Ocean Pacific & North East Lions - Peter May Sports Centre

Ocean Pacific FC

North East Lions FC

135 Wadham Road

Walthamstow

London 

E17 4HR

Ocean Pacific EAL Page

Ocean Pacific Instagram

North East Lions EAL Page

North East Lions Twitter

Ground Number: 1512

Saturday 10th January 2026
Ocean Pacific 6-2 North East Lions
Essex Alliance Premier Division West

OCEAN PACIFIC & NORTH EAST LIONS - A BRIEF HISTORY

Although both teams use the same venue, Ocean Pacific was designated as the home team for this fixture. They were established in 2020 and are connected to the Ocean Pacific Shipping Line freight company, who are based in Dagenham. They started in Sunday League Football and joined the Essex Alliance League Division 1 in 2023, finishing 4th in their debut season. They earned promotion at the end of last season after finishing as runners-up to Condor and took their place in the Premier Division West for this season. North East Lions were also formed in 2020. They joined the Essex Alliance League upon formation and have been in their second tier (step 8) ever since. Their best finish came in 2023 when they finished 4th in Premier West.

The clubs are both based in Walthamstow at the Peter May Sports Centre. The ground is named after cricketer Peter Barker Howard May CBE (31 December 1929 – 27 December 1994), who played for Surrey County Cricket Club, Cambridge University and England as an amateur. He was described as a "tall and handsome with a batting style that was close to classical, and... the hero of a generation of schoolboys" and by Wisden as a "schoolboy prodigy" who went on to become "one of England’s finest batsmen". He was made a CBE in 1981 and posthumously inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. The London Playing Fields Foundation acquired this ground in 1991 and transformed it into our flagship site thanks to funding from the Peter May Memorial Appeal and the Sports Lottery. In addition to its range of sports pitches, the ground features an indoor cricket hall, health and fitness studios, and changing rooms, all managed by Better. The state-of-the-art 3G surface has pitch markings for 11v11, 9v9 and 7v7 football.

MY VISIT

It was a fairly easy journey back across London on Saturday evening. I was back at Amersham just after 7.20 and had fifteen minutes to wait for the bus home. In the meantime, I got a bag of crisps and caught up on Twitter. As expected, many games bit the dust, but examples like Altrincham, where the game was cancelled six minutes before kickoff, showed a total lack of respect for the fans. I was back home shortly after 8 and had a couple of drinks before bed, nothing crazy, as I had caned it on New Year's Day and hoped to have a few with the Wycombe game tomorrow. I got a reasonable night's sleep and woke before my alarm. The forecast said - 6, but it was reading - 2 on my car. Even so, I had to stop on the way to work to scrape ice off, despite it being clear when I set off. It was a busy day at work, but a productive one. I often find a hard day's work therapeutic after a good day off. The second half was a grueller, full of customers and their families, but I got out pretty soon after 1. I drove home, dumped the car, had lunch and a pint before my lift arrived. This was not my usual pre-match, but I had a can on the way to the ground, having paid a fairly reasonable £25 for my Wycombe Wanderers v AFC Wimbledon ticket.

There was news on the radio that Hull City v Watford had been called off fifteen minutes before kickoff, a disgrace, and fans were treated like shit once again. Wycombe, meanwhile, eased to a happy 2-0 win on a chilly day, and it certainly didn't feel like a Sunday. It warmed up on my walk home, although the streets were still super icy and I had to watch my footing. I stopped at Spoons for a Big Cheese Christmas Burger and an Irn-Bru beer for £7.42. After another pint, I walked home and had another drink. It had been one of the unhealthiest starts to a year, but great fun, and it felt like three out of four days of the new year had been Saturdays. I was looking forward to a week of detoxing and woke well before my work alarm on Monday. Work was easy at first, but then the masses came in; it appears as if many are still off for Christmas & New Year. Tuesday was my day off, and I took my usual walk to town and back. As expected, my proposed revisit to Horley Town was off, though I'd long ago decided on a night in. Wednesday was far harder than expected, and the evening brought little inspiration about where to go on Saturday. Thursday was another busy one, but I did finally decide that Ryan FC would be my destination on Saturday. The severity of the weather in some parts was indicated by the fact that Oldham Athletic & Chesterfield had already called games off. It was great that they had made an early call to save fans from wasting time and giving them a chance to make alternative plans.

