Essex Senior League, Saturday February 15th
With my original plan to go and watch Benfleet Vs league leaders Stanway Rovers at Manor Road scuppered due to that game being postponed in the morning, I quickly made alternative plans and popped along to Burroughs Park in Great Wakering for another Essex Senior League between eighth placed White Ensign & bottom side FC Clacton.
Ensign were having a really good solid season and as said above sat in eighth spot in the division at kick off, and effectively the best of the rest after the top seven sides who realistically have a chance of promotion/play offs, so this was a very impressive season indeed for a club who are definitely punching above their weight.
In stark contrast FC Clacton are having a season to forget both on and off the field sadly, their well documented issues off the field certainly cannot be helping the side on the pitch too, they have only mustered ten points all season, only two wins in twenty five league games and nineteen losses, however they were only three points from safety despite this, so with thirteen more games to come, it was still all to play for.
The visitors knew they needed a good start, but they didn't get it as Ensign got themselves ahead after just eight minutes when Ellis Devereux was far too strong for his marker, easily shrugging him off to get in on goal and firing past visiting keeper Michael Bett, making it the perfect start for the hosts, and thereafter dominated the contest for the rest of the half.
Ensign were looking threatening every time they came forward as the visitors just could not deal with them although hap hazard defending wasn't helping their cause, they saw the woodwork come to their rescue a couple of times as the hosts looked to increase their lead, but with eight minutes of the half to go Ensign did find that settling second goal as Albie Keith was allowed to cut onto his right foot and was given all the time and space to pick his spot and curl a beauty of an effort into the top corner, meaning the hosts went into the break two goals to the good.
Did FC Clacton, whose only real effort on goal saw a shot go straight at Bradley Davidson, have any fight or belief left in them? Well, their best chance came pretty much from the second half kick off, but substitute keeper Joe Whitney, on for Davidson at half time, managed to save a close range header from the visitors, had that gone in, who knows, but the game was to be put to bed not long after as Ensign struck twice in no time at all.
Billy Bonham-Dare, who was playing full back today, used his strikers instinct to burst in on goal and slot a finish beyond Bett five minutes into the second period, and then just four minutes after that he pounced again at the back post after he buried a free header from a Jon Evans corner, defensively poor again from the visitors and it was a matter of how many Ensign wanted now as the game was over.
Twenty minutes into the second half a fifth goal arrived for the hosts, Chinedu Duru easily muscling his way into the box before slotting past Bett, and then substitute Trevor Harding's first contribution was to add a sixth goal three minutes later, his shot was straight at Bett but the keeper could only parry the ball up and over himself and see it spin into the goal, he had literally just come on, not a bad introduction to the contest that was now running away from a despondent FC Clacton.
And in the 73rd minute the scoring was completed when Duru got himself a second of the afternoon, another Evans corner found the striker totally unmarked at the back post and he could not miss, heading home from a yard or so out, the defending once again rather shambolic it has to be said, and they certainly looked like a side who have already resigned themselves to the drop.
Fair play to Ensign though, they put their opponents to the sword today, especially second half, and it's another win to add to their tally, their eleventh of the campaign, they remain eighth and the best of the rest, FC Clacton are now nine points from safety with just twelve games remaining, and on this showing you cannot see how they are getting out of this predicament.
Full time White Ensign 7 FC Clacton 0
There were eight other games that took place on Saturday in the division, let's see how those went...
Buckhurst Hill 2 Barking 1
Hosts Hill netted two late goals to turn this one around and defeat play off chasing Barking at Roding Lane, it looked as if Sam Edwards goal just before the half hour would be enough for Barking to take all the spoils, but Nathan Boamah's 88th minute own goal and then Ollie Williams 94th minute winner saw the hosts snatch a dramatic win.
Frenford 0 Great Wakering Rovers 4
Rovers boosted their play off hopes after bouncning back from a disappointing loss in midweek to thump Frenford at The Drive. Ex Frenford striker Raheem Gray returned to haunt his old club by giving his current ones a 13th minute lead before harry Talbot netted on 64 & 69 minutes to give the visitors a three goal cushion. Dominic Locke then added a fourth in the 83rd minute and although Wakering saw Danny Cossington sent off in stoppage time the job had already been done.
Halstead Town 1 Sawbridgeworth Town 3
Sawbo gave their chances of survival a huge boost after they netted victory at Rosemary Lane, Elijah Grant's 26th minute penalty had them ahead at the break before Grant netted again ten minutes into the second half to double their cushion, Nabil Musah then added a third for the visitors just past the hour, and although The Humbugs pulled one back through Tom Graves late on, it was not enough to deny the visitors another big win.
Hullbridge Sports 1 Ilford 2
The Foxes followed up their terrific win in midweek by netting another one against Hullbridge at Lower Road. Mohamed Habib handed the visitors the lead in first half stoppage time before Joel Appiah doubled that cushion twelve minutes into the second period, and although Darnell Williams pulled one back in the 74th minute Ilford were not to be denied all three points.
Little Oakley 2 Takeley 0
Takeley's title and automatic promotion aspirations took another blow today as they lost at The War Memorial Ground against Little Oakley. Daniel Rowe gave Oakley the lead with just over fifteen minutes left before they sealed the points seven minutes later through Jordi Papple.
Romford 2 Saffron Walden Town 1
Hosts Romford netted a big big win in their quest for the play offs after defeating another play off chasing side in Walden at Mayesbrook Park. Charlie Morris handed the home side a ninth minute lead, only to see Jeff Cobblah level for Walden six minutes into the second half, but with just under twenty minutes remaining Praise Ogbebor netted the winner to hand the hosts a very important three points.
West Essex 3 Athletic Newham 0
Hosts West Essex netted three goals without reply to see off Athletic Newham at Wadham Lodge, Jaedon Phillips opening the scoring in the 66th minute before Jayden Alexander doubled that lead with fifteen minutes to go, and the points were sealed with six minutes to go courtesy of Jack Martin's goal.
Woodford Town 2 Stansted 0
Hosts Woodford got back to winning ways as they continue to try and catch Stanway at the top of the division after seeing off struggling Stansted at Ashton's. Bruno Tavares netted his and Town's first goal eight minutes before the break before Tavares netted again with around twenty minutes remaining to seal the points for the home side and seriously harm the visitors survival chances as a result.
Let's see how the table looks after today's results.....
Even though Stanway were not in action today (there game at Benfleet was postponed) they still remain four points ahead having played less games then the ones below, Takeley failed to close the gap after their loss whilst Woodford go back into second on goal difference after their win. Great Wakering are back in the top five after they won, Barking drop out after their dramatic late loss, Walden also fall a place after defeat but still remain in the top five.
Romford gave their play off hopes a huge boost after their big win today, they are six points off them as it stands with a game in hand, realistically only sides in the top seven can probably reach the post season as sides like Ensign, Hill & Newham are too far behind with only eleven or so games remaining in the season.
Down at the bottom and things don't look good for either side in the bottom two, FC Clacton are now nine points from safety whilst Stansted are now six from safety themselves after they both lost and Sawbridgeworth won, realistically the two sides going down will come from the bottom three, but if truth be told you feel the bottom two will be the bottom two come the end of the season unless something dramatic happens in the next couple of months.
Anyway that completes my blog, thanks for reading and thanks for the support you all give me, always appreciated.
No comments:
Post a Comment