Then, suddenly, it’s the last home game of the season. Summer is on its way, and everybody gets a chance to recharge their batteries before we do it all over again in 25/26. Hopefully, it will be another season in the ESL. It should be, but it’s not over yet.

Our opponents, White Ensign, are a creditable 7th in the ESL table. They can’t finish any higher than that, and there are a few teams that could knock them off that spot, but it’s still been a good season for the ‘other’ team from Burroughs Park. They have 51 points from 35 matches with 15 wins, 6 draws, and 14 defeats. The goal difference is +8, with 60 scored and 52 conceded. Away form is pretty good (8th in the ESL), with 8 wins, 1 draw, and 9 defeats from their 18 matches. 30 for and 34 against gives them a -4 away GD.

Here’s what White Ensign have been doing in their last six matches…
WHITE ENSIGN – season 24/25 – The Last Six (Seven!)
(most recent results first)
Benfleet 3 White Ensign 2
A late, late winner consigned Ensign to defeat at Woodside Park with a 90+9 goal coming from Benfleet’s Cory Rider. Mason Shave had started the scoring for the home side in the 17th minute before Billy Bonham-Dare and midfield maestro Jon Evans put Ensign 2-1 up. Gianni Frankis made it 2-2 before the late drama.

Buckhurst Hill 1 White Ensign 0
A solitary goal from Marquel Cadette was enough to give the Stags the points at Myrak Park. The 53rd-minute winner was early enough, but Ensign were unable to use the remaining time to fight back.

Ilford 1 White Ensign 2
Part of a run of games on the road for Ensign, and this one they won with midfield maestro Jon Evans scoring both the goals. Both of Jon’s goals came from the penalty spot, and Somfechi Ukonu squeezed one in for Ilford between the two pens.

Great Wakering Rovers 3 White Ensign 1
Another game on the road, sort of, as landlords met tenants at Burroughs Park. Harry Talbot opened the scoring for the landlords before the tenants struck back through Riley Weir. Harry Talbot added a second for GWR, and Callum Boylan scored the third for the landlords.

Takeley 3 White Ensign 1
On the road again at play-off chasing, Takeley and another 3-1 defeat for Ensign. Lanre Balogun and Jordan Wescott (from the spot) made it 2-0 before Ellis Devereux got one back. Jack Mitchell added the third for Takeley.

White Ensign 2 Woodford Town 1
Errington Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
A rare home game in a run of aways and Ensign progress to the semi-final with this 2-1 victory over The Woods, and the graphic below tells you all about it. Little Oakley await in the semi-final.

Halstead Town 3 White Ensign 1
Another away match, another 3-1 defeat. Ensign go one up through Albie Keith before a first-half Lester Ward equaliser and second-half goals from Nathan Scarborough and Joel Older. Earlyish red cards for Riley Weir and goalkeeper Bradley Davison don’t help the Ensign cause much, either.

Player Appearances
1 Jon Evans 24
2 Nathan Wilson 24
3 Albie Keith 23
4 Ellis Devereux 22
5 Bradley Davison 21
6 Ben Sargent 21
7 Chinedu Duru 19
8 Riley Weir 19
9 Robbie Allen 17
10 Joseph Atoki 17
11 Billy Bonham-Dare 17
12 Trevor Harding 17
13 Taylor Jacobi 17
14 Callum Ferris 15
15 Dan Monk 15
16 Teddy Rumsby 13
17 Harry Kateley 11
18 Iyiola Adebayo 9
19 George Godfrey 7
20 Alfie Terry 7
21 Austin Smart 6
22 Kofi Gyamfi 4
23 Joe Whitney 4
24 Alfie Yeed 3
25 Kian Bradshall 2 (Same As below?)
26 Kian Bradshaw 2 (Same as above?)
27 Ronnie Durussel 1
28 Dan French 1
29 Gene Ghag 1
30 Kyle McAlindom 1
31 Ethan Nunn 1
32 Kurt Smith 1

Links: Well, obviously, midfield maestro Jon Evans, ex-Bridge underused (in my opinion) midfielder from last season, and keeper Bradley Davison, who was with The Bridge last season, also. Not forgetting Ensign Assistant Manager (typing very carefully) Enrico Tiritera, whom I assume everybody knows!
Hi Enrico!

