CARNIVAL organisers in Burnham have expressed their outrage that the town's railway station will be closed on the day of the event.

Greater Anglia has announced plans to undertake "vital renewal work" on Saturday, September 28, leading to the closure of Burnham station, on the same day that thousands are expected to arrive in the town for the annual carnival.

Committee member Caroline Sarychkin said: "It's crazy. Of all the weekends they could have chosen, we are always the last weekend in September.

"I can't believe it, we were hoping to have six or seven thousand people here that day to celebrate the carnival and one bus an hour is just not enough to cover that amount of people."

The line will be shut between Billericay, Wickford and stations to Southminster, although there will be a rail replacement bus.

A Greater Anglia spokesperson said: "Although there are no plans to make any immediate changes to the service plan, the work that Network Rail is carrying out is part of a number of weekends when improvement work is taking place (from September 14 to 15) so we will monitor the frequency and provision of the alternative services from this date, to help ensure their effectiveness."

IT'S just turned 6am and residents have once again awoken to the sounds of Sonny and Cher singing I've Got You Babe.

No, it's not Groundhog Day, but for many film buffs it must be starting to feel like it.

You've guessed it – plans for a cinema in Brentwood have been put on ice for yet another two years.

The long-awaited development in William Hunter Way has been given another lifeline by under-fire councillors who extended its planning permission last week.

But it is still yet to be seen whether the beleaguered project will even make it to Christmas.

Builders for Stockland – the company proposing a six-screen cinema, ten-storey, 654-space car park, shops and 14 new homes on the William Hunter Way car park, should be on site by next spring.

But if contracts between potential leaseholders and the developers are not signed by December 7, the project will fail.

Roger Hirst, deputy leader of Brentwood Borough Council, said: "We know many of our residents want a cinema back in Brentwood, and I was pleased to hear from the developers that they are now in a position to deliver on this project.

"Of course, we need to see them formally to confirm this before the deadline in early December.

"If they fulfil their conditions precedent, then it would be good to go ahead. If they want to change the terms then that is when we have to reconsider. They have to come back to us with the whole thing – including the operator for the cinema and the retailers filling two thirds of the shopping area and the car park. It's time the developers got on with it."

The council says it is committed to delivering on promises and agreements made in February 2009, when planning permission was first granted with a clear majority of 20 to 8.

However, since then the plans have been beset with difficulties, including finding retail partners willing to commit to the project.

Despite fervent opposition, Brentwood's planning committee voted to extend the application by another two years last Wednesday (September 11).

It is unclear whether the developers could wait for as long as the planning permission allows before building starts.

Brentwood North councillor Phil Mynott is ward member for the area where the cinema will be built. He also lives in vicinity so he cannot vote on the matter.

The Liberal Democrat councillor, who has been against the project since its inception, said: "The more we hang on, the more out of date the development becomes. And the more we wait the more disadvantaged we become.

"We are still on the starting blocks while other boroughs and areas are away down the line working at their own futures.

"Brentwood, it seems, has put all its future eggs in one basket. But the problem is it is not even a very good basket.

"Let's go back to the beginning and ask the residents what they would like to see happen there.

"We've never been shown any options – this has been the only option available. There has been no triage process to get rid of the poor options.

"If they are drawn up now, they will be relevant for today. The outline for this was drawn up in 2005.

"It's out of date."

HUNDREDS of eager train enthusiasts came from across the country to enjoy the Epping Ongar Railway's Diesel Gala over the weekend.

Essex's longest heritage railway's first ever celebration of all things diesel-powered was touted a great success, with visitors from as far afield as Durham and Yorkshire.

Another first for the weekend was a vintage bus service, which delivered passengers from Shenfield Station to the railway's doorstep.

Simon Hanney, general manager of Epping Ongar Railway, said: "It was a great turnout for our first Diesel Gala and it is great to see people coming from so far away.

"Despite the best attempts of the weather, our volunteers managed to get the Thumper all painted and ready for the weekend and everything went according to plan.

"This event was the first time we had run a heritage bus service from Shenfield Station.

"We had comments from people in Colchester, Ipswich and Felixstowe who wanted to come down.

"Shenfield Station is well situated for many people in that direction and the service was well used on the day.

"It is definitely something we will look at doing on a more regular basis."

The Diesel Gala weekend is one of many special events held on the railway, which runs heritage steam and diesel locomotives between North Weald and Ongar.

For more information, visit www.eorailway.co.uk

NOTHING should get in the way of the most important round-table Cabinet discussions in the land – except perhaps the Brentwood Gazette's own personalised ringtone – regularly interrupting the Prime Minister in mid-flow.

The First Lord of the Treasury might not recognise all the jingles on Eric Pickles' mobile – but he can at least tell when the Gazette rings – pressing for a quote on deadline morning.

