White Ensign 2 Buckhurst Hill 2 - Last gasp header from Ellis Devereux rescues point for hosts to keep their unbeaten start to their Essex Senior League campaign in tact

Essex Senior League, Wednesday September 4th

My first visit to Burrough's Park, Great Wakering, for the season on the first Wednesday in September saw me taking in action between White Ensign, who were unbeaten in their first three league games of the campaign, and Buckhurst Hill, who were looking for a second win of their campaign after two draws and three defeats in their five league outings.

It's been a solid start for the hosts so far, often punching above their weight at this level, but this young energetic side had played five games in all comps with their only defeat coming in the FA Cup against Brantham Athletic, but two wins and two draws in the other four games were certainly something to build on.

Buckhurst Hill themselves lost three of their first four in all comps, with the opening day point against Little Oakley their only positive result, that was until they won at Sawbridgeworth Town in the league before they then netted a very decent win at home to Cockfosters in the Vase before a narrow defeat at Benfleet last time out took them into this one looking to try and end Ensign's unbeaten league start.

The first certainly yielded plenty of openings, mostly for the visitors who were wasteful in front of goal, George Thompson & Tyreece Robertson should have done better with chances they had, and the visitors somehow saw a point blank range effort saved by hosts keeper Bradley Davidson, sending their bench into a frenzy at how they had not taken the lead.

Ensign did come close themselves, their best chance seeing Riley Weir get to the ball before visiting keeper Toby Smith who had come out to try and thwart him, Weir poked the ball towards goal but it didn't not have enough power on it and a defender managed to get back to clear it off the line, but with nine minutes of the first half remaining Ensign did grab the lead.

It came when a poor header from the visitors allowed the ball to be recycled to the right hand side and a ball into the box saw striker Chinedu Duru head back across goal and into the far corner, meaning the hosts went into the break a goal to the good.

The visitors would have no doubt been very frustrated with this after having several chances to grab the lead themselves, however, eight minutes after the break they were to finally find the net and level the contest up when after Robertson saw a close range effort saved on the line by a defender, Ethan Daniels made sure the ball ended up in the net by forcing the loose ball home, and it didn't take long for the visitors to turn it around.

That's because just three minutes later Robertson managed to shift the ball onto his left foot and then sent a powerful effort beyond Davidson from close range and the visitors now had the lead, a lead they probably felt they deserved.

However, after going ahead they spent the majority of the second half on the back foot as Ensign tried all they could to get back on level terms and preserve their unbeaten start to the league season, the visitors rode their luck on more than one occasion but Ensign just could not add that killer touch in front of goal.

Buckhurst Hill had their moments, although they were far less than in the first half, one particular chance for them to seal it saw Dan Jones volley into the side netting from close range when he probably should have scored, but as the game sunk deeper and deeper into the latter part of the contest they tried all they could to hold onto what they had and record a very good win.

It looked like they would do this as well, that was until the eighth minute of added on time when a ball slung towards the far post for the umpteenth time found Ellis Devereaux who managed to send a header back across goal and creep in at the far post and rescue a point for Ensign and maintain their unbeaten start to the season in the league.

Heartbreak though for Buckhurst Hill who were so so close to holding on, the goal was pretty much the last action of the game as the referee blew for full time soon after the restart, a bit of a sickener for them for sure, but it is another point to add to the tally, although after conceding so late they probably won't see that as a positive right now.

A really good battle though and another enjoyable game to watch.

Full time White Ensign 2 Buckhurst Hill 2

There was one other game in the league this evening and it brought two unbeaten sides together.....

Woodford Town 1 Takeley 0

Just the one goal came in the match between Woodford Town and Takeley at Ashton's and it came midway through the first period when a lovely through ball found David Gokou-Siakouri who managed to fire beyond the onrushing Jarvis Monk in the visitors goal and end Takeley's unbeaten start to their league campaign.

Let's check out the table after the midweek action was completed this evening:-

So, after tonight's results there are now only five sides left who have yet to taste defeat, Wakering & Woodford are now level on points at the top after the latter's narrow win over Takeley this evening, but still early days as said many times before.

That's you all up to date with the ESL for now, thanks for reading!!!