This game was only decided at the last minute. I had known about a 4 pm game near my first all week, but had dismissed it in favour of a post-match pub crawl. However, the suggestion would not go away. I was reminded of it via a post on the non-league matters when I got on the bus in the morning. However, it was not until I got to the second Wetherspoons that I decided to go ahead with it. It became apparent that my mate River would be heading back up north earlier than expected, and so that reduced my enjoyment of the potential post-match libations. I had already procured a couple of bottles of cider at Tesco before the game, but had consumed them during the first game. Needing to stock up, I got Irn Bru, Samosa, Cake and Cherry Wine. The latter was fantastic. It was not a bad walk to the ground, around fifteen minutes in all, during which I listened to BBC Five Live. There were a few other hoppers there, including some who had opted for the same double as me.

 

Post-match, Ocean Pacific were 5th in the league, having won seven and lost six of their games. In their last game, they won 4-3 at Onyx. North East Lions were 7th and had won five, drawn one and lost eight. They last played on 20th December, winning 4-2 at London Cranes. The game got going at 4.05, and Ocean Pacific took the lead five minutes in, finishing off the right-hand post. It was 1-1 two minutes later, an attack down the right on the break and a finish from Arthur Wright. The visitors took the lead on 10 minutes, Oskar Lukasz Plusa following up after the keeper parried. On 15 minutes, it was back level, 2-2, a shot from the edge of the area. 20 minutes in, it was 3-2 to Ocean Pacific on the break, with the defence nowhere to be seen. A minute later, the hosts had a goal disallowed after lobbing the keeper, but they made it 4-2 on 22 minutes with the keeper stranded. It was in danger of becoming a rout as Ocean Pacific missed two easy chances. They added two further goals in the second half, although near the end, North East Lions had a late rally and forced a few good saves from the keeper. Ocean Pacific's goals were credited to Carlos Solis (2), Eduin Saul Cruz Aguilar (2), Jossue Sierra & Darwin Gonzalo Orozco.

I left the ground just before 6 and had hoped to get a bus to the station. However, everything was out of action due to roadworks popping up all over the place, thanks to the generosity shown to utility companies. It was a sobering walk which put me back half an hour. Once I had got to King's Cross, there was a long wait for the train to Amersham, around 20 minutes. No mobile signal, of course, as this is Sadiq Khan's underground, which hasn't been modernised since 1995. Eventually, we got to civilisation, and I was able to sort out my pictures and edit my blog. It was up just before we got into Amersham, and I pressed share just as the doors opened. There was still this one, but I reckoned it would have to wait until the following afternoon. There was around 15 minutes wait for my bus, so I popped across to Tesco for a meal deal. A drink for now and food for the morning. I was back home by 9.15 and put a pizza in the oven. A final pint would see me reach stone-cold sobriety at 4.25 am. I could have done with another, but decided not to, with me having to drive soon after that. It did leave me in a pleasant mood, though, and I climbed into bed at 10.30. This blog would have to wait until the following afternoon due to a lack of prior research. I was glad to discover that I'd walked 10.5 miles across the course of the day.

THE GROUND

THE PETER MAY SPORTS CENTRE  is a decent 3G cage with a viewing area that has one and a half sides viewing area. There is no cover, and I am not sure what is in the sports centre itself. There is, however, a notable Harry Kane statue and mural outside the ground. There wasn't much nearby, and although it's 40 minutes walk from Walthamstow Underground station, the buses are a bit patchy at the moment due to roadworks.

