(Action from Little Oakley Vs Stanway Rovers on Saturday afternoon, which saw the visitors net a hard fought win to return to the summit of the ESL after Woodford's win on Friday Night)
Essex Senior League, Friday 21st/Saturday 22nd March
The penultimate weekend of March saw Non League Day take place, it's an annual event to celebrate the local game and is normally scheduled in this time of year when the International Break takes place, meaning fans from top teams can go and support their local sides and the clubs often do deals or incentives to go along and give them some support.
Now the Essex Senior League were giving fans the opportunity to attend up to four games in the league across the weekend, there were two Friday night games, and eight on Saturday with some of the kick offs staggered meaning fans could get to three of those contests on the Saturday, I myself would be attending three of these games, starting on Friday night, and would be taking in four of the top six clubs as a result, not bad eh.
West Essex were hosting Barking at Wadham Lodge in one of the Friday night encounters, but I was over at Ashton's for title chasing Woodford Town's game against Ilford, so let's start there with Game one of three for me in the league this weekend:-
Friday March 21st
Woodford Town Vs Ilford
The hosts simply knew a win was the only thing acceptable, they began the weekend two points behind leaders Stanway Rovers having played a game more, so anything else just wouldn't do, and of course if they could beat Ilford at Ashton's they would go top for at least twenty four hours or so.
The hosts were on winning streak of three games to coming into this, they had hit form again at the right time, and when these two met in the corresponding fixture, Woodford won that game 2-0, so they would certainly welcome a repeat of that, and in contrast to Woodford, The Foxes hadn't won in three games, only picking up a single point in those contests too, but Ilford would not be an easy task for the hosts, so a close fought encounter was expected as this was also a London Derby (these clubs are around five miles apart).
The visitors were the ones though to settle the quicker and should have been at least three goals up but were unable to convert any of the clear cut chances they created, and they would rue this in a big way as Woodford, who had been well off the pace if truth be told, find the net in first half stoppage time when Nathan Sollosi turned home at the back post, and despite their first half showing, Ilford found themselves behind at the break.
The Foxes missed another guilt edged chance early in the second half, and once again Woodford made them pay as nine minutes after the break Miles Mitchell-Nelson sent a header back across goal and into the far corner, and the hosts now had some breathing space and despite them not being on it in this contest, they still had a two goal cushion.
Ilford didn't throw in the towel though and kept going, and with just over twenty minutes remaining finally found the net to give themselves hope of a comeback, Abdul Shobowale firing home from inside the box, and once again the hosts would have to dig deep to try and keep out a Foxes side who were attempting to find a leveller in this one.
However, two minutes into stoppage time Woodford sealed a big three points when Luke Steele converted from close range, it had not been a vintage performance but they had done what they had needed to do, win the game, that's all that matters at this time of the season, and it sent them top of the table ahead of Stanway's game at Little Oakley on Saturday.
This was another frustrating night for the visitors though, they will rue those missed chances, especially in the first period, and it means another loss, their third in four outings now, if only they could have found a goal scorer this evening, if they could have things may have been very different in this one.
Full time Woodford Town 3 Ilford 1
There was one other game on Friday night, and there was a surprising score line in that one too....
West Essex 1 Barking 0
An 81st minute penalty from Jaedon Phillips handed West Essex a superb win over play off bound Barking at Wadham Lodge, in front of a bumper crowd of 212, a superb effort from all. It sent West into 10th spot in the league, whereas for Barking it pretty much ended any faint hopes of winning the title as they remained in third, seven points off the leaders with only five games to go. They should still claim a play off spot though.
So, two games down in the weekend, and two superb crowds as well, 212 at Wadham Lodge and 184 at Woodford, a good start to the ESL weekend then, what would we have in store on Saturday, lets find out.
Saturday March 22nd
Little Oakley Vs Stanway Rovers
My next port of call was the match at The War Memorial between ninth placed Little Oakley and title chasing Stanway Rovers, the visitors of course had been knocked off the top after Woodford Town's Friday night win, they knew though that they were only a point behind them at kick off, with two games in hand.
You still have to win those games in hand, although two draws would be enough to overhaul Woodford's points tally, and with Rovers having a better goal difference too (five better) a point would take them top, however, they were no doubt going all out for the win to take control back in the division, Oakley though would not make it easy for them.
