Leigh Ramblers v Old Southendian - Matchday eProgramme

4 - Welcome to Belfairs

Matchday notes

5 - Today's Opposition

Learn about Old Southendian

6 - Form Guide

Latest results for each side

7 - League Tables

The current standings for all our adult men ' s teams

10 - Last week's results

Results round-up for last week's fixtures

11 - Match Report: 1st Team

Report on our 2-0 defeat to Toby FC

14 - Race for the Golden Boot

Who is currently topping the list?

16 - Team Sheet Squad lists for each team

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CLUB DETAILS

GROUND KITS

Belfairs

CLUB OFFICIALS

President: Paul Cannon

Chairman: Matthew Southgate

Vice Chairman: Justin Mountstephen

Secretary: Richard Ackery

Treasurer: Gareth Ackery

Welcome, once again, to Belfairs Park for this afternoon's matches We extend a very warm welcome to our opponents and friends, Old Southendian, who make the short journey across Southend from Garon Park for today's game.

Old Southendian come to us in good form, having won their last three fixtures since the Christmas break and have scored 15 goals in the process. This includes a 4-1 victory here at Belfairs Park in the Senior League Cup and the Rams will be keen to ensure the outcome is not the same today.

Old Southendian is a club with whom Leigh Ramblers has had a long-standing friendly rivalry, having competed against each other for many years in the Southend Borough Combination and now, in the Olympian League Many strong friendships have been formed over the years and it will be a pleasure to see some familiar faces today

The Vets welcome Ravens Legends in the Essex Veterans League Division 4 East. In contrast with Old Southendian, as far as we can tell this is the first meeting between the sides and we look forward to a good, competitive game here today.

We wish the best of luck to the Reserves as they travel to Shenfield AFC Reserves, as they look to avenge the home defeat against them earlier in the season. And last but not least, good luck to our A Team as they try to progress to the semi-final of the Southend Charity Competition- Section B They'll have to overcome Borough Comb Premier Division side Pitsea Town, a team they'll be familiar with after several entertaining battles last season

COME ON YOU RAMS!

Saturday 11 February 2023

Leigh Ramblers v Shenfield AFC @ 14:00

Leigh Ramblers Vets v Runwell Sports @ 14:00

Saturday 18 February 2023

Leigh Ramblers Reserves v Catholic United Reserves @ 13:30

Leigh Ramblers A v HODS @ 14:00

Saturday 25 February 2023

Leigh Ramblers A v Santos @ 14:00

Today's Opposition

Old Southendian

Founded in 1900, Old Southendian is another of the oldest local clubs. Both founder members of the Southend Borough Combination, they have a long-standing history of competing against the Rams in that competition. There was however, a period of ten years when the sides did not meet in league competition after the Rams moved into the EOFL in 2002

Old Southendian joined the EOFL in 2010 and the sides met

Chairman: Nick Robins

Secretary: John Roy

Manager: Altan Ali Garon Park, Eastern Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 4FA

again for the first time in Senior Division 2 for the 2011/12 season Old Boys gained promotion that year, twice prevailing over the Rams during the course of the season The sides faced off again in Division 1 between 2014 & 2016 before being reunited in the Premier Division from 2018

Form Guide

28/01/2023 - EOFL Prem

2-0 Toby FC (A)

21/01/2023 - EOFL SLC

1-4 Old Southendian (H)

14/01/2023 - EOFL Prem

2-7 Bishop's Stortford Swifts (A)

07/01/2023 - EOFL Prem

1-0 Runwell Sports (H)

26/11/2022 - EOFL

3-0 Canning Town (H)

28/01/2023 - EOFL Prem

5-1 Kelvedon Hatch (H)

21/01/2023 - EOFL SLC

4-1 Leigh Ramblers (A)

07/01/2023 - EOFL Prem

6-0 Toby (H)

10/12/2022 - EOFL Prem

1-2 Rayleigh Town (H)

03/12/2022 - EOFL

1-0 Sungate (A)

WHISKY COCKTAIL BAR

League Tables

ProKit Essex Olympian League - Premier Division

ProKit Essex Olympian League - Division 4

Southend Borough & District Football Combination - Division One

Essex Veterans League - Division 4 East

Sceptre Sunday League - Division Two

1st Team Match Report

TOBY FC 2 - 0 LEIGH RAMBLERS

Saturday 28 January 2023

EOFL Premier Division

Report by Paul Cannon

After last weeks disappointing Cup exit the Rams were keen to get back to their League campaign where they started the day in 2nd place behind runaway leaders Hutton

Following a disappointing performance like last week it is all about how you respond, and this would certainly be a test as they went into this game without several first team regulars Missing from last week were experienced senior players Dylan & Jamie Skinner, Matt Brinklow, and a late withdrawal from Justin Hazell Additionally Manager Mark Hunter was himself missing after both himself and family members were all taken poorly so we wish them all a speedy recovery Therefore it was Nathan Dewberry taking the reins as he shuffled the pack in an effort to get the Rams back on track.

