Easy three points for East london

The Seasiders started brightly enough, creating early pressure and had they converted any of the first-half short corners the outcome may have been different.

But skipper Carl Parkes did not make the home defence work hard enough to protect their goal.

Parkes did get an early shot in, which the home keeper managed to keep out with his outstretched toes, with the Clacton players unable to pounce on the half chance.

Down the other end, Clacton made it too easy for the home side to score their own short corner.

The Seasiders restricted their opponents to few efforts on goal and, at half-time, the score was 1-0 and the game was in the balance.

At the back, Colin Hook, John Hambrook and Peter Wright worked hard to keep the ball away from the goal, with Nick Key sweeping up behind.

In midfield, Alex Mortimer, Jamie Roberts and James Mead put in solid performances against a powerful East London midfield.

Up front, Densil Donovan worked hard all game to earn Clacton's man-of-the-match with support from Steven Key.

Donovan, Roberts and Parkes earned plenty of short corners for Clacton, but the Seasiders struggled to get the timing right and with the home side defending well they managed to clear the ball.

The home keeper saved brilliantly from a Roberts slap-shot and, from another short corner, the home side were able to break away and score their second goal.

With the Seasiders more worried about who was at fault for the second goal, the home side pressed on to score a third and put the game to bed. Clacton did regroup and pulled it back to 3-1 when Roberts slapped home the rebound from a Parkes strike, but the home side made it 4-1 straight from the re-start and Clacton where wishing the final whistle would go early.

The league breaks for Easter before the final two games of the season, with Clacton needing to secure points from both games if they are to be playing division three hockey next season.