"That's a familiar ringtone – what does the Brentwood Gazette want?" was how David Cameron quizzed Mr Pickles after another call from one of our reporters during last week's Cabinet meeting.

No doubt the 32 men and women representing the highest part of Government, gathered around the Cabinet table between 9.30am and 11.15am on the Gazette's busiest morning, all know it too by now.

The Gazette's habitual calls to the MP for Brentwood and Ongar on the morning he sits shoulder to shoulder with colleagues round the iconic mahogany table at the heart of Number 10 Downing Street, has not gone unnoticed by his boss.

"The whole point is you have got to stop ringing me on Tuesday mornings," Mr Pickles said.

"Most of the time I remember to turn it off, but last week it went off and the Prime Minister said, 'what does the Brentwood Gazette want now?'"

Mr Pickles revealed our calls to the heart of government during a speech at the Essex Business Excellence Awards on Thursday.

The awards bash, sponsored by the Gazette's parent company the Essex Chronicle Media Group, features in this week's edition of The Business, inside this paper.

Mr Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has several ringtones for each of his main contacts – the Gazette's is John Phillip Sousa's Washington Post.

And while the main ring tone is Miles Davis's So What, there are others that are more tongue in cheek.

Beethoven's Ode to Joy – the European Union's International Anthem – proudly announces each call from one of Mr Pickles' more Eurosceptic chums.

"I've got a load programmed in," said Mr Pickles. "I was bored one afternoon so I associated all my main numbers with different tunes.

"I've been asked if I could pass the phone over to the Prime Minister. There is absolutely no way that is ever going to happen."

Gazette reporter Piers Meyler contacted the Secretary of State at about 10am yesterday for the quotes in this article – and of course to send his apologies to the Prime Minister.

BRENTWOOD TOWN manager Les Whitton has told his side to cut out the "silly mistakes".

The Blues twice let a lead slip in the FA Cup on Saturday when they hosted FC Clacton, meaning that they were forced to do it all again on Tuesday night.

It was a hat-trick from Aaron Condon which earned the Essex Senior League side their replay, but Whitton admitted that his side should have won the game.

"That's football I suppose – it's what happens sometimes, especially in the FA Cup, anything can happen," he said. "It was unnecessary as well, we could have been four or five up in the first half, we completely controlled the game, went two up, then created other chances and didn't take them and they punished us in the end.

"It was silly mistakes. It's unnecessary and the goals we're giving away are just mistakes.

"We've brought keepers in and they've made mistakes, the keeper made a bad mistake on Saturday, he came out, missed the ball, it hit the fella on the arm and went in. Then we gave a silly penalty away, pulling someone back in the box when we should have been doing our job properly and it was 2-2.

"And then we get in front again, and slack marking in the box gave them one with more or less the last kick of the game.

"I think they're just individual errors. As a team we're not doing too bad, we're playing some good football and we're not getting outplayed by anybody, even the teams at the top of our league haven't outplayed us.

"We've always been in every game and it's just mistakes that are hurting us and the quicker we get rid of them silly mistakes, we'll start winning games."

The Blues have recorded just a solitary league win so far, and their goals against tally of 23 is the joint second worst in the division.

Factor in the five goals conceded in their two FA Cup ties so far, and Whitton's men have shipped 28 in ten games this season.

But he insists that he doesn't want to change the way his side play in order to become tighter at the back.

He added: "We scored three goals again, two the game before and we still haven't won the games.

"It's frustrating, but while we're scoring goals, if we can cut out the defensive frailties then we'll be ok.

"It is good to watch, the boys are enjoying it, the supporters are enjoying it. I don't enjoy it but that's what football is.

"We like to go forward, we like to push on and maybe we need to shut those gaps a bit more and perhaps concentrate defensively rather than going forward.

"But I don't want to do that really, I want to play football the way it should be played, pushing on and creating chances because people want to see that, but I want us to make sure that we don't keep conceding silly goals.

"They're not well-worked goals against us, penalties and slack marking and keepers coming out when they shouldn't."

CRAIG EDWARDS believes the confidence running through his Billericay Town side is proof that a week is a long time in football.

Edwards saw his side bounce back in style from their disappointing loss to Bognor Regis Town by beating Leiston 4-1 in the Ryman League Premier Division last Tuesday night.

And the Blues then followed that up with a 2-0 FA Cup success over the same opponents to breathe new life into their campaign.

They were scheduled to take on Canvey Island last (Tuesday) night, and head to Carshalton on Saturday with their tails up.

"It's about what happens on the day," he said. "But all I'm worried about really is my side.

"Despite a lot of criticism I've always had great faith in them and the confidence they've gained in the past two wins means I feel we can go and compete with anyone.

