The Writers View – Benfleet’s debut at Step Five

The Writers View – Benfleet’s debut at Step Five
Essex Senior League writers Scott W [@ScottMHC14] and Peter Dudley
[@ped1980] look at the newcomers to the division in Benfleet and get the
thoughts of Benfleet Chairman Dan Wright ahead of the big kick-off.
Benfleet are not only starting their first season at Step 5, they are also making
a big return to their original home at Woodside Park, having spent
considerable time & investment in bringing the ground up to standard for the
fifth-tier of Non-League. Their roots go back about 100 years and in in the last
decade, they competed in the Intermediate scene as they played in the Essex
Olympian League, prior to being chosen for elevation to the new Eastern
Counties Division One South (at Step 6) in 2018. They got close to that coveted
promotion in recent seasons, but after losing out in the play-offs to eventual
victors Halstead Town two seasons ago, they were then edged out of the end-
of-season games after a packed fixture programme fifteen months ago.
Previous manager Alex Salmon started the eventual promotion campaign, but
after he departed for higher level Enfield in September, current boss Lee Scott
took over & built on the work of his predecessor. Factor in a remarkable
second half of the season which saw eighteen wins in their last 20 league
games, and the ‘Fleet completed the task, to follow former Step 6 sides
Buckhurst Hill, Halstead Town and Frenford in competing in the Essex Senior
League.
Now their return to Woodside Park is quite a big moment for the club, they
had to relocate their first team to Canvey’s Park Lane ground in order to be
able to compete in senior football some six years ago when the newly formed
Division One South was created, they ended their first senior season in 12 th
before the next season was curtailed early due to the dreaded Covid-19 with
them 11th in the table.
The following season, 2020/21, saw the season pretty much finish just after
Christmas as fresh lockdowns due to Covid meant they only completed ten
games in the season, improving to 8 th in the table, before the following season
saw them have their best season as a Senior Club up till that point, ending up
third and way behind the runaway top two of Ipswich Wanderers and
Buckhurst Hill, meaning they were the best of the rest, although sadly for them
they lost out to Halstead Town in the playoffs, a bitter pill to swallow for the
club.

Season 2022/23 saw them end up in sixth and miss out on the play offs
altogether, but it was to all come together last season as they racked up an
incredible 103 points in 42 games to win the division by six points and earn
their promotion to step five and the Essex Senior League as champions, it’s
some feat considering they were in Step Eight only a few years ago.
And they now have a Senior Ground at Woodside Park which pending the
ground grading will host Essex Senior League football and Senior football for
the first time, it will be a momentous day for the club and one they have
certainly worked hard for over the last few years, and be sure to know that
they may surprise a few this season as they carry plenty of momentum over
from last season so don’t be surprised if they threaten the top ten, a big call
yes, but with the confidence they will be carrying into this season and going
back home, it all seems fitting for them that they carry on that momentum into
their first season at this level.
We also got the thoughts of Benfleet Chairman Dan Wright (DW) ahead of
their homecoming later this month.
Hello Dan, thank you for your time & congratulations. What are you looking
forward to most about the new campaign in the Essex Senior League?
DW: ”We’ve spent the last six years so excited just to be in the national league
system, to now be playing at Step 5 is unbelievable. We can’t wait to get into
our new ground, but most of all we’re looking forward to playing in The FA
Cup! We’ve got a home draw on 3rd August which is incredible. Hopefully we’ll
get a good crowd along and it’ll be a real great club day for the local
community – The FA Cup in Benfleet for the first time ever!”

Q: Manager Lee Scott built on previous incumbent Alex Salmon's work with an
outstanding run of 13 wins in your last 15 league games to win the Thurlow
Nunn South title. What do you think are the main reason/reasons for your
success?

DW: “Lee really took the team to a whole new level when he took over. The
consistency was one of the big things that changed, we stopped dropping
points against teams lower down the table. We have been more organised in a
better system of play that suits the boys a lot better. And the team spirit that

became such a feature of last season, the last minute winners and the ability to
bounce back every time we had a setback. Lee really has done the most
incredible job!”

Finally, we believe that the return to your original home Woodside Park is very
quickly upon us. How important is it to be back there just in time for this
special campaign? (After several years at Canvey Island's Park Lane)
DW: “It’s huge for the club. We should be able to really build on that by pulling
a crowd through the gate and taking some income from the bar and the cafe.
But more than anything it means we’re back in Benfleet where our local
community is.”

We would like to thank Dan for his time & enthusiasm ahead of a hectic season
for all at the club. Before we end, It would be unkind to not mention the
returning duo of Stansted and Sawbridgeworth Town, who return to the Essex
Senior after one season in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division. The
Airportmen certainly have added a few interesting signings in the close season
and the fact remains – How will both teams adjust to an arguably tougher ESL
than the most recent season they participated in? We will see when we the
season gets underway on Saturday 27 July, thank you for reading.