Essex Senior League

Friday 5th November 2021

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Woodford Town 1 Little Oakley 2, attendance 242 (official)

27’ 0-1

33’ 1-1

66’ 1-2

@ Ashton Stadium

598 Chigwell Road

Woodford Green

IG8 8AA

£7 Admission

£2 Programme, 24 pages.

I came to a friendly at Ashton Playing Fields (a 2-2 draw between Epping Town and Jolof Sports), which is behind the stadium pitch, back on 1st August 2020, which was the first day back for non-League football following the first COVID-19 shutdown. I walked across the pitch in the middle of the athletics track and couldn’t believe how poor a state it was in and it is remarkable how good it looked tonight. The only addition here since then is the kit stand, which is set back and too low to give a decent view. It is particularly bad here though, as apart from the 8 lane track, there are also the long/triple jump pits to look across as well.

It was hard to enjoy the match, as you are too far away from the action and it feels like you’re not really a part of it and it doesn’t help that you can’t really hear the shout of the players. There is no atmosphere, unless you count the annoying gaggle with a drum, who took over one end of the stand. It was interesting to see on Twitter that they were hoping to get a 500 crowd tonight! They actually announced there were 242 there, but there were no more than 180 present.

Little Oakley went in front just before the half hour mark, with a lob over the ‘keeper from well outside the box. Woodford levelled six minutes later with an effort into the bottom corner from twenty yards. The winner came for the visitors midway through the second half, the player cutting in from the left before shooting low into the bottom corner.