Old Southendian 1 Southend Manor 2 - New Signing Charlie Little amongst scorers for Thurlow Nunn South visitors Southend Manor who edge out Essex Olympian Premier city rivals Old Southendian to take victory in their latest pre season outing

Pre Season Friendly, Saturday 18th July

It was a four and a half mile round walk for me today as my latest pre season outing saw me up at Garon Park as two city rivals did battle on the 4G at the complex, Essex Olympian Premier Old Southendian hosting Thurlow Nunn South Southend Manor as both sides came into this one at different stages of the campaign ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Former Manor boss Wayne Seal was now in charge of the hosts after a few years out, and with Dave Tubbs still on the coaching staff, ex Manor, and also the likes of ex Manor players Rhys Fatt & Max Drury also turning out for the hosts in this one, it's fair to say they were well aware of their opponents today, albeit they were Manor club members some years ago now, and a lot has changed since then.

Seal is in the process of trying to build a new squad ahead of their season which begins in early August, Manor themselves are now in the capable hands of ex White Ensign management Aaron Bloxham, April Smith & Enrico, who did a great job at Ensign up until the end of last season, & also ex Basildon United joint boss James Pugsley, they have shaped what they hope will be a side to compete well in the league which starts in eleven days, so not long left to prepare for them now.

This would be a good test for both sides who as said are at different stages of their pre season build up, and with this being a city derby no doubt both sides wanted to get the upper hand on one another, especially OS who are a level below their opponents so a win against them today would certainly give them a big boost ahead of the new campaign.

Manor newest signing, Charlie Little, who I first saw play as a fifteen year old in Manor's U16 side some years ago now, announced his return to the club by giving them a 25th minute lead, getting in behind the hosts back line to slot beyond the keeper who although getting a hand to the effort could not prevent it finding the bottom corner, and handing Manor the advantage, an advantage that they held until the break.

Manor had further chances after the break to double their lead but it wasn't until the 65th minute before they managed to, getting in behind once again before a lovely finish into the bottom corner handed them some breathing space and you felt it was probably game over at that point, but that wasn't to be the case as OS then had their best spell of the game in the final part of it.

A lovely ball into the box from the left caused confusion between keeper and defender and saw the ball come off the keeper, onto the attacker who was attempting to get on the end of the ball, and come off him and trickle into the net, and with just under twenty minutes remaining it was very much game on again.

And had it not been for the visiting keeper, OS would have got something from the game, he made three very good stops to deny the hosts finding a leveller, Manor did have chances to seal it as down the other end as they countered on their opponents at times, it had certainly turned out to be a very watchable contest, with a very good competitive game between two honest and fair sides.

Manor though did manage to hold onto their lead and run out victors, their league campaign starts next Tuesday against Burnham Ramblers at Leslie Field, this was another good test ahead of that, as for OS, they could easily have got something out of this one but no doubt they would have learned a lot from this run out today.

Full time Old Southendian 1 Southend Manor 2

  

Fisher 3 Walthamstow 3 - Isthmian North visitors Walthamstow fight back from three goals down to earn draw in a very entertaining pre season contest against SCEFL Premier hosts Fisher in South London

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday 14th July

My latest pre season outing came in South London and South of the river at St Paul's, as Fisher welcomed Walthamstow from the East of the capital across the river for another warm up for both sides ahead of the new season.

The hosts will begin another season at Step Five and the Southern Counties East Premier after another disappointing play off final defeat at the end of last season, the second season in succession the club have fallen at the last hurdle in an attempt to reach Step Four in the play offs, will this season be any different, well this game was another step towards building for a season of success they hope.

Things are rather different for Stow however, the Isthmian North side are almost having a total rebuild on the field this season so this pre season is a very important building block to how their season will go, and the team fielded in this one was quite a young side as well, blending youth you could say, they have to start somewhere but how much of this side actually starts the season is anyone's guess, as is the case at this stage of the pre season campaign. 

