COLCHESTER & DISTRICT YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIXTURES / RESULTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY 3-2-08

Match Reports are at the foot of this page. Any incorrect results / Goal scorers -Please contact the age group fixture secretary.

Under 8s Longman blues League

Gt.Bentley blues 2 Cornard Dynamos blues 0 ( L French H Broomfield )(-)( 27/01/08 )

Colchester Ath blues 1 Tempest blues 1 ( H Mansell )( B Collen )

Holland FC blues 1 Colchester Villa blues 0 ( J Eastman )(-)

Cornard Dynamos blues 4 Wivenhoe Youth blues 0 ( D Wilson 3 K Fuller )(-)

Oyster Youth blues 3 Stanway Rovers blues 5 ( R Mahon 2 H Elms )( F Northover 3 M Grimes O Mehmet )

Clacton Utd blues 0 Lawford Juniors blues 2 (-)( O Leddings G Sykes )

Long Melford blues 0 Brightlingsea Regents blues 2 (-)( H Durling 2 )

Under 8s Longman reds League

Gt.Bentley reds 1 Cornard Dynamos reds 1 ( H Beardsell )( T Gore ) ( 27/01/08 )

Colchester Ath reds 0 Tempest reds 0 (-)(-)

Holland FC reds 1 Colchester Villa reds 0 ( T Collis )(-)

Cornard Dynamos reds 4 Wivenhoe Youth reds 1 ( M Lange 2 L Gawne T Gore )( R Waine )

Oyster Youth reds 0 Stanway Rovers reds 11 (-)( R Fosker 3 R Taylor 2 J Barlow 2 H Miller H Hill T Codanjou L King )

Clacton Utd reds 4 Lawford Juniors reds 1 ( S Flanders 2 C Dodd T Bird )( R Brindle )

Long Melford reds 4 Brightlingsea Regents reds 0 ( S Nixon 2 J Sansford B Gartland )(-)

Under 8s Gurney League

Gt.Bradfords 1 Lexden Saints 1 ( O Grey )( A Atkinson )

Elmden Rovers 0 FC Clacton 2 (-)( A Hartlet J Mulqueen )

Clare Town Lions 0 Marks Tey 6 (-)( J Young 3 T Cobbold 2 L Long )

Stanway Villa 1 Rowhedge Juniors 1 ( E Black )( B McCorory )

Feering Falcons 3 Boxford Rovers 1 ( J Stevens J Lock & 1.O.G.)( M Hassan )

Under 9sAndrews blues League

Colchester Ath blues 0 Wivenhoe Youth blues 2 (-)( H Murphy-Whymark

Cornard Dynamos blues 0 Frinton & Walton blues 1 (-)( W Davidson )

Brightlingsea Regents blues P Long Melford blues P

Stanway Rovers blues 2 Feering Falcons blues 0 ( Z Johnson 2 )(-)

FC Clacton 3 Lawford Juniors blues 0 ( C Jordan M Chesney K Parkes )(-)

Under 9s Andrews reds League

Colchester Ath reds 0 Wivenhoe Youth reds 1 (-)( W Lei-Rooney )

Cornard Dynamos reds 3 Frinton & Walton reds 1 ( T Baker T Beer J Palmer )( J Lake )

Brightlingsea Regents reds 0 Long Melford reds 7 (-)( a Crawley-Smart 4 T Gibson 3 )

Stanway Rovers reds 6 Feering Falcon reds 1 ( L Feavour 4 C Poulton T Stevens )( J Townsend )

FC Clacton reds 3 Lawford Juniors reds 2 ( J O’Brain J Harvey F Sanchez )( J Duchars 2 )

Under 9s Weller League east

Brooklands 2 Reed Hall 0 ( T Nydam L Kavanagh )(-)

Colchester Villa 1 Lexden Saints 6 ( M Hunter )( S Holland 2 L Keating 2 C Davison G Barron )

Rowhedge Juniors 1 Stanway Villa 0 ( S Ager )(-)

Gt.Bentley 1 Oyster Youth 0 ( H Dorling )(-)

Under 9s Weller League west

Gt.Bradfords 3 Boxford Rovers 1 ( K Scott E Killin W Chutteur )( O Abbott )

