WESTCLIFF were thrashed 52-0 at relegation rivals Stevenage Town in London Two North this afternoon. But London Three North East, table topping Rochford Hundred continued their push for promotion with a 42-11 win at home to Saffron Walden. Thurrock
SOUTHEND Rugby Club's chances of surviving in National Two suffered a huge blow this afternoon as they lost 27-26 at fellow strugglers Waterloo. Isaac Cook scored two tries and Simon Hoult also touched down. He added two penalties and
BILLERICAY Town did their hopes of making a late run for the Ryman Premier play-offs a power of good with a fine 1-0 win at high-flying Sutton United. But, in stark contrast, Canvey Island's hopes of being in the promotion mix appear to be fading fast
DOUGIE Freedman emerged as an unlikely hero to end Southend United’s run of wretched results at Roots Hall this afternoon. The Scottish striker was expected to again be on the sidelines with a thigh strain against Bristol Rovers. But
Arsenal's Premier League frustrations continued as a determined West Ham held out for a goalless draw at Emirates Stadium. Abou Diaby saw an early header deflected onto the crossbar, and Emmanuel Adebayor missed two good chances in the second half,
ONE person has died and two have been injured in a crash involving up to eight vehicles. The incident occurred on the north-bound A12 just past the junction with the A120 at about 6.15am on Friday. Ambulance manager Trevor Redburn said
A DRAMA and dance course has been started on Canvey for adults with learning disabilities. The course, run by the charity, Castle Point Crossroads, caters for people with all kinds of physical and learning disability and is now in its second
FOOTBALL-MAD youngsters taking part in a ground-breaking school scheme received a visit from a special guest. The Double Club, at Shoeburyness High School, run with Southend United, has made great strides in improving pupils’ academic achievement and
BASILDON’S town centre policing team has been given a makeover. The unit has been renamed the Basildon Town Neighbourhood Policing Team. PC Colin McCabe has also been appointed the town centre’s new neighbourhood specialist officer. He said his new
MATTHEW Upson is in no doubt his old manager Arsene Wenger remains the "master" at recruiting young talent. The West Ham defender is set to return to his former club today, with the Gunners in a much more testing period than when he left in January
A woman has been arrested following a suspected arson on a Westcliff home. The fire started in the lounge of a house in Lavender Mews, Westcliff, after a pile of clothes caught alight. It was thought to be a domestic incident. A woman
WEST Ham have signed Czech Republic midfielder Radoslav Kovac on loan from Spartak Moscow until the end of the season. The 29-year-old, who was captain at Spartak, can also play in central defence and brings a wealth of experience from his country's
WEST Ham have confirmed midfielder Julien Faubert is discussing a loan move to Real Madrid. The Hammers gave the Frenchman permission to talk to the Spanish champions after he struggled to secure a sustained run in the first team this season. Chief
HAVING lost top spot a fortnight ago when they suffered a home defeat at the hands of lowly Waltham Forest, Aveley will be anxious to avoid a similar fate this weekend. Tomorrow the Millers host a Potters Bar Town side lying 14th in the table and will
AT one stage Ware, today's visitors to Rookery Hill, looked like crashing out of the play-off stakes. But they have bounced back recently and, despite a 2-1 defat at the hands of top dogs Aveley last week, are well-placed. They are currently fourth
BASILDON AC’s Kim Wall has been selected in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for today’s Aviva indoor international at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. Wall will run the 400m against athletes from USA, Sweden, Germany and a Commonwealth Select squad
APART from Ben Hunter’s fine run, the best local performance by a local athlete in the South of England Cross-Country Championships came from Thurrock Harriers’ Canvey schoolgirl Jessica Judd. Despite running against many athletes a school year ahead
A CARAVAN exploded on Canvey after a gas cylinder caught alight. The fire started at Thorney Bay Caravan Park at about 9pm on Friday. Firefighters spent 40 minutes dousing the flames but the unoccupied caravan was gutted by the blaze
IF there is such a thing as a “must-win” game in soccer, Thurrock face it today. For they host a Fisher Athletic team who lost their eighth successive league game on Monday when going down 2-0 at home to Braintree. Fleet are fourth from bottom, but
TILBURY fancy themselves at making a late charge for the play-offs after some outstanding recent results. But they are still currently a long way back, seven points behind the current fifth-placed club from three games more. If they are to be serious
Southend AC will bid to emulate last season’s performance when they won the senior women’s gold and took the men’s silver when the Essex Cross-Country Relay Championships are staged tomorrow at Hadleigh. These will be held over the seriously undulating
