The Southend Borough Combination programme was again decimated by the weather on Saturday with 19 games off, but two Essex Junior Trophy matches were played.

Cupids Country Club 2nd went to their Thorpe Athletic counterparts in an all Combination affair and won 3-1 thanks to two from Purvis and a third from Rickeberg.

In the area final they will now meet Southend District League Steelers, who got home 2-1 against White Ensign 3rd. The Steelers' goal scorers were L Evans and M Crouch, who got the winner three minutes from time. G Cops replied for Ensign.

St James Athletic, with their Essex Junior Cup tie postponed, managed to rearrange a Premier Division game and were rewarded with a 3-1 win at Earls Hall in which J Morgan scored twice.

Earls Hall are second from bottom with the basement spot being occupied by Wakering, thrashed 5-0 at home by White Ensign, who are now flying the flag in joint top spot.

Aviation Traders, in danger of disbanding during the summer until a sport story by This Is Essex feeder paper The Echo found them some players just before the campaign, are recovering now from their slow start.

They beat Borough Rovers 3-1 with Hall, Oxley and Mead on target.

The only game in the Reserve Division saw Catholic move off bottom spot by beating Old Southendian by the odd goal in seven. Williams scored two for the winners with Tubbs' double not being quite enough for the Old Boys.

Only one match was lost in Division One. Southend Collegians are still struggling for form and lost 5-2 at Newton Hall, for whom Benson grabbed a hat-trick.

They are now second behind Sibar Sports, 5-3 away winners against Westcliff Amateur. Sibar did not find things easy, but fitted the bill eventually thanks to a Clark goal trio.

Collegians have now dropped to fourth with Thames Park overtaking them by bringing the curtain down on Little Theatre Club to the tune of 6-0. Roland got three and Irvine two.

Southend Rangers moved up a couple of places by sinking Old Ship with a Cranshaw goal, while Thorpe stay bottom after battling out a 5-5 draw with a Cupids team immediately above them. P McAnaw scored three for Cupids, with Wild's brace leading the way for Thorpe.

There was no change at the top of Division Two, but a reshuffle at the bottom. Leigh Town stay bottom, but Sibar Sports 2nd are only just above them after losing 3-1 to Shoebury OB, for whom Crow, D Kelly and Stacey netted.

Cupids 2nd and Monarchs Sports share the next places up as the latter lost 6-2 to Hamlet Court. Day provided the happiness for Hamlet, who moved up four places, with a brace.

BKS Sports moved up to third after a 2-2 draw with Customs.

In the only Division Four match to go ahead, World Aviation flew back into top spot when a polished Johnson twin strike enabled them to beat bottom club Old Southendian 3rd 2-1.

Flying high - Aviation Traders (striped shirts) beat Borough Rovers 3-1 in the Southend Borough Combination Premier Division

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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