Ryan FC - Wadham Lodge 3G

Ryan FC

Wadham Lodge 3G Pitch 

Wadham Lodge Sports Ground

Kitchener Rd

London 

E17 4LL

Official Website

EAL Page

Twitter

Ground Number: 1511

Saturday 10th January 2026

Ryan 3-2 Frenford Development

Essex Alliance Senior Division

RYAN FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

One of the more unusually named teams in football, Ryan FC were established in 1994. They were originally known as BEAUMONT FC, but club founder Richard Williams decided to rename the club RYAN FC after his newborn son in 1995. They started out in the Ilford & District League, a forerunner of the current Essex Alliance League. In their maiden season, they won promotion from Division 4 behind William Fitt before their name change. The success continued, and in 1996, they were Division 3 runners-up behind the same opponent as the previous season. They were Division 2 runners-up behind Border Rangers in 1997 and then made it a fourth successive promotion the following year behind Melbourne Sports Reserves in Division 1. They made no mistake this time and won the Premier Division in 1999 at the first time of asking. They would also win the title again in 2004, but the main achievements around this time were related to the growth of the club, with several sides added to allow participation by more players. Currently, they have around thirty teams representing ages from under 6 and up, both boys & girls.

The club would join forces with Wanstead Town FC sometime around the turn of the millennium and would operate teams under both names for a while. Under Wanstead Town, they joined the Essex Intermediate League Division Three in 1999 and won the title at the first attempt. Another promotion, following a 3rd place finish in Division, came in 2001 before the name disappeared altogether in 2003 and reverted to Ryan. This coincided with a tumble down the leagues, meaning they were back in Division 3 by 2004. The league changed its name to the Essex Olympian League the following year, and Ryan was placed in Division 2. The league was renamed Division 1 in 2008. The club struggled here and in 2011 was relegated to Division 2, where it would remain for a decade. The club operated an Under 23 team in the Essex Alliance League Division 2 during the 2021/22 season. After various youth partnerships with other local clubs, they joined the Essex Alliance Senior Division this season, at step 7 of the non-league pyramid. They officially took over the place of Walthamstow Reserves, who were long-standing members of the division.

The club is based in the Chingford and Waltham Forest areas, and the first team plays in the latter. They share the Wadham Lodge complex, which contains three pitches. The main stadium is used by Walthamstow and West Essex FC in higher divisions. The secondary stadium was used by Clapton CFC in their formative seasons and is used in this league in case of good weather. Kulture FC, who also play in the Essex Alliance top tier, also utilise this facility, as do some other teams in lower divisions. The ground is located in Walthamstow, a large town in East London or if you prefer, Essex. The population is just under 110,000. It is home to Europe's longest street market at two-thirds of a mile long. It is home to five railway stations - Walthamstow Central, Walthamstow Queens Road, Blackhorse Road, St James Street and Wood Street. Several bus routes pass through the area, too. The most famous people from the area are the boyband East 17, who take their name from the town's postcode. Other famous people from the town include politician and former Prime Minister Clement Atlee, footballer Fitz Hall and actress Daniella Westbrook. As well as football, there is also a cricket club in the town. There used to be a greyhound stadium in the area, but this closed in 2008. It also hosted speedway and stock car racing and is now a housing estate.

