Great Wakering Rovers vs Aveley FC
Essex Senior Cup 3rd Round
Tuesday 23rd October 2018 7.45pm
Burroughs Park
Great Wakering History
The club was formed in 1919 by soldiers demobbed after World War I and finding employment in the local brickfields.
They first played in one of Southend's oldest leagues, the Southend & District League, where the Rovers stayed until 1982. Rovers were one of the league’s most dominant clubs, especially in the 1960s and 1970s and to this day remain so on record. The switch in 1982 saw the club move to the newly formed Southend & District Alliance Football League, but sadly this league folded in 1989 leaving Rovers with a decision to move back to the Southend & District League or take a step up in standard.
With what most Rovers feel to be the best squad amassed by a manager, in this case Eddie Nash, Rovers took the decision to step up to intermediate level and joined the Essex Intermediate League.
Rovers remained in the Essex Intermediate League for three seasons, winning the championships of Divisions Three and Two in successive seasons. After the latter, Rovers successfully applied to join the Essex Senior League and found themselves in Step 5 of the Non-League pyramid, which for a village club was a tremendous feat.
In the 1994-1995 season Rovers narrowly beat Sawbridgeworth Town FC for the Essex Senior League title.
Rovers defence of the Essex Senior crown would falter the following season, finishing 2nd behind Romford. In the 1996-1997 season Rovers would also finish second again, behind Ford United by just three points.
The 1997-1998 season would be Rovers worst season in the Essex Senior League, finishing 7th, and 36 points behind winners Concord Rangers.
The club's final appearance in the Essex Senior League saw them finish 2nd behind Bowers United. However, due to Bowers United failing to meet ground grading requirements for promotion, Rovers were promoted to the Isthmian League in their place. With Isthmian League Division Three on the horizon for the 1999-2000 season, Rovers move into Step 4 of the league pyramid was complete.
At the very first attempt Rovers were promoted to Division Two finishing behind East Thurrock Utd by three points. Promotion to Division Two gave Rovers some stiffer opposition and the season finished with Rovers in mid-table.
In 2002 the Isthmian League then reorganised and Rovers found themselves in a new look Division One North, finishing mid-table but more than holding their own in what was a very competitive league.
For the 2006-2007 season Rovers found themselves in familiar territory, switching back to the Isthmian League Division One North, where we finished 12th. Two further seasons saw Rovers finish 13th and stabilise themselves as a Ryman League club.
2011/12 saw the team relegated to the ESL
In 2014, they won the ESL by one point on the final day of the season, and were promoted back to the Isthmian League.
2016/17 season was probably the most turbulent the club has ever experienced. Seeing two Chairman leaving their posts, together with two Managers also losing their jobs. In total 71 players were used in the fight against relegation without any success. They were finally relegated after two seasons at step 4 in the FA Pyramid returning to the Essex Senior League.
2017/18 They went on to win the league at the first attempt, earning promotion back to the renamed North Division of the Isthmian League.
The club was formed in 1919 by soldiers demobbed after World War I and finding employment in the local brickfields.
They first played in one of Southend's oldest leagues, the Southend & District League, where the Rovers stayed until 1982. Rovers were one of the league’s most dominant clubs, especially in the 1960s and 1970s and to this day remain so on record. The switch in 1982 saw the club move to the newly formed Southend & District Alliance Football League, but sadly this league folded in 1989 leaving Rovers with a decision to move back to the Southend & District League or take a step up in standard.
With what most Rovers feel to be the best squad amassed by a manager, in this case Eddie Nash, Rovers took the decision to step up to intermediate level and joined the Essex Intermediate League.
Rovers remained in the Essex Intermediate League for three seasons, winning the championships of Divisions Three and Two in successive seasons. After the latter, Rovers successfully applied to join the Essex Senior League and found themselves in Step 5 of the Non-League pyramid, which for a village club was a tremendous feat.
In the 1994-1995 season Rovers narrowly beat Sawbridgeworth Town FC for the Essex Senior League title.
Rovers defence of the Essex Senior crown would falter the following season, finishing 2nd behind Romford. In the 1996-1997 season Rovers would also finish second again, behind Ford United by just three points.
The 1997-1998 season would be Rovers worst season in the Essex Senior League, finishing 7th, and 36 points behind winners Concord Rangers.
The club's final appearance in the Essex Senior League saw them finish 2nd behind Bowers United. However, due to Bowers United failing to meet ground grading requirements for promotion, Rovers were promoted to the Isthmian League in their place. With Isthmian League Division Three on the horizon for the 1999-2000 season, Rovers move into Step 4 of the league pyramid was complete.
At the very first attempt Rovers were promoted to Division Two finishing behind East Thurrock Utd by three points. Promotion to Division Two gave Rovers some stiffer opposition and the season finished with Rovers in mid-table.
In 2002 the Isthmian League then reorganised and Rovers found themselves in a new look Division One North, finishing mid-table but more than holding their own in what was a very competitive league.
For the 2006-2007 season Rovers found themselves in familiar territory, switching back to the Isthmian League Division One North, where we finished 12th. Two further seasons saw Rovers finish 13th and stabilise themselves as a Ryman League club.