"A week in football can make a huge difference and we're playing with a lot of confidence now."

On Saturday the Blues scored twice late on, with substitutes Ricky Sappleton and James Robinson netting to set up an FA Cup Second Qualifying Round tie at St Albans City.

And Edwards was delighted with his two strikers – and the selection dilemma they have given him.

"They're two very good subs," he added. "They're both coming back from various things, Ricky from a suspension and Robbo from injury but what it's done is made things very difficult for me in a good way.

"I've got a lot of selection problems and that's what you want – you want selection problems because people are playing well and not because they're not playing well, so I was delighted with them, two great finishes from two very good players.

"We have got good options up front, I think any team who can keep a clean sheet against us are going to have to do extremely well.

"On Saturday the biggest plus for me was the clean sheet and if we can start keeping clean sheets then we're going to win games."

St Albans are eighth in the Southern League Premier Division and booked their place in the next round of the FA Cup with a 6-1 thumping of Enfield.

"Obviously they will be favourites," said Edwards. "They've got a very strong side and it couldn't have been much tougher for uss."

LATE GOALS from subs Ricky Sappleton and James Robinson saw Billericay Town complete a league and cup double over Leiston.

Having lost 4-1 in the league match four days earlier, the Suffolk side made a bright start and goalkeeper Billy Lumley was called into action on several occasions in the opening exchanges.

The visitors also had a goal disallowed, but slowly Craig Edwards' side took a strangelhold on the game. Joe Benjamin and Junior Luke both went close twice, before Benjamin had a fierce shot well saved and then headed Evans Kouassi's cross over the top.

There were more chances at both ends in the second half, with Leiston keeper Alex Street making fine saves from Benjamin – who also had a shot cleared off the line – and Luke.

Sappleton almost made an instant impact after his introduction on the hour, but his shot was deflected wide, before Lumley denied Rhys Henry and David Head to keep his side level.

And eventually, six minutes from time, the home side got in front when Sappleton was put through and rifled the ball into the far corner of the net beyond Street.

Soon after, Robinson put the result beyond doubt when he superbly volleyed home Jeff Imudia's cross-field pass as the Blues set up a Second Qualifying Round tie at St Albans City.

Blues: Lumley, Imudia, Beavan, Dunne, Halle, Rodgers, Luke (Campbell), Lette-Jallow, Benjamin (Robinson), Bonnett-Johnson, Kouassi (Sappleton).

A STRONG Hutton U11 team has won the Essex Cricket Board Central District U11 Cup with a convincing victory over Chelmsford.

Hutton were fielding six boys who play in county age group teams, one county age group girl and two boys who play for the central district.

Hutton won the toss and elected to bat. They were given a great start by Mihir Mehrotra and Mason Allington, who ran singles and twos at every opportunity. Long boundaries meant fours were hard to hit but nevertheless the score mounted and Mehrotra was first out for 23. Joseph Parry joined Allington and they continued to score at a good rate.

The last four overs of the innings saw some big hitting and a flurry of fours and a huge six from Mason.

Hutton finished with a big total of 163 from their 20 overs. Allington batted superbly for a personal best 90 and Parry contributed 36.

Hutton put pressure on Chelmsford from the first ball and took wickets at regular intervals with eight bowlers used and the wickets shared around. Chelmsford scored a total of 65.

The Hutton squad was Will Steinberg (C), Joseph Parry, Mason Allington, Mihir Mehrotra, Cam Tredgett, Harry Dudman, Lawrence Griffiths, Amy Hills, Chris Willoughby, Toby Day, Tom Debenham.

THE Town Hall has been officially saved – after the council voted by an overwhelming majority to share the Ingrave Road complex with a new business centre.

The authority is now free to formally sign a joint agreement with Chromex, a serviced office operator, which would rent around 25,000sq ft of the civic centre from the council over 15 years.

Chromex would derive a rental income by splitting the space into dozens of offices and rent those out to smaller firms at a premium.

Just two Brentwood Borough Council members – Chris Hossack and Roger McCheyne – voted against the proposal to see Chromex invest about £1.5 million into the project, with the borough council investing £3.5 million.

The money will bring the building up to standard by replacing windows, the roof and the antiquated heating system.

The vote comes two years after the Town Hall Delivery Group, comprising members Liberal Democract, Labour and then Conservative councillors was set up to seek a solution for the ailing civic centre.

After years of inadequate investment, the red brick building, opened by the Queen in 1957, was becoming a major drain on the council coffers.

And with two-thirds of the building not being used, business rates were also needlessly high.

No start date for work has been announced yet but once the renovations – expected to take 18 months – are completed, around 20,000sq ft will be made available for Brentwood Borough Council and 6,000sq ft for community use.