AFC Sudbury 0 Bures Utd 5 (-)( B Bevisbuchanan 2 T Mitchell B Welch & 1O.G. )

Hedingham Hawks 3 Feering Falcons yellows 0 ( C Gilbert 3 )(-)

Halstead Town 3 Marks Tey 1 ( L Gill J Walker M Alwin )( C Hanks )

Under 10s Weller blues League

Cornard Dynamos blues 1 Stanway Villa blues 0 ( J Roberts )(-)

Halstead Town blues 1 Long Melford blues 2 ( J Knight )( T French H Taylor )

Gt.Bradfords blues 2 AFC Sudbury blues 3 ( R Baker S Smith )( E Garland P Cooper L O’Mara )

Lexden Saints blues 0 Colchester Ath blues 1 (-)( E Mann )

Stanway Rovers blues 3 Brooklands blues 1 ( C Lacin 2 R Slack )( J Purser )

Under 10s Weller reds League

Cornard Dynamos reds 0 Stanway Villa reds 2 (-)( G Strutt J Hood )

Halstead Town reds 5 Long Melford reds 0 ( D Day 2 J Crane 2 J Bender )(-)

Gt.Bradfords reds 1 AFC Sudbury reds 6 ( R Gilbert )( L Kindell 3 S Hunt D Parrott J Cowley )

Lexden Saints reds 2 Colchester Ath reds 1 ( B Disney M Foley )( J Feemster )

Stanway Rovers reds 1 Brooklands reds 1 ( M Watling )( C Cowdrey )

Under 10s Andrews blues League

Holland FC blues 2 Little Oakley blues 2 ( ? )( ? )

Lawford Juniors blues 4 Frinton & Walton blues 1 ( D Broughton H Eyers A Debenham R Wood )( R Bazitis )

Brightlingsea Regents blues 1 Colchester Villa blues 5 ( R Cox )( J Fisher-Ryall K Ayling J Hoggarth )

Clacton Utd blues 1 Tempest blues 3 ( C Simson )( W House 2 S Tester )

Under 10s Andrews reds League

Holland FC 3 Little Oakley reds 1 ( E Turner G Johnson L Tulley )( I Smith )

Lawford Juniors reds 1 Frinton & Walton reds 1 ( J Hood )( R Scotcher )

Brightlingsea Regents reds 0 Colchester Villa reds 3 (-)( J Hawes 2 G Sleigh )

Clacton Utd reds 0 Tempest reds 3 (-)( M Cutter 2 C Elvy )

Under 10s Goldsmith League

Team Player Youth 8 Lexden Saints yellows 0 ( H Kemp 2 G Lamb 2 J North 2 L Csaford R Harrison )(-)

FC Clacton 5 Elmden Rovers 5 ( C Miller 2 L Cullen 2 T Kangendu )( R Maclennan 4 R Lewis )

Stanway Rovers yellows 4 Gt.Bentley 0 ( R Freak 3 C Pettitt )(-)

Holland FC yellows 2 Lawford Juniors yellows 0 ( J Scott M Needham )

Under 10s Newman League

Boadicea Dynamos 2 St.Edmunds 1 ( S Stephen J Carley )( K Probyn )

Bures Utd 1 Feering Falcons 1 ( H Scott )( L Ward )

Hedingham Hawks 1 Witham Nomads 1 ( B James )( L Williams )

Oyster Youth 1 Earls Colne 2 ( T Crossley )( T Colville R Heaney )

Under 11’s A League

Stanway Villa 0 Stanway Rovers Blues 3 (-) (?)

Halstead Town Reds 2 Rowhedge Juniors 6 (C Poole, D James) (B Ager, J Cowie, G Green, C Murphy 2, OG)

Halstead Town Blues 3 Harwich and Parkeston 3 (B Randle, M Waight 2) (D Fletcher, C Boyne, A Gravener)

Under 11’s B League

Long Melford 8 Cornard Dynamos Blues 0 (G Day 3, H Liskus 3, S Bayliss, T Wingfield) (-)

Wivenhoe Youth Blues 16 Team Player Youth 0 (C Usher 4, D Read 4, L Harrison 3, J Diggens 3, B Light, A Lowe) (-)

FC Clacton 3 Stanway Rovers Yellows 1 (C Gibbs, C Morgan, J Baja) (J Bacon)

Earls Colne 0 Colchester Athletic Blues 9 (-) (H Johnson, L Challis 4, D Cook 3, D Mattack)

Under 11’s C League

Wivenhoe Youth Reds 1 Colchester Villa Blues 5 (?) (A Martin, J Wheatstone 2, J Savori, J Stallwood)

Holland Reds 0 Clacton United Blues 2 (-) (?)

