COVID scares plagued Essex sides this weekend, reports Leon Imber. 

Late postponements meant that Canvey Island and Bowers and Pitsea joined Southend Manor in sitting out of the weekend’s action.

In the National League South though, Billericay Town and Concord Rangers were both able to see out their fixtures and both ended in defeat for the Essex sides.

Town made it three consecutive defeats in their start to the season as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Havant and Waterlooville.

Perhaps one of the positives to take would be that they scored their first goal of the campaign, Josh Hutchinson stabbing in from close range.

But Jamie O’Hara will be bitterly disappointed that his side could not hold onto their lead.

Elsewhere, Concord Rangers lost their first match of the season, slumping to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Hungerford Town.

The match was more eventful than the result would suggest, however, as Hungerford’s Kyle Tooze suffered a nasty head injury which saw the game stopped for well over half an hour.

A post-match tweets suggests that Tooze is in a better state, suffering no more than concussion and will be back playing football within a couple of weeks.

In the Isthmian Premier Division, East Thurrock United remain winless, as they were on the end of a 4-0 thumping by Bognor Regis.

Paul Martin’s men sit at the foot of the table with the worst defensive record in the division.

Lastly, in the Essex Senior League, Hashtag United secured an impressive three points against table-topping Cockfosters.

Albert Keith and Harry Honesty were on target for Jay Devereux’s side, who leapfrogged their opponents to take themselves to the top of the division.