A SINGLE goal settled the often tense and hard fought Green King Essex Veterans League match between Premier Division league leaders Ford Basildon and third placed Writtle.

It was a tremendous strike worthy of winning a match and it came from the boot of James to give Writtle the win.

Ford Basildon having finished their campaign and now have to wait and see if either Writtle or Runwell Old Boys will overtake their total.

Runwell Old Boys have the best opportunity of doing so after a 3-1 win at home to Herongate Athletic, Robinson (2) and Rivers scoring the winning goals.

Luck nabbed a goal for Old Parmiterians but the rest of the side were out of it as they went down 7-1 to Beacon Hill Rovers.

English, Martin and Stanford scored the goals that enabled Ludlows to end their Division One fixtures with a 3-1 win over Springfield.

The two sides at the bottom managed to cancel each other out in a 3-3 draw. Pitts, Benham and Willis scored for Silver End United, with Miller, Tooney and Abbott netting for White Notley.

A goal with 20 minutes to goal by Hawkins gave West Essex a 1-0 win and the points against Essex Police, thereby pulling them away from the bottom two, but with games to go they are still vulnerable.

With a 1-1 draw against Division Two West title chasers Herongate Athletic Reserves, West Essex Reserves edged nearer to safety at the bottom.

But they will await with anxiety for the last fixture as they can still be overtaken.

The team with a game in hand are Old Parmiterian Reserves, and after loosing 4-1 to Sungate, with O'Grady scoring the Reserves' goal, they must get a point from their final fixture to escape the drop.

At the other end of the table, Great Berry Rangers gained a point in a 2-2 draw with Shenfield. Henderson scored both for Shenfield.

Great Berry Rangers now need another two points from three games to take the title.

Vichouse Sports proudly wear the Division Three East championship crown after a 4-2 win over West Billericay.

S Warner scored all four goals that brought the title home.

West Billericay now sit in second from bottom place, one above Runwell Hospital, who went down 4-0 to Benfleet Reserves. Buzer, Harding, Woodward and Brown scored for Benfleet.

In their final Division Three West game of the season Old Parmiterian A brought their goal difference into the black by one with a resounding 8-0 win over Horndon, with Ballard (4), Walsh (3) and Braithwaite getting the goals.

RESULTS Premier Division: Beacon Hill Rovers7 Old Parmiterians 1, Runwell Old Boys 3 Herongate Athletic 1, Writtle 1 Ford Basildon 0.

Division 1: Ludlows 3 Springfield 1, Silver End United 3 White Notley 3, West Essex 1 Essex Police 0.

Division 2 West: Herongate Athletic Reserves 1 West Essex Reserves 1, Old Parmiterian Reserves 1 Sungate 2, Shenfield 2 Great Berry Rangers 2.

Division 3 East: Benfleet Reserves 4 Runwell Hospital 0, Vichouse Sports 4 West Billericay 2.

Division 3 West: Old Parmiterian A 8 Horndon 0.