Easter weekend saw a full list of fixtures both the Essex Senior League and
the Thurlow Nunn First Division South, and there was a bonus game on Thursday
night too as ESL’s league leaders were in action, let’s see what happened in
that one and the rest of the games that happened Friday and Saturday…..
Thursday 6th April
Essex Senior League
Enfield 3 Little Oakley 0 (League leaders Enfield increased the gap at the top after a brace from new
boy Richardson gave them another win in their quest for the title and
promotion. The hosts took the lead on the half hour mark when a Richardson
header was adjudged to have crept over the line despite the visitors protesting
it had not, and just before the break they doubled that lead when after Lawlor
had made a brilliant save to keep out a volley from Ofori, a superb overhead
kick from Bishop found the net and saw The Es well on their way to a second win
in 48 hours. It was hard on the visitors who had missed some great chances, although
Enfield had had most of the play despite this and could and should have added
to their lead after the break, but they did seal the game just before the end when
Ofori found Richardson with plenty of space inside the box to pick his spot and
fire home his second of the night to send the hosts eight points clear of
Redbridge ahead of the weekend fixtures)
Friday 7th April
Essex Senior League
Romford 8 Southend Manor 1 (Nalbant netted a second half hat-trick as hosts Romford netted eight
against already relegated Southend Manor. The hosts opened the scoring after
twelve minutes through Dorrell but that lead was quickly snuffed out two
minutes later when Nandi struck a terrific curling effort into the net. It
didn’t take long for the hosts to establish the lead once again though after
Charlie Morris netted on the quarter hour mark and they increased that lead
when adding a third on the half hour mark when a penalty box scramble allowed
Restrepo to fire home. And just before half time Romford added a fourth to take
complete control after Turner powered home a header into the far corner and sent
the hosts into the break with a three-goal cushion. It didn’t take long for the
hosts to make it five as they netted again through Nalbant early in the second
period before Nalbant netted again to add a sixth with nine minutes remaining,
and they added a seventh with two minutes to go after Cox got himself on the
scoresheet. Romford then added an eighth in stoppage time as the bottom side
totally fell to pieces, Nalbant completing his treble and rubber stamping a
decent night’s work for the hosts)
Woodford Town 1 Buckhurst Hill 1 (Woodford dropped more points in their search for
that runners up spot and a chance of promotion after the visitors netted with
ten minutes remaining to deny th home side all three points. Woodford grabbed a
16th minute lead after Alie Bangura was picked out by a ball in
behind to apply a brilliant finish, and that looked like it could be enough to
win the game, but the visitors levelled through a deflected effort from Nathan
Sollosi with ten minutes to go to grab a point in this one)
Thurlow Nunn First Division South
May & Baker 1 Sporting Bengal United 2 (Bakers suffered a huge blow in their quest for a
play-off spot after they were beaten at home by fellow play off chasing
Sporting Bengal United. Sporting edged ahead after just four minutes when
Edwards converted from the spot after a handball was given, which infuriated
the hosts, and the hosts would have been even more infuriated when they fell
further behind four minutes before the break when poor defending allowed a
cross from the left see George convert first time from twelve yards out. Bakers
were still livid with the officiating and their mood towards them wasn’t helped
when they went down to ten men early in the second period although the visitors
also saw themselves go down to ten men as well after they were also brandished
a red card, and then quickly nine men in a crazy two-minute spell as it all
kicked off at Parkside. Sporting’s Diomande was shown a second yellow after
apparent dissent, then an incident between Sporting’s George and Bakers Marsh
ended with the former being shown a second yellow and the latter a straight
red, meaning ten vs nine. Could Bakers take advantage of the extra man and get
themselves back into the contest? Well, they managed to pull one back in the
fifth minute of stoppage time when visiting keeper Haidara spilled a corner
before seeing it bundled home, but the visitors held on to almost guarantee
their top five finish, and leave Bakers a mountain to climb to reach those top
five spots)
Saturday 8th April
Essex Senior League
Enfield 5 FC Clacton 1 (Hosts Enfield made it nine points in a week after a brilliant second half performance
saw them sweep promotion chasing FC Clacton aside at The Prokit Stadium. After
a goalless first period the Es got their noses ahead eleven minutes into the
second half when that man Tom Richardson netted his fourth goal in a week by heading
home a brilliant cross from Greene, and then Mubiayi doubled that lead with
seventeen to go from a set piece, heading home for his first for the club. And
the points were sealed when Hirst added a third three minutes later after
slotting home a Bishop cross, and they put the icing on the cake in stoppage
time by adding a fourth goal as Hirst grabbed another. The visitors did manage
to pull one back thereafter through a Tilson header, but Enfield were not going
to let them have the final day as Warman on his return netted a fifth for the
Es to cap another brilliant day at the office)
Little Oakley 1 Saffron Walden Town 3 (Saffron Walden Town came from behind to net all
three points at The War Memorial. The Acorns got their noses in front just
before the break when Alfie Canning latched onto to a through ball and calmly
lobbed the advancing keeper, but Walden didn’t take too long to level after the
break as two minutes into the half they levelled through Charlie Cole, and then
Cole netted again to see The Bloods grab the lead. And the visitors sealed the
deal deep into stoppage time to cap a decent comeback in this one)
Redbridge 3 Ilford 0 (Redbridge strengthened their grip on second place after winning the derby
at Oakside against Ilford. Brian Moses headed in off the post two minutes
before the break to hand The Motormen the lead, and then early on in the second
half they doubled their lead when Jamie Price poked home inside the box. And the points were safe for the hosts when
Tony Martin netted with twelve minutes to go to keep them just about in touch
with leaders Enfield)
Stansted 2 White Ensign 2 (The points were shared at Hargrave Park after a very entertaining second
half. After a goalless opening period, the Airportmen got their noses in front
when a after a Billy Coyne corner almost went in, the ball was smashed home
from close range by James Baughurst, but Ensign responded to level the game up.