MY VISIT

With the big freeze continuing this weekend, a 3G pitch was always going to prevail. Even then, I had severely limited options. Neither of the four clubs in the two Middlesex League games provided social media updates, given the notoriously unreliable nature of the league. That just left two 3G cages with no viewing areas, but I guess in this weather, beggars can't be choosers. That said, fellow hopper PuffPuff got a choice of free food at Thamesmead Town Reserves in midweek, so that previous sentence might not be 100% true. That was one of two options and was probably the better of the two, as it had a raised platform outside of the cage. The food also looked excellent, and the clubhouse would be most welcome. However, it was way off course for all of the Wetherspoons that I needed in London. In a far better location, but with basic facilities, was Ryan FC v Frenford Development. That allowed two Spoons pre-match, although the 13:00 kickoff was a double-edged sword. It would mean a reduced time pre-match, but would at least give me a chance to go elsewhere if things went wrong. It would also mean I could do something post-match, too. I did consider something in a lower league with FC Marylebone having no first team Twitter, but the better ground and London Hibernian being in an area with more pre & post-match opportunities, but being another 3G cage with no viewing area. I do wonder about the wisdom of building such setups, but in leagues where it is all about participation, it is kind of understandable.

It was another hard day at work on Friday, and I was glad of the break. It would be a sober one for me as I'd had plenty on my usual non-drinking day of Sunday. It was an early night, though even with a three-hour lie-in, I still slept through til my 6.45 alarm. I got ready and had breakfast before leaving. My bus was on time but there appeared to be signalling issues around Harrow On The Hill affecting my train. I was able to get an earlier Chiltern Line train to try and get around the problem. There were still plenty of delays due to the problem not being fixed, but I got the Bakerloo to Picadilly and the Piccadilly to Southgate. This was delayed, but I was still on time to my first Spoons. I treated myself to some rail sale tickets, a £20 return to Exeter on Valentine's Day. The timings were not ideal and would mean a late night before an early work alarm, but at that price, it's a steal. I also pondered the possibility of a second game; there was one available ten minutes walk away with a 4 pm kickoff. It would depend on whether I could have some cans in place of a post-match pub crawl. Once in the pub, I ordered a Breakfast muffin, black pudding, an energy drink and Stowford Press for £5.68.  The New Crown Wetherspoons in Southgate was named after the historic Crown Inn, a long-standing pub on Chase Side that was demolished in the 1960s; the current pub stands on the site of the former Crown Parade. Wetherspoons chose the name to honour the original pub, reflecting their strategy of using existing buildings and preserving local history. The area has historical links to brewing and is associated with notable figures like Sir Thomas Lipton.

I left here around 10.30 and walked to the bus stop. I got straight on the W6 to Lower Edmonton and had the whole bus to myself due to the lack of demand. I changed buses at a random roundabout and, due to confusion over the route to the next bus stop, lost some time. A ten-minute wait in the cold is unwelcome. The bus turned up, delayed by a few minutes, and I got to Wetherspoons 471, The King's Ford in Chingford, 15 minutes behind schedule. A Korean burger meal with a bottle of Aspalls comes in at £6.94. The town reminds me of the Only Fools and Horses episode 'A Slow Bus To Chingford' where Delboy sets up Trotters Ethnic Tours. The name "Kings Ford" in Chingford refers to a historic ford over the River Lea, potentially used by Alfred the Great, linking to the area's "King's Ford" name origin. This history is embodied by landmarks like the historic King's Head pub, a centre for local law and meetings since the 18th century, and the Tudor-era Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, highlighting Chingford's royal and rural past as a gateway to Epping Forest. A relaxed meal and drink means that I leave late, but I will still make the kickoff. That was the plan anyway, but with the road packed solid, I jog to the ground. Or at least the wrong side of it as Google Maps expects me to walk through houses. I get to the ground at 1.05 and am glad to follow the Ryan players into the pitch area. Luckily, the game got going at 1.15. 