Oh, and Austin Smart who has 6 games for Ensign and a handful for The Bridge this season, but I'm not sure where he is now!

Founded: 1951
Nickname: ??
Ground: Burroughs Park, Great Wakering (Capacity 3,200, seated 250)

Chairman: Josh Ferris
First Team Manager: Aaron Bloxham
First Team Assistant Manager: Enrico Tiritera
First Team Coach: April Smith
Kit Man: David Chambers
Physio: Josh Ferris

HONOURS
Essex Olympian Football League Premier Division
2003–04, 2004-05, 2006–07, 2007–08
Essex Olympian Football League Division 2
2002–03
Essex Olympian Football League Senior Cup
2002–03, 2003–04
Essex Olympian Football League Challenge Cup
2003–04, 2004–05, 2007–08
Essex Premier Cup
2007–08
Capital Counties Feeder League Trophy
2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07

RECORDS
Best FA Cup performance:
Preliminary round, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2024–25
Best FA Vase performance:
Fourth round, 2024–25

Ensign joined the Essex Intermediate League Division Two in season 2002-03 and were promoted as champions to Division One, where they spent 2003-04 and 2004-05 finishing both seasons as champions. In 2005-06, the league became the Essex Olympian League. In 2007-08, the league was renamed the Premier Division, and they won that as well. They remained in the Premier Division until 2013-14, when they were relegated for one season before returning in 2015-16. In 2018-19, they joined the Eastern Counties League Division One South. In season 2021-22, they moved to the Essex Senior League and have finished in 11th (21/22), 13th (22/23), and 16th (23/24).

The Bridge and White Ensign – recent meetings:

Season 2024/2025
Tuesday, 12th November 2024
Errington Challenge Cup 1st Round
The Bridge 1 White Ensign 2
A cup defeat for The Bridge as second-half goals from Robbie Allen and a free kick from MM Jon Evans give the visitors a two-goal lead. Ollie Jenkins gets one back in the 88th minute, but it's too little too late as The Bridge go out at the first attempt.

Thursday, 26th December 2024
Essex Senior League Premier
White Ensign 3 The Bridge 1
A Boxing Day defeat for The Bridge as Albie Keith scores for the hosts before Joe Burton gets an equaliser for The Bridge. Robbie Allen scores for Ensign just before half-time, and a second-half goal from the returning from injury Teddy Rumsby makes it 3-1...Happy Christmas!

Season 2023/2024
White Ensign finished 16th out of 20 in the ESL with 40 points from 38 matches, whilst The Bridge finished 12th with 49 points. The two meetings between the teams were:

Tuesday, 24th January 2024
Essex Senior League Premier
White Ensign 2 The Bridge 1
Ezekiel Bademosi and Austin Smart are the Ensign scorers, with Zayshaun Asamoah on target for The Bridge.

Saturday, 30th March 2024
The Bridge 0 White Ensign 1
Ensign do the double over the Bridge for the season with a solitary goal from Ethan Evison, the winner.

Season 2022/2023
White Ensign finished 13th in the ESL Premier with 49 points from 38 matches. As The Bridge were in the Isthmian League North for 22/23, the two teams did not meet.

Season 2021/2022
White Ensign finished 11th in the ESL Premier with 49 points from 40 matches. As The Bridge were in the Isthmian League North for 21/22, the two teams did not meet.