Colchester Villa Reds 0 Great Bradfords 1 (-) (B Cawson)

Cornard Dynamos Reds 2 Frinton and Walton Reds 3 (J Henry 2) (M Payne 2, K Strange)

Under 11’s D League

Brooklands 5 Boxford Rovers 1 (D Sim 2, W Gregory, J Ellis, OG) (B Abbott)

Halstead Town Yellows 3 Brightlingsea Regents 4 (?) (B Butcher 2, J Bees 2)

Tempest 2 Feering Flacons 3 (L Richardson, B Whitcombe) (D Whittle, B Catchpole, G Chapel)

Oyster Youth 6 Bures United 0 (E Spurgeon 3, D Lovell, S Lee) (-)

Lexden Saints 13 Clacton United Reds 0 (D Hudson 8, F Coe, J Saunders 2, G Townrow, J Allston)

Under 12’s A League

FC Clacton Blues 0 Colchester Villa 1 (-) (R Lambert)

Stanway Villa 2 Lexden Saints Blues 0 (T Kemp, J Knuckey) (-)

Coggeshall Town 1 Halstead Town Blues 1 (L Green) (T Cleary)

Lawford Junior Blues 3 Brightlingsea Regents Blues 4 (S Brown, A Punchard, J Steed) (R Bevis 2, A Pawsey, B Turner)

Under 12’s B League

Harwich & Parkeston 1 Halstead Town Reds 1 (C Marvin) (?)

Long Melford Reds 0 Stanway Rovers 1 (-) (C Brice)

Boxford Rovers 1 Tempest 5 (J Young) (J Chester, W Foley, T Peek, J Undrill, A Wojtkiw)

Heybridge Youth 3 Earls Colne 1 (J Ansell, R Harte, T Jobson) (J Burrage)

Boadicea Dynamos 1 Frinton & Walton Blues 3 (S Goodyear) (J Charles 2, J Martin)

Under 12’s C League

Frinton & Walton Reds 4 FC Clacton Reds 1 (S Fletcher, S Gregg, H King, C Lewarne) (T Rose)

St Edmunds 5 Reed Hall Sentinels 3 (J Cox, J Gregory, D Hoyciechowski, C Makin, H Mitchell) (C Edwards 3)

Cornard Dynamos Blues 2 Great Bradfords 4 (T Cooper, C Holmes) (R Addison 2, A Northcote, B Turner)

Colchester Athletic Blues 3 Lawford Junior Reds 2 (D Keeble 3) (J Vanhinsbergh, J Wilkins)

Wivenhoe Youth 5 Lexden Saints Reds 3 (L Webb 2, S Ally, E Bullard, A Fairclough) (L Dove, T Halls, G Stephens)

Under 12’s D League

Brightlingsea Regents Reds 0 Bures United 5 (-) (D Livens 2, T White 2, R Carter)

Clare Town Lions 1 Layer Colts 2 (J Clarke) (L Stallan, OG)

Colchester Athletic Reds 7 The Crusaders 2 (D Wright 3, L Firmin, J Matthews, W Parker-Wilson, W Sainsbury) (C Bradley, E Farthing)

Clacton United 3 Alresford Colne Rangers 1 (S Flanders, N Garrard, J Powis) (M Davis)

AFC Sudbury Youth 13 Hedingham Hawks 0 (H Payne 4, B New 4, S Goodwin 3, M Weavers 2) (-)

Team Player Youth 12 Cornard Dynamos Reds 0 (D Scanu 4, B Smith 4, M James 2, R Irving, J Richardson) (-)

Under 13s SCC Semi Finals

Cornard Dynamos Blues 1 St Johns Youth 3 (S Willis) (not given)

Under 13s League Cup 3

Little Oakley 2 Heybridge Youth 5 (J Crosby H Cranfield) (J Lambert 3 J Ivory W Harrison)

Under 13s A League

Stanway Rovers 2 FC Clacton 2 (A Smith 2) (L Condon 2)