Rental income from Chromex is estimated to rise to about £70,000 a year but importantly the deal will save the council about £140,000 a year in business rates.

The decision has come two years after the council was embarrassingly defeated over its plans to move to a new building next to the Ingrave Road site and sell the main block to developers.

Roger Hirst, deputy leader of the governing Conservative group on the council, supported the plan, which is likely to see the council investment returned within seven years.

He said: "Making better use of the town hall is a key part of the action being taken by the Conservative administration to reduce costs wherever possible, and keep council tax down while maintaining frontline services.

"What we agreed last night will get the Town Hall refurbished and back into good use, with subsequent savings for the Council on running costs.

"We have found some great partners and I am looking forward to working with them as we take this forward. I am also delighted that this project enjoys broad cross-party support.

"The major proposals we put forward on Wednesday evening will make a big difference for residents and I am sure they will agree that we are doing what's best for Brentwood."

Councillor Hossack, who stood against the proposal last week, said: "I have not gone back to the ticket office to get a ticket to get back on the train.

"I do wish the council well with this. I hope it works. Personally my problem is that £3.5 million of taxpayers' money is being spent on the town hall.

"I think we should be spending £3.5 million out there where it matters.

"I would never put £3.5 million on a project that I see as having a 50/50 chance of going forward."

Brentwood First councillor Russell Quirk was among the initial instigators who brought about a U-turn in the administration's plans to sell off the town hall for luxury apartments.

The then Conservative, who defected to set up Brentwood First with three colleagues in December last year, said: "This is one of the proudest moments of my time as a councillor."

HUNDREDS of parents could face huge hikes as Essex County Council considers axing free transport to all but their nearest schools.

David Kendall, county councillor for Brentwood South, said some parents could be stung by an extra £60 a month if the proposal to only offer free transport to the closest school to the child's home address is approved.

If a child went to a school further away, the entire bus journey would cost as much as an extra £3 a day, he added.

Some of the hardest-hit areas will be Doddinghurst, Kelvedon Hatch, Stondon Massey, Blackmore and Hook End, where the council currently transports 1,135 pupils to schools in Brentwood and Epping, costing the authority £1.1 million – 12 per cent of the council's overall forecast spend on home-to-school transport for eligible secondary students.

For many of those children, the nearest school may be Becket Keys, Shenfield or Anglo European in Ingatestone. Parents of students at St Martins and Brentwood County High who live in these areas would be charged extra.

Cllr Kendall said: "I am very concerned about this transport consultation because it could mean some Brentwood parents having to pay out a considerable amount of money each year to send their child to the school of their choice, whereas in the past it has been free.

"I would urge all parents who might be affected – particularly those in the rural parts of Brentwood – to study the consultation information carefully and to make their views known.

"I believe the current home-to-school transport arrangements are fair and I am opposed to Tory-controlled Essex County Council making any changes."

Essex County Council says it currently spends more than £25 million on school transport – a figure it says is unsustainable.

It has therefore launched a six-week formal public consultation into the discretionary elements of its home-to-school transport policy.

This could alter the reference to catchment area within the assessment of entitlement to home-to-school transport, scrap joint catchment areas and instead only provide transport to the nearest school to the home address where statutory walking distances are met.

It could also mean removing existing transport from routes which are now deemed safe to walk, withdrawing the provision of transport to families on a low income whose children attend a selective grammar school, and introducing a means-tested assessment for transport provided to pupils in exceptional circumstances.

It could also mean introducing a new window for home-to- school transport applications and reviewing existing post-16 transport provision.

Essex County Councillor Ray Gooding, cabinet member for education and lifelong learning said: "Quite simply, we need to save money right across the board and this means a review of the discretionary elements of our home-to-school transport policy.

"We do not have the level of funding to continue providing the same levels of service that we have provided to students in the past. The existing discretionary transport policy is incredibly generous, but it is complicated, unfair and outdated.

"We need to review our policy to ensure it is simple, fair, consistent and transparent, and that in the long term the local authority can provide for those who need our support the most."

THE parents of a schoolgirl who hanged herself after being abused by a family friend have paid tribute to their "intelligent, fun, and beautiful" daughter.

Bramwell Walls, 39, was arrested for abusing Georgia Hedges on May 14 – the same day she was found hanged in her bedroom.

Walls had been staying with Georgia's mother in Witham as he was a friend of the 14-year-old's father.

At Chelmsford Crown Court Walls was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of grooming a child.

In a statement Georgia Hedges' family said following the conviction on Friday: "Although nothing will replace our loss, we feel that the sentence is a fair reflection on the seriousness of his crimes.

"Georgia was an intelligent, fun, beautiful girl who would light up the room and had an amazing sense of humour."

