Essex Senior League Round Up

Clapton’s fans fancied a trip to a place called Bas Vegas on Saturday but the team otherwise known as Basildon United made sure they returned to E7 with no more than memories of a good day out – as the points remained in Basildon. Tommy Barton opened the scoring for the Bees in the 27^th minute before Marcus Bowers notched the other in the 55^th minute to seal a 2-0 win. A crowd of 281 witnessed last year’s runners-up come unstuck on the opening day.

Iain O’Connell told the Southend Evening Echo in midweek that he was unconcerned about the favourites tag but he must have been happy to see his Great Wakering Rovers team open their latest Essex Senior League saga with a 2-0 home success over Stansted. Bradley Nobbs rifled home a penalty on the hour before Aaron Russell made sure of victory by adding a second in the 82^nd minute.

Newboys Hackney Wick posted three points to the board after a 3-1 win at Burnham Ramblers. The hosts took the lead through Adam Brotherton but then had a man sent off before Magnus Orelaja scored a peach of an equaliser. The Wickers then scored twice in the second half via Matteo King in the 53^rd minute and Jeffrey Idemuda who put his name down on the score sheet in the 66^th. The Wickers even managed to miss a penalty along the way.

West Essex started their campaign with a 3-1 win at Sawbridgeworth Town but they had to come back from behind to achieve it. George Pullen fired the Robins into the lead in the 10^th minute but they held onto that lead for only two minutes, with Joe Lefley levelling up. Cameron Gray and Issac Marfo banged home goals in the 82^nd and 85^th minute respectively to win it for the visitors.

It didn’t take long for Stuart Zanone to open his 2017/18 goal account; his 3^rd minute penalty was his, Takeley’s and the ESL’s first goal of the season. Mitchell Das notched a further goal in the 15^th minute in the 2-0 home win over Sporting Bengal United.

FC Romania left it late at Wadham Lodge with both goals coming in the final ten minutes. Cosmic Anton finally broke the deadlock in the 84^th minute before George Taban doubled the lead in the 87^th minute; and with it the points.

Ilford put their troubled close season behind them with a comprehensive 5-0 away win at Woodford Town 2017. Khadean Campbell scored twice, in the 22^nd and 68^th minutes, as did James Peagram in the 75^th and 79^th. Josh Coulson notched the other goal in the 61^st minute to put the Foxes 2-0 up but by then the hosts had been reduced to nine men following two red cards.

Saturday 29^th July 2017

Premier Division

Basildon United 2 (Tommy Barton 27, Marcus Bowers 55)

Clapton 0

Att.281

Burnham Ramblers 1 (Adam Brotherton 17)

Hackney Wick 3 (Magnus Orelaja 44, Matteo King 53, Jeffrey Idemudia 66

Att. 19

Great Wakering Rovers 2 (Bradley Nobbs 60p, Aaron Russell 82)

Stansted 0

Att. 83

Hullbridge Sports 2 (Luca Frankis 8, 50)

Waltham Forest 2 (Mohammed Sagaf 9, Nana Yiadom 57

Att.47

Redbridge 2 (Calvin Poku 88, Eljay Worrell 90)

Tower Hamlets 1 (Hasan Mustafa 34)

Att.51

Sawbridgeworth Town 1 (George Pullen 10)

West Essex 3 (Joe Lefley 12, Cameron Gray 82, Issac Marfo 85)

Att.40

Takeley 2 (Stuart Zanone 3p, Mitchell Das 15)

Sporting Bengal United 0

Att. 65

Wadham Lodge 0

FC Romania 2 (Cosmic Anton 84, George Tahan 87)

Att.30

Woodford Town 2017 0

Ilford 5 (Khadean Campbell 22, 68, Josh Coulson 61, James Peagram 75, 79)

Att. 30