A collection of some 'match reports' from the 1980/81 season courtesy of Essex County Standard.

Clipping courtesy Jill Catley

With the end of the season just around the corner, four out of six of the Colchester Sunday League champions have been decided.

The biggest surprise came in division one where unbeaten Severalls hammered their closest rivals and last week's league cup winners Vagabonds 11-2 to clinch the title.

CAV - without a game on Sunday - had to bite their nails before learning they had almost certainly become division two winners. Closest rivals Telecomms won their last match 4-3 at home to St Martins but failed to achieve the 12-goal difference required if they were to have a chance of the title.

Unbeaten Queens clinched division four despite dropping a point in a 2-2 draw at Spottiswoode and finally Colne Lodge Reserves sewed up the sixth despite losing 3-1 away to runners-up Wivenhoe Athletic. Division three and five are still very much in the melting pot with just a handful of matches remaining. Bergholt and Royal London both won on Sunday and only difference - 12 - separates them at the top od the third, both with 31 points and two matches to play. But their closest challengers, St Annes with 24 points and five games in hand, must go all the way now after only drawing 2-2 with Mistley.

Three teams are still fighting for the prize down in division five where leaders Lindseys are out in front on 43 points with two games of their 26 to play. But Greenstead who overcame Lloyds Bank 6-2 on Sunday are still hard on their heels, five points behind, but with five games to play.

Meanwhile, nearly all the relegation issues are settled with only six teams in three divisions still left with a chance to avoid the drop.

Elmstead are already down in the first with Brantham the favourites to join them. But they could still escape if QB's were to lose their last match by six clear goals. Elmstead Reserves complete the wrong kind of double for the unlucky club by dropping from division two, along with second-from-bottom Rose and Crown Reserves. Fingringhoe and Alstons fall out of the third, but Mersea and Stanway on the same number of points, still have two games to play before finding out which of them accompanies Boxford out of the fourth.

In the fifth Sudbury Bear are already down.

But it is all cut and dried down at the basement where Kent Blaxill and Wivern hold up the rest of the league at the bottom of division six.

Vagabonds ..... 2
Mile End ...... 2

In their last game of the season in the first division of the Colchester Sunday League, Mile End came very close to gaining revenge for some heavy defeats by Vagabonds in recent seasons.

The home side opened the scoring with a magnificent early goal but Mile End equalised through Malcolm Bethell, whose well-struck free kick beat the defensive wall.

Then Paul Foley headed against the bar and Ian Richardson was on hand to force the ball across the line to give the visitors a half time lead. Tony Lancy almost increased the lead when his awkward cross was pushed against the post by the Vagabonds' keeper.

Vagabonds opened strongly in the second half but Mile End appeared to have weathered the storm until, with an hour gone, the referee awarded a penalty.

The spot kick supplied the equaliser that spurred the home side on in search of the winner but Mile End held out and in the dying minutes came close to winning the game.

Telecomms ..... 4
St Martins .... 3

Telecomms made sure of promotion to division one of the Colchester Sunday League with this victory over old rivals St Martins.

Having headed the division for most of the season, they had almost thrown promotion away with three successive defeats, and needed three points from their last two games. Rivals Bourne were dispatched 4-1, followed by Sunday's win.

The home side were without newly-elected player of the year Trevor Tucker who had a hamstring strain. St Martins played with two forwards and Telecomms, without Tucker, also played with two up and there was little early action.

A huge free kick by home keeper Harris cleared the St Martins back four and Chaplin was in like a flash to shoot home. Telecomms continued to push forward and Baker knocked in a second.

St Martins called on their experience, particularly that of Riley and pulled a goal back following a corner. And following mix-ups in the Telecomms' defence, scored twice more to take a one goal advantage into the second half.

Telecomms were more determined after the break and Thurston equalised when he collected Potter's pass and slid the ball home. Potter grabbed to winner to cap a fine comeback and ensure Telecomms of second place in the table.

Clipping courtesy Jill Catley