Prokit UK Essex Olympian League
The game of the day in the Premier Division pits leaders May & Baker E.C. against third-placed Harold Wood Athletic. Last time out the leaders thumped Basildon Town 6-0, making it two wins on the bounce after losing two matches back-to-back. Those losses will give Harold Wood Athletic hope as they are unbeaten in four going into this one. Should they win then Harold Wood could top the table, depending on how the other results pan out. May & Baker will be having completely other ideas. Having suffered a blip they are now back to winning ways and back at the top of the table. A win for them keeps them top, adds a slightly longer gap between top and third, with a possible lead on second-placed Frenford if they slip up in their engagement.
There will be a lot of interest in how Frenford fare at local rivals Manford Way. Depending on results Frenford could find themselves top, at the very least they will want to win to keep the gap between them and the leaders to a solitary point. Frenford won the corresponding fixture 3-1 and Manford Way have lost twice more in the league since then. Form favours Frenford going into the game but there have been some surprise results in recent weeks and Manford Way are more than capable of springing a surprise at the London Marathon Playing Fields on Saturday afternoon.
There’s a relegation six-pointer as Basildon Town host Rayleigh Town, as bottom plays second from bottom. There’s is likely to only be one relegation spot this term meaning that Basildon are currently five points from safety. A win is therefore required from Basildon, something they have only achieved once so far this term. Rayleigh Town haven’t won in four games but they did win the corresponding fixture 6-0. A Rayleigh win drags Basildon into even deeper relegation waters; a win for Basildon keeps them bottom but closes the gap on Rayleigh and offers them a lifeline in their relegation survival bid.
Saturday 27th January
Prokit UK Essex Olympian League – Premier Division
Basildon Town v Rayleigh Town
Bishop’s Stortford Swifts v White Ensign
Canning Town v Kelvedon Hatch
Manford Way v Frenford
May & Baker E.C. v Harold Wood Athletic
Springfield v Catholic United
