Hutton 0 Basildon Town 1

Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Saturday 7th May

Saturday saw me over Polo Fields to see if Basildon Town could grab the win they needed to give themselves a great chance of winning the Essex Olympian Premier and confirm promotion to the next level, and a second half goal from Graham Harrison handed the visitors a hard earned win, heaping the pressure onto Ongar Town next weekend.

After Rayleigh Town's thumping 4-0 win over Galleywood on Tuesday (see my blog on this one here (http://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2022/05/rayleigh-town-4-galleywood-0.html) Bas Town knew they needed to claim at least a point overhaul Rayleigh, however with Ongar Town yet to play next weekend, they knew a point would probably not be enough as with Ongar having a much better goal difference, a point for Ongar next weekend would give them the title and see Bas Town end up runners up.

So, three points was imperative for the visitors here against a Hutton side who had themselves fallen out of the title race in recent weeks, but this was their last game at Polo Fields for at least a season after agreeing a groundshare at Tilbury's Chadfields for next season as they, like Bas Town, have ambitious of entering Senior Football in the near future, so they were looking to sign off from this ground at least in a positive manor, so it would not be easy for the visitors that was for sure.

The hosts also wanted to bounce back in their final home game of the campaign after a rather abysmal performance at Catholic United in midweek where they were beaten 4-0, boss Matt Singh no doubt wanting a response to that abject display at Len Forge, so could they deny Bas Town the points they needed to heap the pressure on Ongar ahead of their final game next weekend, against Catholic United funnily enough.

Bas Town themselves edged past Sungate in their final home game last weekend, so wanted to try and end the campaign with back to back wins, and when these two sides had met earlier in the season, Bas Town had won them both, 5-2 at home in the league and then a 2-1 home success in the Premier Cup, so the visitors had at least won both their games against Hutton this campaign.

This was a different scenario though, Bas Town had all the pressure on them to find a positive result to keep themselves in with a realistic chance of taking the title, and the first forty five minutes did suggest that they may have been a tad cautious perhaps, and with Hutton certainly making things difficult it made for a very tough contest, as expected.

Hutton did actually manufacture the first real chance of the game, and what a chance too, as a lovely ball saw Brad Freeman in on goal, but he could only screw wide of the far post, it was a big let off for the visitors who really did not want to go a goal behind in a game they had to win.

Bas Town did end the half on the front foot though and saw Rhys Fatt send a powerful far post header on target, but it was not powerful enough to beat Adrian Faherty in the Hutton goal, who claimed fairly comfortably, and then another header from the visiting player was blocked on route to goal in another attempt for the visitors as the half ended goalless.

The game had been played at a decent tempo too, and whatever was said in the visitors changing room at half time certainly worked for the early part of the second period as Bas Town certainly upped their tempo going forward, and they should have netted when Fatt raced in on goal but struck his effort against the post, and after Harrison had fired another chance across goal and wide, he was to go one better eleven minutes after the break.

This occured when after Hutton failed to clear their lines, the ball fell to Harrison who managed to send a effort across keeper Faherty and into the far corner, and the visitors had that goal and the breakthrough and potentially a big goal in the title shake up, could they now go on and make the rest of the game comfortable?

Fatt thought he had doubled Bas Town's lead when he tapped home after Faherty had saved an effort from Adan Bassani, but the linesman had his flag up so the goal was chalked out, and as the game got closer to the end, Hutton began to get more of the ball as Town got deeper and deeper as they looked to hold onto that precious one goal lead.

Hutton had their moments towards the end too, hitting the woodwork on one occasion from a far post header, and the visitors had to withstand some nervous moments at the back as Hutton did all they could to try and deny them a win and grab a point for themselves to at least end their home campaign with a point.

However, after several minutes of stoppage time, the referee brought proceedings to a close and Bas Town had their victory and went three points clear of both Rayleigh Town and Ongar Town and will now await to see how Ongar get on in their final game next weekend knowing if Ongar fail to win then they will be crowned champions.

For Hutton it has been a very good season despite a disappointing end to their campaign, but this performance will certainly have pleased their boss Singh after what they produced last time out, they will finish fourth in the division and will hope they can finish their campaign in two weeks time with victory at Bishop Stortford Swifts.

Full time Hutton 0 Basildon Town 1

Here is how the table looks after today's games:-

So, Ongar Town host Catholic United at Lakeside Sports Ground next weekend, and simply put and mentioned more than once already in this blog, if Ongar fail to win next weekend then Basildon Town will be champions, simple as that, so Ongar know what they now must do. It will be tough though against a Catholic side who have netted nine goals in their last two games, although Ongar did win 3-2 at Len Forge only a week ago so if they repeat that win then they will be champions. Should be a tight contest though and no doubt plenty of drama to come.

The only other thing to be decided is who finishes in the bottom three, although it does appear that third bottom may not be relegated now, but who knows, so it's best not to finish there and then worry about it after. Fourth bottom Springfield take on third bottom Galleywood next weekend in both sides final contest of the season, and if the hosts avoid defeat then Galleywood will finish in the bottom three.

Technically Canning Town could overhaul both Galleywood and Springfield if they won all four of their remaining games and that huge clash between Springfield and Wood ended a draw, and Canning Town also overturned a goal difference deficit of sixteen goals in winning those four games to survive on goal difference, seems highly unlikely, but funnier things have happened, however it does appear they will join Harold Wood Athletic in Division One next season.