The Round-Up
Sunday 28th April
Essex Women’s Premier Division
Painted an exciting title run in possible in both the Premier Division & Division One in the county in last weeks edition of The Round-Up, after this Sunday’s results it all changes with Division One settled (more on that below) and the readjusted Premier Division table seeing Leigh Ramblers Ladies now needing just a point from their remaining two matches to become champions.
Beginning with Leigh Ramblers they were playing the first of two potential tricky games against 3rd placed Collier Row Tigers this Sunday. Home advantage for Leigh Ramblers, Collier Row Tigers needed to win to keep alive any chance of chasing down top spot the gap 8 points going into the match. Leigh Ramblers holding a narrow 1-0 advantage at half-time going on to strike the ball into the back of the net twice more 2nd half to win the game 3-0 with Rebecca Dalgarno scoring a brace taking her onto 15 goals for the season along with a goal for Emily Diwell. Leigh Ramblers guaranteed 2nd at the very least 11 of their squad still U18.
Frontiers Ladies, 2nd in the Premier Division table seeing their own title hopes gone after they suffered defeat away at home this Sunday to Southend United Ladies. The visitors holding a 1-0 lead going into the half-time interval. That goal proving the difference as both sides fought to draw the 2nd period 2-2 meaning Southend claimed all 3 points courtesy of a 3-2 win and with 3 games left to play are now 3 points back from 4th placed Collier Row Tigers their run in seeing them taking on 3 of the top 4 including Collier Row Tigers in the last game of the season for both. Lauren Johnson with a brace for Southend along with Emily Pert on target for her 17th goal of the season. Frontiers with one game left to play now 4 points behind Leigh Ramblers their 2nd half goals scored by Sharon Ferguson and Charley Sandford.
Harlow Town Ladies Development climb back up into 3rd spot in the Premier Division table, maximum points now from their final 3 games can see them catch Leigh Ramblers currently on 36 points on goal difference, a huge ask, runners-up spot too on with the gap to 2nd placed Frontiers 5 points with 2 games in hand and one of there last 3 games at home to Frontiers. Still alot to play for. All set up this Sunday with a big home win against Chelmsford City Ladies. Top scorers for Harlow doing the damage Hannah Smith and Ellie Nicholls, the latter scoring a hat-trick to see her go to 21 goals for the season. Smith going one better scoring 4 goals in the match 33 goals for the season now from just 16 appearances. Harlow winning the game 7-2, Shannon Kelly and Georgia Sleep scoring for Chelmsford.
Essex Women’s Division One
Billericay Town Ladies Reserves are the Champions! Winning the Essex Women’s Division One title in their final game of the season a strong performance away to fellow title chasers Rayleigh Town Ladies on Sunday. Top of the table on goal difference over Dagenham & Redbridge Ladies going into the game a win would see Billericay assured top spot. A win for Rayleigh Town however would see a 3 way tie at the top on 48 points with a game left for Rayleigh to clinch the title themselves. As it was Billericay got the job done both sides scoring plenty of goals this season 242 between them going into the game Billericay scoring 4 more to end the season with 131 goals scored and keep Rayleigh at bay up the other end to clinch the title with a 4-0 victory to go 3 points clear. Rayleigh can still clinch runners-up spot with a win away to Leigh Ramblers Ladies Reserves in their final game of the season.
Hutton Ladies Reserves having secured a 4th placed finish in Division One were away to bottom side Island Ladies this Sunday. A brace each from Danielle Hindley and Rachael Agombar and a goal for Giulia Francesconi seeing Hutton win the game 5-0. Have two games left to play can’t catch 3rd but could close the gap to just 2 points and in doing so lay down a marker for next season.