Ryan were just outside of the relegation zone in 12th place and had won six and lost eleven of their games so far. In their last game, they lost 3-0 to Greengate District. Frenford Development were a place below but had played three games fewer. They'd won three, drawn four and lost seven of their games so far. They had not played since 19th December, when they played today's opponents on their own patch with Ryan triumphing 3-2 in the Fenton Cup 3rd Round. Frenford enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. But the quality was severely lacking, as is often the case in the Essex Alliance. Lots of effort, but little inspiration. It was no shock to be 0-0 at halftime. Ryan had the better attack, though, and in the second half, which kicked off at 2.20, they hit the left-hand post. They finally scored on 55 minutes, a right-sided attack turned home. On 67 minutes, it was 1-1, a high swinging cross was headed home at the back post following a raid down the right. The visitors then took the lead, a good through ball and a punt into the top corner with around ten minutes remaining. The second half had delivered some good football. Straight away, Ryan equalised, #11 arrowing a low shot into the bottom corner for 2-2. Ryan went 3-2 ahead on 87 minutes. The keeper was absent, but they still managed to hit the right-hand post of an open goal. The ball was put back in, and with the glovesman rushing back from assisting the attack, he could only watch as the ball was blasted into the net. That was the full-time score, eventually providing great entertainment after a dull first half. 

THE GROUND

WADHAM LODGE 3G is a rather basic venue, just a 3G pitch with no official viewing area. However, there is limited space for people to stand around the pitch. There is also the main stadium bar, which is decent and a good off-licence and a corner shop nearby. Walthamstow station is 40 minutes walk away. 

Dagenham United - Robert Clack Lesiure Centre

Dagenham United FC

Robert Clack Leisure Centre

Gosfield Road

Dagenham 

RM8 1DN

Official Website

EAL Page

Twitter

Ground Number: 1510

Saturday 3rd January 2026

Dagenham United 1-2 FC Petrocub

Essex Alliance Senior Division

DAGENHAM UNITED FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established as early as 1961, but was mainly a youth side. Today, they have around 25 teams of varying ages and genders. Their men's side joined the Essex Olympian League Division 5 in 2015. This sits at step 12 of non-league football or tier 16 of the overall English football system. After three seasons, Dagenham United were promoted after a 5th-place finish. The following season, they finished 3rd behind Corinthians & Epping Town and were promoted again. They started the 2019/20 season in Division 3 but resigned mid-season, even before the pandemic took hold. The following season, they were admitted into the Essex Alliance League Division 2 (step 9) and were promoted after finishing 4th. Due to a rebrand, they were placed in the Premier Division and secured another promotion following a 4th place finish. One season was spent in the Step 7 Senior Division, but a 15th-place finish resulted in relegation. Another rebranding saw the club placed in the Premier Division East, where they spent two seasons before finishing as runners-up to Greengate District and winning promotion back to the Senior Division for this season.

The game was being played at the Robert Clack Leisure Centre. There is an adjacent school which opened in 1955 and was named after the former Mayor of the borough of Dagenham, who died in 1953. Robert James Daniel Clack was born in 1901 in Bromley-by-Bow. He worked as a railwayman before becoming involved in local politics. From 1931 to 1934, he was an officer in the Bow branch of the National Union of Railwaymen and in 1933, he was President of the Dagenham Trades and Labour Council. The following year, he was chairman of the Dagenham Ward Labour Party and was elected to Dagenham Council. Dagenham was then an urban district council, but became a Borough Council in 1938. Robert lived with his wife and family on Moss Road, in Dagenham, and was appointed mayor of the borough in 1940. He was so popular that he was elected to a second term, until 1942. He was known as a fighter for social justice, someone who cared passionately about the people of Dagenham and worked tirelessly to secure better outcomes for them.

MY VISIT

With the weather being very dodgy at this time of year, I was keen to avoid excessive travel and wasted journeys. Additionally, the football calendar is disrupted at this time of year due to Christmas and the New Year, resulting in a bit less choice than usual. The biggest enemy did indeed look to be the weather, with the temperature not predicted to get above 5 degrees for the next fortnight or so. Nothing unusual at this time of year normally, but we've had very mild weather for some weeks now. Before I learned of the big freeze, my first choice was Harold Hill, but after I became aware of it, I was leaning towards Shenfield. That all changed on Wednesday when I received the Football Traveller. Dagenham United was closer to my original destination than Shenfield was. The game kicked off at 3 as opposed to 2, so I would be setting off later, but also getting back later.

