WAPPING VI 2

CLACTON 1

East Men's League division four south-east

CLACTON put in a good performance and scared their hosts late on.

However, they didn’t do enough to stop Wapping securing a promotion place, barring any issues with their team's league placements after all the relegations and promotions have been resolved.

A club cannot have more than two sides in the same division and Wapping's fourth team now need to avoid being relegated from division two south.

The home side put the Seasiders under pressure early on and Clacton needed the spritely Michael Hook to be on his toes to thwart one-on-ones and save shots to keep the game close, with the Seasiders happy to only be 2-0 down.

The second half saw Clacton put more pressure on the home side and create chances.

When Kieron Parkes drifted through the middle, he earned the Seasiders' first short corner of the game.

From it, Clacton halved the deficit as skipper Carl Parkes worked the ball to Shane Walker to slot home his second of the season and set up a tense finale.

Russell Measor and Robert Hawes asked questions of the home defence down the flanks, as Stephen Moriarty, Henry Smith and Matt Bird looked to penetrate the centre.

Defensively, man-of-the-match Daniel Pritchard gave the Seasiders the launchpad to chase the equaliser, with Sam Jenner progressing down the right and Mat Timms the centre.

With the game nearly at full-time, Clacton had themselves a short corner and a last-second chance to level before the home side let their relief show as they cheered the whistle with relief at securing their points.

On Saturday, Clacton host Brentwood, five points adrift of second-placed Braintree.

Fourth place could still potentially be promoted.