Lexden Saints 2 Brooklands 2 (B Coe C Davison) (B Ellis A Morris)

Frinton & Walton 3 Boxford Rovers 0 (M Dowling 2 B Ward Cockran) (-)

Under 13s B League

Notley Youth 6 Boadicea Dynamos 1 (J Evans 2 K Smith 2 T Brown K Thurell) (A Roley)

Tempest Blues 2 Clacton United Reds 3 (B Cosgrove C Pash) (B Austin 2 C Russell)

Lawford Juniors 7 Colchester Athletic 0 (not given) (-)

St Edmunds Reds 10 Great Bradfords 2 (A Barrell 2 A Potter 2 Z Smith D Porter J Plaine R Whittle 2 T Clarke) (not given)

Clacton United Blues 0 Stanway Villa Blues 7 (-) (not given)

Under 13s C League

Brightlingsea Regent 1 Earls Colne 7 (J Wood) (A Baker 3 A Green 3 A Smith)

Halstead Town Blues 0 Wivenhoe Youth 4 (-) (L Short R Hart C Harding OG)

Tempest Reds 2 Feering Falcons 6 (S Comp 2) (A Barker 2 O Stid 3 S Wards)

Under 13s D League

Bergholt Heath 8 Clacton United Whites 0 (A Bartlett 3 C Drage 3 B Holness L Duffy) (-)

Clacton United Yellows 0 FC Clacton Reds 4 (-) (J Hazell 2 E Holden D Hirst)

Elmden Rovers 2 Rowhedge Juniors 1 (J Gregory L Hockley) (D Drage)

Colchester Villa 2 Hedingham Hawks 4 (not given) (not given)

Under 14s ECC ¼ Final

Lexden Saints Blues 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 2 (Garner 3) (?)

Under 14s A League

Cornard Dynamos 3 Little Oakley Blues 1 (D Gyon C Gyon T Float) (OG)

Stanway Villa 0 Brooklands 1 (-) (Jefferies)

Under 14s B League

Wivenhoe Youth 5 Tempest 1 (J Vaugh 2 C Axcell 2 T Bush) (J Thorndyke)

FC Clacton 2 Frinton & Walton 3 (L Manning R Danbury) (J Bruce J McGowan R Ball)

Community United 1 Bergolt Heath 2 (C Ellis) (A Tonsford J Hill)

Little Oakley Reds 1 Halstead Town 3 (R Young) (G Stewart B Andress B Amoss)

Feering Falcons 0 St Edmunds 2 (-) (D Lake S Bell)

Lexden Saints Reds 4 Brightlingsea Regent 7 (G Thompson 2 O McGarry R Evans) (B Russell 5 B Thingy S Close)

Under 14s C League

Colchester Athletic Reds 3 AFC Sudbury 0 (L English P Harris J Roberts) (-)

Clacton United Reds 5 Hedingham Hawks 1 (J Coult 2 B webb Z MakimiR Ivell) (not given)

Earls Colne 2 Bures United 1 (J Burnett J Morton) (O Tozer)

Marks Tey 5 Colchester Villa 1 (G Harbaman 3 J Young 2) (D Boge)

Holland FC 3 The Crusaders 1 (T Lazone L Hawkins J Harman) (not given)

Reed Hall Sentinals 1 Long Melford 0 (J Bradley) (-)

Under 15s COC CUP ROUND 2

Broomfield 7 Tempest 0 (B Hastings 3, T McGraw 3, N Rutter) (-)

Under 15s A League

Lexden Saints 3 Great Bradfords Blues 1 (L Keeble 2, S Johnston) (N Pitcher)

Brooklands 7 Boxford Rovers 2 (O Ramjan 3, C Smith 2, M Eason, J Mitchell) (J Bowman, C Wiffen)

Valley Green 1 Colchester Athletic 4 (J Ambrose) (K Gbaja 2, G Galloway, L Dell)

Little Oakley 1 Tiptree Minors 2 (C Bomando) (Clifford, Coles)

FC Clacton Blues 2 Halstead Town 3 (C Cullen, P Newlands) (P Preston 2, M Clark)

Under 15s B League

Boadicea Dynamos 6 Frinton & Walton 0 (G Savill 2, R Davidson 2, H Booth, M Scholfield) (-)

