Hello and welcome to the first of our festive round-up’s of Essex Olympian League action here on my blog. The weekend’s action was heavily blighted by the weather so a lot of 3G or artificial pitches were called in to assist some teams to fulfil their matches. Thanks for reading & Merry Christmas to all our readers.
Saturday 21 December
Premier Division
In the Premier Division, four matches were played and we start with Catholic Utd’s
6 – 0 home win over Harold Wood Athletic at the Len Salmon Stadium. Braces from Thomas Kearney and Michael Sammut along with one goal each for Aaron Baldwin and Ellis Sands saw the in-form ‘Super Hoops to their seventh win this term and remain in second spot, just a point shy of current leaders Sungate.
A new era started at the Garon Park 3G pitch which took in its first league game, with Old Southendian defeating Kelvedon Hatch 2 – 1, thanks to strikes by Stuart Paton and Ed Gould. Richard Kadima got a late one back for Hatch though OS got their third win in their last six games to go up to 10th in the table. I attended this match and you can read more about it here: https://survivor16b.wordpress.com/2019/12/21/match-report-old-southendian-2-1-kelvedon-hatch-sat-21st-dec/
Elsewhere, Shenfield AFC lept off the bottom with a 2 – 1 success over Bishop’s Stortford Swifts in a match reversed to St Martin’s Sch 3G. Ben Carroll and co-manager Luke Williamson got the crucial goals for AFC to secure their third win in their last six matches. Swifts’ poor run extends to one win in their last five matches sees them ninth, just four points off the foot of the table. Also, Canning Town won 3 – 2 at fellow strugglers Hutton which ended a three-match winless stretch. Hutton drop to bottom place though the bottom seven clubs are only separated by six points which makes you believe it’ll be a real slugfest in the second half of the campaign to avoid relegation.
Matches Off:
Rayleigh Town P – P Basildon Town | London Road
Springfield P – P Leigh Ramblers | Springfield Hall Park
Sungate P – P Buckhurst Hill | Ilford Wanderers RFC
Senior ONE Schedule All Postponed
Herongate Athletic P – P Snaresbrook | Billericay Road
Old Chelmsfordians P – P Runwell Sports | Lawford Lane
Toby P – P Ongar Town | Ford’s Sports Club (Newbury Park)
Ramsden Scotia P – P Chingford Athletic | Nursery Sports Ground
Shoebury Town P – P Rayleigh Town Res | Cupid’s CC (Pitch 2)
Senior TWO All Postponed
Harold Wood Athletic Res P – P Rochford Town | Harold Wood Park [Pitch 1]
May & Baker Res P – P Wakering Sports | May & Baker FC
Senior Division Three
Two matches did survive the weather in Senior Three. One of them saw Collier Row defeat Hullbridge Sports ‘A’ 3 – 1 in a game switched to the Robert Clack Sch 3G pitch. Row remain fifth but are five points clear of nearest rivals Leigh Town Reserves and only three points adrift of Toby Reserves in second. Lakeside Res drew 3 – 3 with Wakebury having come from behind at the Lakeside Sports Ground. David Alele, Chris Batt and a Azeez Aileru penalty accounted for the hosts’ goals while Christopher Gore, Ben Munday from 12 yards and Charlie Little all netted for the Berries, who are three points clear at the summit though have played quite a few more games than all of the other top five sides. Lakeside Ressies stay bottom though end a eight-match losing run here.
Matches Off:
Basildon Town Res P – P Toby Res | Basildon Sports Club
Corinthians Res P – P Hutton Res | Stambridge Memorial Ground
Senior Division Four
Chingford Athletic Development P – P Canning Town Res | Town Mead [3G]
Shenfield AFC Res P – P Leytonstone Utd | The Drive
Wakering Sports Res P – P Roydon | Cupid’s CC [Pitch 1]
Senior Division Five
Collier Row Res P – P Wakering Sports Development
Leigh Ramblers Res 1 – 6 Herongate Athletic Res
Roydon Res P – P Springfield Res
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