After I arrived home from South Wales on Boxing Day, I had a couple of pints before bed. I'd been intending on staying sober, but needed something to help me relax. I still got an early night though, and work up around my usual work time. I was delighted that my last game of the year would cost me just £1 thanks to a brilliant festive offer from Penn & Tylers Green for their game against Rising Ballers Kensington. It had been a boozy and calorie-filled Christmas period, and this was no different. I did get a lengthy walk in, though, as I went to High Wycombe for lunch beforehand. Inevitably, I ended up in Wetherspoons, trying the chicken and stuffing wrap, chips and Irn Bru beer for a touch over £9. A £1.99 pint of Stowford Press, a 90-minute walk and a can of Strongbow later, I was at Penn. They led 1-0 after 15 seconds and led 4-1 at halftime, the latest goal resulting from some very suspect goalkeeping. A cracking strike from RB Kensington made it 4-2, and ten minutes from time, a feisty scrap saw two players sent off, slightly harsh, but the referee handled it very well. It ended 5-2 in a great game, and then I headed home to see visiting family. Twelve and a half miles later, it was good to catch up with people, even though I had to watch myself drink-wise for the early morning start. It was a quiet time at work, with people having stocked up in advance of Christmas.

I find it a very boring time of year with too much time to kill and a lack of choice for midweek football. This gives the week a really weird feel, as you are not in your usual routine. Having Wycombe home games on Friday, Thursday and Sunday didn't help. My usual Tuesday off saw me walk 9.5 miles to town and back and get the ingredients to cook a Thai Green chicken curry, which I made in the afternoon. There were no Tuesday night games that I fancied going to, so it was a night in for me. I awoke to the start of the big freeze, but had taken the precaution of covering my car the previous night. It was an easy day, but a dull afternoon and evening. Having had loads of booze over Christmas, it was to be a sober New Year's Eve, which I think was also the case last year. I had a good night's sleep, albeit briefly woken up by fireworks at midnight. The following morning saw me playing some retro games on my recently purchased laptop - ISS 98 on the PlayStation was still as good as it ever was, Sega Worldwide Soccer had aged badly, perhaps due to emulation issues.

It was the usual walk for the Wycombe Wanderers v Cardiff City game. Bad news was on the agenda with Bristol City recalling Sam Bell, who had been excellent this season. My expectations went from a possible win to a probable defeat with that news. Wanting to keep costs down and being peckish, I headed for Wetherspoons, where a pint of Stowford Press and some chicken wings were less than a fiver. There were plenty of Cardiff fans in there enjoying the great value, though, as ever in Wycombe, no Black Dragon. The wings were as superb as ever, but I'd be eating again later. It was a pint of Old Rosie for £5.50 at my usual Rose and Crown, which was excellent as ever, but couldn't compete with Spoons, price-wise. As the pizza place was not displaying its usual collection deal, I opted for a Samosa and chips from the chippy nearest the ground, as a lot of places were closed. A questionable lineup from Wycombe hardly gave me confidence. Rather predictably, we struggled and went a goal down in five minutes before losing our captain. But we regrouped, Cardiff, running scared and bringing their whole team back for a free kick led to chaos in the box and a Caolan Boyd-Munce equaliser. The rest of the game was fairly level, Cardiff perhaps edging it, but the draw was a fair result. I decided to walk home, back to Wetherspoons for a repeat order. By the time I'd stopped at Tesco for a drink, I had walked fifteen miles all told. I got home just in time to watch Corrie with my Mum and in time for a decent night's sleep before work in the morning.