Rams went into the game as follows Once again in goal was central striker A.Webster and he was joined in the line-up by P Cannon, B Waiwaiku, B Firman, R Lowe, H Dacosta, O Reynolds, J Gardner, S Keys, T.Franks, S.Clarke. On the bench J.Lang, O.Jones, M Allum

The game was played on a very heavy pitch and it was the Rams that began the brighter of the two sides Scott Clarke leading the line had two early efforts on goal although he might have had greater reward if he had picked out his strike partner

J Gardner Pat Cannon put in a great early cross that saw Tom Franks collide with the home keeper as they both challenged for the ball simultaneously with the keeper narrowly coming out on top despite getting hurt in the process. Shortly after Gardner came extremely close with a curling effort before coming closer skill with an audacious piece of skill that saw him juggle the ball over a couple of defenders in an incredible tight space before having his effort from close range bundled away for a corner Rams were definitely in the ascendancy.

Young Owen Reynolds starting a game for the first time got really stuck into the midfield breaking up play and along with Gardner looking to spread the ball out wide to Cannon who delivered a series of great crosses At the back young Billy Firman in his more accustomed role as central defender alongside the experienced representative side Captain Ryan Lowe the Rams looked confident and comfortable

Unfortunately in this league you are normally punished for your mistakes and that was the case again this time Tom Franks who had already shown that he was a threat going forward received the ball just inside the Toby half he beat one player before turning inside where he was quickly met by another, as a third then entered the battle skipper Lowe made himself available for an easier option inside, however Franks failed to see him, was dispossessed and suddenly the break was on. Rams were out of position as players had already committed to what looked to be an extremely promising situation for themselves especially as Franks had occupied three opponents leaving space for the Rams elsewhere Losing the ball though quickly turned the tables, a well timed pass saw a Toby striker race clear one on one with keeper Webster The Rams stand in keeper did brilliantly, saving superbly at the feet of the striker however as the strikers knee collided with Websters head just above the eye, the ball was spilled and unfortunately fell to another Toby player who was able to fire home past the now covering defenders. The referee judged the contact as accidental even though Websters eye was clearly swelling and partially closed and the goal was given

Rams quickly conceded a second, a well taken goal just inside the far post At this point you suddenly worried that things could escalate badly for the Rams, especially when just a minute late Franks went down with a pulled hamstring On came Jake Lang wide on the left in his place. The Rams though came back strongly, time and again they surged forward, they forced a number of corners which were scrambled away and time and again set up opportunities however they lacked that final cutting edge and the robust presence of an out and out striker.

Webster pulled off a fantastic reflex save after Toby had made a great break down the Rams left before delivering a very good cross that was met first time Websters strong wrist saved the day and he was able to turn the ball over the bar

Whilst Rams pressured all the way up until the break they were unable to reduce the deficit The half time team talk from Dewberry insisted that there was still something to be had from this game although a couple of players had been below par and would need to show more desire in the second half.

The home side came out of the blocks quickly at the start of the second half and Webster had the palms of his hands warmed with a fierce shot that he turned away for a corner. DaCosta reverted to right back with Cannon moving into midfield and Rams quickly got back to holding the ascendancy Rams made additional changes first DaCosta for Oscar Jones and later the tiring Keys who has only just returned from injury for Matt Allum Cannon hit a powerful effort from distance that to the relief of the keeper also cleared the bar. Rams were the dominant side with greater mobility and this was causing a lot of problems for the home side, who made a succession of changes to try and halt the onslaught Some great balls through released Clarke on several occasions but he didn’t have the strength or speed to convert those opportunities against the greater physicality of the central defenders

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#STRONGERTOGETHER

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This week's other matches

TEAMS

LEIGH RAMBLERS

SHIRTS: BLUE/BLACK, SHORTS: BLACK, SOCKS: BLACK

EXACT MATCHDAY SQUAD & SHIRT NOS TBC

DYLAN SKINNER

PAT CANNON

BARV WAIWAIKU

SCOTT KEYS

RYAN LOWE

TOM FRANKS

BILLY FIRMAN

OWEN REYNOLDS

ANDREW WEBSTER

SCOTT CLARKE

CHIDO MUTSVAIRO

KEVIN MATTHEW

HARRY DACOSTA

GEORGE UNWIN

OSCAR JONES

Manager: Mark Hunter

OLD SOUTHENDIAN

SHIRTS: GREEN, SHORTS: BLACK, SOCKS: GREEN

EXACT MATCHDAY SQUAD & SHIRT NOS TBC

MITCHELL ALI

CONNOR BURROWS

NICK HENESY

PETER LOVEDAY

CALLUM LUDLAIM

NEIL MACLEAN

RUARI MCINTYRE

RYAN STILLWELL

OLIVER TATTON-BENNETT

BILLY TAYLOR

MATTIAS TONKING

NICOLAS DUBOUCHET

RONNIE LOVEGROVE

CHAY SAGGERS

ED GOULD

JAMES LIGHTON

EDWARD CAMM

Manager: Altan Ali

Referee: Billy Stevens

Assistant Referees: Nnaemeka Ukah & Daniel Ward