29/11/2025 – Weekly Round-Up

ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE            2025 / 2026

WEEKLY ROUND UP       @       29/11/2025.

December is not yet upon us but generosity of teams giving away goals is here already, or have all goalkeepers been called away, early, to do the Xmas shopping! There were twenty-eight league matches last Saturday with over one hundred and eighty-three goals being scored, that’s an average of six per game!

Cressing United scored six (four for Collier), in the Premier Division, this was against Tiptree Heath, leaders East Thurrock Community hit five against a single response from Dedham Old Boys. There were five goals in the matches between Earls Colne (two) and Thorpe Athletic (three) and White Notley (two) and Gas Recreation (three), second placed Sudbury Sports beat Belle Vue Social and Hatfield Peverel beat AFC Pegasus Colchester both by three goals to one.

Top scorers were Division One, Prettygate, who are now third after scoring eleven (five for Lewis, one from well inside his own half and four for Rashid), against second bottom, Hatfield Peverel Reserves who registered one. Due to a late postponement, The Rodings & Little Waltham stood idle, meaning Gosfield United strengthened their position, going top when beating Tavern by four goals to nil. Dovercourt Rovers stay fifth after scoring five against Great Bentley Reserves and in the fourth match Hedinghams United beat Frinton & Walton by two goals to one.

Division Two, Cavendish improved their goals difference from minus three to plus seven, hitting ten goals (five for Childs and three for Finch), without reply, against Cressing United Reserves. There were ten goals scored in the Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves (four) versus Bradfield Rovers (six) match as the visitors stay top, just ahead of Silver End United who scored nine (three for Coney), against luckless Great Bradfords who replied with two. Gas Recreation Reserves go above Wormingford Wanderers after beating them by four goals to two, Boxford Rovers won by three goals to two against White Notley Reserves and the last match was the only draw of the day with Springfield Reserves sharing the points with West Bergholt.

There was a big surprise in Division Three, leaders, Harwich & Parkeston “A” lost by four goals to nil against fourth placed, Stillwaters, (three for Alweendo), Tiptree Jobserve (three), by beating Silver End United Reserves (nil), stay second with games in hand, third, also with games in hand, are undefeated Great Bentley “A” who won against Boxted Lodgers. Wivenhoe United won for the second week in a row, this time against struggling Brooklands. In the “Island derby”, Mersea beat Oyster by four goals to nil, and fifth placed Elmstead Market beat bottom team, Roman Rovers Reserves.

Tollesbury, in Division Four, hit ten (five for Frost), against second bottom, Tendring District who managed three themselves, in the same Division, Prettygate Reserves managed six against Elmstead Market Reserves who scored two, and Bradfield Rovers Reserves scored seven (four for Birch), to the one of West Bergholt Reserves. Hedinghams United Reserves scored five to the two of Stanway Rovers EVL Development, but Roman Rovers “A” stay top after beating Frinton & Walton Reserves, finally fourth placed Ramsey & Mistley lost to Wormingford Wanderers Reserves by two goals to nil.

There were three ESBFL teams in action in the Essex Premier Cup, Clacton Regent, were soundly beaten by Old Southendians but Great Bentley progress after beating Barking U23’s and will now play away against Aveley FC, U23’s, Springfield also progress after beating May & Baker “A” with a goal scored in extra-time, the scores being level at two each at normal full-time, they will play Ocean Pacific FC, both ties are scheduled for mid-January 2026.