"She will be sadly missed by friends and family alike."

Sentencing Judge David Turner QC said: "It is difficult to think of a case of worse sexual exploitation in terms of the overall consequences."

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy hit by a car whilst cycling home from a park was left lying in the street for almost two-and-a-half hours waiting for an ambulance to take him to hospital.

Wentworth School pupil Bradley Wringe was hit by a car whilst cycling on the junction between Mill Road and Park Drive on Monday. A rapid response paramedic arrived soon after the collision, which happened just before 5pm, but he had to wait until 6.55pm for an ambulance to arrive. It had a faulty tail lift, meaning another 25-minute wait.

Bradley's father Will, 38, said: "I'm furious Bradley waited so long on the pavement. If it takes this long to get an ambulance to people then they need more.

"What if he had suffered a life-threatening injury or had spinal injuries? What if he was bleeding heavily and they turned up with a faulty tail lift? What then?"

Bradley had been trying to cross the road when he was struck by the car and thrown off his bike. Because of the cold weather he was transferred to the first ambulance to keep warm, whilst they waited for the second that arrived around 7.20pm.

"Two hours is a long time to wait in the street," said Mr Wringe at the scene.

"It's been pretty cold out here and me and my wife have been freezing so God knows how Bradley feels laying there. We have done our best to keep him warm but this is just not acceptable."

Mr and Mrs Wringe rushed to the scene from their home in nearby Fambridge Road after a call from Bradley's older brother Morgan, 14.

Mr Wringe added: "I was really impressed with the ambulance staff, they were really helpful, polite and friendly as was the policeman that attended the scene."

Bradley suffered cuts and bruises in the accident but required a neck brace and precautionary treatment because of an injury to his back.

The Nissan driver was not arrested, but police sat they are investigating the circumstances.

Mr Wringe added: "We are confident that it's nothing too serious and Bradley has mentioned that he wants to get back to school.

"He is gutted about his bike though. It looks like it is beyond repair and he's only had it a few weeks."

Bradley was discharged from Broomfield Hospital at 11pm on Monday night.

An East of England Ambulance service spokesman said: "A rapid response vehicle with a paramedic on board was on scene within five minutes of the emergency call. An ambulance was then dispatched as soon as one was available.

"Unfortunately, upon arrival at the incident, the tail lift was found to be broken. A second ambulance was then dispatched, and arrived 21 minutes later.

"All calls are prioritised on clinical need and given the most appropriate available response.

"We take delays seriously and apologise to those concerned."

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was the first in the country to fail a Care Quality Commission assessment in March, with investigators citing response times as the main area for concern.

NEXT of Kin stormed through the arena audition stage to go through to the boot camp of ITV's X Factor on Sunday night, and even made judge Nicole Scherzinger cry.

Brothers Nate, Mark and Kieran Bass, from Witham, performed a heart-rending version of Can't Find Me – a song written with their mum, Diane, 61, and dedicated to their family who helped them through the ups and downs of child-stardom.

After shooting to fame in 1999 with a number 13 chart hit 24 Hours From You, the trio, went on a Smash Hits tour with Boyzone, 911, the Spice Girls and Britney Spears.

They were aged between 14 and 18 at the time and dubbed "the British Hanson" due to their youth and long hair, later signing to Universal with Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller showing interest in the boys' talents.

But they were later dropped by the label and left with huge tax bills, while their parents were even forced to sell their family home in Braintree.

Following years of toil in the music industry the brothers – Nate, 32, Mark, 29, and Kieran, 28 – have been thrown back into the limelight after their first two X Factor performances.

After crashing back to reality the boys had to find regular jobs as cleaners in Tesco when the recession hit and also worked in their father's carpet fitting business.

This was the inspiration behind their current bid for success and they want to repay their family's loyalty.

Oldest brother Nate said: "The feedback we've been getting is amazing. You'd think we'd won already. If we can get as much exposure as possible and keep doing what we're doing and show our honest singer-songwriter roots – that's all we want to do really.

"Our story is about a family who's been kicked down. When a lot of people would have given up, we could have got normal jobs and thought no-one really cares about us.

"But we all stuck by it and actually people really appreciate us. Seeing all those people come out and support us, it's been brilliant. I can't thank people enough for following us.

"About four years after the Next of Kin thing we had brief stints with other managers but they couldn't get us off the ground.

"We moved to Maldon and couldn't get any gigs. We couldn't carry on like this so we did shift work at Tesco cleaning for a shift each. We also know how to fit a few carpets too."

The X Factor judges were so enthusiastic about Next of Kin's first audition aired on Saturday night that Nicole Scherzinger was in tears.

She said: "Wait, wait, wait, let me get myself together. Ok, so that kind of touched me. That song was just magic because it was so truthful."

