25/01/2025 – Weekly Round-Up

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE            2024 / 2025

WEEKLY ROUND UP       @       25/01/2025.

Twenty-nine matches were played last Saturday, a mixture of league and four cup competitions, resulting in a couple of surprises and an unusual outcome!

In the Knock-Out Cup, pride of place must go to unbeaten Division Two leaders, The Rodings, who defeated Premier Division leaders, Kings Park Rangers by one goal (Rosewall) to nil. In the same competition there were wins for Barnston (Sonnex netting all five goals), Gosfield United, Dedham Old Boys (five for Moseley and three for Welham) in normal time whilst Belle Vue Social beat East Thurrock Community and Great Bentley beat Dovercourt Rovers, both requiring a penalty shoot-out, with Stanway Pegasus Reserves also progressing as Flitch United defaulted.

There was one match in the Reserve Knock-Out Cup and a remarkable score-line too, as with the scores level at one goal apiece the game went into a penalty shoot-out, no fewer than twenty-five spot kicks were converted as Division Two, Earls Colne Reserves got the better of Division Three, Hatfield Peverel Reserves, that meant that both teams had players taking more than one spot kick, those of you who follow results will rightly assume that this has probably not been witnessed before in the ESBFL!

Harwich & Parkeston “A” (four for Eade) and Tavern progress in the Tommy Thompson Cup after victories over Boxted Lodgers Reserves and White Notley Reserves respectively.

In the Richard Degville Cup, there were wins for Silver End United over Bradfield Rovers Reserves, Abbey Fields over Roman Rovers Reserves and West Bergholt over Elmstead Market.

In the Premier Division league action, second placed, Brightlingsea Town slipped up Earls Colne who remain in fifth, Thorpe Athletic beat Sudbury Sports to stay second and Cressing United beat bottom team White Notley to stay in fourth, the other match saw mid-table teams, Tiptree Heath and Alresford Colne Rangers share the points.

Division One had just two matches, bottom team Cavendish hit five against Bradfield Rovers to move four places up the table and leapfrog their opponents, seventh placed Lawford Lads, without a match since mid-December, played second placed Frinton & Walton, a two-all draw was the fair result.

There were plenty of goals in Division Two, Roman Rovers (five for Goddard and three for Oughton) hit eleven when thrashing struggling bottom team Assington Stanley who have yet to register any points! Elsewhere there were wins for Cressing United Reserves, Great Bradfords, second placed Prettygate, and Stillwaters.

Wormingford Wanderers Reserves remain at the bottom of Division Three, despite scoring nine (three for Bradley), against inconsistent Tendring District, Tiptree Heath Reserves edged out Great Bentley “A” by the odd goal in five (three for Emmerson) and Ramsey & Mistley drew with Barnston Reserves.

Two of the matches played in Division Four ended in scoring draw’s, Mersea Island against Kelvedon Social and second placed, Silver End United Reserves against fourth placed Hedinghams United Reserves, the other match saw Brooklands beat second bottom Tollesbury.