Latest news from the Essex Senior League

It proved to be a fruitless day for east London‘s clubs in the Essex Senior League, with all five tasting defeat.

Stansted 2 Clapton 1

Clapton were edged out on their travels once again, but remain in fifth place in the table.

Beaten by a single goal at high-flying Barking a week earlier, Tons fell behind when David Ratcliffe put the Airportmen ahead at Hargrave Park.

But Andy Mott levelled for the visitors on 32 minutes to raise hopes of bringing something back to the Old Spotted Dog.

Those hopes were ended by Ratcliffe, though, as his second goal of the afternoon banked all three pointns for the home side.

Clapton: Diagne, Stevens, Kanjor, Mfula, Nyanja, Aggio, Tanimono, Mott (Briggs), Abdul (Degraft), Ocran, Martelli. Unused subs: Bound, Maynard.

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Basildon United 4 Tower Hamlets 1

Tower Hamlets returned empty-handed from mid-table rivals Basildon after suffering their third defeat in four matches.

Hamlets had won their first match since being voted back into the competition following suspension at Greenhouse, but have now taken just a single point from a possible 12 since then, from a goalless draw with Waltham Forest in midweek.

Craig Gillam netted twice for the home side, with Mike Finneran and Terry Griffiths also on target for Basildon.

Hamlets will hope for better when they welcome Sawbridgeworth to Mile End Stadium on Wednesday.

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London Bari 0 FC Romania 1

Bari were brought back down to earth by a slender loss at the Old Spotted Dog.

Buoyed by their 3-2 league win at Eton Manor in midweek, where in-form strikers Tobi Adesina and Tony Cookey were on target, and looking to complete a double over FC Romania following a 2-0 win at Cheshunt last month, they were edged out as the visitors netted the only goal of the game.

Bari are set to welcome Eton Manor for another league meeting on Wednesday, having earned a home quarter-final against Barking in the league cup with their recent victory.

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Sporting Bengal 1 Ilford 5

Ilford ran out comfortable winners against the Essex Senior League’s basement boys after an improved second-half display at Mile End Stadium.

Allan Fenn’s Foxes had snatched a last-minute winner against Greenhouse in midweek and came away with another three points thanks to a Chris Stevens brace, with Carl Mulling and Karolis Atutis also on target.

An own goal completed Ilford’s tally, while Shahed Ahmed netted a consolation for the hosts.

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League Cup

Newham 1 Bowers 4

Newham took the lead against free-scoring Bowers at the Len Salmon Stadium when Vlad Sighiartau netted from the penalty spot in the first half.

Luke Wilson had seen an early goal ruled out for offside for Bowers, but got them on terms before the break with a header.

And Rob Whitnell put Bowers in front from the spot in the second half, after he had been brought down in the box himself.

Ashley Kyriacou fired home a third and Whitnell completed the scoring from a free-kick late on to make it nine wins in a row for in-form Bowers.

This week’s fixtures, Tuesday: Hullbridge v Sporting Bengal.

Wednesday: London Bari v Eton Manor; Tower Hamlets v Sawbridgeworth.