It seemed apparent though that the young Stow outfit would struggle initially in this one, and it looked as if none of them had played together before, if truth be told, as Fisher were much the better side in the opening forty five minutes, and they took the lead in the 19th minute when after the flag had gone up for offside, the player in question didn't go the ball, and instead saw Tyron Mbuenimo burst through on goal and slot home.

The second goal just past the half hour mark was not one the Stow first half keeper would want to remember, a corner swung into the six yard box Eric Koduah saw the keeper attempt to catch the ball and prevent it going in, but could only help it into the net after it squirmed from his grasp, 2-0 Fisher at half time and a very good half of football from the the hosts.

And when Fisher made it three soon after the break, Fraser Brown finding the net after pinching the ball off the keepers toes to tap home, you felt it would be a hammering for the visiting side, but, this did not turn out to be the case, and they quickly pulled one back two minutes later when a lapse in the hosts defence allowed the visitors to fire home, game on.

Stow certainly squandered some decent openings thereafter with Fisher having some chances on the break, but with ten minutes remaining Stow pulled another one back after a scramble inside the box eventually saw the visitors prod an effort into the far corner, and it really was game on now.

Both sides saw huge penalty shouts turned down during the second period, but with two minutes left on the clock Stow were awarded one and duly slammed home the spot kick, meaning this entertaining friendly would end all square, which seemed unlikely when it was 3-0 to Fisher in the 47th minute, very decent friendly and more questions answered hopefully for both sides and management.

Full time Fisher 3 Walthamstow 3

Burnham Ramblers 1 Saffron Walden Town 1 - Thurlow Nunn South Burnham Ramblers and Essex Senior League Saffron Walden Town draw their latest pre season game on a beautiful day on the Crouch

Pre Season Friendly, Saturday 11th July

I made a trip to a lovely part of Essex on the River Crouch for my latest pre season action as Thurlow Nunn South side Burnham Ramblers took on Essex Senior outfit Saffron Walden Town who made the trip from another lovely part of Essex, it was still a round trip of around 100 miles though, showing just how big this vast county of Essex really is.

Ramblers are of course under new management this season, and are looking to build a side who can maybe challenge for the playoffs again this season, they were up against a Walden side who themselves had turned up to this fixture with a mix of first team players, trialists & U18s, giving them all valuable minutes in the legs and an idea of how the players on show will perform.

Walden will no doubt want a playoff run themselves this season, but today for both sides was about getting some more fitness in ahead of the season, and the game would be taking place on the outside pitch at Leslie Field, which was a first for me as every other game I have seen Ramblers play there has been in the main stadium, so a sort of first for me!!!

The first half was not much of an event really, there were barely any real clear cut chances to report, and sadly for Ramblers they lost their starting keeper not long into the game due to a groin strain, well that's what I heard anyway, so not an ideal warm up for him that's for sure ahead of the season, this prompted a drinks break, followed by another one about five or ten minutes later, no comment!!!

A forgettable first half was followed by a much better second period, and it was only two minutes old when Ramblers got themselves ahead, Walden lost the ball in their final third and the hosts struck a lovely effort from outside the box into the bottom corner, advantage the hosts then, however, Walden responded well to going behind and were level just before the hour mark.

It came when a nice though ball sent the striker in behind the defence, and he managed to beat the onrushing keeper to the ball and fire home a nice effort with his left foot from the angle, bringing Walden level, and they could easily have been ahead shortly when they struck the post, but after a decent spell from them, and following another drinks break, Ramblers were the ones looking likelier to find winner.

They couldn't though, and although Walden also had chances on the counter, the game ended all square and saw both sides come away from this one with plenty of positives to take from it no doubt.

Full time Burnham Ramblers 1 Saffron Walden Town 1

East Thurrock Community 0 Grays Athletic 3 - Three second half goals enough for Grays Athletic to take victory over East Thurrock Community and bag the James Chisnell Memorial Cup for 2026

James Chisnell Memorial Trophy, Friday 10th July

My second pre season outing saw me over at Wyldecrest Sports County Club as East Thurrock Community hosted Grays Athletic in what is now an annual event in memory of Grays lifelong supporter James Chisnell who sadly passed away suddenly in April 2024 at a very young age.

