14/02/2026 – Weekly Round-Up

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE            2025 / 2026

WEEKLY ROUND UP       @       14/02/2026.

The ESBFL Representative team played The Southern Amateur Football League in the bi-annual FA Inter-League cup competition, after the previous week’s cancellation because of the weather, this match was played on the 3G pitch at AFC Sudbury. The ESBFL scored a single first half goal to progress through to Round Two where they have been drawn, away, against the Arthurian Football League, they won the competition last time, the date is Saturday 7^th March 2026, the venue will be Hanworth Villa FC. The ESBFL thanks AFC Sudbury for the use of their facilities and to the numerous Member Clubs whose players took part.

In the Cup matches played, there was a victory for Tiptree Heath over Dedham Old Boys in the Knock-Out Cup where West Bergholt await in the quarter-final. In the Tommy Thompson Cup, Division Two, Cavendish beat Division Four, Rayne, by two goals to nil and in the Peter Andrews Charity Cup, Hatfield Peverel Reserves with a single goal, beat Great Bentley Reserves to set up a semi-final tie against Dovercourt Rovers who beat Frinton & Walton by four goals to one.

The Premier Division had four matches, Sudbury Sports took advantage of other teams inactivity to move back to the top of the table when beating bottom team Alresford Colne Rangers by three goals to nil. Second bottom, White Notley beat Earls Colne, the three points gained saw them move above Belle Vue Social who lost to AFC Pegasus Colchester, (Oliver scoring four of their five), the other match saw Cressing United beat Springfield by two goals to one.

The top four teams in Division One all played, and all won, Gosfield United scored four to the one from bottom team Lawford Lads, second placed Clacton Regent won at Hedinghams United, third placed The Rodings & Little Waltham edged out Roman Rovers by three goals to two and Prettygate (three for Lam), hit seven against Tavern to stay fourth.

Division Two had just three matches, West Bergholt won the local derby against Wormingford Wanderers and move up to third spot, Boxford Rovers (three for Chance), beat Cressing United Reserves but second placed Gas Recreation Reserves went down by six goals to one against mid-table Springfield Reserves.

Three matches fell foul, of the wet conditions in Division Three, but in the two matches played, Great Bentley “A” stay third after despatching Wivenhoe United by four goals to one and Elmstead Market move up to third after beating Silver End United Reserves.

Division Four lost two matches due to unfit pitches, Frinton & Walton Reserves (four for O’Brien) stay top after beating Prettygate Reserves, Bradfield Rovers Reserves beat bottom team, Elmstead Market Reserves by five goals to two, and Kelvedon Social drew with Stanway Rovers EVL Development. Sadly, due to a serious looking broken tibia injury to McArthur of Tollesbury their match against Ramsey & Mistley had to be abandoned, we wish the player a speedy recovery.