The Southend Wednesday League is currently celebrating its 95th season, but officials fear that one of the longest-established soccer competitions in the area may not survive to celebrate its centenary.

The recent withdrawal of Basildon Post Office means that the Wednesday League is down to just seven clubs - the "absolute minimum to run a decent competition" according to fixture secretary Alan Watkins.

There was more bad news for the League when they were only able to field one of the four scheduled quarter-final ties in their top knockout competition - the Lamkin Cup.

With the Basildon Post Office withdrawal leaving Southend Police to go straight through to the semis, Chemico cried off against Grays Police due to shortage of players and Basildon Police suffered the same fate against Southend Postmen.

It all left Rayleigh Lodgers as the only actual winners on the day as they beat LTS Rail 4-0 after extra-time. Spence and White nabbed two apiece.

As Basildon Post Office had failed to complete 75 per cent of their games, their League record has been expunged.

The League has been hit by further problems. Southend United who, as reported in Echosport some months ago, have decided to reduce the number of local cup finals played at Roots Hall, have cut the period available from two weeks to one.

Several competitions have been advised that they will not be able to have use of the ground and the Wednesday League's Senior Charity final is one of them.

Organisers are currently looking for a suitable purpose-built stadium to go ahead with the final.

Tomorrow's fixtures are all in the League with leaders Rayleigh Lodgers taking on Southend Postmen at Cupids Country Club.

This and the Chemico v LTS Rail battle, being played at the Ekco Ground, Southend, have 1.15pm starts.

The Police battle between Southend and Basildon, taking place at Eastwoodbury Lane, starts at 2.15pm.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.