And then shortly after levelling Ensign turned it around to lead but with
twelve minutes to go Stansted fought back to level thanks to a Jake Barlow header
from another Coyne set play, meaning a point a piece for both sides)
Stanway Rovers 2 Athletic Newham 1 (Rovers netted with the final kick of the contest
to net all three points against Athletic Newham. There were no goals in the
opening forty five minutes but Rovers then took the lead in the second half,
only for Athletic Newham to level it up in what was a very end to end contest, but
the hosts had the last laugh, netting a late winner to take all the points)
Takeley 0 Barking 2 (Barking claimed the spoils at Station Road, The Blues got themselves ahead
after ten minutes when Daniel Brock latched onto a Sa-Sean Lutumba ball, cut inside
and found the far corner via the woodwork, and with Takeley pushing forward
deep into stoppage time the keeper went up but saw a Babu Ombok clearance tapped
home by Sam Shaban to seal the points for the visitors)
West Essex 0 Halstead Town 2 (Halstead made it three wins and three clean sheets in a week after they
saw off West Essex at Wadham Lodge. The visitors drew first blood on seventeen
minutes when some good play between Brown, Palmer and Cleal saw the latter play
in Kane Gilbert who fired past the keeper, and in first half stoppage time The
Humbugs doubled their lead as a quick free kick from Gilbert to Older saw the
latter fire across goal for Brown to tap home. These goals proved enough for the visitors to
take the win and cap quite a week for the Humbugs)
Thurlow Nunn First Division South
Barkingside 0 Tower Hamlets 0 (There were no goals at Cricklefield between Barkingside and Tower Hamlets,
meaning a point a piece for both sides)
Benfleet 2 Park View 1 (Benfleet got an important win as they chase a play-off spot after seeing
off Park View at Park Lane)
Cannons Wood 0 Wivenhoe Town 0 (There were no goals at
Goffs Lane between Cannons Wood and Wivenhoe Town meaning a point a piece for both
sides. It’s now three unbeaten for The Dragons with three successive clean sheets
too, they face a huge game Monday against Hackney Wick so could yet escape the
bottom three)
Enfield Borough 1 Burnham Ramblers 0 (Burnham Ramblers play off chances took a hit as
they lost at The Maurice Rebak Stadium to Enfield Borough)
NW London 4 Coggeshall United 0 (NW London netted four as they defeated bottom
side Coggeshall United at Brickfield Lane)
St Margaretsbury 2 Hackney Wick 1 (St Mags edged out Hackney Wick to pick up all
three points at The Recreation Ground)
Stanway Pegasus 2 Frenford 2 (Frenford dropped more points in their quest for the title as a late leveller
denied them an important three points. The hosts, who were trying to cement a play-off
berth themselves, went ahead in this one midway through the first half when a
ball from Rhati found Griffith at the back post to send a diving header past
Ryan, but Frenford managed to level nine minutes before the break after an
awful mixup between Felgate and a defender allowed Gray to nip in, round the
keeper and slot home. And the visitors got their noses in front ten minutes after
the break when Gray latched onto a forward pass before brilliantly lobbing Felgate,
but they could not hold on as the hosts levelled as Griffith got his second of
the day with a lovely strike beyond the dive of Ryan with a few minutes to go
to claim a point for the hosts)
Apologies for lack of info at the Thurlow Nunn games on
Saturday, lack of info and me wanting to post out as quickly as possible today
meant some games had the bare minimum description, ah well can’t have it
all!!!!
Let’s see how the tables look…..
Essex Senior League
It’s been the perfect week for the league leaders and they now have an eight point cushion to second placed Redbridge and an even bigger gap to the rest now, it looks like their the title to lose once again, although Redbridge may still have a final say if they win their game in hand and win their game against Enfield, but it would be a surprise if anyone else other than Enfield won it now. The Motormen did at least pretty much make second place theirs now after Woodford and FC Clacton slipped up, hard to see the top two not being the top two come the end of the season now.
Thurlow Nunn Fist Division South
Despite dropping points today Frenford did go back top of the table, although with Basildon Town and Wormley Rovers having games on Monday that could soon change, Frenford also are in action themselves Monday so a win would see them stay top for now at least, but it’s going down to the wire me thinks so could be an exciting climax!!!
Sporting Bengal certainly helped their chances of reaching
the play offs with a big win at May & Baker, and that point for Pegasus may
be important come the end, they only have one game left so need to win that and
then hope the clubs below them (Benfleet, Burnham Ramblers, May & Baker)
keep slipping up, be interesting to see how that ends up too.
It was a big win for NW London down at the bottom today
against a Coggeshall United side who are pretty much down, Wivenhoe have given themselves
a chance of escape too with a good recent run, and they have a huge game
against Hackney Wick on Monday, win that and The Dragons would be close to
climbing out of the bottom three. Tower Hamlets picked up an important point
today too, and Enfield Borough stunned Burnham Ramblers to claim a big win.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading!!!
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