As the local soccer season moved towards a close, rain ravaged the Southend Borough Combination programme with only ten of the scheduled 20 games being played on Saturday.

Biggest casualty was the semi-final in the top knockout competition, the Walton Cup, in which Newton Hall and Shoebury Town will now meet next Saturday at Eastwoodbury Lane (2.15pm).

Two Reserve Division matches were played and both saw honours shared. Sibar Sports, already assured of runners-up spot, finished 1-1 with bottom club Earls Hall after shuffling their pack. Leigh Ramblers and Catholic finished with the same scoreline.

Division one saw champions Old Rochfordians end with another win - 3-1 over third-placed Shoebury OB with Hensey scoring two. The other game saw Guest end with the scoring honours. He got five as Thames Park beat Eton House OB 8-2.

Eton House are not the force they used to be and seem set to go out or business next season.

There was something of a shock when Landwick crashed 6-0 at home to second from bottom Battlesbridge 2nd, who moved away from the danger zone in Division Three with this success. Hunt hit a trio of goals. Kings Field Casuals, who are second, came from behind to win 2-1 at White Ensign 3rd. Caplin and Jeeves served up the winning goals.

Kilkenny were unable to meet their commitment to take on leaders Flightspares.

Only one game was played in Division Five and it allowed Zebra Sports to earn championship stripes without playing., For second team Parsons Barn cannot catch them after losing 5-2 at home to Estuary Athletic. Wyles scored two for the winners with Molloy going one better with a hat-trick.

Division Six has plenty of games left. Brook Sports, the current leaders, should take the honours, but their game with Old Rochfordians 2nd was abandoned when one of the Old Boys players broke a leg.

Parons Barn 2nd, bottom from most of the season, beat the team immediately above them, Kings Field Casuals 2nd, 7-2 to ensure finishing above their rivals.

Wakering 2nd fielded a strong team at home to Hopes Green, but even their 9-2 win will not enable them to finish higher than third - a place they could lose if teams below with games still to play get the right results. Pirie (3) and Atherton (2) were the main Wakering goal hits.

In midweek, Shoebury OB 2nd moved back to runners-up spot in Division Four with a 1-1 draw with their counterparts from Southend Collegians. Spa beat Old Rochfordians 2nd 1-0 in Division Six.

In the Chautard Cup final, Catholic United 3rd beat Leigh Ramblers 3rd 3-1 in an all Division Three clash, while District League Wickford Rangers took the Section D Charity honours with a 4-2 victory over Combination BKS Sports.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.