ESBFL – 12/08/2023 – Weekly Round-Up

ESBFL – WEEKLY ROUND-UP for 12/08/2023.

          The ESBFL commenced its one hundred and thirteenth season on Friday night with Sudbury Sports entertaining Stanway Pegasus Reserves who had been elevated from Division One. Both teams looked youthful, but it was the more experienced team from Pegasus who triumphed with two goals from Anumba.

          Saturday saw the remaining Premier Division teams start their campaign in a division reduced to sixteen teams, last season runners-up, Tiptree Heath, started in top gear hitting fourteen without reply against Alresford Colne Rangers, who were almost left managerless and player less with a week to go, some sympathy there perhaps for the new players whose baptism will be remembered. There were no fewer than seven goal-scorers, Allen, Chester, Keogh-Kedar, Tollhurst and Ward each hit two, Berkane grabbed one but there was a hat-trick for Chesney.

          Division One champions, Silver End United started well with a three-goals, to nil, victory at new look Barnston, with Gage, Hollocks (T) and Long, their scorers, runners-Up Brightlingsea Town also hit the ground running beating Lawford Lads by six goals to two with goals from Close (2), Hatch (2) plus Elkins and Sauka with one apiece from Debenham and Powell in reply.

          The battle of the “Colne’s” was played out at Earls Colne with the home team losing by a single goal to Colne Athletic, who, on paper have signed numerous new players. There was another single goal victory, this time for Hatfield Peverel, Page the scorer, at home against Dedham Old Boys.

          Another team with a new management team and new players is West Bergholt however Belle Vue Social saw them off by four goals to one at the Lorkin Daniel Field. The last game in the Premier Division saw a two-two draw between White Notley, goals from Farley-Hearn and Simmonds against Stanway Rovers Community Reserves, goals from Lewis and Ketley-Gregan with the match official kept busy when issuing four yellow cards to both teams!

          There were two matches played in Division One, new look The Rodings, Donaldson and Pedulu, played Thorpe Athletic, Barnard (L) and Hayes, at “The Crops” home of Coggeshall Town FC and shared four goals, these two teams clearly have designs on progressing in what will be a competitive Division when other teams get started. The other match saw elevated Wormingford Wanderers (Foley) share two goals and the points with FC Clacton Reserves (Ikwuegbu).

          Lastly, in Division Five, Bradfield Rovers Reserves opened their account with a goal-less draw against Assington Stanley.