Clapton Community's 3-0 win over Great Wakering Rovers anchors Essex Senior League week

A crowd of more than a thousand at the Old Spotted Dog Ground led the Essex Senior League action this weekend. Great Wakering Rovers said "well over a thousand" backed Clapton Community on Saturday, calling it "a fantastic turnout at step 5", and the hosts rewarded them with a 3-0 win.

Julian Austin and Andre Odeku scored before half-time, and Okwute Izuchukwu added a third ten minutes into the second half. Rovers' report said Marcus Bowers' side were fortunate not to be further behind, with George Marsh making several saves in the first half. Odeku's goal came after a mix-up following a pass back. Late on, Adam Sidky hooked a Riley Scopes effort off the line. Rovers dropped to 17th and travel to National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge in the third round of the Essex Senior Cup on Tuesday 13 October. Clapton CFC noted that Odeku now has three goals in three games.

At Rosemary Lane, Halstead Town honoured their nineties side on Saturday and beat Barking 4-1. Kane Gilbert, Jamie Eveleigh, who scored twice, and George Frodsham got the goals, and Halstead's report said Jack Cherry saved a late penalty from Sonny Dutton. Barking had been aiming for a fifth successive league win, and the club also announced that manager Chris Edwards and U23s manager were September Manager of the Month award winners. Halstead's midweek game, a 3-3 draw with Romford, had brought a hat-trick of sorts of its own: Romford led 2-0 through Jaxon Brown and Kian Cocking, were pegged back, and Cocking levelled in the 81st minute.

Romford then beat SOUL Tower Hamlets 3-0 for their first home league win of the season. The visitors had two players sent off, Kieran James after 21 minutes and Dion Lewis-Kirwan in the 66th, and Brown scored the resulting penalty. Debutant Jack Zielinski and Matt Blake added the others, lifting Boro to 12th.

Elsewhere, Basildon United recorded a 2-0 victory at Hackney Wick courtesy of Spiros Lagopodis's penalty and a Kevin Zie header. Woodford Town won by the same scoreline at Benfleet, as did Heybridge Swifts at White Ensign thanks to a Callum Boylan brace, while Hullbridge Sports ran out 5-0 winners over Sporting Bengal United. Ilford won 1-0, according to the club's full-time message.