Phoenix FM’s JOHN CHUBB reporting from Roots Hall

Southend United shared the spoils with Peterborough in what was a high tempo game of football at Roots Hall.

Blues were again without captain Anton Ferdinand – still serving a suspension following his post-final dismissal in the recent 4-1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers – and Jermaine McGlashan who received a red card in the 3-0 reversal at Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Forwards Simon Cox and Marc-Antoine Fortune came into the starting line up, replacing McGlashan and Theo Robinson.

Southend took the lead with 10 minutes gone when Fortune’s right foot shot found the corner of the net. His striking colleague Cox had a decent chance only a minute later, but Posh goalkeeper Jonathan Bond was alert to the danger and saved comfortably from the former West Bromwich Albion man.

Blues had the better of the first half of the match, one of the few Peterborough chances in this period coming from a Marcus Maddison corner midway through the half, but despite the best efforts of his team mates to find an opening the ball was scrambled to safety by the home defence. Gwion Edwards had a header for Posh on the half hour mark, but it sailed high over the bar. Anthony Wordsworth then fired wide for Southend in the 34th minute, following good work down the right flank from youngster Dru Yearwood.

In the second half, with 54 minutes gone Yearwood made another lighting run down the right and his powerful shot bounced off the crossbar. But only a minute later Peterborough caught the home side on the break, Jack Marriott firing the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble, to bring the game level and score his 10th goal of the season for the Posh. Maddison had another goalmouth effort just before the hour mark, Mark Oxley in the Southend goal saving this time but Posh were clearly energised by their equaliser and playing with increased confidence.

Shrimpers manager Phil Brown obviously wanted more attacking options as the game approached the final 20 minutes left, as he replaced Fortune with fellow strikers Robinson and Nile Ranger. Wordsworth then attempted to put Blues back in front, with a volley which went wide of Bond’s goal. Robinson and Ranger then made a quick impact, both of them having shots from the edge of the area but both caught by Bond.

13 minutes from time Jason Demetriou had a close range effort parried away by Bond as Southend continued to push hard for a winner. Josh Wright had a great effort tipped over the bar by Bond in the 79th minute. Then it was Oxley’s turn to save the day for Southend as he made a superb save from Peterborough substitute Callum Chettle’s header, following an excellent cross from Edwards.

As the game moved into four minutes of added time Wright had another chance for the Shrimpers, but it was too high. So Southend gained a draw following two disappointing defeats on the road, and remain in 15th place in League One but many Blues fans will have gone home thinking they should perhaps have picked up all three points.

Southend: Mark Oxley, Jason Demetriou, John White, Ryan Leonard, Dru Yearwood, Anthony Wordsworth, Stephen McLoughlin (Theo Robinson 68), Josh Wright, Michael Timlin, Simon Cox, Marc-Antoine Fortune (Nile Ranger 68).

Peterborough: Jonathan Bond, Jack Baldwin, Steven Taylor, Ryan Tafazolli, Andrew Hughes, Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, Anthony Grant, Jermaine Anderson (Callum Chettle 78), Gwion Edwards, Jack Marriott, Marcus Maddison.

Attendance: 5789 (228 from Peterborough)

Senior League Cup

Rayleigh Town’s troubles continued on Saturday as the Premier Division strugglers were dumped out of the Senior League Cup by Benfleet. The side from Division Two run out 3-1 winners. Leigh Ramblers progress to the next round after beating A1 Sports 4-2. Justin Hazell scored twice for Leigh with Ryan Lowe and Tommy Hollingsworth also providing goals. Jake Stock and Jason Purewal scored the A1 Sports replies. May & Baker E.C. currently lead the Premier Division but their interest in the Senior League Cup ended at the hands of Bishops Stortford Swifts. Joe McEvoy and Mark Nougher grabbed the goals in the 2-1 success with James Barlow scoring the May & Baker effort.

Anagram Records Trophy

The all-Olympian affair involving Catholic United and Manford Way went right down to the wire. Nathan Dewberry and Shaun Illet both chalked strikes for Catholic United but Tom Herbery and Callum Ibe did likewise for Manford Way; the game ended all-square at 2-2 but Catholic United went on to win the penalty shoot-out 4-2.

