Essex Senior League, Tuesday March 4th
There were some midweek games in the Essex Senior League on Tuesday night that affected both ends of the table, the bottom two (FC Clacton & Stansted) were both at home and in action and needed points to try and get themselves closer to safety, defeats for either would be another hammer blow to their chances of survival, whereas Barking travelled to Benfleet looking to close the gap to Stanway Rovers at the top, and further cement their play off spot too.
Let's see how those three games on Tuesday went, with Benfleet, West Essex & White Ensign also looking for more points too:-
Benfleet 0 Barking 5
This was Benfleet's first home game since December 28th after multiple postponements due to a problem area on their Woodside pitch, and since that game were they defeated promotion chasing Great Wakering Rovers they have played just the four games, winning at Frenford and Sawbridgeworth, drawing at Bcukhurst Hill & losing just the once, at Ilford last time out, leaving them down in 16th but fourteen points clear of the drop zone.
Visitors Barking were sat in fourth spot before kick off and six points ahead of sixth placed Saffron Walden Town so knew a win here would increase that gap to the side just outside the play off zone, it would also take them just five points behind leaders Stanway as well and up to third, and in the same period that Benfleet had only played four games, The Blues had racked up twelve games in all comps, three times as many, ten of those were in the league, six of them resulting in wins.
It didn't take long for the first goal to arrive either as Sam Shaban put the visitors ahead after just three minutes, and after twenty five minutes it was two for the visitors after Juwon Akintunde found the net for the Blues before the game looked as good as over just before the half hour mark when Shaban added his second of the game as the Blues were now in complete control with a three goal lead.
Then came a sobering moment though ten minutes before half time when Benfleet's Cameron Harris was sent off for a poor challenge on visitors player Jerold Cobblah which resulted in the latter receiving a very bad injury and the game being held up for half an hour, Cobblah was clearly in distress and after he had been moved to the warmer climbs of the dressing room to await an ambulance the game resumed & Farhad Nyanja had time to make it four for the visitors before the eventual half time whistle came.
A short half time followed, and eight minutes after the break Shaban was on hand to compete his hat trick and make it five for a rampant Blues side who cruised to victory and the points but no doubt with all their minds on their stricken teammate who will be on the sidelines for sometime, hoping and praying he makes a full and as swift a recovery as possible.
FC Clacton 0 West Essex 3
Games are now running out for hosts FC Clacton if they are to pull off a miracle escape, they began the evening bottom of the league and seven points from safety, and with a much inferior goal difference too, it was pretty much eight points, a win could take them off the bottom if Stansted lost to White Ensign, they had picked up two wins in 2025 and really needed to pick up another one against a West Essex side who started the night in 14th spot.
They were miles above the bottom two as well, seventeen points, and were actually closer to the top ten although that was eight points away, they had played seven games as well in 2025, winning three of those contests with one recently at home to Athletic Newham, and if they could pick up a fourth win in eight games this year they could climb up a couple of places depending on how many goals they could win by, but winning was all they needed to do in their eyes and try and get as close to the top ten as they possibly could.
The opening goal didn't arrive till seven minutes before half time, and it went to the visitors as Jaedon Phillps converted from the spot, and ten minutes after the break Zak Oliver doubled the visitors lead to leave the struggling hosts with a mountain to climb, and it was a mountain they could not climb and West managed to add a third goal in stoppage through Nathan Braithwaite to seal a good three points on the North Essex coast and heap more woe on the home side.
Stansted 0 White Ensign 1
The Airportmen are in serious danger of falling out of the ESL and down to Step Six, and just like FC Clacton desperately need points as games are running out, they started a point above the bottom side but six from safety, and having only picked up two point in twelve games since their last win in October, it seems unlikely they would get anything here against an Ensign side who are again punching above their weight.
Both those points did come in their last three outings, but Ensign would prove a much tougher task then the games in which they did pick up those points, the Wakering based side are sitting in eighth spot, to far from the play offs really now to mount a challenge, but they wanted to keep going and see where they could get, and in ten league games since Boxing Day they had only lost once, and won six of those too, so they were in pretty good form.
Ensign had smashed seven past their opponents in the corresponding game at Burroughs Park but found it harder to break the deadlock in this one, but with just over fifteen minutes to go Taylor Jacobi found the net finally for the visitors, sweeping home from close range, and earn the visitors a hard earned three points on the road, and adding to Stansted's woes in the process.
Let's see what the midweek games have done to the table:-
Barking move up to third spot now after their comfortable win at Benfleet, Ensign are up to seventh after their win at Stansted, a result that leaves the latter second bottom still and six points from safety with only twelve games to go, FC Clacton remain rooted to the foot of the table and seven from safety after their loss at home to West Essex. It does appear the bottom two will have their work cut out not to be relegated at the end of the season.
There were also two Peter Butcher Memorial Cup Semi Finals taking place on Tuesday night as well, one at Burroughs Park and the other at Catons Lane, let's see who made it through to the final of this competition:-
Great Wakering Rovers 1 Woodford Town 0
This was fifth against second in the ESL as two sides vying for promotion to step four put league worries aside for the chance to win a trophy this season, yes Woodford were eight points above the hosts in the table but this would be a very decent battle you would have thought as both wanted to reach a final for sure.
Only one goal was needed to settle this contest, and it came early on in the 13th minute when Harry Talbot gave Rovers the lead, and it proved enough to send Rovers into the final at Billericay Town.
Saffron Walden Town 1 Little Oakley 2
This was sixth against ninth in the ESL, the hosts still had a realistic chance of promotion with a play off spot and were only five points away, but that was not on the agenda tonight as they looked to give themselves a chance of a trophy with victory over Oakley who were twelve points below the hosts in the league, but could Oakley net a win and give themselves of a trophy instead, promotion was definitely out of the question you felt.
Walden grabbed an early lead in this one, the home side doing well to keep the ball alive in the box and Solomon Ofori ended up striking home, however early in the second half Oakley levelled thanks to a lovely finish from Jordi Papple and then Dan Rowe converted a spot kick for Oakley to turn this one around early on in the second half and give Walden something to think about.
Things were made harder though for Walden when Ricky Modeste was given his marching orders, and they could not find a leveller which meant Oakley go through to the final at Billericay Town.
That means Little Oakley Vs Great Wakering Rovers at Billericay Town FC on Wednesday 26th March for a chance of one of these sides to pick up the first trophy of the season in the ESL, it should be a decent game on the 3G at New Lodge.
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