Essex Senior League
Leaders Redbridge visit Waltham Forest on Saturday with a club record of eleven straight league wins under their belts. They need to make it twelve games as the chasing pack is close enough to capitalise should the Motormen fail to pick up all three points. Waltham Forest will provide tough opponents if recent result against the top teams are anything to go by. They lost 2-1 to FC Romania, but did beat Takeley 2-0. Redbridge however are the team that don’t know when they are beaten, as last weekend’s last-ditch 2-1 victory over Barkingside proves.
Basildon United will be heading down the A127 to visit Southend Manor. The Bees need to win to keep the pressure on Redbridge, but have to be on guard as Southend Manor won the corresponding fixture 2-1. The Bees are banging in goals at the moment, having rammed in 7 and 4 goals respectively in their last two league encounters, and have signed the League’s top scorer James Peagram from Ilford. Southend Manor are themselves a decent team on their day; if they turn up, and let’s face it they should as they are taking on a local rival, then it is possible they could upset Basildon, making their trip back down the A127 an unhappy one.
Hackney Wick are down at the bottom and require the full quota on offer at Cricklefield. Ilford sit in safer midtable waters but the loss of top scorer James Peagram means they could be toothless upfront. If that proves to be the case then Hackney Wick are in with a chance. The Wickers certainly play a brand of passing football that belies their lowly status. However they seem unable to turn that possession into goals, making them the lowest goal scorers in the league. If the Wickers can keep Ilford’s frontline quiet then they might be able to snare a point. If they want all three then they will need to find the back of Ilford’s net. Ilford of course have the better form but its Hackney Wick that have the most pressing need for points.
Two teams in the relegation zone face-off as Hullbridge Sports entertain Enfield 1893. The visitors sit second from bottom and are winless in four. Hullbridge Sports were starting to pick up points, winning three from their last four league games; that was until their last outing at Sawbridgeworth Town which saw them handed a 5-0 defeat. A week off caused by postponements means they have had time to lick their wounds before returning to the relegation battle they find themselves in. It’s a classic relegation six-pointer which either side need to win to aid their respective relegation battles.
Saturday 27th January
Essex Senior League – Premier Division
Clapton v Wadham Lodge
Great Wakering Rovers v Burnham Ramblers
Hullbridge Sports v Enfield 1893
Ilford v Hackney Wick
Southend Manor v Basildon United
Stansted v Sporting Bengal United
Takeley v West Essex
Waltham Forest v Redbridge