Reed Hall Sentinels 1 FC Clacton Reds 5 (C Blowers) (B Barn 3, J Wood, J Duffus)

Stanway Villa 4 Long Melford 0 (J Chevalier, B Wilkes 2, S Oguntoyinbo) (-)

Cornard Dynamos 3 Coggeshall Town 1 (T Peel 3) (M O’Connell)

FC Clacton Yellows 0 Lawford Juniors 3 (-) (R Cooper 2, M Allington)

Under 15s C League

Community United Yellows 0 Oyster Youth 5 (-) (B Scholes, J Scholes, N Capon, S Barker, K Matthew)

Brightlingsea Regents 2 Bocking Juniors 2 ( G Bryan 2) (L Diss, Z Podlesny)

Great Bradfords Yellows 3 Feering Falcons 2 (R Crosling, G Buckingham, J Bentley) (R Lamb, L Bragg)

FC Clacton Whites 2 Layer Colts 0 (A Lloyd, T Moore) (-)

The Crusaders 5 Community United Blues 1 (R Dewhurst, A Macfail, N Farthing 3) (A Lawrence)

Under 16’s A LEAGUE

Colchester Villa 4 Wivenhoe Youth Blues 2 (H Blanchett 2, R Keating, C Eaden) (R Pierson 2)

Great Bradfords 6 Frinton & Walton 1 (L Crosdale 3, C Frost 2, R Appleby) (J Bettany)

Boxford Rovers 1 Lexden Saints 1 (S Mayes) (N Stretch)

Witham Nomads 0 Harwich & Parkeston Blues 1 (-) (S Gow)

Under 16’s B LEAGUE

Harwich & Parkeston Reds 0 Stanway Villa 1 (-) ( A Perkins)

Boadicea Dynamos 1 Braintree town 3 ( J Philips) ( S Irvine 3)

Tempest P Notley Youth P (P/P)

Lawford Juniors Blues 0 Hedingham Hawks 0 (-) (-)

Brightlingsea Regent 0 Halstead Town Youth 2 (-) (J Root, C Andress)

Clacton United Blues 0 Wivenhoe Youth Reds 3 (-) (R Lorimer, J Albone, M Green)

Under 16’s C LEAGUE

Brooklands Reds 3 FC Clacton 5 ( M Disley 2, D Watts) ( G Barnard 2,A Loring, B Carter, D Griffiths)

Cornard Dynamos 3 Marks Tey 0 (J Ashby, K Pope, A Barham) (-)

Long Melford 1 Lawford Juniors Reds 3 (W Mills) (M Crouch 2, L Bedingfield)

Kelvedon Social 12 Clacton United Reds 0 (S Richardson 5, E Down 2, S Suckling, C Newman, C Randall, R Watson, T Norton) (-)

Under 18’s A League

Brightlingsea Regents 1 Clacton United 2 (J Gould) (J Conroy, M Taylor)

Heybridge Youth 2 Coggeshall Town 1 (A Bullock, A Syrett) (A Smith)

Stanway Villa 0 Great Bradfords Blues 2 (-) (J Coburn, J Robertson)

Harwich & Parkeston 1 Colchester Villa Blues 2 (S Kioussis) (D Denmead, N Taylor)

Marks Tey 1 Colchester Villa Reds 4 (J Sheriff) (J Kemble 2, L Walsh, M Wilks)

Under 18’s B League

Boadicea Dynamos 1 Wivenhoe Town 4 (A Pryke) (A Holloway 3, M Abdel-Kadir)

Feering Falcons 10 Clacton Valley 1 (J Howes 3, J McCracken 3, D Riley 3, P Barnes, T Camp) (J Livermore)

Hadleigh United 0 Tempest 1 (-) (T Needham)

Hedingham Hawks 0 Halstead Town 2 (-) (L Cunliffe, D Sakal)

Great Bradfords Reds 5 Coastal Rangers 0 (S Drake 2, H Pike, D Sorrow, L Wood)(-)

