Essex Senior League Champion's Tilbury currently lead the way in The Pitching In Isthmian North Division - Could The Dockers move back up to the Premier Division they last played in between 1977 to 1980? The Management duo of Marc Harrison and Liam Wallace re-joined the club from East Thurrock United in March 2023 from East Thurrock United. They were unable to prevent relegation to the Essex Senior League but after just over 18 months in charge things are looking much more rosier at Chadfields. Harrison and Wallace have previously managed Basildon Town, Basildon United and East Thurrock United as well as a previous three year spell with Tilbury.
Their only two league defeats so far have come at home to Ipswich Wanderers and on the road at Walthamstow.
What is promising is the increase in attendances at Chadfields in recent years - In the 2014/15 season when they were playing at the same level their average crowd for their Ryman North fixtures was 72 people - the average for league games this season is 285 - This is great to see!
The potential for the club is there to be seen as they attracted 629 for the recent FA Cup tie against Chelmsford City - Granted there would of been a good number of travelling supporters but there is no reason to think they couldn't attract 400+ if they were to be promoted.
Former Concord Rangers and East Thurrock United centre-forward Alex Hernandez, 21, has been in fantastic form since joining The Dockers on loan from Vanarama National South side Aveley at the end of the September. He has netted nine goals in just nine league games.
They are closely followed by Witham Town who have struggled towards the wrong end of the table in recent seasons having to beat Saffron Walden Town in the inter-step play-off at the end of the 21/22 campaign.
It's been a fantastic season so far for Gary Kimble's side - He has been in charge since the summer of 2023 which is second spell with the club having been with them from 2011 to 2016 where he guided them to promotion from the Essex Senior League to the Isthmian Premier where they spent just one season being the 14/15 campaign.
They will miss centre-forward Josh Osude who scored 16 league and cup goals prior to his recent move to Premier Division Hashtag United whom he joins for a third spell having previously played for The Tags between 2019 to 2021 and September 2021 to February 2022.
Winger Deese Kasinga (who I wrote about here in 2019 and 2020 whilst he was playing for Tower Hamlets) has also been putting in some impressive performances for the club - I still think the former Newcastle United player could play at a higher level. It's good to see him playing well for Town for now.
Bury Town, who were runner's up to Lowestoft Town last season, are in third place. They lost out to Brentwood Town in the play-off semi-final and are looking to return to the Premier Division they last played in the 14/15 season. Former professional player Cole Skuse (Bristol City, Ipswich Town and Colchester United) will be looking to achieve promotion in his second season in charge at Ram Meadow.
After two defeats in row to Waltham Abbey in the league and Leiston in the Suffolk County Cup Round One they bounced back to winning ways at the weekend with a 2-4 victory at Cambridge City with Ed Upson, Luck Brown and Max Maughn on the scoresheet.
Another Suffolk team who went close to promotion via the play-offs last season are in 4th place. Felixstowe and Walton United have games in hand over all of the top three so arguably are best placed at the moment. They currently have 100% winning record in the league at home winning all six games in a row - last season they lost just two games at The Martello Ground in the regular season and most crucially the play-off semi-final against Bowers and Pitsea who won on penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw.
They have two home games coming up against Cambridge City and Redbridge before a eagerly anticipated Isuzu FA Trophy Second Round game at Vanarama South side Boreham Wood on Saturday 16th November. They have already beaten Basildon United, Enfield, Haringey Borough and Bishops Stortford to get to this stage.
Young striker Carlie Warren who joined the club from Needham Market had attracted interest from clubs higher up the pyramid in the summer but he stayed loyal to Felixstowe & Walton United. This has paid of for him and the club as he has netted 18 league and cup goals so far. He's certainly a player with a big future in the game.
Cameron Forde-Brown, on loan from Kings Lynn Town, has scored eight goals - seven in the cup and one in the league.
Basildon United, Waltham Abbey, Brightlingsea Regent and Grays Athletic are in the group of teams from fifth to eighth.
Waltham Abbey are unbeaten in their last six league games with fourteen goals scored and five conceded.
At the foot of the table the relegation zone is made up of teams all on nine points - Ipswich Wanderers, Newmarket Town, Haringey Borough and Wroxham.
It's been a difficult season for the North London side who are in danger of a second successive relegation after dropping from the Premier Division last season. Their only two wins in the league have come at Ipswich Wanderers (1-3) and at home to Sporting Bengal United (2-0). Since the win against the East London side they have lost 0-5 at home to Brentwood Town, drawn 1-1 at Waltham Abbey, lost 7-0 at Gorleston, drawn 4-4 with Tilbury in The Velocity Cup and drawn 2-2 at home to Wroxham.
Coles Park has seen an average league attendance so far of 269 in their five games which is down compared to the first five games of last season (531) but this did include a big bank holiday game against local rival's Enfield Town which saw 946 watching.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Tuesday 5th November
Newmarket Town v Bury Town
Saturday 9th November
Brentwood Town v Ipswich Wanderers
Bury Town v Basildon United
Felixstowe & Walton United v Cambridge City
Grays Athletic v Newmarket Town
Maldon & Tiptree v Gorleston
Mildenhall Town v Brightlingsea Regent
Redbridge v Wroxham
Sporting Bengal United v Haringey Borough
Waltham Abbey v Heybridge Swifts
Walthamstow v Concord Rangers
Witham Town v Tilbury
Tuesday 12th November
Cambridge City v Concord Rangers
Felixstowe & Walton United v Redbridge
Haringey Borough v Bury Town
Ipswich Wanderers v Witham Town
Wednesday 13th November
Sporting Bengal United v Brentwood Town
Saturday 16th November
Brightlingsea Regent v Sporting Bengal United
Concord Rangers v Mildenhall Town
Gorleston v Bury Town
Haringey Borough v Waltham Abbey
Heybridge Swifts v Grays Athletic
Ipswich Wanderers v Walthamstow
Newmarket Town v Maldon & Tiptree
Tilbury v Redbridge
Wroxham v Witham Town
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