Great Wakering Rovers ride cup relief amid league struggles
Stretched across three competitions in a matter of days, Great Wakering Rovers are still searching for traction in the Essex Senior League. Sitting 18th after five games, Marcus Bowers's side went to Barking to face Romford on Saturday and looked out of the contest by half-time, Harrison Day scoring twice to put the hosts 2-0 up at Mayesbrook Park. Bowers made four changes at the interval, and the reshaped side responded: Shaun Gittleson pulled one back on 61 minutes with a strike from outside the box, and Harry Talbot levelled seven minutes later with a shot across goal and in at the far post. Reece Conway even had a chance to win it in the final minute, but the game finished 2-2, leaving Rovers with three points from six league outings.
The draw followed a tense Essex Senior Cup second-round tie against Dunmow Town, settled on penalties after Brandy Makuendi's early goal was cancelled out by Daniel Jones. George Marsh saved two spot-kicks in the shootout before Harrison Chatting converted the decisive penalty to send Rovers through 4-3, a match the club noted marked Bowers's 100th win in charge, with a record of 100 wins, 20 draws and 38 defeats from 158 games.
The cup exertions came in a week of recruitment for Bowers, who brought in defenders Liam Hayes and Kye Jude and striker Erti Sylejmani, the latter arriving from Hackney Wick having previously scored against Rovers in the Essex Senior Cup.
Away from the men's first team, the Rovers ladies claimed their first win of the season, coming from behind to beat Great Bradford Reserves 4-2 in front of 57 supporters, Emelia Beevers scoring a hat-trick and Aimee Stratton adding a fourth late on.
