I was expecting goals, last time I saw Cornard they let in 14 goals and before the game they had a goal difference of minus 74
But it was closer game than expected with a young Halstead team only putting two past Cornard. One of the reasons is that Cornard have a number of new players including the keeper who was outstanding, making a number of superb saves. Halstead are a young team who try to play a passing game so maybe never had the killer touch to put a shed full of goals past Cornard.
Chris Symes the long serving manager at Cornard is looking to hand over, I say manager, he is actually owner, gateman, programme editor, seller, groundsman and numerous other jobs. There is no one else! One of the substitutes made the tea at halftime and Chris alternated from selling programmes, collecting gate money, serving beer and giving the team talk.
So Cornard may not even exist next season – but visit if you can, great pitch and a ground that would be good enough for a few levels higher. Chris has a number of contacts in the pro game and the Cornard ground has been used for training by a number of top teams from England under 21s to Everton to Walsall.
Chris also has success as a non-league manager at Braintree and Chelmsford but also in the early 70s he was a coach at Scottish side, Arbroath who managed to beat Rangers. How do I know this? The club house is a mini museum to Chris and every space in the bar has a signed replica shirt. If he just sold the shirts he could keep the club going for one more season.
