A change of plans for the weekend meant I was now able to attend a game on Non League Day, so I decided to jump in the Essex Senior League life president's car, Robert Errington, and join him and my good friend Scott W for a trip to Rookery Hill, Corringham, and for me at least see Romford there for the first time since they made it their home earlier this season.
They were up against bottom side Coggeshall Town, and this was one of several games that were taking place in the ESL this weekend, more on those later after I have spoken about and let you know what happened in the game I attended at Rookery Hill, every point counts now as the season enters it's latter stages.
That was most certainly the case for today's game too, Romford began the day in third spot and only behind second placed Woodford Town on goal difference and nine points behind leaders Tilbury, this with eight games remaining, so in theory the rest are just trying to secure a play off spot behind champions elect Tilbury, but, you just never know what might happen as pressure does funny things to some.
Romford were fifteen points clear of sixth placed Hullbridge so their play off position was pretty much secure anyway, but they had to keep the ones above honest and jump on any slip ups from Tilbury/Woodford may make, and be there to pounce if need be, and with their opponents today sitting bottom of the table, it would be easy to dismiss this one as an easy home win.
However, The Seedgrowers come into this one off the back of a marvellous 1-0 win at Buckhurst Hill four days ago, this the same Hill side who had smashed leaders Tilbury 4-0 last weekend, and with a rare clean sheet been obtained too, the bottom side came into this one with some renewed confidence and belief, so this may not have been as straightforward as it seemed, Coggeshall still find themselves in a pretty precarious position though despite this win.
They are still ten points behind Ilford in second bottom, and with just five games to go and with only fifteen points available, wins were pretty much paramount now for them to survive and not find themselves down in Step Six next season (assuming that only one goes down as have been hearing recently two might be relegated, which would mean that Coggeshall would already be down, but that's another story!!!). Whatever the outcome of that grabbing a win here would not be easy against a Romford side who were on a seven match winning run in the league, and had also reached the FA Vase semi finals too, the first leg which of course is next weekend on Easter Saturday.
And some of those wins for Romford were against play off contenders too, winning at Sporting Bengal United and Barking, the latter ending the Blues long unbeaten run in the process, an then last time out they defeated fellow Vase Semi Finalists Great Wakering Rovers at Rookery Hill, so they were certainly expected to see off Coggeshall Town, right?
The opening few minutes certainly suggested that it could be a long day for the visitors, Hassan Nalbant almost got in after barely a minute gone, and Romford certainly looked a threat, but once the visitors had settled they did look pretty nippy on the break and going forward, so the hosts had to be wary of there potential threat, but despite the encouraging start, the game failed to really ignite and remained goalless as the half time whistle blew, it certainly was not a classic thus far.
The Seedgrowers would have certainly been the happier of the two sides for sure, and early in the second period they glanced an effort against the bar as they almost grabbed the lead, and they continued to look a threat led by their young winger Lester Ward, who looked very useful for someone so young, could they possibly grab back to back wins this season and give themselves a fighting chance.
Well, Romford did have their moments too, and with seventeen minutes of the ninety to go they edged ahead as a throw on into the box by (I think) Charlie Morris was flicked on by centre half Darren Phillips to the back post where Sam Deering was totally unmarked to convert from close range, could the visitors respond to this setback?
Sadly for them no, and two minutes into stoppage time Romford sealed the points when Michael Bakere turned on the turbochargers to burst though the Coggeshall back line which parted like the red sea, and then loft a beautiful finish beyond keeper Dev Bhamra as the hosts claimed an eighth straight win in the league.
It had been a far from convincing performance from the hosts, but a win is a win at this stage of the campaign, and it kept them third on goal difference and still nine points behind leaders Tilbury, and with them now having a eighteen point gap back to sixth place, they are all but assured of a play off spot now, it doesn't look so good for the visitors now though.
They are ten points behind second bottom Ilford with just four games to go, Ilford have a game in hand as well, so if they win that game it's all but done for The Seedgrowers, so regardless of how many are relegated, it's almost certain that Coggeshall will now end the season bottom and in Step Six next season, they battled so hard today and probably deserved something from the game, but that's been the story of their season, hopefully they can rebuild and come back stronger from this season, it's certainly been a tough one for them.
Full time Romford 2 Coggeshall Town 0
Ok, let's now see what else happened in the Essex Senior League this weekend:-
Friday
Ilford 1 West Essex 1
The Foxes were denied what could be a crucial win after Ruben Bartlett-Antwi's stoppage time leveller denied the hosts all three points, which looked on the cards after Daniel Izekor's goal on the hour mark had given them the lead.
Saturday
Buckhurst Hill 0 Little Oakley 1
Hill lost at home for the second time in a row, this after defeating leaders Tilbury 4-0 a couple of home games ago. The only goal of the game came early on when Harry Mann netted inside the first fifteen minutes, and that proved enough for Oakley to grab all three points.
FC Clacton 0 Woodford Town 2
Woodford kept second spot on goal difference after they saw off The Seasiders at Rush Green Bowl, Luke Steele gave the visitors the lead midway through the first period before Andre Anderson sealed the points with six minutes to go.
Frenford 0 Sporting Bengal United 2
Sporting Bengal opened up an eight point gap to sixth spot to enhance their play off aspirations after defeating Frenford at The Drive. Rian Patel gave the visitors a 26th minute lead before Joe Gregory's goal nine minutes from time sealed the deal here.
Halstead Town 0 Barking 1
Shaye La-Rose netted the only goal of the game with just over fifteen minutes remaining to enhance Barking's play off chances, opening up a nine point lead to sixth spot now.
Saffron Walden Town 1 Athletic Newham 0
Walden kept up their late charge for a unlikely play off spot after Stanley Leech netted the only goal on 82 minutes to hand them victory over Athletic Newham at Catons Lane, they are now nine points off the top five with seven games to go and have games in hand as well.
Stanway Rovers 4 Great Wakering Rovers 1
FA Vase semi finalists GWR have now lost three straight in the league after they were humbled at Stanway Rovers, George Okoye handed the hosts a 26th minute lead, a lead that was doubled two minutes later by Jose Santa-De La Paz. Reece Conway then made it three a minute after the break and although Danny Cossington pulled one back twenty minutes into the second half, Freddy Cooper netted a fourth for Stanway with twelve minutes to go and make it five straight wins in the division, taking them up to eighth in the standings.
Tilbury 2 Hullbridge Sports 0
League leaders Tilbury got back to winning ways after two games without one after they netted victory over Hullbridge Sports a Chadfields. Alex Akrofi handed the Dockers a 47th minute lead before Troy Osei-Bobie sealed the points and took them a step closer to the title and promotion in stoppage time, they now hold a nine point lead over both Woodford Town & Romford with just six games to go.
White Ensign 0 Takeley 2
Takeley netted maximum points at Burroughs Park against Ensign after a fifth minute goal from Kieron Southgate and a second by Kyle O'Byrne with eleven minutes to go helped them earn victory.
Let's have a look at the table as we edge ever closer to the end of the season:-
Tilbury need ten more points in their final six games to claim the title and promotion back to Step Four and likely a place in the Isthmian North next season, and the top five looked pretty well set now too as the gap to sixth gets ever more, now eight points between fifth placed Sporting and sixth placed Hullbridge.
Down at the bottom it seems Coggeshall will fall another step, that's two in two seasons, regardless of how many sides are relegated, Ilford will be hoping and praying it's only one that goes down as if two are relegated then they are now in serious bother, eight points from safety with just five games to go.
That concludes my latest blog and look at the ESL, thanks again for reading, I hope you enjoyed!!!
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