by JOHN CAMPANY

HAVING taken the best advice available regarding the coronavirus, Essex and Suffolk Border League matches went ahead as planned on Saturday.

Two crucial games at the top of the premier division saw second-place Great Bentley take closer order following the demise of leaders Stanway Pegasus at the hands of Gas Recreation.

In the Knockout Cup quarter-final, Dedham Old Boys overcame first division Bures United in a feisty encounter at The Duchy Field.

They will now meet fellow premier division side Lawford Lads for a place in the final against Earls Colne.

At Bromley Road, Gas hosted the leaders before a crowd of 120 and moved into fifth position thanks to goals from Shane Goodyear and Harry Hewes.

Great Bentley recovered from last week’s setback by beating Hatfield Peverel 3-1, with two goals from Louis Olymbus and a third from Dale Brown to put Jack Murray’s side ten points behind, but with five games in hand.

Ironically, Colne’s success saw them drop to 15th position as a result of Barnston’s splendid 4-1 win at Tiptree Heath.

The visitors were indebted to a brace from Harry Groves and further goals from Daniel Okah and Kieron Southgate.

White Notley’s fine run came to an end at The War Memorial Ground with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Little Oakley Reserves.

Peter Falco was again on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Elsewhere in the premier division, Lawford Lads beat struggling Tiptree Heath 2-1 at Tolleshunt Knights.

Tom Earle scored for the home side while Ross Puril and substitute Macauley Watson responded.

In division one, Sudbury Sports consolidated emphatically with a 13-0 drubbing of luckless Alresford Colne Rangers Reserves, at the Philip Morant School.

Amazingly, substitute Curtis Harvey struck five goals and there was a hat-trick from Joshua Ambrose, while top scorer Shane Temple got two, taking his season tally thus far to 29.

The scoring was completed with further goals from Alfie Adams and another brace from Jake Banyard.

There is a tremendous scrap for second place.

Tiptree Jobserve dropped a vital point at home to Boxted Lodgers in a 2-2 draw that saw Paul Goddard, for the visitors, score once and receive a straight red card.

They now trail the leaders by six points, having played the same number of games.

Colne Athletic are in third, a point behind the Tiptree side on the same number of games, thus ensuring a tight finish at the end of the season.

In division two, the top two, Hedinghams United and Shrub End United, did not play and third-place Tavern should have been the beneficiary.

However, they failed to capitalise, surprisingly losing 2-1 at Hatfield Peverel Reserves.

They remain four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

In division three, St Osyth stretched their lead at the top to nine points following a 3-1 victory away to Kelvedon Social where Kalon Harms struck a brace, bringing his total to 30 goals, and Ben O’Hara made it three.

Meanwhile, second-place Oyster surprisingly lost 3-2 at Barnston Reserves.

Results: Border League Knockout Cup - quarter-final: Dedham Old Boys 1 Bures United 0.

Premier division: Alresford Colne Rangers 1 West Bergholt 2, Earls Colne 3 Flitch United 1, Gas Recreation 2 Stanway Pegasus 0, Great Bentley 3 Hatfield Peverel 1, Little Oakley Res 2 White Notley 1, Tiptree Engaine 1 Barnston 4, Tiptree Heath 1 Lawford Lads 2.

Division one: FC Clacton 7 Mersea Island 3, Stanway Pegasus Res 1 Cressing United 3, Stanway Rovers Res 3 Little Oakley A 0, Sudbury Sports 13 Alresford Colne Rangers Res 0, Tiptree Jobserve 2 Boxted Lodgers 2, West Bergholt Res 1 Belle Vue Social 6, Wormingford Wanderers 1 Gosfield United 5.

Division two: Cavendish 9 Gas Recreation Res 2, Elmden Rovers 5 Brantham Athletic A 1, Hatfield Peverel Res 2 Tavern 1, Rowhedge 5 Tiptree Engaine Res 0, Tollesbury 3 Dedham Old Boys Res 1.

Division three: Barnston Res 3 Osyster 2, Boxted Lodgers Res 0 Stanway Athletic 9, Flitch United Res 4 Cavendish Res 0, Kelvedon Social 1 St Osyth 3, Lawford Lads Res 2 Bradfield Rovers 1.