MARK Emmerson provided the highlight on a disappointing night for Rayleigh ABC’s boxers on their home show.

Emmerson was the last Rayleigh fighter in action and produced a strong performance in a cracking bout with Barking’s Ibrahim Mercan.

That earned the Rayleigh pugilist a unanimous points win and the boxer of the night accolade.

But it was a miserable night for Emmerson’s senior colleagues.

Michael Chalkley was sent tumbling on to the canvas in the first round of his fight after being caught with a right by Essex University’s Jason Veares, handing the north Essex fighter a technical knockout (TKO) win.

“I walked right into that one,” Chalkley admitted afterwards.

Rayleigh’s Sam Malone had beaten Chalvedon’s Ollie Hunt last time the two met but it was the Basildon fighter who avenged that defeat with a victory on a majority verdict.

A split decision also went against Malone’s club-mate Danny Newth, with the former Southend ABC boxer losing out to Holland Shore’s Lewis Adams, a former pupil at Basildon’s De La Salle school.

And all Rayleigh’s junior fighters ended up losing out on a night when decisions went against them.

Harry Dell lost out to Bromley’s Tommy Sweeney on a majority verdict with Rayleigh’s Billy Buckley suffering the same fate to Eltham & District’s Charlie Rochford.

Luke Bellfield lost on points to Chadwell St Mary’s James Josling and his brother Billy was beaten on a unanimous decision by Small Holding’s Shiloh Defratias.

Chalvedon’s Lewis Mulberry secured a majority decision win over Southend’s Leon Dunlop.

And Southend’s Amir Ishfaq produced a good display to earn a unanimous verdict over Rayleigh’s Luke Brooke.

Rayleigh youngsters Dylan Kennedy and Alfie Hancock took on Chalvedon’s Francis Cooper and Halstead’s Fraser Hughes respectively in skills bouts.

OTHER RESULTS: Juniors: Hughie Maloney (Chadwell St Mary) beat Jack Croucher (Wavetree) on a majority decision; Warren Scopes (Tilbury Dockers) beat Callum Jones (Wavetree) TKO; Louis Bailey Tolen (Small Holdings). Seniors: Ryan Ward (Halstead) beat Adrian Martin (Brentwood Youth) on a majority decision.