Speaking about the song that moved the judges so much, Nate said: "We wanted to play Can't Find Me because it's a bit country and that's a bit what we're about, but it was a risk because it's an old one of ours but it really struck a chord. But we never would have thought that old song would have had that much of an effect.

"Our mum has always been a lyricist and written loads of poetry in her little diary throughout her life.

"The words were written when she was younger. She was from Liverpool and when she was 20 her dad had just passed away at 42 and later her brother died at 12, so it was just her and her mum and she had to leave to come to London and work in the hospital as a nurse.

"Can't Find Me could really mean anything to anyone but it comes from her emotion and we wrote the music and production around her words in that way."

On Sunday, at Wembley, they wowed the audience with a cover of Lonestar's Amazed.

DANNY WEBB was delighted after helping Chelmsford City to victory at Ebbsfleet on Tuesday night – but warned his side not to get complacent when they travel to lowly Dorchester on Saturday.

Webb was superb at the heart of defence in the 2-0 win at the big-spending Fleet, leading manager Dean Holdsworth to hail his performance as "fantastic".

The Clarets now head to Dorchester, who sit bottom of the table, but Webb believes it will be just as hard as Tuesday's win.

"It will be a completely different animal," he said. "They're bottom of the league, they are going to be fighting and scrapping, so it will be a scrap.

"At Ebbsfleet it was a lovely pitch, they passed it around and played some really good stuff and I think [manager] Steve Brown will do well here, but it was good for us to get a result here because Saturday will be hard – we've got to go there probably with tin hats on and hopefully get another win."

Webb was the only survivor of the back five that started the season, and there were two changes for the game at Ebbsfleet, with keeper Carl Pentney and centre-back Jide Madouka both making their first starts of the season.

And Webb said: "I don't think Hainsey [Mark Haines] has done much wrong at all, but sometimes things are freshened up.

"We had a new goalie come in, a new centre-half and Charlie [Henry] coming in left, it just gives the whole place a lift sometimes.

"But regardless of that I just think the performance, the way we set up and the maturity of some of the young lads was fantastic.

"If I'm perfectly honest I don't think anyone's done much massively wrong, obviously you look at the 4-0 at Hayes, we were down to ten men which doesn't tell the bigger picture, the score.

"But as a team we were poor. In a couple of home games we've been off it so to speak, but I don't think there's been anything drastically wrong.

"When you're letting in goals and not scoring many, the pressure's on, so in a way it was nice to come here tonight where the pressure was on them and play off the pressure.

"At half-time we knew that the worst we could play for was a 0-0 draw but to get two second-half goals was fantastic."

All night long it was the Claret Army who were singing the loudest at Stonebridge Road, and Webb felt the pressure was all on Ebbsfleet.

"You heard their fans getting on their backs after 20 minutes because they hadn't scored and that obviously gives us a lift," he said. "They start going deeper and rushing passes and then the counter attack for the second goal was fantastic, they were trying to get a goal, all the fans were on their back and then we break forward and all their heads go. It was brilliant.

"It's nice to have something to hold on to, but apart from the game against Weston we've not really had too many games where we've had something to hold on to but instead we've been chasing the game, especially against Whitehawk on Saturday. We were overcompensating, they got the second and it kills you.

"They did the same thing with us . I did feel a bit sorry for their front two, they were a bit isolated, but as a back four I thought we dealt with it very well."

The Clarets will head to Southern Premier League Biggleswade Town in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round, and Webb is expecting a tough tie.

"I don't know anything about them," he added. "But it'll be hard – I know about the FA Cup and it'll be very, very hard.

"We could be playing a Sunday team and anything could happen in the FA Cup.

"There will be no pressure on them and we'd take a 1-0, but it's all about Dorchester for us first."

MALDON & TIPTREE manager Terry Spillane admitted it was 'unbelievable' watching his side draw 4-4 with Burnham Ramblers.

The two teams met in their rearranged Ryman League Division One North clash on Tuesday night and produced a thrilling encounter.

The game had been abandoned at half-time last month due to a waterlogged pitch with Burnham 4-3 up.

This one was put at risk by a partial floodlight failure before kick-off, but once it did get underway, it was another thriller.

"We've never had anything like that before here," he said. "Maybe someone's having a laugh with us and they want to have some entertainment with Maldon and Burnham – and they certainly got that.

"It was a bit of a cold and windy night so I think we wanted to give the fans their money's worth.

"If some of the goals from the game were in the Premier League, you'd just keep playing them. They were unbelievable.

"I was going to say it was the first time we'd let four goals in, but the last time we played them we let four in as well, although they didn't count."