London Senior Trophy

Canning Town’s interest ended at the hands of Phoenix Sports Res. who won the tie 2-1. Josh Thompson scored the Cannin Town goal.

Premier Division

Frenford are up to second after a Luke Woodward brace plus a strike from Ashley Taylor-Forbes eased them to a 3-0 home win over White Ensign. Springfield move up to fourth after a 4-2 home win over Harold Wood Athletic. Joe Mayer scored twice with Matt Webb and Ross Lamb also bagging goals. Chad Liddard scored both the Harold Wood replies. Kelvedon Hatch finally broke their duck last Saturday with a 4-0 win over Snaresbrook. They went up a further gear this weekend as they swept Basildon Town aside with a 7-0 win. James Burt scored a hat-trick; Mike Daniels banged in a couple; George Saunders and Lee Hamill providing a goal apiece.

Saturday 14^th October Round-Up

By Peter Dudley

Premier Division Barkingside 0 Ilford 1

The Foxes made it three league wins in a row after victory over Barkingside in the Cricklefield derby. James Peagram notched the only goal of the game in the 68^th minute. The win lifts Ilford into the top six whilst defeat for Side sees them slip down to 13th.

Clapton 2 Great Wakering Rovers 0

The Tons handed Rovers a rare defeat in recent times with victory at the Old Spotted Dog. Ikem Odeh bundled Clapton ahead before Jeffrey Cobblah sealed the points for the hosts who are now eighth whilst Rovers fall to second place.

Hullbridge Sports 3 Hackney Wick 0

Hullbridge moved up five places to fifteenth after a much needed win against Hackney Wick at Lower Road. Luca Frankis put the hosts ahead in the ninth minute and then nine minutes into the second half Ollie Miller slotted Sports further ahead, before he grabbed his second in stoppage time to seal the hosts victory and a welcome three points. Defeat leaves Hackney Wick third from bottom as a result.

Redbridge 3 Sporting Bengal United 2

The Motormen left it late to grab victory here after coming from behind to take all three points against Sporting Bengal United at Oakside. Reside Coxi Sebastfao put the hosts in front on 11 minutes but saw the visitors fire back through Steven Carvell on 21 minutes and then Kai Parkinson six minutes later to see the Mile End side ahead. However Eljay Worrell found a leveller with just five minutes remaining before Calvin Poku popped up with an 88th minute winner to send Redbridge into joint second in the division.

Sawbridgeworth Town 1 Southend Manor 3

Manor secured another three points after defeating The Robins at Crofters. Ross Johnson put the visitors ahead on twenty minutes before Alfie Lindfield and Jacob Cleaver added further goals late on in the first half and saw Manor in total command at the break. Sawbo grabbed one back in the second period before Manor’s Johnson was sent off, however defeat for the hosts leaves them down in seventeenth whilst Manor are now fourteenth.

Stansted 3 Waltham Forest 1

The Airportmen are up to eleventh after defeating a struggling Waltham Forest side at Hargrave Park. Ryan Ramsey gave Stansted a ninth minute lead before Jevoy Blair doubled their advantage on twenty minutes. And Ramsay netted another in the 27th minute as the hosts took total command. Forest, who pulled one back through Marco Faria in the 68th minute, are now down in sixteenth place.

Takeley 5 Enfield 1893 4

Hosts Takeley saw off a very stubborn Enfield to go to the top of the table after winning a nine goal bonanza at Station Road. Mitchell Das and Fred Burrell goals had the hosts two goals up inside twenty minutes before Lopes De Matos pulled one back midway through the first half; but Reece Barrett then restored Takeley’s two goal cushion in the 25th minute. The visitors fought back though with goals from Lopes De Matos seven minutes into the second half and then Luke Thomas in the 65th minute to level it up at 3-3. But the home side managed to retake the lead through Will Green seven minutes from time before Green added another in stoppage time to seal the points. Ben Bradbury did pull one back for Enfield in the 94th minute however it’s another defeat for the Harlow-based side despite scoring four past a defence who had only conceded five goals in their previous eight league games.

Tower Hamlets 2 FC Romania 2

Hamlets battled back from two goals down to earn a draw with FC Romania at Mile End. The visitors led on six minutes courtesy of Gabriel Ghinea and doubled their lead just past the half hour mark when Sergiu Pitaru hit the net. Wale Odedoyin reduced the arrears just before half time before adding another just after half time to make sure his side took a well earned point.

