Athletic Newham 1 Buckhurst Hill 0

Essex Senior League, Saturday 4th March

It was back to the Essex Senior League for me this weekend, and I was over at The Terrance McMillan Stadium to see a 72nd minute penalty from Richard Kone hand Athletic Newham the points in what was a scrappy contest against Buckhurst Hill.

Hosts Athletic Newham sat in ninth spot in the division having played twenty four games, winning eleven, drawing six and losing seven, with their realistic aims for the rest of the campaign to finish as high as they could, with a stop six finish not out of the question, although they were not going to trouble the sides right at the top due to the huge points gap to them with only fourteen games remaining.

Visitors Buckhurst Hill were having by their standards a very disappointing season although they were only five points behind their opponents at kick off despite this, sitting in fourteenth spot having played twenty nine games, winning ten of those, drawing four and losing fifteen, which is probably more losses they have had in the last decade combined as they have risen through the ranks to this level quite quickly.

So, like the hosts, Hill were just trying to finish the season strongly and get themselves up the table and finish as high as possible in their first season at this level, but grabbing a win today would be tough as Athletic Newham’s league form was excellent, the Newham club were on a run of three straight league wins and an unbeaten run of six with their last defeat being back on 25^th January when they were stunned at home by struggling Sawbridgeworth Town.

That unbeaten run had included wins over FC Clacton, Enfield and Little Oakley, so some very good wins in that run too, sadly wins were not so much the case for Buckhurst Hill lately, they had not managed one since winning at Saffron Walden Town back on January 14^th, that’s a run of eight winless games, and it that run they have only picked up three draws, two of those goalless, so it’s certainly been a tough period of their season, could they possibly put that right in this one, form certainly suggested not.

It turned out to be a rather scrappy contest settled in the 72nd minute when after Jailson Seidi had been brought down inside the box whilst attempting to burst through to have an effort at goal, Kone stepped up to dispatch the spot kick and hand the hosts a fourth straight league win which keeps their top six hopes alive, whereas for Buckhurst Hill it's now nine games without a win and another frustrating afternoon and sees them drop a place to 15th and five points off the top ten.

Athletic Newham 1 Buckhurst Hill 0

 

So, what else happened this weekend in the division, let’s find out….

Friday

Clapton 2 West Essex 5 (This game was pretty much decided in a crazy last eight minutes in the first period, the game was goalless until Rodney Dame headed the visitors ahead seven minutes before the break, this was quickly followed by a another when Ezequiel Franchi rifled home, and then further goals from Zak Oliver and Callum Bloss before half-time saw West four goals up at the break. Clapton did pull one back midway through the second period but a penalty from skipper Reece Clarke restored that four goal cushion with about ten to go, and although Clapton did net a cracking strike with three minutes remaining, West ran out comfortable winners)

Woodford Town 3 Little Oakley 2 (Woodford are riding a crest of a wave right now, this was their seventh straight win in all comps and a sixth in a row in the league, they had to come from behind twice in this one too, a Daniel Rowe goal five minutes before the break had the visitors ahead but Ope Mosuro brought them level early in the second half, only to see Rowe restore the visitors lead with just over twenty minutes remaining. But these Woodford boys just do not know when they are beaten these days and levelled through Guy Klangebeni with just over fifteen remaining, and then in the 91st minute Wale Odedoyin popped up to net the winner and send the home crowd and players wild)

Saturday

Barking 5 Ilford 2 (Luke Hirst netted a hat-trick has Barking netted five against Ilford, Hirst laced home a Kapica cut back after nineteen minutes before he then slotted home a second three minutes later. Zielenski did pull one back for the visitors twelve minutes before the break but the two goal lead was restored midway through the second period when Ahmed Abdulla poked home, and then with eighteen minutes left Hirst completed his treble from the spot after Ogunrinde was felled inside the box. Mensah pulled one back to make it 4-2 with thirteen to go, but the hosts had the final say in this one, making it 5-2 in the 80th minute with Ogunrinde curled home and complete a good day at the office for The Blues)

Enfield 2 Saffron Walden Town 1 (The league leaders had to come from behind to net a fourth straight win, Oluwole headed Walden into a 19th minute lead but the hosts levelled in the 45th minute when Johnson proded home at the back post, and with eighteen minutes to go the Es netted the winner when Ofori teed up Mason to net a fantastic effort and hand the home side another three points)

FC Clacton 1 Stanway Rovers 0 (Adam Tilson netted a late winner to hand Clacton a big three points, it looked like a goalless draw was on the cards until Tilson nodded home Reuben Cowler's in swinging corner with three minutes remaining to see all the points go the Seasiders way)

Halstead Town 1 Sawbridgeworth Town 2 (Sawbo Town netted a big win at fellow strugglers Halstead Town, the hosts grabbed the lead in first half stoppage time when Joel Older ran onto a ball over the top from Palmer to chip over the advancing keeper and then from an acute angle find the net, but the visitors levelled immediately when Elliot George stabbed home meaning the sides were all level at the break. And the visitors netted all three points when Zac Davidson bundled home in the second period)

Redbridge 1 Stansted 0 (George Purcell's 80th minute penalty was enough for The Motormen to take another three points and make it eleven clean sheets on the bounce after they saw off Stansted at Oakside)

Takeley 5 Southend Manor 1 (Takeley hammered bottom side Manor at Station Road to lift themselves into the top ten, Manor's recent mini revival has well and truly stalled and they have now lost twenty five of their thirty games in the league this season) 

White Ensign 1 Romford 0 (Emmanuel Abudiare's goal midway through the first period handed Ensign all the points against Romford at Burroughs Park)

 

So, how does that leave the table looking then? Let’s have a look…..

Enfield maintain their five point cushion over Redbridge after they both netted wins today, FC Clacton and Woodford are keeping the top two honest as they also both won this weekend, it's looking like the top two positions will come from the top four now as the teams below fourth probably have too many points to make up now as we enter the final two months of the season.

Down at the bottom and not much change as Manor and Clapton looked doomed now to finish in the bottom two, it's just a case of who will finish bottom between those two, which could be very important come the end of the season, it's very unlikely they will catch anyone above them though.

Anyway, that concludes this blog, thanks for reading!!!