A couple more drinks before I got to bed at 9.30. So much for any New Year's resolutions about drinking less or eating healthier, which would benefit me greatly. I made sure I was fine for driving though, and felt fresh as a daisy when I awoke naturally at 3.30. A hard day's work was what I needed, and a hard day's work was what I got, with it beinge the busiest day since before Christmas. There was heavy snow on the way to work, but by the afternoon, it had melted away. It was a relaxed afternoon and evening at home, feeling nothing like a Friday. I got an early night and woke naturally at 6 am. I got ready and had breakfast before leaving at 8.30. It was - 2 outside, and the ground was obviously frozen. The bus was on time, though and nice and warm. I could have driven to the station, but wasn't 100% sure how the day would go with regard to pubs, so I decided to play it safe. Despite the mercury reading zero, it appeared as if everything was thawing out as we got nearer London. The Metropolitan took me all the way to Liverpool Street where I changed onto the noticeably colder Central Line. I got off at Leytonstone, and it was just under ten minutes to my first stop.

 

The Walnut Tree was Wetherspoons 468. Situated on the High Road, once part of the main Epping-to-London route, this pub is named after the area’s oldest-surviving building. Walnut Tree House, later known as Essex Hall, is a timber-framed building dating from c1500. It was built on the site of the old manor house and, subsequently, much altered. When it was leased in 1813, the new occupier was required to preserve the large walnut tree in the garden. Leytonstone also had a great football ground, Granleigh Road, up until the late 70s or early 80s. Leytonstone were one of the many clubs that would eventually go on to make the present-day Dagenham & Redbridge FC. It was also the location for a 1998 Coronation Street storyline when Toyah ran away from home. It was a great pub with a cracking range of cider. First up was a Sheppys Orchard Dew, Energy Drink and Breakfast Muffin for £6.23. I decided to make that pint last until I could get my second as part of a meal deal. Next up, Margherita Pizza with a pint of Black Dragon for £6.52. I knew how to play the game. The Cider was £3.24 by itself.

Following this rather excellent example of a Wetherspoons, I was still amazingly on schedule for my original plan, despite getting an extra meal and drink. It was still very nippy as I walked back to the station and got the 12.10 to Hainault. Everything appeared to have defrosted by now, but I've had games called off in far 'warmer' temperatures. After the bus ride and a short walk, I was at The Colley Rowe Inn. This was poor compared to the previous Spoons, but wings and a pint for under a fiver and good service made up for the limited range. Sadly, Collier Row's ground, once home to a Kunt and the Gang concert, had been turned into a landfill. This pub takes its name from the Middle English word ‘colier’, meaning charcoal burner. Colliers had inhabited the area since the earliest times. The last recorded collier was in 1570. Aside from Terry in the 1970s sitcom 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads', of course. The bus deposited me five minutes away. I was surprised to see hoppers Laurence and Chris there, as they were on their third choice of game due to the weather. There were a few other hoppers there, too.

 

Dagenham United sat bottom of the table and had won two, drawn two and lost eleven of their games so far. They had gone over two months without a win, and last time out, they lost 3-1 at London Harts United. FC Petrocub were 6th and had won nine and lost seven of their games so far. They were on mixed form, but a fortnight ago, they beat Ongar Town 3-0. Dagenham started the brightest, then Petrocub had a spell, but both were wasteful with finishing. 22 were in attendance, and following an injury, the Petrocub sub came on and finished from a few yards out on 38 minutes. The game lacked quality and was quite turgid. On 86 minutes, a left-sided free kick was put in and the Dagenham United #4 headed home from ten yards out. Petrocub scored a late winner in injury time, sloppy from the hosts allowed #10 a quick low finish on the break. The game dragged on until 5.10 before Laurence kindly gave me a lift to Newbury Park underground station, where I got this blog. From my other games, I missed a postponement at Harold Hill but also a cracker in Shenfield 6-7 Bishops Stortford Swifts.

 

THE GROUND 

ROBERT CLACK LEISURE CENTRE is a basic 3G cage with a reasonably sized viewing area. No dugouts or cover and the only facilities food and drink wise are vending machines. Parking is plentiful, plus there are plenty of buses linking to various underground stations.