BASILDON athletes were conspicuous by their absence at the South of England cross-country championships at Hillingdon. Injury, illness and fear of over-racing deterred all but the senior women who fielded five runners. Stacey Ward was first home
THERE were some outstanding displays by Southend AC athletes in the South of England Cross-Country Championships. Ben Hunter’s exploits in the under-20 men’s event are detailed in the story above. But not unexpectedly, Ben Austin led the Essex contingent
BEN Green insists his Southend side must win at Waterloo today to keep alive their survival hopes. The Seasiders have shown signs of encouragement in recent weeks but have now suffered eight successive defeats. And Green knows that record must end
WESTCLIFF and Hadleigh are involved in a tremendous battle of supremacy for honours in the Southend Indoor Cricket League Premier Division. In their latest match, Westcliff collected 20 points for their 81-run win over Rayleigh to move a point clear
Essex batsman Alastair Cook cannot wait for the winter test series agaist the West Indies to begin in earnest. The England tourists beat a St Kitts Invitational XI by 217 runs this week, with the Essex opener hitting two half-centuries. But with the
SOUTHEND AC’s international Ben Hunter was by far the most successful local athlete when the South of England Cross-Country Championships were staged in energy-sapping muddy conditions at Hillingdon. He finished second behind Ronnie Sparke (Woodford
HULLBRIDGE Sports, who have generally been in good form when weather conditions have allowed them to play, face a tough test tomorrow when top dogs Romford visit Lower Road in the Essex Senior League. It is local derby time at Southchurch Park where
IT is a case of happiness begins at home for the majority of our teams this week. In the Premier Division, Southend’s White Ensign host M&B Club at the Len Forge Centre in Eastwoodbury Lane, while Harold Wood Athletic visit Benfleet. Rayleigh Town
STRUGGLING Westcliff face a huge game in London Two North today as they travel to Stevenage Town, the team just above them in the standings. Westcliff are currently second from bottom in the league and have won just three of their 13 matches so far
ESSEX all-rounder Graham Napier is edging nearer to tying up a deal that would see him playing in the Indian Premier League and possibly missing the first seven weeks of the domestic season. “I am getting closer to finalising a deal to sign for Mumbai
PEGASUS & Corringham are the Thurrock Indoor League’s Sunday Division leaders after 69 run win over bottom club Walton Hall, while Stanford triumphed by four wickets over Horndon.
HOCKLEY missed out on taking over as top dogs in the First Division of the Southend Indoor Cricket League when they lost by 33 runs to Hadleigh B. Hadleigh made 119-0 for 18 points with Joe Robbins, Dan Robbins, Charlie and Gibbons all making 25 not
Southend Wheelers held their annual awards presentation at the Hollywood Restaurant, Thundersley, with David Bryant the star rider. More than 80 members and friends of the club looked on as club patron Hazel Parsons presented the prizes. Bryant won
MORE than 30 years ago, a huge fundraising campaign was launched to create the Lady McAdden breast screening unit. Now the unit, known as Bust, needs your help again. Staff have launched their Go for Bust Digital Imaging Appeal to raise
HEALTH bosses are backing a campaign to tackle the stigma surrounding people with mental health problems. Time to Change is a nationwide awareness campaign, designed to end discrimination and improve attitudes to mental health. In south
MORE than 200 drivers in high performance cars were stopped and checked in Castle Point as part of a police crackdown on burglars. Officers stopped cars around the A13 and A127, hoping to catch criminals who are leaving the borough and heading
WORK is set to begin within the next few months on the new railway station to serve Southend Airport. Engineers from Stobart Rail have been on the site in the last week investigating the best ways to go ahead with the scheme. The Stobart
A MAN has been locked up for carrying a knife into a pub. Daniel Barraco, 18, armed with a kitchen knife was thrown out of the Last Post in Southend town centre following a row. Barraco of Bournemouth Park Road, Southend, was jailed
FORMER editor Jim Worsdale says sorry for a dirty habit. I wish to offer belated, unreserved apologies to family, friends, colleagues and anyone in whose presence, at home, in the workplace, or elsewhere, I smoked cigarettes or cigars.
A YOB who chanted racist abuse at Chelsea players during Southend United’s cup tie has been banned from all matches across the country for four years. The 17-year-old from Rochford was part of a group chanting vile taunts at players during
TRADERS are furious after council officers confiscated their advertising boards as part of a crackdown across the town. Southend Council is introducing a new licensing system for advertising boards, which means businesses must pay a £200 administration
A TALE of two very different siblings is brought to life by Prittlewell author Bernardine Kennedy in her new novel, Shattered Lives. A story of despair, hardship and betrayal, the book follows sisters Hannah and Julie, who were orphaned at a young age