The sides are due to do battle again in the League Cup in a couple of weeks time, and Spillane won't rule out the possibility of another thriller with Keith Wilson's men.

"We're quite friendly our clubs," he added. "We've got them again in two weeks in the League Cup and I said to Keith that we should just flip a coin because I don't think our hearts are going to last another 90 minutes of that.

"I think we're both attacking sides, we've both got decent defences, but some of the goals – especially the last one – it's a great goal.

"In the cold light of day there's nothing you can do about it, you can't legislate for goals like that.

"We went 1-0 down then got ourselves 3-1 in front, they got it back to 3-3 and then we got back in front and you think you'll close up shop, but all of a sudden the kid hits one from 30 yards."

Spillane was, however, frustrated about refereeing decisions, both in that game and Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup loss to Heybridge.

He said: "At 3-2 we had a nailed on penalty five yards away from the linesman and I asked them about it after the game and the referee said that he dived – I said that if that was the case he should have booked my player.

"Things like that are frustrating, my assistant tried to put a positive spin on it by saying these things even themselves out but at the moment it doesn't feel like it's coming but that's football and you do just have to get on with it.

"We just don't seem to be getting the rub of the green at the moment.

"There's an old saying though, the harder you work the luckier you get so we'll be working harder.

"We've got a tough week coming up, Dereham at home, Witham at home and then VCD, so we'll be working hard to get positive results out of that."

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS defender Ryan Doyle believes there is a chance that his side could go through the entire Ryman League Division One North season unbeaten.

Swifts have made a fine start to the campaign, and the mood in the camp is sky high.

They beat local rivals Maldon & Tiptree 2-0 in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round on Saturday – Doyle scoring the second from the spot – and the summer signing from Brentwood is revelling in his time with the Swifts.

"I'm really, really enjoying it," he said. "The club is very professional and the fans are brilliant.

"We had a good 50 fans over at Maldon singing all through the game and after the game we were back at our club with them having a drink and the chairman got some champagne out.

"It's nice to be at a well-run club.

"We are feeling good, there's a few shouts of the Invincibles going about.

"Hopefully it can keep going, we've had a couple of draws where we should have won, it's nice to be unbeaten and hopefully we can keep it going."

Doyle stepped up to net from the spot at Park Drive, firing past his former Brentwood team-mate Richard Wray.

And he admitted there was plenty of chat as he stepped up to take the spot-kick.

"I had no nerves at all," he added. "Robbie King has been taking the penalties and he asked if I wanted it, so I said you clearly don't want it.

"I stepped up, and I wasn't worried because I took all the penalties last year at Brentwood.

"I was pretty confident. I played with their goalkeeper at Brentwood so I went a different way and it went in and it was a good feeling.

"There was plenty of banter. As I was stepping up the other lads who played for Maldon were saying some things so I did have to mix it up and he went that way so luckily I did change my mind."

The reward for Heybridge was a trip to face Harlow, and Doyle hopes his side can be professional against their league rivals, who have installed a 3G pitch over the summer.

He added: "Everyone was really up for Saturday before the game.

"It was quite important for the club I think, they tried not to spell it out in words but I think the prize money is important for all non-league teams.

"We were looking for a home tie against a Conference South team in the next round, but I guess we'll have to wait another round for that if we can get past Harlow.

"I think as the season goes on their pitch will be a big advantage for them because they will be the most used to it.

"I've heard mixed reviews about it, but we've got to go there and do the job."

BRAINTREE TOWN manager Alan Devonshire has bemoaned the "strange" Conference fixture list for sending his part-time side long distances in midweek games.

Devonshire's men faced a trip to Wiltshire on Tuesday night this week – drawing 1-1 – and next week have a mammoth journey to north Wales, where they take on Wrexham.

And with a trip to Halifax also scheduled for a midweek, Devonshire admits it is tough for his part-time side.

"I find it strange," he said. "We were at Salisbury this week and then we're also at Halifax and Wrexham on Tuesday nights, and then the Tuesday night games at our place we've got Welling, Luton and Woking visiting.

"I find it strange that we played at Dartford on a Saturday and we could have played them in midweek and done Wrexham on a Saturday.

"But we're a small club and we have to put up with what we're given. The boys know from the start of the season so they'll be fine."

Sean Marks netted the leveller for the Iron at newly-promoted Salisbury, and Devonshire was pleased with the character from his side – and how things are shaping up so far this season.

"It was a decent result," he added. "It was probably a game we should have won, we had plenty of possession but after being 1-0 down we showed a lot of character and bossed the game.

"We've been quite solid. I think there's more to come from us, but we are tighter defensively. We move on to the next one and look forward to Saturday."

Behind that solid defence is goalkeeper Nathan McDonald, and the youngster has been rewarded with a call up for the England C team, having played in Latvia earlier this month.

