25/03/2023 – Weekly Round Up

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

WEEKLY ROUND-UP for 25/03/2023

Mid-week matches have now been scheduled and played, on Tuesday, Dunmow Town strengthened their grip on the Premier Division beating Chelmsford City Reserves who had scored inside the first minute!

Wednesday evening, in Division One saw a no score draw between bottom team Holland Reserves and Thorpe Athletic.

Surprisingly, Saturday saw just one postponement because of the weather but three teams failed to raise a team, where have all the players gone in a season where the Competition has more players registered than ever before!

Seven matches were played in the Premier Division, second placed, Tiptree Heath kept pace with the leaders who stood idle, well not quite, as they turned up at Barnston to watch the visitors win on the road! Much improved, Brantham Athletic Reserves stay third after winning at Hatfield Peverel, they must rue having drawn eight matches, there were welcome away wins for Alresford Colne Rangers and Stanway Rovers U23’s, three for Cripps and four for Lewis, whilst Dedham Old Boys, Sudbury Sports, three goals for Williams, and West Bergholt all won at home.

In Division One, FC Clacton Reserves beat Stanway Pegasus Reserves and Thorpe Athletic won at lowly Gosfield United.

Mersea Island moved up from third to second in Division Two when beating Hatfield Peverel Reserves overtaking Tavern who lost by a solitary goal to Wormingford Wanderers whose defence presumably turned up this week after leaking eight the week before! Tollesbury, won again to move off the bottom and Colne Athletic Reserves shared the goals and points with Hedinghams United.

Just one game in Division Three, with third placed Gas Recreation beating Great Bentley Reserves the team just above them.

Division Four, also had one match, an improved Stillwaters won again away at Wormingford Wanderers Reserves.

In the bottom Division there were victories for Bradfield Rovers Reserves and Mersea Island Reserves both against new teams in the lower reaches of the Division.

Elsewhere, it was Cup week, Premier Division Colne Athletic beat Division Two, Dovercourt Rovers, in the KO Cup, their first defeat of the season, however the Great Bentley versus Earls Colne match was abandoned in the first half, another game for the County to resolve!

In the Reserve Knock-Out Cup, Roman Rovers Reserves beat White Notley Reserves, who had a reprieve from the previous round and Boxted Lodgers edged out Flitch United in a penalty shoot-out.

The Covid Cup ties saw victories for Kelvedon Social, High Roding, Prettygate and Lawford Lads Reserves whilst Hedinghams United Reserves and holders Barnston Reserves, both went through after going to penalties.

Finally, Brantham Athletic “A” bowed out of the Suffolk Primary Cup when losing to Coddenham Athletic FC at the semi-final stage.