Essex Senior League, Friday 14th/Saturday 15th March
With no football for me on the Saturday this weekend I decided to pen a round up of the latest goings on in the Essex Senior League, there was a full list of fixtures as well so shall we see what went on in the division and how it affected the standings:-
Friday 14th March
Woodford Town 2 Little Oakley 0
Title chasing Woodford Town got the better of Little Oakley at Ashton's on Friday night, Marko Protic's penalty on the half hour put the hosts ahead before Miles Mitchell-Nelson doubled that lead twenty minutes after the break, and it proved enough for the hosts to go back to the top of the division for twenty four hours at least.
Saturday March 15th
Athletic Newham 0 Benfleet 3
Benfleet notched up a superb win against ten man Athletic Newham at Parsloes Park, Lucas Polyblank gave the visitors a 13th minute lead and things then got worse for the home side when Abdul Khamis was sent off just before the midway point of the first half, Fleet then doubled their lead through Aaron Russell just past the hour mark, and Polyblank then added another early in the second period to see the visitors take all the points.
Barking 3 Sawbridgeworth Town 2
A dramatic last twenty or so minutes saw Barking come from two goals down to defeat relegation threatened Sawbridgeworth Town at Mayesbrook Park. Two Elijah Grant goals, one from the penalty spot, in the 32nd and 35th minute gave Sawbo a two goal cushion, and they kept this cushion until the 72nd minute when Akilijo Balliu pulled one back for the Blues. Juwon Akintunde then levelled in the 83rd minute before Michele Maccari struck in the 92nd minute to win the game for the promotion chasing side, and inflict a damaging defeat on the visitors.
Frenford 1 Ilford 1
The points were shared at The Drive in this local derby between Frenford & Ilford, the home side struck first in this one after just twelve minutes when Micah Newton netted, but the visitors were not to be denied a point after Michael Okafor levelled in the 73rd minute.
Great Wakering Rovers 0 Stanway Rovers 1
Jamie Bennett netted an 86th minute winner for title chasing Stanway Rovers in what could be a huge goal in terms of how both sides end up this season. It looked as if the game was headed for a goalless stalemate until Bennett's late winner, and it meant that the visitors returned to the summit of the league and in turn saw GWR's gap to sixth placed Saffron Walden reduced to just two points.
Halstead Town 2 Romford 1
The Humbugs came from a goal down to win this one at Rosemary Lane, Samson Adelaja had given the visitors a 15th minute lead, but Halstead fought back after half time, levelling through Alfie Cleal just before the hour mark and then Joel Older's penalty seventeen minutes from time secured all three points for the home side.
Saffron Walden Town 3 FC Clacton 0
Walden gave their play off hopes a big boost after they secured victory over struggling FC Clacton at Catons Lane. Michael Turner gave Walden the lead after 19 minutes and then Sam Deering doubled that lead just before the hour mark, and ten minutes after the break Adebola Sotoyinbo added a third for the hosts as they went onto claim all the spoils, leaving FC Clacton, who grabbed a big win in midweek, come back down to earth with a bump.
Stansted 2 Buckhurst Hill 1
The Airportmen gave their slim survival hopes a huge boost as they came from behind late on to defeat Buckhurst Hill at Hargrave Park. Archie Hammond gave Hill the lead with just over twenty minutes to go but the hosts battled back and levelled through Jamie Luke Bennett with eight minutes remaining before Charlie Portway netted the winner in the 87th minute and hand Stansted a massive win in their quest to beat the drop.
Takeley 3 White Ensign 1
Hosts Takeley further cemented their place in the play off places after they defeated White Ensign whose very slim play off hopes pretty much ended here. Lanre Balogun handed the hosts the lead in first half stoppage time and Jordan Westcott then doubled the hosts lead from the spot nine minutes after the break, Ensign did get back into the contest when Ellis Devereux pulled one back in the 66th minute, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed after Jack Mitchell restored the hosts two goal cushion seventeen minutes from time, meaning Takeley went onto claim all the points.
West Essex 0 Hullbridge Sports 0
The game at Wadham Lodge yielded no goals as West and Bridge drew a blank, the point means the hosts remain just outside the top ten places whilst the visitors are now ten points clear of the drop zone with a handful of games to go.
Some dramatic finishes then today, let's see how it affects the table:-
Stanway's late winner at Wakering sees them back on top with a two point lead over Woodford with a game in hand, Barking's dramatic turnaround against Sawbo means they are still in touching distance of the top two and almost guaranteed a play off spot, Takeley also enhanced their play off position with a win too.
Walden are very much in touch of the top six as they won and Wakering lost, reducing that gap to two points having played the same amount of games, it appears that the final play off spot will be battled out between GWR & Walden as the sides below are have too much to make up now.
It was a dramatic day down at the bottom two, at one stage when Sawbo were shocking Barking at Mayesbrook and Stansted were losing at home to Buckhurst Hill, the gap between the two was growing to eleven points and the relegation battle was almost done and dusted, but, Sawbo saw a two goal lead slip and Stansted netted two late goals to win, meaning the gap is now just five points with the Airportmen having two games in hand, so technically it's now in their hands, is the great escape on? Cracking drama eh!!!
Sadly for FC Clacton though, defeat at Walden today saw them sink back to the foot of the table and seven points from safety with just six games to go, not over yet but it's looking hard for them now, even after that terrific win in midweek against Romford, but as said not over yet.
Now next weekend sees Non League Day take place on Saturday 22nd March, the ESL have staggered kick off times across the weekend to make sure people can attend multiple games in the division and they are offering an ESL Pass for up to four games for £30, to take up this offer please see below for details:-
No comments:
Post a Comment