Premier Division
Buckhurst Hill maintained their three point lead at the top of the Olympian Premier Division table after a 3-0 home win over bottom-paced Manford Way. Josh Addinall opened the scoring with a flick at the back post; Suley Zuhdu then stepped up twice to convert penalties, before Josh Banfield completed the scoring with a free kick three minutes from time. Harold Wood Athletic remain on Buckhurst Hill’s tail after they too scored four times on Saturday. Canning Town provided the. opposition who at least managed to score once: their goal coming via David Tilley. Harold Wood however scored their goals via a Reiss Kingsley brace with Martyn Guest and Charlie Liddiard also notching. Third played fourth as Kelvedon Hatch played host to Bishop’s Stortford Swifts and it ended up honours even with the game ending in a 1-1 draw. Alan Taylor was the Kelvedon scorer, with Gavin Cockman doing likewise for Swifts. Catholic United’s winning way continued as they move even further away from the relegation zone that they had sat in during the earlier part of the season. It’s now five wins on the spin as they put Great Baddow to the sword with a 6-0 win. Tom Hollingsworth scored a hat-trick, Tom Kearney added a brace, with Tony Jacobs also getting on the score sheet. Great Baddow remain in the drop zone after this defeat while Sungate remain one place above them but now two points further ahead after a 2-2 draw at Springfield. Peter Morgan and Anthony Pantaleo were the Springfield sharpshooters, while Sungate’s goals were fired home by Jermaine Purchas and Chris Barry. Hutton were able to claw back a point from their encounter with Old Southendian in a real topsy-turvy game that had seen Hutton lead 1-0, then trail 3-1, before managing to finish the game back on level term thanks to a Jon Hilliard brace plus a Brad Freeman effort. Old Southendian’s goals came via Jon Staines (2) and Riley Oliver. Leigh Ramblers completed a league double over local rivals Rayleigh Town with a 3-2 win that included a Justin Hazell brace alongside a Jamie Selby-Knight goal. Harry Talbot and Max Jones scored the Rayleigh replies.
Division One
A solitary goal supplied by Max Catherall saw leaders Snaresbrook beat Shenfield AFC 1-0. Shenfield had started the day second but defeat was made even bitterer as Ramsden Scotia took over their second-placed berth after a 2-1 win over Old Chelmsfordians; Kurt King and Sam Wren scoring their goals with Martin Mixture scoring the OC’s reply. There was a big win for Basildon Town Res. who beat May & Baker E.C. Res. 12-2. The goal tally saw hat-tricks for Alex Witham and Keith King; braces for Brodie Horne and Barv Waikwaiku; with Daley Grant and Jamie Miller also chipping in. Ongar Town had a good away day at Rayleigh Town Res. as a Ben Polley hat-trick, alongside a double from Niki Love and a single from James Stevens saw them come away with a 6-1 win. Charlie Legg scored the Rayleigh consolation. With other results elsewhere going their way meant that Herongate Athletic had a chance to get themselves out of the relegation zone if they took care of their own business. They duly did this, beating Frenford Res 2-0 with Glen Jordan and Joe Barness the scorers.
Division Two
Runwell Sports extended their lead at the top of the table after they registered a 6-1 home win over Ryan. Aaron Rix (2), Charlie Adams, Declan Clark, Scott Mortlock and Carey Wallace were the marksmen. Toby meanwhile remain second despite a 4-1 setback at Chingford Athletic. Ross Dipple supplied the Toby goal but it was drowned out by Eric Kelly, who scored twice, with Joe Cloake and Gary Murray the other Chingford scorers. Beacon Hill Rovers are up to third after a 2-1 away win at Shoebury Town. Matt Kosinski and David Howard were the scorers and the result sees Shoebury Town, who had started the day in third finish it one place lower down the table. Goals from Ollie Pettit, Charlie Ashpole and Drew Klessa-Smith saw Lakeside beat Harold Wood Athletic Res. 3-1. Newham United registered a 6-3 win over Rochford Town with Lisandro Tavares bagging a brace. The other Newham goals were scored by Omar Jomanday, Abraham Kwaku Adjei, Mickel Smith and Kaci Henry.
Division Three
Westhamians opened up a four point lead as Kenny Liddiard and Lewis Rix scored the goals that saw them beat Wakering Sports 2-1. Tom Vine supplied the Wakering consolation. Old Southendian Res. and Academy Soccer were able to keep the pressure on the teams in the promotion places by winning their games on Saturday. Old Southendian beat local rivals White Ensign Res. 4-2 with Greg Molford (2), David Stubbs and Oliver Tatton-Bennett supplying the goals. Luis Ruiz meanwhile scored both of Academy Soccer’s goals in their 2-0 home success over Hutton Res. Leigh Town also won 2-0, this time on the road as they beat Roydon with Sam Irvine and Harry Payne the scorers. Jake Henry’s goal for Old Chelmsfordians Res. was to be a mere consolation as Basildon Town Res. went on to win the game 3-1.
Premier Division
Buckhurst Hill 4 Manford Way 0
Catholic United 6 Great Baddow 0
Harold Wood Athletic 4 Canning Town 1
Hutton 3 Old Southendian 3
Kelvedon Hatch 1 Bishop’s Stortford Swifts 1
Leigh Ramblers 3 Rayleigh Town 2
Springfield 2 Sungate 2
Division One
Basildon Town 12 May & Baker E.C. Res. 2
Herongate Athletic 2 Frenford Res. 0
Ramsden Scotia 2 Old Chelmsfordians 1
Rayleigh Town Res. 1 Ongar Town 6
Shenfield AFC 0 Snaresbrook 1
Division Two
Chingford Athletic 4 Toby 1
Lakeside 3 Harold Wood Athletic Res. 1
Newham United 6 Rochford Town 3
Runwell Sports 6 Ryan 1
Shoebury Town 1 Beacon Hill Rovers 2
Division Three
Academy Soccer 2 Hutton Res. 0
Old Chelmsfordians Res. 1 Basildon Town Res. 3
Old Southendian Res. 4 White Ensign Res. 2
Roydon 0 Leigh Town 2
Westhamians 2 Wakering Sports 1
Forthcoming Fixtures
Wednesday 9th January
Premier Division
Catholic United v Rayleigh Town
Saturday 12th January
Senior League Cup 3rd Round
Chingford Athletic v Springfield
Premier Division
Canning Town v Bishop’s Stortford Swifts
Great Baddow v Kelvedon Hatch
Hutton v Harold Wood Athletic
Manford Way v Catholic United
Rayleigh Town v Old Southendian
Sungate v Leigh Ramblers
Division One
Frenford Res. v Snaresbrook
Galleywood v Basildon Town
Herongate Athletic v Rayleigh Town Res.
May & Baker E.C. Res. v Shenfield AFC
Old Chelmsfordians v FC Hamlets
Ongar Town v Ramsden Scotia
Division Two
Beacon Hill Rovers v Harold Wood Athletic Res.
Newham United v Shoebury Town
Rochford Town v Toby
Runwell Sports v Lakeside
Division Three
Basildon Town Res. v Roydon
Leigh Town v Hutton Res.
Old Southendian Res. v Academy Soccer
Westhamians v Laindon Orient
White Ensign Res. v Wakering Sports