After a few pre season friendlies all of which provided very good runs outs with goals a plenty, Towns first league game took place in a hailstorm on a Wednesday evening in August with the visitors, Manford Way. On the day we were beaten 3-1 in just about as bad a conditions as I can ever remember playing in. There was then a 10 day break without a game before Town travelled to M & B Club and come away with their first 3 points of the season with a decent 2-0 win. We then had to wait 3 long and frustrating weeks for another game, which was against Westhamians, when Town looked decidedly ring rusty and were soundly beaten 3-1 by a team who by now were well into their stride and much more match fit.
So a very frustrating start to the season as its very difficult to get any momentum going when you have to wait so long between games and of course its virtually impossible to get a friendly once the season has started.
So it was October before we started getting regular games and straight away there was a noticeable improvement in performance’s and we won 5 and 3 drew of the next 8 games remaining unbeaten until the 11th December when we were beaten 2-1 by Harold Wood in the Essex Premier Cup. Included in this decent run was the most amazing game of the season against Manford Way in the Senior Division Cup when Town were 4-1 down with 11 minutes of normal time left and went on to win 7-6 after extra time (that’ll bring the crowds back). There was also the best performance of the season when Town went to table topping, and unbeaten at the time, Frenford Senior and beat them 4-1 with a magnificent display of attacking football. Town followed this up the week after with a very good performance against the eventual league champions Kelvedon Hatch and were cruelly denied all 3 points when Hatch equalised late on in the game with the most glaring and obvious offside goal of the season. To be fair, and in the interest of unbiased reporting, Town played Hatch a few weeks later and after an even first half were played off the park for most of the second but ended up winning 1-0. After the Harold Wood reversal, Town embarked on another very decent run of results winning 7 of the next 12 games to, at one stage, be sitting fourth in the league, heady stuff indeed. Unfortunately after the home win against Galleywood in the first week in April, due to injuries, suspensions and holidays Town struggled to get 11 players together for the rest of the season let alone anything near its strongest side and results suffered and they ended up winning just one of their last seven league matches, one of which we had to concede as we couldn’t raise a team, to end up a disappointing eighth when with just a few more points we could have ended up in the top 4 which I personally feel is more representative of the teams capabilities.

So in summary I would say the team has moved forward and improved this year and on its day is as good as any in this league but it’s a bit of a shame we fell away at the end for the reasons already stated. However, as usual with this great bunch of lads it was all very enjoyable.

However, all this was soured by the news that we would be relegated next season as we don’t have showers in our dressing room; Just how ridiculously stupid is that? it beggars belief and I wonder how may clubs across the country at our level will suffer as a result of this hair brained idea by some pillock at the FA who probably hasn’t kicked a ball in his life. Anyway we will take it on the chin and spend next season trying to win the league and raising enough money to get the necessary showers installed.

Early signs are that the vast majority of the players will stick with us despite the relegation which is must say is a heart warming response so it’s “game on” for next season. The only two we will be losing are Brez who, perfectly understandably, has decided that to drive back and forth from Brixton every Saturday is just too much, and Lodgey who’s job is taking him to Amsterdam (what is he going to find to do there?????) My thanks go to all the players for their efforts this season, have a good rest, and see you soon for pre-season (well a beer anyway)

Top scorer this season was Niki Love with 16 goals in 23 games and my manager’s player of the year award this season goes to Nicky Evans, “Evvo” who in my opinion is amongst, if not is, the best midfield player in the league.

El Col