The Round-Up
Sunday 5th January
Essex Premier Division
Four matches to start the New Year across the two divisions in Essex. A strong 1st half to the season for Collier Row Tigers in the Essex Women’s Premier Division unbeaten winning all but one of their 9 league games to date to end 2019 3 points clear of Silver End United Ladies in 2nd. Scoring plenty of goals too Collier Row Tigers began 2020 where they left off in 2019 recording a large home win to collect another 3 points at home to Southend United Ladies on Sunday. Racing into a 5-0 lead at half-time in control of the game Collier Row Tigers went on t add a further 4 goals without reply in the 2nd half to win the match 9-0. Laura Bunton always amongst the goals well out in front as top scorer for the club hit a hat-trick to celebrate the first game of 2020 taking her tally to 33 for the season. There was also a brace each for Roseanne Shafier now with 14 for the season and Emma Harrison on 8 goals. Ammarah Ali and Sarah Finch with her first goal of the season also on the scoresheet.
Plenty of goals too in the other game played in the Essex Women’s Premier Division at the weekend with Rayleigh Town Ladies and Chelmsford City ladies sharing a 7 goal thriller. Rayleigh Town newly promoted to the Premier Division this season finding life tough at a higher level winning just one match in first half of the season. A series of postponed matches wiping out their fixture list in December Rayleigh were finally back in action starting 2020 at home to Chelmsford in 4th the visitors results up and down in the first half of the season. Errors from Chelmsford seeing Rayleigh capitalise to get themselves into a 3-1 lead at half-time and despite a spirited fightback from Chelmsford in the 2nd period scoring 2 more goals, Rayleigh found the back of the net for one more goal to clinch a 4-3 result and just their 2nd win of the season. Isabelle Wallings scoring plenty of goals last season moving into double figures this campaign striking home a hat-trick for Rayleigh with Louise Lawrence also getting a goal. A brace for Chelmsford’s Georgia James with Shannon Kelly also scoring both moving onto 5 goals for the season.
Essex Women’s Division One
A couple of matches called off in Essex Women’s Division One at the weekend saw 2 games played. Runwell Sports Ladies consolidating their 2nd placed position as they won away from home to early pace setters Aveley Ladies on Sunday. Now 5 points clear of Aveley after recording a 4-1 win to start 2020. Runwell Sports 7th league win of the season coming courtesy of a brace each for Ashley Debnam taking her into double figures for the season and 2 for Karen Whitmarsh her first goals of the season. Hayley Knott with the Aveley goal.
That result good news for Bowers & Pitsea Ladies new Development side as they climb above Aveley into 3rd position on goal difference in Essex Women’s Division One. Finding a bit of form towards the end of 2019 after a poor run of results Bowers & Pitsea got 2020 off to a great start winning at home to another in form side Chigwell Ladies at the weekend. Top scorer Ellie Jones coming off the bench in the 30th minute firing in a brace to give her 8 goals for the season Bowers & Pitsea 2-0, Chigwell with an immediate response Victoria Parker pulling it back to 2-1 That the scoreline going into the 2nd half Bowers & Pitsea battled to keep their narrow lead the 3 points made save in the final minute with a screamer from Kirstie Jackson to see the hosts win the game 3-1.