Essex Olympian League

League Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 3rd October 2020

Kick Off 14.15. On Time !

Epping Town 3 Old Chelmsfordians 1, attendance 52

21’ 1-0

40’ 1-1

85’ 2-1

87’ 3-1

@ Epping Upper Clapton R.U.F.C.

Uplands Road

Thornwood Common

CM16 6NL

No Admission

Programme, 4 pages, for donation.

I had seen Epping (minus Town at that time) lose 0-1 versus White Notley in an Essex Olympian League Division 1 match back on 28th April 2007, when they played at Stonards Hill Recreation Ground in Epping. This season they have moved a couple of miles north to the village of Thornwood Common, playing on a pitch at Epping Upper Clapton Rugby Union ground. They had played their first two home games here on the middle of three parallel pitches that run widthways away from the clubhouse, but today they used the ‘main’ pitch, nearest the building, which according to the Rugby Chairman, would be where they will now play until February, by which time the rugby teams should be back playing matches. Despite the modern looking clubhouse, the ground has been hosting rugby since 1933.

With so much rain over the last couple of days, it was nice to see an early tweet from the club stating that today’s game was going ahead without problems. I knew there was cover of sorts here, just in case it rained, although the forecast was saying it would remain dry from lunchtime onwards, which it did.

Epping are in Division 2, with Old Chelmsfordians playing in the division above, so it was the perfect ingredient for a cup tie. Epping scored first, but OC levelled through an own goal five minutes before halftime. The second half remained in the balance until the final five minutes. A cross from the right wasn’t cleared and the ball was swept in to put Epping back in front, then two minutes later the win was confirmed when the ball was cut in from the left hand side and a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box beat the ‘keeper at the foot of the near post.