Woodford East 3 FC Petrocub 1 - Peacocks net superb win at Mayesbrook to keep tabs on leaders, plus a look back at the rest of the action in the Essex Alliance Senior including bonus coverage from Parslows

Essex Alliance League Senior Division, Saturday 23rd December

My final action before Christmas saw me over at Mayesbrook Park to see a potential decent and feisty matchup between Woodford East and FC Petrocub in the Senior Division of the Essex Alliance Senior Division, with both looking to end the year on a high with victory.

East came into the game in third spot, twelve points behind leaders FC Baresi with three games in hand so they knew if they could win today technically top spot was still in their hands as they still have the leaders to play as well, although goal difference was in favour of the side top of the table, but anyway, winning was the only option for the hosts who had won ten of their fourteen leagues games this season.

They were up against FC Petrocub, who are a Moldovan side and a very skilful and technical one too, but their league form this season hasn't been the best, a mixed campaign which sees them down in tenth spot having only won five league games this campaign although their cup form has been much better and the current defending London Senior Trophy winners are back in the Quarter Finals this time around, so they could make it back to back wins in that competition against sides who play in Senior Football, so no mean feat at all.

Anyway, entertaining and feisty, not really, the opening half hour yielded very little in terms of chances or anything else, neither side could really hold onto the ball and a lot of stray passes and errors came from both, it wasn't the best game to watch and you felt both sides were ready for the festive break, however that changed late on in the first period when East grabbed two goals in a three minute spell to wrestle some sort of control.

Ten minutes before the break they went in front when after the visiting keeper had made a decent stop at his near post, the ball was eventually recycled back into the box where Eamon Payne was on hand to strike a decent effort into the far corner, and then just three minutes later a great ball in from the left by the full back saw a team mate get across the keeper who was in no mans land and glance the ball with his foot towards the far corner, and despite the best attempts from a defender to keep it out, he could only help it on its way into the net, and East went into the half time break with a two goal cushion.

And that two goal cushion was extended too just past the hour mark when a lovely ball through to the guy who had netted the second goal saw him produce a composed finish beyond the onrushing keeper, and at 3-0 you felt that was probably game set and match with around half an hour or so to play.

The Moldovan's to their credit continued to play their way though, pass and move pass and move, and they had a lot of the ball but just could nothing with it as East stood firm and rebuffed anything that came their way, although they were unable to keep a clean sheet in the end as the visitors did find a way through with five minutes to go when their number ten lashed home a loose ball inside the box, but it was only a mere consolation for the visiting side as they fell to defeat here.

It meant that East now have eleven wins from fifteen this term and are well in the hunt for promotion and the title still having games in hand in those above them, for FC Petrocub it's all about the cups I feel this season as they are kind of in no mans land in the division this time around as they remained tenth and way off the promotion spots at the festive break.

Full time Woodford East 3 FC Petrocub 1

Anyway, that wasn't the end of the action for me as I was with EAL officials Rob Parker, Barry Fitzgerald and Howard Parker so we all jumped back into our cars and headed over to Parslows Park where we could catch the second half of the game between Kit Out London & CSM London, which was also a EAL Senior Division contest.

Now I had never been to Parslows before so this was a treat for me, here are some photos I took of he venue...

It's a very decent set up I must say although one word of warning if you are planning to attend the venue, you need to download an app in order to get a QR code which you need to scan at the barriers inside the building in order to get through to the pitches, my advice would be to do the prep before getting there as you need to download the Leisure United app from your app store and then search for Parslows Park and then register, of which you then can obtain a QR code.

The took me several minutes to do so best to get this all done before you head to the venue to avoid irritating delays like I did, but apart from that it's a decent modern venue, although I can see the QR code thing being an annoyance to many ground hoppers around the land no doubt, but we are in an age of tech so it's how it is these days.

Anyway once I'd got onto pitch side I witnessed a interesting second half between Kit Out London and CSM London, the score was 1-1 at the half when we got there, CSM then grabbed the lead but then had a player red carded for a second booking, although he was very reluctant to leave the field, and the hosts managed to find a late leveller meaning the game ended 2-2. There was obviously some bad blood between the two as there was some aggro outside the dressing rooms after the game, they were obviously wishing them all a Merry Christmas no doubt!!! Ahem!!!

Anyway, a nice bonus at the end of a very decent day, lets recap today's results and see what it has done to the league table.....

FC Baresi 5 Aveley U23s 2

Frenford Development 7 Bakers693 2

Kit Out London 2 CSM London 2

Woodford East 3 FC Petrocub 1

So, at the festive break FC Baresi still have an eight point buffer to Chadwell Heath Spartans, then come Woodford East and as said they have games in hand so all three of those look like the ones who will be battling it out for promotion.

Down at the foot, Kit Out London's late leveller did at least give them a rare point against a relegation rival in CSM London although the point doesn't really help either side who both needed a win really to head into the new year in a positive frame of mind. It looks like the bottom five will be the ones battling the drop.

That's all for now, thanks for reading and have a great Christmas all!!!!!