26/04/2025 – Weekly Round-Up

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE            2024 / 2025

WEEKLY ROUND UP       @       26/04/2025.

Congratulations to Hatfield Peverel FC Reserves who beat West Bergholt FC in the Richard Degville Cup by two goals to nil in a match played under lights at Little Oakley FC thus completing a league and cup double.

Mid-week matches are coming thick and fast, on Tuesday evening, Division One, Great Bentley thrashed Lawford Lads by twelve goals to one (five for Evans {H}), meaning that a win in their last match on Saturday, against lowly Cavendish, would mean the Division One Championship was won.

On Wednesday evening at Dedham Old Boys, Brightlingsea Town gained the one point required to secure the Premier Division Runners-Up position, leaving Earls Colne in third place, and Barnston, in a strong end to the season, won at Hatfield Peverel by five goals (three for Sonnex), to two, to finish sixth.

There were two matches in Division Two, leaders Tavern won at Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves by a solitary goal, they are eleven points ahead of The Rodings and fourteen points clear of Earls Colne Reserves, who have five games in hand, they beat Roman Rovers by eight goals to nil to move ominously into third place. At the bottom, a first win in seven matches for Cressing United Reserves over bottom team, White Notley Reserves whose only win was back in late December. There was one match in Division Four, Tendring Borough beat Bradfield Rovers Reserves by odd goal in five and they move up to third, the two goals scored by Coyle made him the second player to hit fifty goals and followed Dingli of Hatfield Peverel Reserves who achieved it the previous Saturday and Coney of Silver End United Reserves reached it last Saturday.

The final Premier Division league match, between bottom teams, White Notley and Dedham Old Boys saw the visitors win and move above Sudbury Sports.

After the midweek drubbing of Lawford Lads, next up for Great Bentley were Cavendish, a club having their worst season in twenty-nine years, a win by any score would be enough for Great Bentley, who comfortably won by eleven goals to one (three each for Brown {D} and Evans {H}) and League Treasurer, Brian Reed was there to award the Divisional One, Winner’s Cup.

Three matches were played in Division Two, Prettygate helped their cause and moved up to second when beating Cressing United Reserves, this Division is very tight, Tavern have the points (62) whilst Earls Colne Reserves (48) have five games in hand. In the other games, Gas Recreation Reserves beat Dedham Old Boys Reserves and Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves beat Stillwaters.

Division Three had two matches, Tiptree Heath Reserves beat Roman Rover Reserves and in the bottom of the table clash, Tendring District (three for Willoughby-Burrell) secured their first points since early November when beating Ramsey & Mistley, the team just above them.

All eyes were on the top of the Division Four table match between Silver End United Reserves and Harwich & Parkeston “A”, as before kick-off, various permutations of winners and runners-up were available, in the end, the home team prevailed (three for Sopowski), to win the division, whilst the visitors would have to wait to secure runners-up, as it was, Tendring Borough lost to Brooklands and can only finish third in their first season. Sadly, Abbey Fields have called it a day and withdrawn, this means their remaining three games will be awarded to their opposition.

The semi-finals of the Tommy Thompson Cup were also held, Barnston Reserves from Division Three, after being level at three goals apiece at full-time, beat Division Two Roman Rovers on spot kicks, they will play Earls Colne Reserve who beat Tavern by three goals to two in the all Division Two clash, that final, will be played on Friday 16^th May 2025, at Coggeshall Town FC, Kick-off is 19:45pm.