MATCH REPORTS

Under 10's Andrews league

The first game after the Christmas break was  a top of the league clash against  lt Oakley and Holland Under 10 blues FC.
On a cold and windy Sunday morning and playing a new formation, Lt Oakley started the game very slow, with Holland making all the play.Lt Oakley unable to clear the ball out of their half, Holland came forward with some great football.
Callum Mallett in goal for Lt Oakley made a string of outstanding saves and was unable to save an own goal after a whipping corner from Holland that found a Lt Oakley head and ended up in the back of the net. The start for Lt Oakley could not have been worse, with more and more pressure from Holland and Lt Oakley not playing their best football. The score line was kept to 2-0 at half time, with the best player for Lt Oakley being callium Mallett between the posts.
With a good talking to and some changers at half time Lt Oakley started to wake up.
Lt oakley started to press forward from the back with Matthew smith playing the holding role, making Adam Brown  move forward, with some good passing moves into the midfield. Now with the play going Lt Oakleys way Liam Clackets was in the right place to slot home the first goal for Lt Oakley. Jack Murray also came close to scoring on a number of occasions.
Liam Clacket added another goal, after a shot from Jack Murray hit the cross bar from outside the box. With the score line now even the game could have gone to any team.
With one last play of the game, Liam Clacket was one on one with the Holland keeper but just put the ball wide. With a game of two different half's for LT Oakley, they ended up coming away with a hard earned point.
Team Callum Mallett, Matthew Smith, Adam Brown, Jack Murray, Tyler Sullivan, Franky Selwyn, Nathan Southgate, Liam Clacket, Brandon Manning,
Man of the match Callium Mallett, Well Done Callium from the team

Under 14’s

County Cup Qtr Final

Lexden Saints Blues 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 2

The competition gets stiffer as you progress in this competition and with a strong hand from the Alliance league it is a good test indeed.

Dagenham & Redbridge were the visitors to Lexden for this quarter final of the county cup and they were a strong test with a number of players looking likely. Looking strong and dynamic in midfield with a mobile front line, the only department that was showing signs of frailty was the defence and Lexden took full advantage of that.

The conditions were not ideal with a strong wind at their faces for the first half but Lexden showed they were capable of withstanding the attacks that came at them. With the midfield working hard and trying to be creative, the front line was making the most of the uncertainty in the opponents’ back-line.

The game was a true contest with the cut and thrust of a competitive cup game, and not withstanding the fog-horn-leg-horn on the opposite side, was a good natured affair in the circumstances.

Lexden started with a 4-4-2 but quickly went to a 3-5-2 although “fluid” and started with a bang. Deasko Garner scored his first of a well deserved hat-trick after two minutes when he finished into the far corner across the keeper, who although getting a hand on it was unable to stop it going into the net. Good work by Luc Williams down the left and a dummy from Josh Harrison allowed Garner his opportunity from eight yards out.

At the other end, some exposure down the right was not entirely seized upon and the Saints defence was up to the task with Elliot Lamb, Lewis Bailey and Lewis Axcell holding the line and Ben Gallifant mopping up behind.

Dagenham pressed and stepped up a gear but couldn’t quite get onto the through ball as it went away with the wind. Their first effort was over the bar after fourteen minutes and they continued to press at every opportunity, but it was Lexden who were unlucky when Harrison was brought down in the box. The ball went forward under the challenge, suggesting a toe from Harrison before the impact, but the referee signalled for a goal-kick. This aberration was cancelled out in the second half when the visitors had a good shout for a penalty of their own, but that was also turned down.

In the twenty fourth minute Lexden made hay when Dagenham couldn’t clear their lines and the ball went through to Garner again. He took the ball past the keeper and from a tight angle under pressure from the defender tucked it away for 2-0.

In the thirty second minute a looped cross-shot by Aaron Boots came back off the upright and bar but was cleared by the grateful visitors.

The half continued with the ball going from end-to-end and the first half ended at 2-0, but you could sense that the next goal was going to be extremely important. Either the visitors would be virtually buried or they would have a good chance to pull it all back.

The kick-off for the second half was no more than a fading whistle when it was 2-1. Harrison was replaced by Alex Rutter and Dagenham came out with all guns blazing after an unusual pep-talk and took their chance. Lexden were caught out when they went to sleep from a corner on the right. The ball was clipped in and the Dagenham player rose unhindered to head into the top corner.