Oakley had won five of their last seven, with only defeat, including wins against Walden, Takeley & Woodford, all sides in the top six of course, so Stanway knew this would be a toughie that's for sure, although the visitors had only lost twice all season, so tend to get the job done more often than not, although when these sides met back in September, it ended all square in a 2-2 draw, not that has much bearing on this one now.
Could Stanway get a positive result though to take them back to the summit of the ESL? Well, the hosts certainly started the better but once Rovers settled they began to put the hosts under pressure, however, Oakley were to take the lead in fortuitous circumstances when striker Darren Mills appeared to completely shank an effort at goal, which was perfectly into the path of a team mate, but before he could get to it Stanway defender Reece Harris tried to get to it bit sliced a looping effort into his own net over keeper Callum Robinson, and the league leaders were suddenly behind with eight minutes of the first half remaining.
Stanway though are not league leaders for nothing, and they were to go into the half time break ahead after two quickfire goals at the end of the half, firstly levelling when hosts keeper Ryan Lees allowed a cross to slip through his grasp to give George Okoye the easiest of tap ins, and then in first half stoppage time Tom Maycock fired home from close range after being left free at the far post, three goals in ten first half minutes at the end of the half, it had taken a while to get going, but was catching fire now.
You felt if Stanway could get a third then that would be job done, they so nearly found a third when a wonderful one touch passing move ended with a strike thumping against the inside of the post, Oakley though were never out of this contest and as the game got closer to the end, they were putting a solid Rovers back line under some pressure, but Oakley, themselves had a great chance to level earlier in the half, could not breach the visitors backline again.
The game was to end on a rather sour note when Jordi Papple & Harrison Chatting came together following a challenge, causing a rather unnecessary melee, resulting in straight reds for the two mentioned, all rather unnecessary as said but on the whole it had been a superb battle between two honest sides, but it was Stanway who came out on top and returned back to the top of the division as a result, like Woodford, they just know how to win games.
Full time Little Oakley 1 Stanway Rovers 2
Takeley Vs Saffron Walden Town
My third and final game of the weekend came over at Station Road, Takeley, as the hosts welcomed Saffron Walden Town to their shores, and after the afternoon games the hosts sat in fourth spot with a seven point gap to sixth placed Walden who were now five points off fifth placed GWR after their win again Ensign earlier in the day, so it was important now that Walden got a win in this one.
It was a big game then, a win for Takeley would take them ten clear of Walden with only a handful of games to go and above Barking into third spot too, Walden though could close that gap to just four if they won, and and back to just two behind GWR in fifth, and with Takeley's form up and down lately (four wins and two draws in last six) Walden felt that maybe they could get something here.
Walden's form lately had also been up and down though, they had the chance to break into the play off zone in their last outing, but lost at Halstead Town meaning they remained two points behind fifth placed GWR, so it was hard to call in this one who would go on and take the points, and with it being a derby too there was likely to be no quarter given in this one. Their meeting in the reverse fixture this season ended 1-1 as well, so not a lot between the two sides.
Takeley certainly had the better of the opening forty five minutes and did create more of the openings that did arise, played in front of a superb crowd of 586 at Station Road too, it certainly had a carnival atmosphere that was for sure, but would the crowd see any goals, the first half ended goalless but after Walden came out of the traps the better in the second half, it was Takeley who broke the deadlock.
The game had just passed it's hour mark when a long throw into the Walden box wasn't dealt with by the visitors, and Jordon Westcott nipped across his marker to apply a finishing touch beyond George Coton at the near post and give his side the lead, and thereafter the game seemed to go back to how it had been before.
Walden to their credit kept fighting though and were doing their upmost to find a leveller, but deep into stoppage time at the end of another hard fought contest, Takeley countered on their opponents to seal the game and a ball squared to Olly Miles saw him take a touch before firing beyond Coton into the far corner, and Takeley could celebrate victory here.
It's a result that takes Takeley into third and still in with an outside chance of catching the leaders, but they are now in a home play off spot position which would be oh so important if they can get that, for Walden themselves this is a damaging result in their quest for one of those play off spots, now five behind fifth with a handful of games remaining.
Full time Takeley 2 Saffron Walden Town 0
Shall we see how the other Saturday games went and how the weekend affected the table...
Athletic Newham 3 Frenford 2
This pitted eleventh against fourteenth in the division, Freddie Tandon put through his own net after twenty minutes to give the hosts the lead, and that lead was doubled six minutes before half time through Kai Torres. Corey Hewlett did pull one back before half time but Newham extended their lead through Rodney Dame four minutes after the break, and although an Elton Tettey penalty just before the hour reduced the deficit, it was the hosts who would hold on to take the points.
