Old Southendian 1 Rayleigh Town 2

Essex Olympian Premier Division, Saturday 10th December

I was at Garon Park in Southend on Saturday and saw a stoppage time goal from Will Vile hand Rayleigh Town a huge three points against Old Southendian in their Essex Olympian Premier Division contest in absolutely freezing conditions on the Essex coast.

On a day where the only games that took place were mainly on 3/4G surfaces due to the very cold temperatures freezing mostly anything that was on grass, this was the only match to take place in the division, and only one of eight games to go ahead across all five divisions in the Olympian set up, so lucky me to have this game within walking distance from my flat on the seafront.

It also was billed to be a decent match up too, OS sat sixth in the division after a fairly solid campaign so far, whereas Rayleigh were in fourth spot only a point above today's opponents, OS could have gone third with victory and Rayleigh second if they took all three points in this one.

OS's form had been pretty decent in November, three wins from three meaning a perfect month, with wins at Catholic United and Springfield as well as a home success over Bishops Stortford Swifts, although December began in defeat when they lost narrowly at Sungate, there first defeat since mid October and ending a run of four straight wins too, so they would have been heading to this one pretty confident.

Rayleigh themselves had only played three league games since mid October due to cup games and the like, and those league games had not gone that well, they were held at home by Shenfeld AFC before losing at Kelvedon Hatch, and then they were held at home once again by Runwell Sports in a 3-3 draw, meaning more dropped points, which they could ill afford with Hutton running away with things at the summit.

They had at least scored a few goals in those cup games in the same period, netting five against May & Baker Reserves and six at Galleywood, and then last time out they had a 3-0 success at Beacon Hill Rovers, although apart from the Galleywood those sides were in lower divisions, however winning games, whoever it was against, still breeds confidence, but they desperately needed a league win, there last one coming way back on October 1st when they thrashed Springfield at home.

How would this one go then? Well, you know I said this was billed as a potential classic encounter, well scrub that, as the first half was not a great spectacle, and any chances that did come were from the visiting side, their best effort saw a long range strike from Jack Long crash of the crossbar, whereas OS's only real chance of the half fell to Nico Dobouchet, but he could only pull his left footed effort wide of the far post when in a decent position.

The second period began in much the same way, lack of goal mouth action and not a lot of quality, but on the hour mark the hosts took the lead after full back Connor Burrows hit an thunderbolt from miles out which found the top corner, it had come from absolutely nowhere and the hosts now had a lead to hold onto.

This seemed to wake the visitors up, they had just not been at the races, and their poor form in the league looked likely to continue, but after going behind they were the ones doing all the pressing and the hosts were the ones clinging onto their fragile lead, could they hold out, well no, because with five minutes of the ninety left a free kick swung into the box found the head of Long who nodded home the leveller from close range, and now you felt the visitors may go onto win it.

And sure enough, in the third minute of stoppage time, good work down the left from Harry Talbot saw his ball into the box turned home by Vile to cue wild scenes amongst the visiting side, bodies pilled on top of each other and yelps of joy as they knew how big this win could be, in contrast the hosts were broken, they led with several minutes to go but ended up losing right at the death, football eh!!!

It all meant that Rayleigh did climb into second spot albeit eleven points behind leaders Hutton with a game in hand, whereas OS stayed in sixth spot but have now lost two on the spin after winning four on the bounce, although they are still only four points off second place in what is a tight top eight, apart from Hutton obviously. 

Both sides play before the Christmas/new year break next weekend, OS travel to fourth placed Canning Town whilst Rayleigh are also on their travels again, away to ninth placed Shenfield AFC, and no doubt both will be looking to end 2022 on a high.

Full time Old Southendian 1 Rayleigh Town 2