The local soccer scene suffered the worst weekend so far this season for postponements with the continuous rain making many grounds resemble swamps rather than pitches.

Although clubs at Ryman League level suffered badly - Grays, Aveley and Tilbury were among those washed out - and only two Schweppes Essex Senior League games were played, it was at parks level that the game suffered its worst disruption.

With all the local authorities, Southend, Rochford, Castle Point and Basildon, ruling their grounds unfit on Friday, only a handful of matches were played - going ahead on privately owned grounds.

The Hadleigh Carport Southend Borough Combination had it's worst Saturday for years with only four matches going ahead while, in the Bukta Southend District League, there were just two games plus a County Cup affair.

It was the same sad state of affairs on Sunday with the Southend, Basildon, Sceptre and South-east Essex Sunday Leagues all suffering severe disruption.

Not one Southend League game was played. It was little better for the youngsters with the Southend Junior, Thundermite and South-Essex Mini-Soccer competitions all reporting major washouts.

Said Borough Combination fixture secretary Les Phillips: "To be honest I cannot remember such widespread postponements through rain in more than 20 years of doing this job.

"If the wet weather continues as it's done over the past couple of months it's going to create serious problems for all competitions as the season wears on.

"When County Cup matches are postponed they take preference over other matches and have to be scheduled for the following week. This, in turn, has a knock-on effect and, in a very short space of time, can throw complete programmes into chaos."

That build-up of County matches is also a serious problem for the Essex Intermediate League.

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