Wadham Lodge 3 West Essex 3

Lodge showed terrific battling qualities to salvage a draw at home to West Essex. The visitors hit the front ten minutes before half time through Michael Mignot and the same man doubled their lead five minutes later. Lodge pulled one back twenty minutes into the second half through Danny Palmer but with fifteen to play Mignot completed his hat-trick and had seemingly given his side the points. But Lodge had other ideas and Ben McAllister netted with ten minutes to go before Ben Masuku levelled in the third minute of stoppage time to break the visitor’s hearts.

Woodford Town (2017) 3 Basildon United 2

Basildon drop to fourth after they fell to defeat at Goffs Lane against an improving Woodford side. Larry Asare gave the hosts an 11th minute lead before the returning Marcus Bowers equalised for the Bees. Ash Blackburn then gave the visitors the lead but saw Ola Ogunwamide level with ten minutes remaining before Jack Grosvenor netted late on to give the hosts another three points and see them up to ninth.

Essex Senior League

Clapton welcome Premier Division leaders Great Wakering Rovers to the Old Spotted Dog on Saturday. Rovers come into this game on the back of four league wins on the bounce and are favoured to win this one, however Clapton have shown flashes of the form they had last season when they finished runners-up so the leaders may have to work hard to get the points.

If Great Wakering mess up then Basildon Town could be in position to take the leadership for themselves. They will have to beat Woodford Town (2017) away in which to do that but winning away hasn’t been a burden for the Bees so far this campaign and on Wednesday evening they made progress in the Errington Challenge Cup after a 5-0 win at West Essex. A repeat of that result would be impressive but their opponents did ship five in their midweek Errington Challenge Cup encounter.

Takeley need the points to keep them involved in the top three; Enfield 1893 need the points to move them away from the bottom three. It’s a classic top v bottom clash with the points not guaranteed if Takeley don’t take the game seriously. They were not guilty of that when they beat bottom of the table Wadham Lodge in midweek and its hard to see them not winning this game on their own patch.

Redbridge, lie in fourth place and have won their last six league games, with last weekend’s abandoned game over Southend Manor possibly being allowed to stand as a 3-0 Redbridge win, pending a league decision. In any case they have been finding the net recently with Calvin Poku and Brian Moses both finding goals easy to come by this term. Sporting Bengal United provide the opposition at the Oakside Stadium and they also know how to score goals – as well as concede them. Redbridge for all their goal scoring have failed to keep a clean sheet this season and there will be goals in this one.

Down at the bottom Wadham Lodge will hope that fifth-placed West Essex continue their losing streak. The visitors have last their last two but will be looking to bounce back themselves and secure a win at the ESL strugglers. However the hosts have a new management team in place and were able to briefly haul themselves off the foot of the table after a win against fellow-strugglers Burnham Ramblers. Since then they have lost to Redbridge and Takeley meaning that they go into this game on a losing run of two themselves and have to now  take on another of  the ESL’s top sides.

Saturday 14^th October

Premier Division

Barkingside v  Ilford

Clapton v  Great Wakering Rovers

Hullbridge Sports v  Hackney Wick

Redbridge v  Sporting Bengal United

Sawbridgeworth Town v  Southend Manor

Stansted v  Waltham Forest

Takeley v  Enfield 1893

Tower Hamlets v  FC Romania

Wadham Lodge v  West Essex

Woodford Town (2017) v  Basildon United

The Premier Division has three games featured due to the other clubs being involved in an array of cup assignments. Last season’s Premier Division champions Springfield entertain Harold Wood Athletic. A win for either side moves them to cut into May & Baker E.C.’s lead. The Premier Division leaders start their hunt for silverware on another front as they take on Bishops Stortford Swifts in the Senior League Cup. Rayleigh Town take time out from a winless start, that sees them currently holding up the Premier Division table, take on Benfleet. It’s a potential banana skin as the form book is with Benfleet who have won two and drawn one from their opening three league games and also have home advantage.

There’s also an all-Olympian League encounter in the Anagram Records Trophy as this tournament that features clubs from various step 6 and 7 leagues around the home counties throws up Catholic United v Manford Way in the 1^st Round.

