Having previously been with Stanway Rovers, Ben arrived at Broad Lane in 2010 whilst still being at the Colne Football College. He made his first team debut by coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 home draw with Hadleigh United in an Eastern Counties League Premier Division Fixture, on 8th March 2011. Initially a forward, it was not until the following Season after some solid displays in Ken Ballards’ reserve side that Ben broke into the First Team again and scored his first senior goal in a 2-1 home win over Hadleigh United on 8th November 2011, ending the campaign with 8 starts, 5 substitute appearance and 2 goals.
Pic: Ben pre-season 2011/12 photo of him
The following season, he worked hard to establish himself as a first team regular and with Tom Cutts’s departure to AFC Sudbury, he moved into central defense where his performances earned him the supporters player of the year. Now a firm favorite, the SOBS had affectionately christened him Omelette, however his excellent displays had attracted the attention of his former club as Stanway Rovers came in for him during the summer. With the Dragons struggling at the bottom of the Eastern Counties Premier Division it was a welcome sight to see Ben back in a Wivenhoe shirt again, at the beginning of October 2013, and he continued where he had left off, by giving whole hearted all action displays, one of which, a 2-1 home victory over Kirkley and Pakefield, resulted in a trip to Colchester hospital in an ambulance with concussion.
Pic: Ben battles against his former Club Stanway Rovers, during the Dragons’ 1-0 win at the Hawthorns, on 28/12/13.
Having reverted to his strikers role, Ben ended the 2014/15 campaign as leading scorer with 14 goals, to his name, however it was not enough to prevent the Dragons suffering relegation, from the Premier Division. Quite rightly, he wanted to remain at this level and so his departure was inevitable. “Ben scored most of our goals and I’d have loved him to have stayed. He’s got a real presence up front. He’s also a nice lad who works very hard and which ever club he ends up joining, they’ll be lucky to have him”, said manager Mo Osman at the time. The fans certainly didn’t blame Ben for wanting to remain at Premier Division level as he joined FC Clacton and gave his own reaction to his departure in the Gazette below.
Scoring twice on his debut, Ben saw out his contract with the “Seasiders” before returning to Broad Lane the following season, as the Dragons returned to the Premier Division, and he remained at the Club until November 2016, clocking up a total of 129 appearances and scoring 21 goals. He returned to FC Clacton but was unfortunately sidelined with a long term injury. Ben joined Stanway Pegasus and came on as a substitute for them in a 4-4 Christmas cracker at Broad Lane on 26 December 2022, before new Dragons boss, Kieron Shelley brought Omelette back to the Hoe’ in the summer of 2023, to the delight of the SOB’s.