This midweek saw the ESL return to action after a weekend off due to cup competitions, there were seven league games and two County Cup contests taking place over Tuesday & Wednesday, let's see how those games went and how it affects the league table:-
Tuesday October 22nd
Essex Senior League
Barking 2 Ilford 2
It was seventh placed Barking, looking to reduce the gap to the play off places with games in hand against an Ilford side who sat third bottom and were trying to climb away from the bottom two places. Well, it was The Foxes stunned their opponents by taking the lead in the very first minute courtesy of Michael Adu, and it remained this way until ten minutes into the second period when Ezekiel Badamosi levelled for The Blues. The Foxes though retook the lead with fifteen minutes remaining as after superb play from Greg Akpele a lovely finish from Emmanuel Wazola gave the visitors something to hold onto, but they could not hold on as Tony Martin earned the hosts a share of the spoils by netting a 90th minute equaliser.
Buckhurst Hill 3 Sawbridgeworth Town 3
Hosts Hill had been in decent form of late, climbing up to twelfth as a result and were now eyeing the top ten positions, whereas visitors Sawbo were also trying to build on a couple of wins recently to take them further away from the bottom two. It was the hosts got their noses in front with just four minutes on the clock when a brilliant pass from Toby Smith found George Thompson who fired home, and with just nine minutes on the clock it was two for the hosts as Tyreece Robertson found the net as Hill had the perfect start to this contest. However, Sawbo were to grab the next goal in the contest, and it came five minutes after the break when Kieran David found the net to reduce the arrears, but with five minutes of the ninety left Hill extended that lead back to two when Chibike Okechukwu found the onion bag, and that looked likely to seal the points for the hosts. But, Sawbo pulled one back in the third minute of stoppage time through Elijah Mambombe, and then incredibly snatched a point in the eighth minute of added on time thanks to a second goal from David and leave the hosts shell shocked.
Halstead Town 2 Benfleet 1
Bottom side Halstead had only picked up four points from eleven league games so far, so they were looking for only their second win of the season, and they welcomed tenth placed Benfleet to Rosemary Lane with the visitors looking to claim a sixth league win of the campaign and cement there place right in the top ten, with the possibility of going as high as seventh with three points. And it was the visitors who drew first blood in this contest, Toby Dickinson pouncing on the loose ball to convert after hosts keeper Jack Cherry had denied them, but the hosts managed to level with six minutes of the first half to go after a clearance from Matt Travell ended with the hosts driving into the box and seeing Nathan Scarborough tapping home. And in the 88th minute and with the game seemingly headed towards a point a piece, James Eveleigh struck home from the spot to hand the Humbugs a huge win and only their second league win thus far this season.
Stansted 2 Frenford 1
The Airportmen were trying their hardest to bounce back from a rather disappointing 7-0 loss last time out in the league, their seventh loss in twelve league starts which saw them start the evening down in 16th, they were up against a Frenford side who were doing well and had had a solid start to their campaign, 11th and looking to get themselves back into the top ten with three points. The first period yielded no goals but with just over twenty minutes remaining Stansted got their noses in front when Luke Skinner found the net, and with around ten minutes left to play Ashaan Siddik doubled that lead, and although Frenford did manage to pull one back five minutes into added on time through Tom Troubridge, the hosts were not to be denied and picked up a very morale boosting three points.
West Essex 0 Takeley 0
Hosts West Essex sat 14th in the division ahead of kick off, six points above the bottom two places and only four points off a top ten position, they had only won three of their eleven league outings though and were welcoming a Takeley side to Wadham Lodge who sat in fifth spot and in the final play off place after a rather solid start to their campaign which has only seen them lose two of their twelve league games thus far. A goalless first half made way for a second period that equally produced no goals, meaning both sides had to settle for a point.
BBC Essex Senior Cup Round Two
Little Oakley 3 Romford 1
It was an all Essex Senior League tie at The Memorial Ground as both sides looked to progress into Round Three, Oakley got their noses in front after twenty five minutes through Reece Keating, but with five minutes of the first half remaining Jaiden Babalola netted a leveller for the visitors meaning the sides went into the break all square. Oakley though restored their lead eight minutes into the second half when Darren Mills let fly from thirty yards out for a superb goal and sealed their passage into the next round when Daniel Rowe added a third in the 90th minute, hitting the visitors on the counter and after a great interchange of passes between Rowe & Mills, Rowe applied the finishing touch. Oakley therefore set up a Third Round tie against against Isthmian North side Basildon United at The Memorial Ground.
Saffron Walden Town 3 Great Wakering Rovers 0
It was another all Essex Senior League tie at Catons Lane as both sides looked to fight for a place in Round Three of the County Cup and a home tie with Vanarama National League side Braintree Town the prize, Roman Campbell gave The Bloods the lead before he netted again to double the home sides advantage, and their progress into the next round was secured when Solomon Ofori added a third goal for the home side.
Wednesday October 23rd
Essex Senior League
White Ensign 0 Stanway Rovers 2
Ensign came into this one off the back of a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of second placed Woodford Town, this after they had demolished Stansted 7-0 the game before that, they sat 13th ahead of kick off and another tough assignment ahead of them as they welcomed league leaders Stanway Rovers to Burroughs Park who had only lost once all season. And it only took the league leaders eight minutes to hit the front, Jamie Bennett finding the net for the visiting side, and three minutes after the break it was two for the visitors when Nat Mardell scored, and that ultimately was enough for the league leaders to take all the points in this one.
Woodford Town 2 FC Clacton 2
Hosts Woodford Town came into this one in second spot and two points behind leaders Stanway Rovers with two games in hand, they had won nine of those contests too including a 6-0 win over White Ensign in their last league outing, and they were fully expected to make it ten wins from twelve as they welcomed bottom side FC Clacton to their Ashton's Playing Fields, the visitors have lost nine of their twelve games in the division so this was effectively a 'free hit' for them. The visitors managed to hold out until midway through the first half before conceding, Georges Kebi arriving to head home from three yards out to give the hosts the lead, but the visitors stunned their opponents by levelling just before half time when Ben Sargeant netted, sending the sides in level at the break. Could the visitors cause a surprise? Well, they were to fall behind barely two minutes after the break when Nathan Sollosi headed home to restore the hosts advantage, but, back came the visitors again as they won a penalty just past the hour mark and saw Sargeant step up to fire home the spot kick for his and FC Clacton's second of the night. Woodford were to end the game with ten men after Mike Agboola was sin binned in the 88th minute, and they were to end the game with just a point as the side bottom of the division earned a massive and very surprising point at Ashton's.
Let's see how the table looks after all the midweek action:-
Stanway increase their lead at the top to four points after they won at Ensign and Woodford dropped points at home to bottom side FC Clacton, Takeley do climb to third despite a goalless draw at home to West Essex, Barking's quest for closing the gap to the play offs stuttered as they were held at home by Ilford.
It was a great couple of evenings for sides struggling down at the bottom, Halstead climbed off it after they defeated Benfleet, and of course FC Clacton held Woodford at Ashton's, Sawbo produced a remarkable comeback late on at Buckhurst Hill to net a point, and Stansted also grabbed a huge win to climb up to 15th.
Certainly some dramatic and entertaining action once again in the division, that's brings you right up to date with the league, thanks for reading!!!
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