SOUTHEND & Benfleet’s second XI were edged out by Redbridge & Ilford seconds in a fiercely-contested contest.

S&B lost 5-3 to the league leaders, in a terrific match with both sides holding possession well in the early exchanges.

The visitors were the first to break and Claire King hit home the opening goal. A flurry of chances followed, with Redbridge eventually breaking the S&B defence and pushed a fortunate shot into the goal.

Not to be deterred, S&B responded on the return push back by working the ball up the pitch and Naomi Barker sent the ball past the Redbridge keeper to regain the lead.

However, a fabulous mid-air shot at goal from a Redbridge attacker saw the sides head into the break at 2-2.

Both teams returned to the pitch with renewed vigour and, despite some fabulous running by the midfield and forwards and strong defending by the S&B back line, Redbridge managed to break through and run in two further goals.

At no point did S&B’s heads drop and every single member of the team continued to dig in and play some fabulous hockey, with fast moves and great passing up and down the pitch backed up by great defending.

Following a goal mouth scramble, Naomi Barker sent her second goal of the game into the net after picking up a rebound off the keeper's pads to make it 4-3.

S&B continued to battle in a very evenly matched game but could not Redbridge making it 5-3 from a set-play, with that the final score.

The player of the match was shared between Naomi Barker, Louise Marsack, captain Kerry Payton and Michelle Arnold.

Southend & Benfleet thirds beat Witham thirds 4-3 thanks to a brace apiece from Chloe King and Isabelle Williams.

The previous meeting ended 0-0 and S&B were determined to get some goals this time, and they started well.

King got the first, with Williams scoring two more within 30 seconds of each other to make it 3-0. But Witham came back into the match and got a couple of goals of their own.

It was not all good news for the visitors, with Flick Galbally and player of the match Charley Edwards taken off injured, and it looked as though that would cost them when Witham scored an equaliser.

But King scored the winner to lift S&B into third in division five. l The first XI’s game against Wapping was postponed due to a frozen pitch.