Saturday 14^th October

Premier Division

Basildon Town v  Kelvedon Hatch

Frenford v  White Ensign

Springfield v  Harold Wood Athletic

Senior League Cup 2^nd Round

Benfleet v  Rayleigh Town

Leigh Ramblers v  A1 Sports

May & Baker E.C. v  Bishops Stortford Swifts

Anagram Records Trophy 1^st Round

Catholic United v  Manford Way

Senior League Cup

Springfield left it very late and in the process broke Old Southendian’s hearts. The visitors were leading 1-0 with Stuart Judd scoring the goal that gave  them the lead. And as the game came into the closing stages it looked like a shock result was on the cards. However the Premier Division champions then equalised two minute s from time courtesy of Joe Mayer and then in stoppage time Alfie Halliday fired home the winner to see Springfield through – but they were pushed all the way for it.

There was a shock though as the holders Basildon Town were eliminated by Newham United. Omar Jomanday had scored the Newham United goal in normal time and then his side went on to win the penalty shootout 4-3. Frenford also needed extra time in their tie with Divison One outfit Buckhurst Hill before finally running out 5-4 winners. Another Premier Division side that made progress was Kelvedon Hatch who saw George Saunders score a hat-trick with Mike Daniels providing the other goal in the 4-0 win over Snaresbrook. Manford Way also won 4-0 with Sam Cole (2), Julian Edwards and Tom Herbert their scorers in the win over Dagenham United.

The all-Premier Division affair between Canning Town and White Ensign went the way of the Southend-based club – but only after Canning Town had seen a man dismissed. Josh Thompson and an own goal had given Canning Town the lead twice. Gary Ticehurst levelled it to 1-1 and then White Ensign equalised and then took the lead as Conor Barmby converted two penalties. Goals in the second half from Jamie Brown, John Hilliard and Gavin Paoletti saw White Ensign progress via a 6-2 win. Another Southend-based club also hit six as Nathan Dewberry’s hat-trick was added to by strikes from Mike Sammut, Dan Williams and Dan Trenkell which saw Catholic United extinguish Epping’s interest in the competition with a comprehensive 6-0 win.

Westhamians from Division Five beat Newbury Forest from Division One 5-0 with Ryan Creed and Ben Jones both scoring twice. Lewis Lawrence notched the other goal in a shock result. Jared Cousins and Alfie Bond were the Galleywood scorers in a 4-2 reverse at Harold Wood Athletic. Scott Mortlock was also a scorer that tasted defeat as his goal for Herongate Athletic was cancelled out by Ramsden Scotia who went on to win the game 3-1 with John Burdett, Kurt King and Ryan Leddra all scoring for Ramsden. John Smithwick also scored but ended up on the losing side as Southend Sports won 3-1 at Runwell Sports. Great Baddow beat Sungate 3-1 with Sam Mead, Dan Gage and Ryan Baxter scoring the goals that cancelled out Sungate’s one effort which was scored by Jake Clarke. Toby are also in the next round after they put aside their winless start to their Division Two campaign to edge out Hutton from Division One. Arron Watson-McNab, Simon Bamidele and Peter Spicer were their scorers in a 3-1. Thomas Price scored the Hutton consolation.

Premier Division

May & Baker E.C. were able to extend their lead ever so slightly but had to come back twice against bottom-placed Rayleigh Town, who almost captured all the points when Alex Witham hit the cross bar in the closing stages. That would have given the Rayleigh player his hat-trick, having twice fired Rayleigh into the lead. James Barlow and Richard Oxby were the men that made sure May & Baker were at least able to put something on the board after a spirited display from their opponents.

Senior League Cup 2^nd Round

Basildon Town 1 Newham United 1 (Newham United win 4-3 Pens)

Buckhurst Hill 4 Frenford 5 (aet)

Canning Town 2 White Ensign 6

Catholic United 6 Epping 0

Harold Wood Athletic 4 Galleywood 2

Kelvedon Hatch 4 Snaresbrook 0

Manford Way 4 Dagenham United 0

Newbury Forest 0 Westhamians 5

Ramsden Scotia 3 Herongate Athletic 1

Runwell Sports 1 Southend Sports 3

Springfield 2 Old Southendian 1

Sungate 1 Great Baddow 3

Toby 3 Hutton 1

Premier Division

May & Baker E.C. 2 Rayleigh Town 2