Written By Scott W [Twitter: @SottMHC14]
Hello and welcome to another of my mini-series of blog articles looking back at the ‘void’ Season 2019-20, as deemed by the FA. Sufficed to say, I felt it was important to mark what’s been another fascinating campaign in the Essex Olympian League, Essex Senior League & Eastern Senior League South (leagues I’ve watched mostly this season just gone).
Anyway, we begin the series with a look at Division Five, including an array of statistics compiled from the EOFL FA Full-Time website including top goal-scorers & top appearance makers in the League fixtures. Thanks for reading.
EOFL Division Five (as of season cut-off point of March 14th 2020)
As with all the EOFL divisions, the season was halted in mid-March 2020 before eventually being curtailed several weeks later. At the top of Division Five, Bishop’s Stortford Swifts Reserves led the way with 39 points gained from their 18 matches. Danny Page’s side managed twelve wins from those games and in doing so were the joint-top scorers in the division with 51 goals (a Goals per game (or GpG) of 2.83) and also shared the best defensive record with the same side in Springfield Reserves, in shelling 22 goals this term. All in all, a really good season for the Swifts second-side so congrats to them. In second spot were the aforementioned Springfield Reserves who had only played 14 matches, resulting in twenty-eight points. They also notched 51 times this season and led the goal-scoring chart in the division by virtue of a better average (GpG of 3.64). Their top-scorer James Page struck sixteen of those goals himself so credit must go to him.
The chasing pack were pretty close behind, led by Collier Row Reserves who ended the term in third spot with twenty-five points from their 15 matches. The Romford-based side struck the net forty-seven times this term (a GpG of 3.13) though also conceded 32 times, giving them the fifth-best defensive record at this level. Roberto Carvalho also merits a mention with thirteen goals making him Row’s second-side’s top goal-getter. Herongate Athletic Reserves are next in fourth, having been deducted two points for failing to play a fixture in September, they ended up with 24 points from their seventeen games, with eight wins this term. They struck forty-eight goals this term (a GpG of 2.82) though it may frustrate them to have shelled 46 goals as well. One for Non-League fans to follow as fans don’t often like goal-less stalemates. On a better note, they also have two entrants in the leading goal-scorers chart (see below).
Also on twenty-four points were Newbury Forest Reserves in fifth spot. They played 15 matches, with no stalemates here, only eight wins and seven losses. One positive statistic for them was that their record at the back was thirty-one goals conceded, the fourth-best record in the division. Roydon Reserves are a point behind in sixth, having gathered twenty-three points from their 15 outings. Their miserly defence shelled twenty-five goals, the third-best record at this level but that good point is somewhat dampened by their goal-scoring, having made the net rustle thirty times and despite scoring on average two goals a game, it was still the fourth-worst in the division. The next two sides were both relegated from Division Four in 2018/19. First, Old Barkbbeyans ended in seventh, on twenty-one points from their sixteen games. Their goal difference saw them finish here, having won six matches this term. They scored thirty-nine goals this term and a mention has to go to top goal-scorer Michael Ryder who nabbed twenty-four of them to end as the division’s best marksman. Well done Michael. Leigh Ramblers Reserves are eighth woth 21 points also, having won seven of their twenty matches. They did complete their season before the season’s halt, and by the stats, it was a mixed one. They struck forty-four goals (a GpG of 2.20) but also shelled fifty-one times which was the second-worst record in defence this term. Ola James was their top goal-getter with twelve goals so congrats to him.
Into the bottom three now, and in ninth spot were Shoebury Town Reserves, having only played thirteen times due to weather issues earlier in the campaign. They still gained twenty points, thanks largely to their six wins this term. Goal-scoring was their main ‘Achilles heel’, gathering 28 goals (a GpG of 2.15) which in fairness still isn’t bad going. Runwell Sports Reserves finished tenth, with 16 points (after having two points taken away for being unable to fulfil a fixture in November) from their sixteen matches. They managed six league wins, though again it was the offensive side of the pitch which troubled them a bit, having scored 26 times (a GpG of 1.62) this term, the second-lowest goal-scoring side at this level. Finally, it was a season of development for bottom side Wakering Sports Development, who finished with eleven points from their 17 matches. Unfortunately, they scored only fourteen goals this term and conceded a whopping sixty-eight times (or on average, four goals a game) though to be positive, their experience this season will hold them in good stead as they continue their transition into Adult Football.
EOFL Division Five – Top Goalscorers 2019-20 Season
| Club/s | League Goals | League Starts | ||
| 1 | Michael Ryder | Old Barkabbeyans | 24 | 14 |
| 2 | James Page | Springfield Res | 16 | 13 |
| 3 | Roberto Carvalho | Collier Row Res | 13 | 8 |
| =4 | Liam England | Springfield Res | 12 (+1 pen) | 12 |
| Ola James | Leigh Ramblers Res | 12 | 14 | |
| 6 | Glen Jordan | Herongate Athletic Res | 11 | 9 |
| =7 | Valentine Lawrence | Herongate Athletic Res | 10 (+1 pen) | 9 |
| Nicholas George | Collier Row Res | 10 | 11 | |
| Josh Robinson | Old Barkabbeyans | 10 | 12 | |
| 10 | Jordan Handcomb | Roydon Res/ Bishop’s Stortford Res | 9 | 14 |
Finally, here’s the top page of the Leading Appearance Makers in Division Five (focus on League Starts)
|
Appearances |
|||||
| Club/s | League Starts | Bench | Total | ||
| =1 | Edward Foskett | Leigh Ramblers Res | 17 | 1 | 18 |
| Lewis Harvey | Leigh Ramblers Res | 17 | 1 | 18 | |
| =3 | Joe Howson | Leigh Ramblers Res | 16 | 3 | 19 |
| Ben Wood | Old Barkabbeyans | 16 | 0 | 16 | |
| =5 | Jake Fairman | Leigh Ramblers Res | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| Taylor Stewart | Leigh Ramblers Res | 15 | 1 | 16 | |
| Archie Lambert | Bishop’s Stortford Swifts Res | 15 | 0 | 15 | |
| Khari Pobi | Newbury Forest Res | 15 | 0 | 15 | |
| =9 | Jordan Handcomb | Roydon Res/ Bishop’s Stortford Swifts Res | 14 | 2 | 16 |
| Luke Harradine | Old Barkabbeyans | 14 | 1 | 15 | |
| Kyle Stanley | Roydon Res | 14 | 1 | 15 | |
| Danny Adderson | Roydon Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Ryan Blake | Old Barkabbeyans | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Tony Carlton | Herongate Athletic Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Oliver Gees-Howes | Collier Row Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Ola James | Leigh Ramblers Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Ewan Rockell | Bishop’s Stortford Swifts Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Michael Ryder | Old Barkabbeyans | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Kai Wade | Collier Row Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
| Lewis Kelsey | Leigh Ramblers Res | 14 | 0 | 14 | |
survivor16b 