Grays at the time announced his death by saying "The whole club is completely shocked by this tragic news. James was one of a kind. A genuinely kind man who could always be found on the terraces with his fellow supporters, cheering the club on. We know that those supporters of our Blue Army will feel his loss the most and we are there with them through what is a very difficult time."

The club vowed to never forget James, and since his death the James Chisnell Memorial Cup was born, and as said is now an annual event in pre season, making sure that is memory lives on, which is a lovely touch indeed, he is certainly missed by all that knew him, so this friendly was in memory of him, who could prevail?

Grays were certainly favourites to win the game, albeit it only pre season, but they are two levels above their hosts in the pyramid, Grays are in the Isthmian North division, that's Step Four, whilst East Thurrock have just won promotion from Step Seven into Senior Football and the Thurlow Nunn South, which is Step Six, and the hosts had lost 11-0 to Hashtag United a few days ago, and they are in the same division as Grays, but certainly did not want a repeat of that drubbing.

Well, the first half wasn't the greatest of spectacles and it was no surprise when the sides came in goalless at the break, with not a lot of goal mouth action to report, it was certainly a well contested forty five minutes though as both sides got stuck in and competed hard but fair, Grays though started to get the upper hand beyond the hour mark and duly went in front in the 64th minute.

A ball through saw the hosts claim offside, but it was not offside and the visitors ran through and sent a ball across the keeper and into the far corner, and the deadlock was broken, and it was a lead that was to be doubled eight minutes later as the visitors were now in total control, a nice square ball into the box was laid back into the path of an incoming attacker who sent a nice finish into the bottom corner.

Grays did have time to add a third with what proved to be the last kick of the contest, the visitors getting in down the right and a ball in was initially somehow saved from point blank range, but the striker somehow whilst lying on the floor stuck out a leg to prod the ball into the net, a rather messy end to the game but it sealed a nice 3-0 win for the visitors, and they duly took the James Chisnell Memorial Cup honours for 2026, something that would have no doubt pleased James who was no doubt looking down from above with pride.

Full time East Thurrock Community 0 Grays Athletic 3

Rayleigh Town 0 Hullbridge Sports 2 - Essex Senior League visitors Hullbridge Sports net pre season derby victory over Thurlow Nunn South Rayleigh Town on a very warm and sunny July evening

Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday 7th July

My first game of the 2026/27 campaign was a pre season friendly off course, the first of eight planned matches ahead of the new season, and it came at Rayleigh Town Sports & Social club as hosts Rayleigh Town took on near neighbours Hullbridge Sports as both sides continued their early pre season schedule.

The hosts, who will again be plying their trade in the Thurlow Nunn South (Step Six) after another heart-breaking play off final defeat at the end of last season, were taking on a Hullbridge Sports outfit who will be looking to make a real go at having a decent Essex Senior League campaign this time round, the league that Rayleigh are trying to hard to get promoted too.

It was a well contested opening forty five minutes with some crunching tackles going on, fair ones though of course, but it was the ESL visitors who certainly created the bulk of openings that came in the first half, but they only had an 18th minutes penalty to show for it, despite having the better of the half, Rayleigh did have a couple of decent chances themselves, one nearly handed to them, but Sports did hold a slender lead as the players took a well earned rest after a half running around in warm conditions.

Both sides made multiple changes at half time, as is normal practice in these types of games, especially early on in the pre season schedule, Sports though continued to have the better of the contest and made sure of the win ten minutes from time when a lovely burst into the box was squared across goal and rammed home by the incoming attacker.

A pleasing win for Hullbridge then against a decent Rayleigh side, plenty learned no doubt for both sets of managers, and lots of minutes played by their squads too in warm conditions on a very dry pitch, which is to be expected considering the lack of rain on the whole recently, and also pleased that I am back into the swing of things once again, and my 2026/27 season is now underway!!!

Rayleigh Town 0 Hullbridge Sports 2