Southend and Benfleet 1s travel to face Havering this week in a top of the table clash. The match was nearly lost before it began due to road closures and traffic delays but S&B made it with minutes to spare. The visitors started well with some early pressure that lead to Ashlie Colman leaping her way onto the scoreboard. Havering would came back hard and fast though to level the score not even ten minutes into the game, telling everyone on the pitch that this was going to be a well matched game. The fraught start continued as Nicola Bryant, who was having a blinder of a game, went off with an injury soon after Havering levelled, leaving S&B struggling to reorganise in the wake of the Havering assaults. Sarah Conway and Kirsty Edmunds stormed the home sides defensive D several times but were unable to find the back of the goal. Havering had many short corners awarded to them throughout the game but great defending by Captain Rachel Jeffery and Stacy Chandler kept Havering from taking the lead before half time.

On the restart it was still anyone’s game. Strikes from either team were few and far between as both teams battled for dominance time and again in midfield. Soon though, Havering would break through into S&B's defensive D and be awarded short corner after short corner until a thunderous strike would take the score to 2-1 to Havering. S&B still had time though and would keep calm and launch their own offensives whilst Nicola Coleman stood strong for S&B’s defence to block off the advancing Havering offensive. S&B goalie and player of the match Lisa Hawkins made some keen saves throughout the match to keep the Seasiders in the game but, despite some late pressure on the Havering goal, S&B were unable to find the backboard before the final whistle blew and Havering took the win.

Next week sees the final game of the season as they host Wapping 3s at home and look to finish the season on a win. Sadly the result against Havering means that S&B cannot catch up second place Old Loughts, so will finish in third, with promotion unlikely. It has still be a fantastic season for the side who have proved that they are more than a match for Essex Premier division.