The Round-Up

Sunday 8th September

Essex Women’s Premier Division

There will be eight sides competing in the Essex Women’s Premier Division this season. Leigh Ramblers Ladies winning the title last season promoted to the ERWFL. Harlow Town Ladies no longer fielding a Development side. Promoted are Billericay Town Ladies, then as the Reserves side but now a 3rd Development side has been created to play in this league. Rayleigh Town Ladies promoted as runners-up. Other sides strengthening tough to predict who will emerge as a title contender certainly 4 of those eight are capable.

Two of those meeting on the opening day as Frontiers Ladies played hosted to Chelmsford City Ladies. A close contest goalless at the break the 3 points settled by a single goal, Abigail Woolvin finding the back of the net in the 57th minute enough to seal the win for Chelmsford City.

Evading the tackle, action from Frontiers Ladies v Chelmsford City Ladies (photo credit Ian Kendle)

Plenty of goals scored elsewhere in the Premier Division on the opening day Collier Row Tigers a long established side at this level at home to newcomers Billericay Town Ladies Development scoring big on the opening day recording a 9-1 win to top the table after the first round of matches. No info on goalscorers. Rebecca Gallagher though opening her account for Billericay in what was a consolation goal.

Silver End United Ladies have made a signing of note bringing in striker Toni-Anne Wayne will be a huge asset for any squad at this level and so proved the case for Silver End as they played host to Beacon Hill Rovers Ladies on the opening day. Wayne opening the scoring midway through the 1st half, further goals from Lindsey Cowell and Jessica Mills seeing the hosts into a 3-0 half-time lead. Wayne netting her 2nd soon after the restart. Sarah Jolly scoring to make it 5-0 on 64 minutes. Wayne going on to score a 3rd to complete an opening day hat-trick with 10 minutes left.

Another high scoring encounter on the opening day saw newly promoted Rayleigh Town Ladies hosting Southend United Ladies. The visitors getting off to a great start going on to lead the game 3-0. Ria Toovey putting them into the lead a penalty converted by Lili Halliday making it 2-0 a great strike from Grace Hill on her debut adding a 3rd goal. Rayleigh Town are a side with plenty of goals in them Isabelle Wallings alone scoring 50 last season. The hosts getting it back to 3-2 their 2nd a penalty before Hill struck again at the end of the first half to see Southend hold a 4-2 advantage. A great comeback from Rayleigh though as they scored twice more in the 2nd half to pull it back to 4-4 and see the points shared. Wallings captaining the side opening her account with a goal, Holly Gash who netted 23 goals last season scoring a brace, with Louise Lawrence also on the scoresheet for her 1st goal for the club.

Essex Women’s Division One

Nine sides contesting Essex Women’s Division One this season. Bowers & Pitsea Ladies Development and Tigers Ladies new to the league. Corringham Cosmos Women dropping down from the Premier Division whilst Belhus Ladies become Aveley Ladies. Eight sides in action on the opening weekend with plenty of goals scored. 

  Will start with Bowers & Pitsea Ladies Development newly created as their 1st team are promoted to the ERWFL Premier Division began with an away trip to play Chelmsford City Ladies Reserves. Bowers & Pitsea getting off to a great start with 2 early goals, Georgina Beeson firing the visitors into the lead on 8 minutes, Rebecca Kemp scoring soon after from a corner. A 3rd goal coming from a free-kick awarded on the edge of the area Kelsey Young striking the crossbar, Kemp their on the follow up to score her 2nd. Constance Keeling introduced to the action put through on goal to score and see Bowers & Pitsea 4-0 to the good at the break. Within a minute of the restart it was 5-0 with Beeson netting her 2nd of the game. Gracei Robinson getting in on the goals to make it 6-0. Young getting a 7th goal. Chelmsford pulling a goal back with Tish Cleary on target. The hosts would concede further however in the dying stages of the game with Keeling getting her 2nd and a goal for Lily Wilding seeing the game won 9-1.

   Runwell Sports Ladies form fluctuated throughout last season and if they can find consistency this campaign will be amongst the front runners challenging at the top of the league. Could’ve have gotten off to a better start with a convincing win at home to newcomers Tigers Ladies. Leading 2-0 at half-time Runwell went on to dominate the 2nd half to add a further 6 goals to win 8-0. Ellouise Falconer opening her season with a hat-trick. Megan Marney finding the back of the net for 2 goals. Also opening their accounts were Joanne Attridge, Ashley Debnam and last season’s top scorer Aaryanna Simonelli.

  Another high scoring game was anything but one sided as Chigwell Ladies hosted Aveley Ladies on the opening day of the season. The pair sharing a 9 goal thriller. Two players scoring a brace for Chigwell, Jessica MacNab and Marie Gamage one from the penalty spot. It wasn’t enough to see them take anything from the game as their opponents found the back of their net for 5 goals. Bethany Murray on target for 2 goals for Aveley there was also a hat-trick on the opening day and Aveley’s first ever competitive match for Amara Drummond.

  Corringham Cosmos Women back in Division One getting their season off to a positive start at home as they recorded a 2-0 win over Leigh Ramblers Ladies Reserves.