White Ensign This season:
League positions in brackets are current position
Home: Won 7, Drawn 5, Lost 5 (F30, A18 = +12) Pts 26 ESL 9th
Ensign have seven home wins this season:
Great Wakering Rovers (5) 2-1
Stansted (19) 7-0
Benfleet (15) 1-0
FC Clacton (20) 7-0
Athletic Newham (13) 3-0
Hullbridge Sports (17) 3-1
Barking (4) 2-0
Five draws:
Halstead Town (11) 1-1
West Essex (10) 0-0
Buckhurst Hill (12) 2-2
Little Oakley (8) 0-0
Ilford (16) 0-0
Leaving five defeats against:
Woodford Town (3) 1-4
Saffron Walden Town (6) 1-4
Stanway Rovers (1) 0-2
Takeley (2) 0-2
Frenford (14) 0-1

Away: Won 8, Drawn 1, Lost 9 (F30, A34 = -4) Pts 25 ESL 8th
On the road they have won at:
Frenford (14) 4-2
FC Clacton (20) 2-0
Romford (9) 2-1
Athletic Newham (13) 3-1
Saffron Walden Town (6) 3-1
Sawbridgeworth Town (18) 3-1
Stansted (19) 1-0
Ilford (16) 1-0
The single draw was at:
West Essex (10) 2-2
Leaving nine defeats at:
Stanway Rovers (1) 0-1
Little Oakley (8) 1-2
Woodford Town (3) 0-6
Barking (4) 2-3
Halstead Town (11) 1-3
Takeley (2) 1-3
Great Wakering Rovers (5) 1-3
Buckhurst Hill (12) 0-1
Benfleet (15) 2-3

Up for the cup!
In the FA Cup, White Ensign won 3-1 at Potton United in the Extra Preliminary Round and then lost 3-1 at home to Brantham Athletic of the Eastern Counties League Premier (Level 9, Step 5) in the Preliminary Round.

In the FA Vase First Round, they won 2-1 at Kempston Rovers (Spartan South Midlands Premier, Level 9, Step 5) before defeating fellow ESL Premier club West Essex 2-0 in Round Two. At home again in Round Three, they defeated Thetford Town (Eastern Counties League Premier, Level 9, Step 5) 4-3 before bowing out in Round Four, losing at home to Erith & Belvedere (Southern Counties East League Premier Division, Level 9, Step 5) 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

In the BBC Essex Senior Cup, White Ensign lost at home to Barking 5-3 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

In The Errington Challenge Cup First Round, as mentioned above, Ensign beat The Bridge 2-1 at Lower Road and then beat Woodford Town at home 2-1 in the Quarter-Final. They will face Little Oakley in the semi-final. In the Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy, Little Oakley knocked Ensign out 5-4 on penalties at the Preliminary Round stage.

The Bridge: 1 win; 3 draws; 2 defeats; For 6; Against 7; GD -1; Points 6
Whiter Ensign: 1 win; 0 draws; 5 defeats; For 7; Against 14; GD -7; Points 3
As you can see, there’s a lot of red in Ensign’s last six, but that's a bit deceiving, as they have played all six games away! However, they are also away on Saturday, so you never know, they could continue that trend.

In the last six league matches, Ensign have used a squad of 23. Subject to availability, expect to see the likes of: Bradley Davison, Ben Sargent, Nathan Wilson, Teddy Rumsby, Albie Keith, Jon Evans (MM), Riley Weir, Taylor Jacobi, George Godfrey & Billy Bonham-Dare. Their 7 goals have come from Jon Evans (MM), 3 and Albie Keith, Riley Weir, Ellis Devereux, and Billy Bonham-Dare with one each.

As if we didn’t know already, the ESL have kindly created a “Beat The Drop” graphic to illustrate how tight it really is at the bottom end of the ESL now. A win on Saturday would probably be enough; anything else could well open the door for the two chasers. Obviously, Stansted have it all to do, but they do have three home games, but they may have to win all three. There really is only one place to be on Saturday, and we know where that is! I expect it will be nervous smiles, heads in hands, or maybe just joy and celebration! As always, football is taking us to the edge, and as always….