No Premier League or Championship this weekend due to international fixtures, but it was a busy afternoon of football locally with mixed fortunes for our local teams.
Our two local Football League sides both drew in League 2, Leyton Orient coming back from a goal down to pick up a point away to Barrow and Southend United came agonisigly close to picking up their first victory of the season against Exeter City at Roots Hall.
The Shrimpers were leading 2-1 in injury time, thanks to a first half goal from Brandon Goodship and a second half penalty scored by Jason Demetriou.
But in the fifth minute of time added on, the Grecians levelled to claim a share of the spoils.
Southend’s consolation was that the point was sufficient to take them off the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone up to 22nd place.
In the National League Dagenham & Redbridge secured their first win of 2020/21, with a 1-0 home victory over Wealdstone.
But none of our local National League South sides were able to claim three points, with defeats for Billericay Town and Braintree Town, and Chelmsford City and Concord Rangers both drawing.
For the first time since I have been presenting Phoenix Sport, we had reporters covering a total of three matches.
Andy Gardener was at the Isthmian North game across the car park from our studios, and popped in and both half and full-time to tell us all about Brentwood Town’s 1-1 draw at with Canvey Island at the Brentwood Centre Arena.
We also had Leigh Bailey at Basildon United. He kept us up to date with their 2-2 draw at home to AFC Sudbury – also in the – Isthmian North – and his written summary of the match can be seen here.
A number of local sides were involved in FA Vase Second Qualifying Round ties, and Scott Lanza reported on one of those for us as he described Ilford’s clash with Benfleet, where the home side narrowly won a penalty shoot-out to go through after the sides had contested a 1-1 draw.
But the sporting performance of the day undoubtably came from Iga Swiatek.
The 19 year old Polish tennis player – ranked 54th in the world when she arrived in Paris to compete in the French Open – scored a stunning victory over fourth seed Sofia Kenin of the USA to take the womens’ title in straight sets.
Here is this week’s show playlist:
Michael Jackson - Beat It Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love Matt Johnson - Sunshine Laurel - Scream Drive Faster Johnny Nash - Hold Me Tight Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now Johnny Hates Jazz - New Day Ahead New Order - Be A Rebel Scott McWatt - Gimme All Your Love Booker Newberry III - Love Town Andy Bell - Love Comes In Waves Spandau Ballet - To Cut A Long Story Short Katy Perry - Smile Mojo Slide - Not In My Name Bon Jovi - Do What You Can John Lennon - Watching The Wheels Oscar Lang - Apple Juice Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music Godley & Creme - Wedding Bells Loose Ends - Hangin' On A String Amy Macdonald - The Hudson Travis feat Susanna Hoffs - The Only Thing Earth Wind & Fire - After the Love Has Gone Blanks - Favourite Nightmare Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book Paul Weller - Village Brothers Johnson - Stomp
