Back Row Linda, Dave, John, Geoff, Mick, Malcom, Gary
Front Row Mick, Ian, Gavin, Phil, Sue.
Paul Ketchley writes regarding the day and season.
First Alliance Walking Football season completes
The first season of the North Essex Alliance Walking Football League completed on Sunday 10th October at BrightlingseaRegent’s North Road ground.
Clacton Knights emerged as the runaway first champions and Foxash as the first runners up. At the other end Colchester United ITC fought it out with Clacton Knights 60s and managed to avoid dropping into the bottom spot.
The league has been organised on several local venues at which the eight participating clubs each play three 20 minutes matches against three opponents. Whilst there is a competitive league structure the matches also have a social side and several of the squads stayed on after Sunday’s tournament to take advantage of the Brightlingsea clubhouse.
The standard of play has improved noticeably over the season and best performance of the day must go to the Wivenhoe WFC team who took the lead against the unbeaten Clacton Knights side and then held on for a well deserved draw.
Brightlingsea Regent were looking to finish the season on a high after a disappointing last round at Clacton Academy where they had suffered two narrow 1-0 defeats and found themselves in fourth place.
Convincing wins against Halstead (3-0) and Wivenhoe (2-0) put them in striking distance of Rowhedge who were looking to retain third position. A tightly contested final match for third spot between the two rivals led to plenty of action but a combination of defensive heroics and some wayward finishing meant that neither side could gain any advantage and the match finished 0-0 which meant that the two sides finished level on points but with Rowhedge taking third spot on a superior goal difference.
The league organisers are looking at how to build on the first season, which started out as soon as the Covid restrictions allowed, and how to move forward into the 2022 season which will run over the spring and summer months next year. In the meantime there are thoughts on continuing with some smaller scale matches to keep up the momentum over the winter period.
