News & Events 2008.
STEALERS WIN ESSEX LEAGUE DIVISION 2.......UNDEFEATED 6.4.08
Following Thurrock Thunders withdrawal from the final League fixture of the season, Stealers confirmed their 'white-wash' victory of the Essex Div 2 set-up - 15 wins in 15 fixtures. Indeed, Thurrock had no advantage in playing the fixture - loss of the point for turning up would do nothing to help their last from bottom League placing. Likewise, Stealers had already won the championship and were poised to play for the glory of undefeated victory only - never achieved at the club before.
Stealers bid for ongoing glory continues at the play-off semi final - home to Southend Scorpions on Sunday 13th April, and assuming successful, at the final on May Bank Holiday Monday 5th, at the Chelmsford Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre.
Saffron Stealers Take League Division 2 Title...with games in hand. 16.3.08
With two games in hand, Saffron Stealers have successfully won the Essex League Division 2 2007 / 2008 title... and deservidly so. Stealers have been dominent throughout the season winning all 13 of their fixtures so far and currently sit on a points difference of a massive +390. Their nearest rivals Baddow 2 , who have only lost to Stealers ,have won 10 of their 12 fixtures, and sit on a mere +148 points difference thus far.
Should Stealers lose their final two games (Baddow home, Sun 16th March, and Thurrock home Sun 30th March), and Baddow win their remaining three fixtures, then Stealers will have won the League by head-to-head wins verses Baddow, - there being three games played against each team this year.
Despite resent 'average' performances, Coach Hasi remains confident that the squad will remain focused for these final fixtures and will take the League by a white-wash. '........the guys have out-shone the rest of the League throughout the season and must ensure that the final League figures demonstrate this........' rallied the Coach at the recent press conference ' ...even when the guys have played poorly, they have summoned the drive and determination to thrash out a victory. They need to move on to the next level in order to maintain their momentum...' he continued.
Indeed, Stealers have met first division opposition on a number of occassions this season, and have demonstrated their cridentials for first division oppostion. Having knocked out Baddow 1 majestically in the League Cup quarter finals, Stealers went on to meet the cuurrent first Division 1 Champions in the semi to lose by a mere 3 points. They'd been 13 points up with just a few minutes to go, and but for some 'end-game' inexperience could so easily have pulled off a historic giant-kill.
Stealers also met first division Scorpions 1, and again pulled out a memorable winning performance in a mid-season friendly.
But performing to this standard on a regular basis, both home and away may prove difficult for Stealers.
The away sqad has been depleated throughout the season - managable against second division opposition, but the could be Stealers undoing next year. Here's hoping for an injury free new season.
Club Secretary
Duncan Lambert
