretary of the league.

The Dickie Davies Cup dates back to 1981 and is the league's equivalent to the FA Cup.

Despite having a 12-strong squad on the Friday before this match up, only nine Boundary players arrived in the changing rooms on the morning of this cup tie.

It meant Boundary, who last made a cup final in March 2011, played the unorthodox 4-3-1 formation.

Despite the two man disadvantage, Boundary started the game rather well, with Nick Harvey playing superbly both on the left of midfield and alone (very alone) up front.

Whilst Boston Celtics had much of the ball, they were thwarted throughout the opening 20 minutes at every turn from a committed defence led by the irreplaceable Dan Bowmar.

Things got even better for Boundary on 25 minutes when great work down the left wing meant Harvey found himself through on goal. The midfielder has spent much of the season so far claiming he can do a job up front, and so it proved as he calmly slotted home. The giantkilling was on.

But Boston Celtics are top of Division 3 - and the goal only inspired them to work harder.

The home side were, however, a tad fortunate to find themselves level after 35 minutes. A through ball pierced the Boundary defence and landed at the feet of a Celtics striker who had surely wandered into a deep offside position. But the referee allowed the goal to stand, to the disbelief of stand in centre back, Lewis Clayton, who berated the official in his usual way.

Boundary were still feeling confident, especially with the thought of a tenth man arriving at any time, but the confidence was shattered minutes before the half time break.

The slightly podgy but skilful Celtics striker found himself with just Bowmar and Boundary 'keeper, Tom Bennett in between him and the lead.

A sumptuous piece of skill took the ball past Bowmar and he calmly slotted home.

All Boundary players worked their socks off in the second half, but it wasn't to be as Celtics marked their superiority with three more goals to make it 5-1 in the end.

Club Secretary Stefan Swift said: "The commitment and effort shown by our nine men against a team who are top of the division above was absolutely incredible. I am extremely proud of every single one of them.

"Every single Boston Celtics player I shook hands with at the final whistle was full of admiration. At least three of them suggested that - had we fielded 11 players - we would have given them one hell of a game."

CLUB VOTES TO MOVE LEAGUE

Following a vote by the club's Board, it has been unanimously decided that Boundary Estate will ply their trade in the Hackney and Leyton Sunday Football League from the 2015/16 season. 

Boundary has been for many years played in the Camden Sunday Football League, based at the dilapidated North changing rooms at Hackney Marshes. 

A combination of more teams, nicer changing rooms, and the way the league is run, has contributed to the team moving to the new league.