Benfleet 4 FC Clacton 2
The Saturday afternoon action begin with the midday kick off at Woodside, sixteenth placed Benfleet began this one ten points above the drop zone and they welcomed bottom side FC Clacton who desperately needed the points in their faint bid for survival, and a bumper crowd of 702 turned up to watch this one!!! It started well for the visitors, taking the lead through Tyrese Miller after just four minutes, but Benfleet roared back and levelled just before the half hour through Gianni Frankis before taking the lead through Nathan Saunders ten minutes before half time. Mason Shave then extended Benfleet's lead two minutes later, only to then see Arthur Bright reduce then deficit before half time, but Fleet sealed the points late on through Sonny Hartman and FC Clacton, who saw Bright dismissed late on for a second booking, looked doomed after this latest loss.
Buckhurst Hill 1 Hullbridge Sports 1
Thirteenth placed Hill welcomed seventeenth placed Sports to Roding Lane, the visitors began the day seven points above the drop zone with seven games to go, and another bumper crowd of 411 turned up to watch this one too. Piers Hatcliff handed Bridge the half time lead when netting nine minutes before the break, but the points would be shared courtesy of Archie Hammond's 69th minute leveller.
Great Wakering Rovers 3 White Ensign 1
Part Two of the Burroughs Park derby saw fifth placed GWR take on seventh placed Ensign, the hosts were a massive twelve points above their opponents and were looking to enhance their play off ambitions with a win, but Ensign had got the better of GWR in their corresponding fixture earlier in the season. Harry Talbot broke the deadlock twelve minutes before half time to give the hosts the lead, Ensign hit straight back two minutes later through Riley Weir, only for Talbot to give GWR the half time lead deep into added on time at the end of the first period. And GWR were to seal this derby when Callum Boylan netted the hosts third ten minutes from time, and with Walden losing later in the evening, GWR are in pole position for that final play off spot.
Sawbridgeworth Town 2 Romford 0
Hosts Sawbo have seen their gap to second bottom Stansted and the drop zone shrink rather alarmingly recently, it's now down to just three points after last weekend, so Sawbo knew if they could win they could increase that gap against a Romford side whose season is threatening to end in a rather flat way after their play off hopes are all but over now. Sawbo got the perfect start to this one too, taking the lead after just five minutes through Austen Garrod, and with seventeen minutes to go they sealed a massive three points when Luke Ellis netted.
Stansted 0 Halstead Town 1
Can the Airportmen pull of the great escape, they have got the gap to safety down to three points and are within touching distance of survival now, and they welcomed twelfth placed Halstead to Hargrave Park knowing that their opponents would prove a tough nut to crack. Only one goal would be needed to settle this one, and it went to the visitors in the 66th minute through Nathan Scarborough, inflicting a potentially damaging defeat on Stansted in their battle against the drop.
Let's see what the table looks like after the weekend's games:-
Stanway remain two clear at the top then with a game in hand meaning it's still in their hands, Woodford are keeping them honest though and still have a gap to third place, Takeley though just have to keep winning and see where it takes them and be there if the top two slip up. Barking & Wakering are pretty set now after the weekend's results, Walden now have a job to do if they are to prevent one of those sides from not being in the post season.FC Clacton are pretty much down now after their latest defeat, eleven points from safety with just five games to go, and with Sawbo winning and Stansted losing, that gap is now six points, so right now it's hard to see how the bottom two will not be the ones dropping into Step Six next season, Stansted though do have two games in hand, so that might not be quite over yet, only time will tell.
Well, what a weekend that was, three decent battles seen, and lots of money raised for Prostate Cancer too, majority of sides played a player wearing a number 45 shirt, as one man is diagnosed with the disease every 45 minutes, their were 45 second silences and applauses, and there were big crowds at a few of the games too, with the ESL Passport system working well too as fans/hoppers tried to take in as many games as they could.
Stuart Pearce and the Premier League trophy was also a big draw at Woodside, Roding Lane and Station Road, it was a great weekend and hopefully people who came along for the first time will now go back and watch their local side regularly, that's what this day/weekend is all about, and I am sure the ESL will be very happy with how the weekend went too, they should be applauded for this as it takes a lot of work and organisation to do one of these weekends. Your hard work is always appreciated!!!
Anyway that's that for this bumper blog. hope you enjoyed reading it and thanks as always for taking the time too, it means a lot, thank you.