Garner went down the right and his clipped cross was almost met by Williams at the far post but it eluded him and rolled to safety. Within eight minutes of the restart they were pressing and playing at a higher tempo. Lexden were sucked into this and started to clear lines when they would have been better set taking an extra touch and passing. The ball all too often was coming back far too quickly and putting more pressure on the stretched Saints defence. They were showing commendable resilience though and were holding the line throughout.

Although not much between the teams it was increasingly a physical encounter and the visitors were looking dangerous down the exposed flanks with pace. Crosses were dealt with well though and again the midfield was working hard, but in a tight pack.

The breakthrough came to Lexden and it was 3-1 with four minutes left. A throw-in deep on the right from Ed Field was hooked on from the by-line by Jake Hughes. It arced over the near post defence and fell to the advancing feet of Garner. He controlled and picked his spot for his hat trick and surely that would clinch it.

Barely within a minute of the kick-off it was 3-2; a through ball from the middle of midfield fell to the feet of the Dagenham striker and he drew the Lexden keeper before slotting it to the side and into the net. This meant for a few hairy minutes but the game ended and the visitors trudged off beaten. An exciting game that tested many attributes of both teams but Lexden moved victorious into the semi-final for a no-doubt similar tight encounter.

Under 14's A Division

Cornard 3 Little Oakley Blues 1

Oakley's fine league run finally came to and end with this defeat at Cornard. Forced into changes through key players

absence Manager Gary Kioussis welcomed back Jordan Heath to the team and he made an excellent contribution. Again played

in strong winds on a sloping pitch Oakley would have hoped to have done better having had the majority of the possession but it

was Cornard who took the lead from a set piece, Oakley guilty of some slack marking. The second half started with Oakley in determined mood however Cornard scored against the run of play on the break and from there on Oakley were always chasing the game. Good efforts from Taylor , Weston and Roberts denied Oakley a goal but in truth they were not playing their passing football which has turned their season around to date. Another Cornard goal followed before Taylor forced a Cornard player to put through his own net. Oakley showed good spirit but the crisp passing football was absent, a chance to put that right this week when they entertain Cornard in the reverse fixture. Man of the match Taylor will hope his good work results in a Goal.

Under 14's  B Division

Little Oakley Reds 1 – 3 Halstead Town.

Oakley didn’t start well this week and couldn’t get their game going, resulting in conceding three times after twenty minuets. The last ten minuets though Oakley got going, and pulled one back with a Rob Young penalty. Halftime 1-3. In the second half Oakley kept it going with some fine passing moves, but the Halstead defence held on making it difficult to break them down, and the game now going from end to end. Sadly for Oakley the damage was done in the first half. Final score 1-3.

Man of the match Charlie Eldridge.

Under 18’s

Hedingham Hawks 0 Halstead Town 2

Sakal’s superb strike Saves Town

Halstead Town turned on the style in this local derby game with two second half goals on Sunday. The game was always going to be full of tough challenges and there were early bookings for both Halstead and Hedingham players. A large crowd attended the match and were always first to shout their disappointment with the decisions and tackles. The worst challenge came to the ref, as Hedingham had a corner he lost sight of the ball and it struck him on the back of the head, he went down and was forced to retire. After the game he did say he was okay though and we wish him a speedy recovery. One of the parents took the whistle and attempted to ref the remaining half.

James Murray was in fine form weaving in and out of players and winning a string of free kicks purely because of his pace. Halstead took the lead early in the second half through a goal from Dan Sakal, cutting inside on the edge of the box to strike a left footed shot into the opposing corner, the Halstead players went mad in celebration. After the goal Halstead began to show their quality and the passing was destroying the Hedingham outfit. Halstead were awarded a free kick in between the half way line and penalty spot, Lewis Cunliffe stepped up and sent a ball towards the penalty area, but the wind sent it into the back of the net to make it 2-0 will go down as a keeper calamity.

From then on it was all one way, Halstead maintained possession of the ball and a string of hard were thrown in by the Hedingham players and a few bust ups were seen by all except the stand in ref. Halstead Town’s back four were in fine form especially centre backs Lewis Cunliffe and Twiggy who didn’t let a ball get past them. Centre Midfielder David Ball was in fine form and got stuck into a few hard challenges and won most of his aerial battles.

The game ended 2-0 to Halstead and a well deserved win, against a very physical side.

 Goal Scores: Dan Sakal, Lewis Cunliffe