Rayleigh Town 4 Galleywood 0

Essex Olympian League Premier Division, Tuesday 3rd May

I was back over at Rayleigh Sports & Social Club on Tuesday to see if Rayleigh Town could keep their title hopes alive, and a superb second half from the hosts saw them sweep struggling Galleywood aside to do just that, keeping the pressure on Ongar Town and Basildon Town.

The equation for Rayleigh was simple, they had to win, and a win would take them to the top of the pile on goal difference and would leave both Ongar Town and Basildon Town needing to avoid defeat in their final league games over the coming two weekends to overhaul Rayleigh and have a chance of winning the title themselves.

Ongar Town led the way on goal difference from Basildon Town with Rayleigh three points back, Rayleigh would complete the campaign this evening, and also play their last game at the Sports & Social club for at least a season after announcing they would be ground sharing at Concord Rangers next season as they have ambitions of promotion to Step Six and senior football.

Galleywood in contrast have different ambitions right now, chiefly trying to stay in the Premier Division and avoid a swift return to Division One after just one season, but they had been in decent form lately as they looked to gain enough points to climb out of the bottom three, in the six games they had played in April they had won three, drawn one and lost two, although when they played Rayleigh at home in March they had suffered a thumping 5-0 home defeat, so they were hoping to avoid another crushing defeat here.

A point for the visitors would have been enough to take them out of the bottom three on goal difference, and in the first half they certainly more than matched their opponents who were getting frustrated that things were not going their way, and with the score line goalless at the break Wood were very much on their way to gaining a precious point thus preventing the hosts continue their title hopes.

However, this all changed in the second period as four minutes after the break Rayleigh managed to get their noses in front when a ball in behind the defence saw Harry Talbot run onto it and with the keeper slow to come out to get to the ball first, Talbot slotted the ball beyond him and saw it roll towards the goal and go over the line, and from that moment on the hosts totally dominated proceedings.

Just before the hour mark it was two after the brilliant Talbot beat his man on the left, drove into the box before slotting across the keeper and into the far corner for a lovely solo effort, and then Talbot was involved once again for Rayleigh's third just five minutes later, seeing a lovely flowing move ending with Talbot squaring for strike partner Liam Oliver who slammed home from close range.

And the scoring was completed in the fading light with two minutes to go when guess who, yep you guessed right, Talbot, grabbed another assist when his ball across the box to the far post found Will Vile who thumped home from a yard or so out to complete a marvellous second period for the home side, and send them top of the table on goal difference.

It was a very disappointing second half for the visitors after such a promising opening forty five minutes, and this defeat leaves them in the bottom three with two games remaining, but with a much worse goal difference prior to kick off, although it is still just about better than the teams above them, which could prove very crucial indeed.

Full time Rayleigh Town 4 Galleywood 0

So, after this result, this is how the table looks.....

The title race is simple, if Basildon Town avoid defeat at Hutton on Saturday they will take over at the top, and depending on what Basildon Town do at Hutton, Ongar Town would have to at least match what Basildon Town did to win the title as their goal difference is superior. If both Basildon Town and Ongar fail to avoid defeat though then Rayleigh Town would pick up the title on goal difference, Ongar are at home to Catholic United for your info.  I am expecting both Basildon and Ongar to win their final games anyway meaning Ongar would win the division, but what do I know, pressure does funny things doesn't it, and Hutton and Catholic are decent sides so it won't be easy that is for sure.

Down at the bottom just the one point separates third bottom Galleywood and tenth placed Swifts, so the battle to stay out of that third bottom position and possible relegation to Division One will be interesting to say the least, Leigh Rams have finished their season now and will hope results go in their favour regarding the two teams below them who can still overhaul them with positive results. The Springfield Vs Galleywood match on the 14th May will be a massive game, the hosts would stay up if they won that game regardless of Wood's result on Saturday at Catholic, so strap yourselves in for that one!!!

I plan to be at Polo Fields for the Hutton Vs Basildon Town match up on Saturday to see if the visitors can gain the points to keep their title hopes alive for another week at least, should be fun!!!