2011/12 saw the team relegated to the ESL
In 2014, they won the ESL by one point on the final day of the season, and were promoted back to the Isthmian League.
2016/17 season was probably the most turbulent the club has ever experienced. Seeing two Chairman leaving their posts, together with two Managers also losing their jobs. In total 71 players were used in the fight against relegation without any success. They were finally relegated after two seasons at step 4 in the FA Pyramid returning to the Essex Senior League.
2017/18 They went on to win the league at the first attempt, earning promotion back to the renamed North Division of the Isthmian League.
Journey
In a change to our normal routine Sam and Jean stayed at home in the warm whilst I grabbed a lift with Ryan to make the supposedly shortish journey (28 miles) to Burroughs Park.
Unfortunately the A127 was very slow going and the journey took about 75 mins - luckily we left in plenty of time and arrive at the ground around 7pm. We easily found a space in the car park (If it was for a weekend game this probably wouldn't be the case as the car park is relatively small) and headed over to the turnstiles.
I think we caught the staff unawares as they said they weren't yet open and we could wait in the bar - they obviously took pity on us with our crestfallen faces and decided to let us in anyway.
Ticket price was £10 which we felt was quite high for an Essex Senior Cup match and was expecting it to be nearer to a fiver, however we paid the gentleman on the gate and entered the ground.
A nice couple then sold us programmes and 50/50 tickets (Damn I forgot to see if I'd won) before we set off to the snack bar to see about some food.
Snack bar
Having not had time to eat tonight I perused the menu as the two ladies were opening up the serving window and decided on a Quarter Pounder with onions priced at £3. The service was ultra-fast so I assume they had cooked the burgers ahead of time and then warmed them up at point of sale - the burger was well cooked and tasty and thoroughly recommended for anyone coming back for the league game later in the season.
Programme
The programme was priced at £1.50 and was printed on light cardstock. It consisted of 24 pages in full colour. Just the 2 pages of adverts, 4 pages about Aveley and our players. 2 pages of football related columns and the usual stats and match reports. All in all a very nicely presented programme at a reasonable price.
The Ground
A nice compact ground with covered seating on both sides although no covered areas behind the goals. The trees behind the far goal afford some much welcomed protection from the wind which was making it quite a chilly evening.
Club Shop
It seems that the club shop is currently closed while a decision is made regarding it's future due to staffing problems. Our quest for a club crest pin badge was obviously stopped dead in it's tracks although a club official said that if any become available later in the season then they'll bring one over to Parkside to add to Sam's collection.
The Team
1. David Hughes
2. Wyan Reid
3. Sam Mvenba
4. James Love
5. Joe Russell
6. Sam Cross
7. Marcus Millner
8. Shad Ngandu
9. Tom Richardson
10. Jason Raad
11. Alex Akrofi
Subs: Chris Bourne, Andy Freeman, George Doyle, Freddie Gard, Connor Witherspoon
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| Stretching |
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| The Gaffer |
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| George & Roachy Talking Tactics |
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| Warming Up |
The Match (Sorry it's a bit sketchy)
We kicked off a couple of minutes late and we proceded to set up the Sons of Aveley flags behind the goal that Aveley would be attacking in the first half.
Aveley started off quite brightly and went ahead in the first half with a well placed header from Alex Akrofi. David Hughes then made a first-class save to thwart a rovers attack.
Jason Raad puts a shot wide of the target from distance.
40 - Hughesy to the rescue again with a good save from a long range shot
44 - Goal to Wakering - Long punt forward leads to a mixup at the back and the No.9 punishes us.
45 - Goal Millers - Milner hits the crossbar from distance, ball falls to Wyan Reid out wide and the cross is knocked home by Shad. GWR 1-2 Aveley
Half-Time
All GWR from the 2nd half kick-off anf the pressure pays off. No.10 heads home Wakering's second of the night.
65 - Andy Freeman replaces Marcus Milner and then nearly puts us ahead - denied by a great save from the keeper
Shad picks up a knock and is replaced by George Doyle
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| George Doyle |
What can I say! Jason Raad picks up the ball wide on the right, drives into the box, beats a couple of players and then drags it back across goal to finish in the corner - fabulous solo effert puts the Millers back in front Wakering 2-3 Aveley
Akrofi plays in Tom Richardson whose shot is parried by the goalkeeper - Tom slips as he goes for the loose ball and the keeper recovers - so close to a fourth for Aveley.
85 - GWR level it up once more - another ball into the box is headed home by their No.9 GWR 3-3 Aveley
Chris Bourne replaces Wyan Reid - possibly with a penalty shootout in mind
90+3 - Great Wakering snatch it right at the death to send us crashing out of the cup at the first hurdle
90+5 - Final Whistle
Thanks to Alex Akrofi who came over to the travelling fams to thank us for coming while we took down the flags and packed them away.
The Journey Home
With Southend playing at home and the road works on the A127 the journey home took about 2 hours and included a diversion through Rayleigh and a dash through Pitsea to get off of the A127 due to a closed slip road nearer home. When I arrived home the rest of the family were sound asleep and probably quietly pleased that they hadn't made the journey.
Next up for the Millers is the historic FA Trophy match at home to Dunstable on Saturday.
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