And Devonshire added: "To be fair Nathan hasn't had a lot to do, it's everyone. It's not just Nathan, it's everyone.

"He's enjoyed that England experience, he's only a young boy and that's a good thing for him with England C, it's under 23s and there's not many keepers that young."

Southport visit the Amlin Stadium on Saturday, and Devonshire is expecting a tough clash – as always.

He said: "They lost at Lincoln on Tuesday but it'll be tough – every game is tough in this league, if you're not on it, you're going to get beat.

"We've got to make sure we're bang on it on Saturday and hopefully we can get the result we want."

Devonshire will be without striker Dan Holman for that clash, and is hoping to bring in a new frontman to bolster his ranks – although he has been impressed with Liam Enver-Marum and Jordan Cox in recent weeks.

He added: "Dan's going to be at least another two or three weeks so we're looking to maybe get another striker in on loan.

"Liam and Jordan have had their opportunity so we'll just have to see how it goes."

CHELMSFORD Superbiker Ed Rendell has received great help from his fans as he looks to make a real impression in this weekend's round in Assen.

Rendell will be competing on the continent for the first time in the Netherlands, and has been using Twitter to ask his fans and followers to pledge £10 to help him have a full set of fresh tyres for the event.

At the time of going to press, Rendell was more than halfway to his target, but he admits it has been hard for him this season.

He sits fifth in the Championship, and is pleading for more help to help him cement that position.

"Behind the scenes it's very hard," he told the Chronicle. "You always struggle to get the financial needs met.

"It does cost money – obviously you do win prize money but you still have to get money in anyway.

"I work six days a week and put all my money into it.

"We've got off to a good start but sponsorship is vital, not just for the money but also for the support.

"I have received a lot of support on Twitter this year which is great!"

Rendell is racing for Banks Racing in the series, a strong set-up which has aided the five podiums so far.

"This weekend, I've got the podium in my sights again. I can adapt to new circuits quickly, which I feel will be a great help in Assen, so it's all about getting there, getting my head down and getting the lap times in."

To sponsor Ed, call him directly on 07768 619700 or visit www.edrendell12.com to sponsor as little as £5.

But there has been bad news for Burnham's Danny Buchan, who has been ruled out of the European round after suffering a crash in testing last week.

Buchan crashed heavily at Silverstone on Thursday and was taken to hospital.

And the concussion and elbow injury he suffered has ruled him out of the Assen meeting.

His team principal Phil Seton said: "It is a great shame that the team will not be making the trip to Assen.

"By withdrawing him from this round, it gives Danny a few more weeks before the penultimate round at Silverstone at the beginning of October.

"I have been to visit Danny and he is in good spirits but in light of his injuries, this is the correct choice in terms of rider safety."

CHELMSFORD won the Essex Sunday League title after a good victory at South Woodford.

Their performance was solid with Nisarg Patel and Nick Bailey batting well to complete the win.

Captain Rob Hayto took three wickets in South Woodford's 164-8, a reasonable score on a pitch that made strokeplay difficult.

However, Chelmsford made a good job of the chase, winning with nearly eight overs and seven wickets in hand.

In South Woodford's innings, Alistair Fergus made the breakthrough before Chelmsford's spinners were quickly introduced into the attack. Nisarg Patel (1-27) and James Clifford (1-23 off 8 overs) claimed a wicket each as Harry Neicho and Quereshi played steadily. Quereshi's innings involved three big sixes, but Chelmsford kept a decent control on the scoring rate.

Rob Hayto removed Quereshi (36), caught by Bradley Green, and Neicho (33), caught by Patel.

Vadher (23no) played well in the closing overs, but a couple of wickets for Ben Clifford and another for Hayto (3-36) ensured the scoring rate was manageable.

With South Woodford having secured two bonus points, Chelmsford had to win for the loss of eight or fewer wickets to become champions.

Jack Sterland hit the first ball for four, but in horrible conditions the players were taken off for one over. Two overs were lost and the target reduced to 156 from 38 overs.

Sterland hit the first ball after the resumption for four as well and he and James Clifford brought up a rapid half-century partnership.

At 63-0 after 11, South Woodford's Iqbal induced an edge from Sterland (38) and then dismissed Clifford (17) in his next over.

Another wicket fell and at 73-3 Chelmsford were under pressure.

Nick Bailey and Nisarg Patel played extremely well, though.

As the target was counted down, the pair opened their shoulders and took a few risks.

Patel (48no) scored the winning runs with 46 balls remaining, while Bailey was 46no.

Chelmsford have had seven tough wins and two tight defeats, with the title coming largely due to captain Rob Hayto's efforts.

It is the fifth time that Chelmsford have won the title.