Essex Senior League

Southend Manor saw their hopes of moving into a challenging position in the Schweppes Essex Senior League table nosedive when they lost 4-2 at home to Burnham Ramblers on Monday.

With leaders Saffron Walden being held 2-2 at Sawbridgeworth, and second-placed Ilford losing 2-1 at home to Bowers United, a Manor victory would have seen the Southend-based side very well placed.

However, they were always up against it once their former player, Graeme Brown, became the first scorer of a Senior League goal this century when he netted with an eighth-minute header.

Top Manor marksman Ben Barnett beat Burnham goalkeeper Darren Clare with a superb long range lob a minute later, but efforts from Dean Francis and Benson Miyobe made it 3-1 to the visitors before the break.

Manor had assistant manager Dave Rolfe sent off for committing two bookable offences and the game finished with a penalty for each side.

Steve Dobson netted Burnham's and Barnett converted Manor's to go to the top of the League's scoring list on his own with 14.

Basildon United, with goals from Paul Baitrum and Darren Morrell, came back from a 2-1 deficit to draw 2-2 at home to lowly Leyton.

Bowers' success, which sees them with a great chance of taking over as the top local side in the League, came courtesy of a 26th-minute Matt Bolton goal and a 55th minute David Hope winner after CJ Emmanuel had equalised after 39 minutes.

Hullbridge Sports' East Anglian Cup tie with Maldon Town, due at Lower Road this evening, will now go ahead at the Jewson League side's ground.

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